I was hoping you’d chime in and educate me. Next time, after I’ve exhausted the nursing staff, I’ll ask for the anesthesia team. Good advice.I’ve heard HCWs can identify veins for IV through ultrasound, but I’ve never had that experience.
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May I suggest that those who are difficult vein “sticks” to tell the nurse and ask them to wrap your hand up to your elbow in a warm, wet towel, and then wrap that towel in a chux. Dangle the arm off the stretcher. I can almost guarantee that they will have easier access to a vein.
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I am on the 3 year schedule b/c they found a benign polyp the first time. This will be my 3rd. Yuk. And I booked it before I knew we’d be having all this work done at the house in the next 2 weeks . But, at least i have easily findable veins.
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Phew, glad I haven’t had trouble getting my blood drawn ever. I’m sorry for all that have that issue.
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My husband has huge veins as well. Sometimes he’ll catch me looking at them with admiration and he’ll say “Stop ogling me! I have a brain too, you know!” 
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Good for you, @BunsenBurner !!
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Most posters here seem to be mentioning 3 or 5 year intervals using colonoscopy as primary screening, rather than the typical 10 years. Are most posters high risk?
Oh man I gotta check on something. How many days before the procedure do you hsve to stop consuming red food? Does that include wine? We are scheduled to attend a wine tasting o. A Sat night and the procedure is tues morning. Anyone recall?
I think I have good doctors, some people said their doctors said come back in 10 years and then found out they have colon cancer stage 4. I rather be suspicious and catch things earlier. I do have a cousin died of colon cancer at age 49.
Did the doc give you any written instructions? Maybe in MyChart? I would personally go to wine tasting but have just a few sips and not a whole lot of food and then go cold turkey on any solid foods on Sunday morning.
The docs are mostly concerned with red dyes in Gatorade etc. because those don’t get digested and might look like blood in the colon during the procedure.
I think if they find any polyps, even if benign and you have no risk, it drops to 5 years. Mine is 5-7 and I have no risk that I know of, but they found 2 tiny polyps. My secretary was the same. No history. A couple of small ones. I think she is 3-5 years.
Maybe they are also more conservative now? It used to be age 50 to start. Now it’s 45. And apparently there are a lot more people in their 30-40s with colon cancer than before. Plus, now with the health care act, they are covered under wellness. So people can afford to go more frequently. I know I wouldn’t go if I had to pay $3000 for one. I have a high deductible ($5K) that i never meet, so it would be all out of pocket for me.
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The red and purple avoidance was not to be consumed during the clear liquid stage. The earlier days were to not eat food like nuts, popcorn and raw veggies. They should give you instructions.
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Thanks all. There are instructions with the “prep” stuff and this is my 3rd rodeo. I just haven’t looked at the “instructions” yet this go round!
That would be another argument for doing yearly FIT in the years when you do not have a regularly scheduled colonoscopy.
Seems like you have a high risk family history, especially since age 49 was below the threshold to start any kind of colorectal cancer screening until recently.
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I have no idea, but my aunt, her mom, died at age 94, didn’t have colon cancer even.
We take no risk in this aspect, just about everybody in my family has decided to do it regularly.
I am (my mother died at 62 from colon cancer).
Breast cancer, even non-invasive like mine was, is a risk. My GF had colon cancer, 3 immediate family members with BC, a polyp was found in my first colonoscopy. All have led to a every 5 years schedule.
Thankful my doctor has moved on from the gallon of prep to pills and laxatives. The pills were a $40 co-pay and worth every penny.
A friend died relatively young from colon cancer and it is nothing I ever want to go through.
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Just had a friend (52) dx with colon cancer a few weeks ago. It was caught after her first colonoscopy.
I was surprised. I don’t know her family history but am thankful she had a colonoscopy done.
Who Is at Risk for Colon Cancer? | Colon Cancer Coalition describes risk factors for colorectal cancer.
Those with higher risk may make different choices regarding screening (e.g. starting at an earlier age). Of course, some risk factors are modifiable, such as reducing intake of processed meats (those with nitrates/nitrites/celery-juice-extract), increasing intake of vegetables, and increasing exercise.
Interesting, my cousin was a vegetarian.
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