Any recent Colonoscopy participants here?

[SleepyToo2]

Did you all have to have someone with you? Is it worth trying to look around to find another doctor who'll let me leave alone?

At least where I live (Pennsylvania), I believe it is the law that they cannot do the procedure unless you have someone to drive you home (not a taxi, either). Also, if any physician was prepared to do the procedure without ensuring you had safe transportation home, I would run a mile in the other direction - you wonder what else they are prepared to take risks with. If something went wrong, would they have ANY insurance coverage? I am absolutely not prepared to take the risk - even if the odds of something going wrong are the same or lower than the chances of me winning the Mega Millions lottery last night (I did buy a small number of tickets for fun, and no, I did not even win $2.00!). If I was living alone I would even ask a neighbor if they could transport me from the procedure - the small amount of embarrassment over having to ask is outweighed by the benefits of having the procedure done. Also, so many people are getting them done these days, there is a good chance that my neighbor is familiar with the requirements anyway. If not, there is a good "teaching moment" right there!

[mindy]

Did you all have to have someone with you?

Yes. I was too "gorked" (drugged up) to drive, that's for sure, and the flier I got said I could not / should not take a taxi or a bus and that I should not fly (as a passenger) for 24 hours. The taxi part I thought was a bit much, but it said they would not do the procedure unless someone was with me.

Yes, where I go they absolutely require someone to drive you home and it can't be a bus or taxi. It's not just because of loopiness ... if there are any problems such as excessive bleeding, you need someone clear-thinking enough to drive you back to the hospital immediately. It also helps to make sure you don't trip and fall and hurt yourself due to the sedation. I've usually been able to find a friend with whom I exchange medical procedure driving duties. And as soon as I get home I crawl into bed.

Mindy

[HoseCrusher]

Let's take a look "outside the box..."

If you have a church nearby, stop by and visit the pastor and see if they have any resources that can help.

If you have access to any assisted living places, check in and see if they can help.

Most communities have volunteers that provide assistance for seniors. Find out who the group is and contact them to make arrangements. My wife says that this is the best choice.

Ask your doctor if he can spare his nurse for the drive home. You can take a taxi to the appointment. You may also quiz the doctor for suggestions and recommendations.

Join an art journaling group or a knitting group and see if one of the group can help.

Find out if the local food bank makes home deliveries, or you can see if there is a local Meals on Wheels chapter in your area. You may be able to arrange a ride home with them.

Check with a local college, university, or community college. College students are frequently looking for easy ways to make a few extra dollars and some of them are very trustworthy.

I know of a few respiratory therapists that have assisted people in similar situations. You might check with your DME provider.

Boy Scouts are always looking to "do a good turn daily..."

The local police or fire department may also be able to help or come up with some ideas.

If all else fails, stop by your local bar and make friends with the bartender. You can always trust a bartender... a little. See if the bartender has any "network" connections that can help. My wife says this is the worst choice...

and then there are your co-workers...

[SleepyToo2]

Excellent post, HoseCrusher - all excellent ideas! I must admit I hadn't got around to thinking of creative solutions as my wife and I are both willing to drive for the other!

[Slinky]

There is one other option: ask if your gastro will do your scope procedure w/o sedation. He/she might still require someone to be w/you just in case they start w/o sedation and then have to convert to using sedation. I don't know, that's something you will have to ask about as well. In Europe most scopes are done w/o sedation. If you have a good, skilled scopist who isn't in a hurry a colonoscopy w/o sedation isn't bad at all. I've had several w/o sedation.

[Kohkie]

I understand your skepticism, but it's my understanding that finding polyps that could become cancerous before they get to that stage, and removing them, reduces the risk of developing difficult-to-treat colon cancer. I don't like these procedures but must admit that I've had several polyps removed that were of the type that could become cancer. My main question is how many screening tests do we endure to avoid a single cancer.

Mindy

On both my first and second colonoscopy 3 years later, polyps were found and removed. So they have me on a 3 year schedule. I have a colonoscopy every 3 years. I'm more than willing to do that to avoid, or have colon cancer diagnosed early. Additionally, the fact that I stopped breathing was discovered recently when I was all wired up for my second colonoscopy but no drugs had been administered, and it was only 9:00 a.m., so I had supposedly had a good nights sleep just prior to being wired. They recommended a sleep study and here I am happily sleeping with my CPAP. So colonoscopies have doubly saved my life already. Once by having the polyps removed and once by discovering I have severe sleep apnea.

