I’m up for my followup… even got a letter from the GE reminding me. Called to schedule and “lucked out” by getting a really dumb receptionist… do you have a referral from your primary? Ugh, why do I need that? I have a letter from your office! No, I need to check a box that asks for a referral. Without that box checked, no go. Holy guac, this is why folks don’t come for their scheduled procedures!
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Just finished mine a month ago. I chose to go without anesthesia. Also talked my dad into it and he had no problems. It seems uncommon, any others care to throw out that they tried it without going under? Made for some interesting banter with the Dr. and staff.
For those of you that took the no anesthesia path, did you still get a rather large bill for anesthesia? I haven’t questioned the office about it yet, but I was surprised at the charge.
Maybe that reflects the expense of keeping anesthesiologist “on retainer”? Just in case the patient bails out and asks for the meds?
What about it is not understandable?
“The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer in all adults aged 50 to 75 years.” – grade A
“The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged 45 to 49 years.” – grade B
“See the “Practice Considerations” section and Table 1 for details about screening strategies.” Table 1 lists the screening methods, intervals, and characteristics.
“Several recommended screening tests are available. Clinicians and patients may consider a variety of factors in deciding which test may be best for each person.”
I’m not getting an easily digestible recommendation for frequency of colonoscopy from ^^. I’m sure it’s dependant on the person, as noted, but in my experience doctors aren’t that nuanced.
From Table 1 of Recommendation: Colorectal Cancer: Screening | United States Preventive Services Taskforce , the first two columns are:
| Screening method | Frequency |
|---|---|
| High-sensitivity gFOBT | Every year |
| FIT | Every year |
| sDNA-FIT | Every 1 to 3 y |
| Colonoscopy | Every 10 y |
| CT colonoscopy | Every 5 y |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | Every 5 y |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy with FIT | Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 10 y plus FIT every year |
This means that if you choose colonoscopy, the base frequency is every 10 years, though the footnote for all frequencies says that it “Applies to persons with negative findings (including hyperplastic polyps) and is not intended for persons in surveillance programs.” Meaning that those who had previous findings may need more frequent screening for any of the screening options.
I had to go every three years after they found polyps a few weeks after I turned 50. So I also had the procedure at 53 and 56. I don’t have to have another one until I’m 61.
Yes, the GI doc makes recommendations based on what is found in the testing/colonoscopies. The more suspicious they are for cancer, the more frequent the screenings.
Thanks, ucbalumnus. Lots of detail there. The recommended age for first conolonscopy isn’t jumping out at me.
So I found this… Says age 45 for 1st colonoscopy, for most folks.
And apparently the American Cancer Society recommendation of age 45 conflicts with the US Preventative Services Task Force (cited above) which keeps its recommendation at age 50.
I know multiple people who have had serious colon cancer (Stages III & IV) under age 50, so yeah, I’d go with the lower age…
Yes, an online friend was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer at 45. She’s doing well now but she’s not out of the woods yet.
Actually, the USPSTF also now recommends starting screening at age 45 generally, but does say that the evidence is stronger for age 50-75 (grade A) than for age 45-49 (grade B). See above (post #2124 for quotes).
Screening could be colonoscopy every 10 years, but several other screening methods are also options. See above (post #2126).
I worked at a colonoscopy center as an RN for 8 years. We had the occasional patient request no anesthesia. Our policy was that everyone HAD to get an IV in case they either changed their mind mid-procedure or had other complications and needed emergency medicine.
If you completed your procedure without anesthesia, you should NOT be billed for it.
As to how people tolerated it without anesthesia, we got mixed reactions. Some said “piece of cake!” Others said “Don’t EVER let me do that again!” Some changed their minds mid-procedure, and they were either given conscious sedation meds (versed and maybe a small dose of narcotic) or propofol. It depended on if there was a CRNA not already working another case available to administer the propofol (can’t be given by a regular RN). If no CRNA, they got conscious sedation.
I personally was willing to take my chances with anesthesia. I didn’t want to experience it, I didn’t want to remember it. It’s a memory I’m perfectly fine with living without! But if you were good with it, that’s the least risky route to take.
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I didn’t have anesthesia and had no problems, except there was about a minute near the very end of the procedure where I could feel the the scope jabbing into my intestine just under the stomach. Uncomfortable, but tolerable. Next time I won’t have anesthesia, either. No bill because it was done in a VA hospital. From check in to the time I was driving home was less than 2 hours.
I had conscious sedation and was also given an anti nausea iV med, since I tend to get nausea from sedation.
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My husband had his first without any sedation because he wanted to get back to work quickly. It wasn’t very comfortable so he gets sedated now.
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I have a colonoscopy scheduled for January, and I got asked today to participate in a research study that seeks to determine if a blood test can be used in place of a screening colonoscopy for low-risk patients. They’ll draw (8 vials of) blood a week before the colonoscopy. I am actually pretty excited to be able to participate. I think that a blood test would certainly be preferable to a colonoscopy - I don’t know whether the research will be successful, but I am happy to help.
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Wow, thank you for volunteering! Hope the actual test will not involve 8 vials, 
. I’d rather have a colonoscopy than have 8 vials of blood drawn out if my body.
Going for mine in January, too. A little concerned that they can cancel… hope I’d they do, it will be before the start of the gawdawful prep. 
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Well, @kelsmom is going to be the lucky person who gets eight vials of blood drawn and a colonoscopy!
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A typical vial for a blood draw is 3 to 10 ml, so 8 vials is 24 to 80 ml. So between 1/20 and 1/6 of a 500 ml blood donation.
It does seem that any new screening method has a fairly narrow success window. Basically, it cannot be worse in sensitivity and selectivity than inexpensive yearly FIT (which gains 94% of the life years, averts 82% of CRC cases, and averts 93% of the CRC deaths as colonoscopy every 10 years, for each starting at age 45), and it cannot be excessively expensive compared to colonoscopy every 10 years.
Table of benefits for each existing screening method:
Table of burdens and harms for each existing screening method:
Above tables from Recommendation: Colorectal Cancer: Screening | United States Preventive Services Taskforce
Wrong thread. Lol.