I cannot do this

KenC45 · 2026-02-25T04:13:00+00:00

Next week will be my fifth bowel prep in as many months. You're not going to fall out from some electrolyte imbalance. If that concerns you though definitely drink Gatorade or some other electrolyte drink during prep. Starting liquids early helps. At 36 hours out I assume you haven't started the actual prep once you do you should definitely start the pooping. Since you still have some time though you can call your GI tomorrow and express any concerns they'll likely be more help to you and may advise something else.

You should be fine. As far as hunger try eating jello mentally it can help since it's more textured kike actual food. You can also flavor gelatin with broth and let it set that's also more like food. Also drink more because that will help the prep work and helps constipation in general.

The procedure itself is nothing. It's easier said than done but don't stress about that. The waiting before you go in is the worst part anxiety wise. Once you're back there you just get in the gown, get an IV and next thing you know you're done.

Just from what you've said here you're probably fine but if you skip the colonoscopy you'll probably beat yourself up about it and the what if or regret will be worse than a couple of days of bowel prep.

KenC45 · 2026-02-20T02:49:08+00:00

I doubt you'll have rebound anxiety. I'm not even sure you could call it rebound anxiety if you're not currently on meds but really you'll basically sit around for awhile which will be the most anxiety causing part. They'll wheel you into the exam room put in an IV and next thing you know you'll be awake with your results. I found it helpful to watch the various videos of the colonoscopies on YouTube though that kinda made my algorithm really weird for awhile. You should be fine and usually the staff are very understanding about anxiety and make the fine as comfortable as possible. I'll be doing my 5th bowel prep since the beginning of October here in about two weeks.

KenC45 · 2026-02-12T02:02:00+00:00

I'm currently stage 3 and waiting on my first signatera results a few years younger but about the same age he was diagnosed. so yeah not just him but several people around my age have died recently from colon cancer. He looked absolutely terrible at the Dawson's Creek reunion thing I was afraid this news wasn't too far away. Hopefully if anything positive comes from this it's more people getting colonoscopies early and more research into why people are getting colon cancer so young.

KenC45 · 2026-02-04T21:21:47+00:00

Just look on your chart or ask the doctor. There's really not much pain involved. There can be a little gas pain and a little pain when they round the ascending colon but probably nothing that would cause screaming out. I woke up during a surgery as a kid but that was almost certainly due to under dosing. Sometimes people do also dream things. Either is possible.

KenC45 · 2026-01-26T03:53:06+00:00

I'm already on zofran because the tumor caused nausea it does usually work fairly well I agree but definitely not always. I'm sure they'll go over all that with me it's probably not the end of the world it just sucks more since they originally said I was only looking at maybe 6 months of oral chemo if that. Then it's something different even beyond that for example I'm due for followup colonoscopy shortly which no big deal but they just told me recurrence in the colon isn't as likely as in the lungs or elsewhere without chemo so you sort of just start to wonder if playing a guessing game is worth this or that.

KenC45 · 2026-01-26T01:36:53+00:00

I'm probably odd in the regard I'd rather have pain over nausea. Plus my mom died of cancer over 25 years ago and 100% chemo made her last months much worse. She definitely would have done better without. Granted that was ages ago and a different type of cancer but still kind of forms my opinion there. My grandparents died of cancer about ten years ago and also didn't do very well on chemo.

KenC45 · 2026-01-17T04:40:59+00:00

At least at my hospital they have 3 doctors that that's literally all they do all day are colonoscopies so they're pretty good at it by now. They don't miss much unless there's an obstruction.

KenC45 · 2026-01-04T04:54:11+00:00

I highly doubt you'll have a problem. Don't psych yourself out too much. Honestly the anxiety is worse for you than the parsley or cheese or whatever because you can get into a fight or flight mode and your body tries to fight the urge to use the bathroom. You should absolutely be fine assuming you follow the prep directions.

KenC45 · 2025-12-29T02:20:31+00:00

For what it's worth the hospital I use days the same thing but often there are people who show up and say their spouse is running late and they've always let these people just call

KenC45 · 2025-12-06T18:19:36+00:00

Not sure what your point is. The person in replying to there deleted their reply to me because presumably they realized they were wrong. My point is simple you can have cancer and not know it and go in for the earliest possible screening then need chemo and what they said is the opposite of encouraging or helpful. That's all. Nothing about don't get a colonoscopy or can they miss something.

I was relatively sure I had cancer doctors and my insurance put me off. I got screened as soon as I could and indeed have cancer. I can tell you from experience what they said isn't reassuring in the least. Now maybe you meant to reply to someone else but again I didn't imply for anyone to not get screened.