[mindy]

I understand your skepticism, but it's my understanding that finding polyps that could become cancerous before they get to that stage, and removing them, reduces the risk of developing difficult-to-treat colon cancer. I don't like these procedures but must admit that I've had several polyps removed that were of the type that could become cancer. My main question is how many screening tests do we endure to avoid a single cancer.

Mindy

On both my first and second colonoscopy 3 years later, polyps were found and removed. So they have me on a 3 year schedule. I have a colonoscopy every 3 years. I'm more than willing to do that to avoid, or have colon cancer diagnosed early. Additionally, the fact that I stopped breathing was discovered recently when I was all wired up for my second colonoscopy but no drugs had been administered, and it was only 9:00 a.m., so I had supposedly had a good nights sleep just prior to being wired. They recommended a sleep study and here I am happily sleeping with my CPAP. So colonoscopies have doubly saved my life already. Once by having the polyps removed and once by discovering I have severe sleep apnea.

Hey Kohkie,

Good for your docs for discovering the sleep apnea! Not all of them pay attention to things outside of their specialty. I'm on a 1-2 year schedule for "colos" -- not thrilled but the alternatives are worse.

Mindy

[Slinky]

What great results for you, Kohkie! Having lived w/Crohn's disease for 37 years I'm on the list of "annuals". *sigh* So far, so good. knock, Knock, KNOCK!

[torontoCPAPguy]

They will also probably want someone with authority to make decisions while you are "under" in the event some further procedure is necessary; generally, they may have them sign the paperwork along with you... or have you list them on the paperwork that you will do with the hospital before signing off.

[SMenasco]

I changed doctors for my last scope job. On the previous ones, I had the terrible gallon of clean-out liquid. I am certain the chemist that came up with that stuff has never had to drink it. Anyway, prior to the last scope, I was given a prescription for a new method, consisting of 32 pills, taken 4 at a time, I think, with any clear liquid of my choice. So much better and easier than the vile stuff, except they cost $125.00.

[Slinky]

Half-Lytely is a relatively new "prep" that requires MUCH less bilge-water to drink that's not as bad tasting as the original Lytely products and allows you to drink MORE clear liquids as a "chaser" instead of so much bilge-water.

I've also heard that the MiraLax prep is more palatable as well. (Yeah, right, like ANY of those preps are "palatable").

For those who have a problem w/the volume of liquid in your tummy over such a short time span you CAN add an additional hour to your prep doses which does help.

[PST]

Did you all have to have someone with you? Is it worth trying to look around to find another doctor who'll let me leave alone?

My first colonoscopy was almost ten years ago, and at that time neither my GI nor the hospital where he did his scoping in the outpatient clinic required patients to have anyone with them. My wife had dropped me off and I planned to walk to work afterwards. Instead, the scope led to a diagnosis that would require further treatment, so the doctor sat me down, told me that he had discussed everything with my primary physician, and said that my doctor was waiting to see me immediately to discuss their recommendations for what to do next. (I'm very impressed by how well they handled this.) He offered to call for transport to put me in a wheelchair and push me over to the doctor's office, which was two or three blocks away. I bridled at the suggestion that I needed such help and said I would be okay. I don't know even today how much time passed, but the next thing I remember I was sitting in the waiting room of my dentist's office, several blocks in the wrong direction, wondering where I was and how I got there. Since then, the rule has changed, and a good thing too.

[MaxDarkside]

I'm an odd duck. I liked the Go-Lytely (4 liters, num num). It has electrolytes that I think I craved, tho the sodium was a bit much.

[mindy]

I'm an odd duck. I liked the Go-Lytely (4 liters, num num). It has electrolytes that I think I craved, tho the sodium was a bit much.

Oh my, Max -- you are an odd duck! Maybe you can take the prep for all of us

Mindy

[idamtnboy]

I changed doctors for my last scope job. On the previous ones, I had the terrible gallon of clean-out liquid. I am certain the chemist that came up with that stuff has never had to drink it. Anyway, prior to the last scope, I was given a prescription for a new method, consisting of 32 pills, taken 4 at a time, I think, with any clear liquid of my choice. So much better and easier than the vile stuff, except they cost $125.00.

My prep was an all clear liquid diet the day before and the morning of the procedure, plus a 2.5 oz oral sodium phosphate laxative late afternoon before and the morning of. The laxative was not very bad tasting at all, and was mixed in a glass of water.

Next time any of you have a colonoscopy ask about the sodium phosphate laxative method. I'd say it's the most tolerable method there is. The laxative is OTC and cost on the order of ten bucks for the two bottles.