Kirstie Alley passed away because of colon cancer that was detected late.
I am happy with having a colonoscopy every 5 years. 10 years is a long span.
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Iāve got one scheduled for next week. I am on the 3-5 year plan.
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Hope after this time, you will get to be on a 5 year interval.
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I had one a few weeks ago. The prep was a lot less difficult than my previous one. Just 2 smaller containers (8 oz maybe) of stuff and lots of water. I was able to chug it down with no problem. Last time I just could not drink it all. Started off ok but then got to where I would gag when I lifted it to my lips.
Iāve had polyps both times but benign. 5 years to the next one. My Mum had colon cancer. She had never had a colonoscopy. It did not kill her but it ended her life. The surgery got rid of the cancer but she lost all confidence and would not even leave the house. Not even to go for a walk in the street she lived on for 50 years. This was a lady who joined the WRAF in WWII at 17 (lied about her age) then travelled to Rhodesia on her own to work. Back in the 1940s when it was a several week journey by ship and only communication with family was snail mail. Colonoscopy not fun but worth a miserable day in the bathroom.
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The painters and carpet installers are behind schedule and the house will
Continue to be torn up for another week or more. All furniture is under plastic sheeting. Colonoscopy is next week. Bad timing.
Any suggestions for things you didnāt mind eating in the day or 2 before ?
My instructions sheet suggested that before the prep day, I should:
- avoid foods containing fiber including raisin bran cereal, brown rice, etc.
- avoid raw veggies (some cooked veggies such as carrots are ok)
- no fresh fruit, particularly apples, pineapples. (Pears and ripe bananas are ok)
- food with little or no fiber like potatoes are allowed but no skin
- meat that is not tough. (I donāt know what they meant but guessed they meant buffalo meat or the like. Otherwise, common meat like chicken, pork is allowed.
- spices are allowed.
I end up eating a lot of cooked chicken, cooked carrots and baked/boiled potatoes (peeled) until the night before the prep day. I like carrots and potatoes so I was quite happy.
I hate all the soft food I have to eat the week before the colonoscopy, I usually eat a lot of food with fiber. Thatās pure torture, not the stuff we have to drink.
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They suggest a low residue diet. So pasta, white bread, applesauce, canned peaches, chicken, crackers, pretzels, etc. Lots of stuff I donāt normally indulge in.
Donāt eat beans, nuts, oatmeal, lentils, high fiber cereal, fresh fruit or veg, corn, peas, etc
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In other words, you cannot eat the fibrous foods that you are supposed to eat lots of to reduce the risk of colorectal cancerā¦
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Chicken bouillon (homemade!) with HB egg 3 days prior, staring 2 days prior- only chicken bouillonā¦ lots of it. Canāt stand any sweet liquids.
Thanks for the great ideas. Keep em coming. Bummer that ther are two events this weekend Iāll attend, but will drink water. Can I have a little wine Saturday if the procedure is Tuesday? I thought the āno red foodā started 2 days beforeā¦.
A week?? My rep says I only have to start that stuff 3 days before.
Yeap, if memory serves, itās pretty painful, only the last day is liquid.
FWIW. I screenshotted my instructions up to taking the Sutab pills. It wasnāt really a big deal for me.
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Timing stinks. We have holiday events every night this weekend!
My doctor had a particular diet protocol. Other doctors in his practice had different protocols. Mine provided me with great instructions, but I donāt have them anymore. The food was non-fiber food, which I typically avoid. But I had a lot of options all the way up until the day before. My colonoscopy was January 3 last year, and I was able to drink on NYE. I do recall that I had to start avoiding food/drink with red or purple dyes maybe 3 days before (so red wine was out). Maybe your doctorās office can provide you with more specific instructions? Mine had links not just to foods to avoid, but also to foods that were acceptable to eat. That was helpful.
Procedure is Tues, so I might sip/taste a little wine Sat night. Tonight is DHās company holiday party. Maybe will stick to white wine or bourbon 
Lunch was creamy PB and an egg. (not together!). In the good news/bad news dept, the good news is we happen to have a lot of bathrooms in this house. Bad news- the painters are here and all over the place and blocking access to all but 1 at the moment. Good thing I have a few days before full prep begins. Yuk.
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If you react to your prep like I have, you will just need immediate access to bathroom for a few hours late afternoon/early evening. Guessing maybe your painters are gone by 3 or 4 if they are like most construction related folks?
This is my 3rd colonoscopy (was on the 3 and 5 yr recall schedule). I have to start the official prep at 3 pm Monday. The painters and carpet guys are scheduling around each other and as long as I can get to my bedroom and bathroom, I should be fine. They leave at 5, and likely it wonāt be an issue yet. Itās been 5 years so Iāve forgotten the specifics.
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