Well,I had it-the last colonoscopy and endoscopy. No more unless, I guess, something bad happens. Anyway, at 75, I had these procedures at the VA where I've been getting my medical care for many years. The price has always been right.

I know some don't like the place, but they always impress me and this was no different.

Arrived at 7 AM, wife was my designated driver. Three rooms so three patients at a time- I was Number 5. It went fast, a last trip to the bath room after putting on the gown that opens in the back, IV started and all the docs and nurses stopping by to ask questions of me or just to visit and encourage.

The same Doc who took care of me three years ago has me again. A different Doc, this time, for the anesthesia. I like both of them.

A pretty, young female Doc, who tells me she's a fellow (!!!???) comes over and I figure she's just attracted to old guys. Then I realize she's distracting me while the Doc behind me puts the drugs to me.

A second or two later and I wake up! Okay, maybe half an hour later. The Docs all come by again, telling me I looked good down there,though they've found some polyps both in my colon and my stomach and removed them for biopsies, but that they are quite small and they are not concerned about them. I think I might not be concerned either, if the polyps came out of somebody else.

They also stretched my throat. In 2015, I had the 35 radiation treatments for throat cancer, a bit unusual to have for someone classified as a "never smoked." The radiation caused my throat to shrink and I started the cute little thing of taking a bite at dinner and puking it all up on my plate. I did it the first time when I took my wife to our favorite BBQ and Steak place. No one there was amused.

They stretch the throat by inserting different sized rings, starting with a small one and increasing the size to force the throat to open wider. This works for some 3-5 years and then often have to be repeated. That's part of why I was there this time. I was having trouble swallowing my meds and many foods. I asked them to use the 2XL ring and I think they must have as I am slightly sore two days later. The last time felt nothing.

Anyway, I wanted to say how wonderful all the folks were there at Bay Pines. I am very happy for the care I get from them.

Bob

The hardest part of a colonoscopy is the day before!

About your having throat cancer despite being a non smoker, recent findings are showing HPV is a major cause of oropharyngeal cancers. I went through the same radiation therapy series for oral cancer myself in 1996 so I pay attention to to the articles.

The day before: the VA still uses the go-lightly for the prep and I hated it. This time I used the lemon-aid flavor Crystal Light and, actually, the taste was not bad. Not something I'd care to drink if not required, but not bad.

Yeah, I've read that about HPV, too. I think if I was young and single, I might have to invest in a blow-up doll.

Bob

Congrats on it being your last, I look forward to that day.

At 53 years of age, had my third one yesterday. I despise them, I am still sick to my stomach today from the anesthesia. I do not yet go to the VA for treatment, I went to a local doctor. There is a big center near me that has numerous doctors in one large building (it include the surgery center), I think they do these all day, five days a week with multiple doctors.

Mine only took 45 minutes from the time I went in until I woke up, they are pretty efficient in getting the max number of people through each day.

As usual the nurse had problems getting the IV in, had to abandon the first stick and try another area - still sore today from that.

My first one required 3 days of prep (not food) and a gallon of the worst tasting stuff I can recall. This time was a bottle mixed in 16 ounces of water at 6pm and 6 am of the procedure.

Had two polyps, we will see if they are cancerous next week.

i've been getting colonoscopies for 13 years with va.

depends what they find, i asked after previous colonoscopy found 3 polyps, 2/3 pre-cancerous, so re-check in 3 years.

next procedure, all 12 benign....so i'll keep the next appointment.

as for the prep, i back-up drinking the wall paste 6-10 hours from what they recommend so i can sleep thru the night.

Glad you got a pretty good report, Bob.

Glad you are well, and had a good experience.

Just scheduled mine for 6/22. Oh goody, and the damn thing isn’t until 1:00 p.m.

I am glad things went well for you, but man, you got hosed!

Yep, hosed is the word. I don't think they used the same one for the endoscopy that they used for the colonoscopy-I hope.

I always tell them to pick a day where I can be in the first wave. Then my wife and I always go out for a nice breakfast.

This time we went to a favorite restaurant, but they must have had a new cook as the food wasn't as good as usual. But at least the fasting part was over.

Bob

Yup... when I hit 75 was done here too!

So it wasn't too bad getting them both done at the same time? I had an endoscopy 5 years ago. I need to do a followup this year. I just turned 50, so I get to have both done ends done. I hope they use different cameras...or at least do the endoscopy first!

Yep, had both done May 11th. I am 80.

Did screening colonoscopies on several folks deep into their 80s this week. I always shake my head and wonder, "Why?".

Easy for me to say, I suppose. I may feel differently if I make it to that age.

Did mine last week. Piece of cake. The only hard part is not eating for a day and a half. I'm a grazer and pick at food constantly. Not being able to do that is brutal.

Congrats on being done. I'm in VA system and the facility near me is excellent.

Goat1967 asked:

quote:

So it wasn't too bad getting them both done at the same time?

Not at all, and that's the way I've had them done for the last twenty or so years. After all, you are out and don't feel a thing-or at least I never did.

Bob

It must be nice to be done. I'm done with colonoscopies, I think.
But I get cystoscopies every 6 months-and only local lidocaine anesthetic.

I had one of those after passing a bit of blood in my urine. Very weird, but not too painful.

Not something I'd want to do very often.


Bob

Had my 1st scope job 3 to 4 years ago at the age of 70yrs old. Doctor said clean bill of health and comeback in 10 years. ..... drill sgt.

To make the prep a bit more tolerable, fast for a day before doing the prep, sort of Operation Moon River Day -2.

If there isn’t anything in you, or at least less in you, there’s less to expel.

When I was hospitalized in 2018, I underwent four or five in a three week period while they made sure my colon wasn’t dying from a C. diff complication called Toxic Megacolon (there is a heavy metal band with that name). Thankfully, I was (a) comatose for all but one, a endoscopy for the last fecal microbiome transplant, which saved my life; and (2) I hadn’t eaten solid food for days before landing in the ICU and didn’t eat for another 28 days after that.

In 2020 I underwent another, and fasting two days made the experience far less unpleasant.