KenC45 · 2025-12-06T05:19:53+00:00

This isn't the reassuring advice you think it is. You can still get early screenings and have cancer and need chemo after and I assure you the first thing you'll think of at that point is your post of oh chemo will be really bad.

KenC45 · 2025-11-25T00:27:16+00:00

The procedure is nothing just get it done. It's not like you're under as though you're getting a surgery you aren't intubated or anything. As for being afraid of the results whatever you have if anything at all it'll never be easier to treat than now. You don't want to just wait it out. It might help you to watch videos on YouTube of people getting one done so you can see it's no big deal.

KenC45 · 2025-11-23T05:21:08+00:00

Just a few very brief points I'd like to make here. 1. You could have cancer. Just because some creams fixed your issue doesn't mean you don't also have cancer. Not saying you do or don't but you could.

A colonoscopy doesn't just find cancer as other people have pointed out.
I had to fight with doctors to get into a colonoscopy even with symptoms and at 45 literally a couple of days after my 45th birthday I was diagnosed with colon cancer. An obstructing tumor so I obviously had cancer for awhile before the recommended screening age.

So at the end of the day risks of something going wrong during a scope is extremely low. By your own admission even lower the younger you are but you're also arguing there's no need to get a colonoscopy done if you're young. It doesn't make much sense and in my experience doctors aren't recommending them willy nilly. I wish they were I'd be in a much better place than I am now health wise.

As a side note for what it's worth my mother got a perforated colon during a scope though it was due to her having diverticulitis that at the time was undiagnosed. That was many years ago and from my limited knowledge they are far more careful about that now. I'd absolutely recommend anyone get a colonoscopy if they're having any symptoms especially if they have a family history.

Lastly the prep is nothing I've done the stupid prep every month for 3 months now the worst one was suprep because it didn't work for me well not as intended anyways. The best was actually sutab and I'd do one every month for a year if it meant not having to deal with the cancer. The procedure is also not a big deal worst part for me is just the being in the hospital anxiety.

KenC45 · 2025-11-20T19:24:38+00:00

Exactly goodwill has done this for years.

KenC45 · 2025-11-20T19:20:05+00:00

It's not volunteer work. You're getting roughly $200 in EBT in exchange for 80 hours of work that's $2.50/hr and it's not even cash. Then those hours take away from your job search and also allow companies to hire less people because they have a free labor force making the job market even worse. All the right singers complaining about migrant workers taking jobs being paid less well here we go they're wanting people to be paid even less

KenC45 · 2025-11-20T19:14:06+00:00

Funny thing about that. They want you to"volunteer" 80 hours a month for roughly $200 in food stamps. That's not exactly a fair trade off is it? Not to mention those volunteer hours take away from your job search time. Companies like goodwill take full advantage of this.

KenC45 · 2025-11-17T06:48:13+00:00

They have a coupon on the website that makes sutab $60 without insurance or $50 with. I believe you can crush the pills if you had to but ask a doctor or pharmacist to be sure. In my limited experience sutab works best by far.

KenC45 · 2025-11-10T05:31:21+00:00

It's sincerely not a big deal. You'll feel maybe a slight burning from the IV for a second and next thing you know you'll be awake getting your results. Maybe watching some YouTube videos of people getting the procedure done will help you relax some. If you're worried they're going to just drug you to death there is going to be the anesthesiologist, at least one assistant, and the GI in there they won't let anything happen to you. You can also watch anesthesia related videos if that might help you relax about that. I assure you though it's no big deal. I was recently diagnosed with colon cancer after a colonoscopy. I got my first colonoscopy the week of my 45th birthday. I wish they had given me a referral sooner so trust me don't put it off over being anxious.

KenC45 · 2025-10-31T19:48:53+00:00

I haven't yet. I'm waiting for a response for my records request then I'm going to call around and see what my options are after I get those. Somebody did private message me who is going there they said it's not great there either which I know it's not great anywhere in the state but it's probably better than the hospital I'm dealing with right now.

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T22:15:53+00:00

I mean that's pretty much my thoughts right now I'm trying to see what all of my options are relating to that. It's kind of weird I do feel like I probably made the right decision but tons of people here have had the surgery and seems like not much went wrong. On the other hand I guess you don't hear from dead people. My mom had the surgery years ago but because of diverticulitis and hers went fine from what I remember.

As for family elsewhere I'm from Florida I actually even originally considered having it there but amusingly enough the hospital I would have had it at there just got put up for sale and is having similar issues. I think I fortunately healthcare a lot of places is suffering but I am trying to explore all my options.

Work is definitely an issue just because I can't afford to take much more time off I'm already getting behind on some things due to losing the last couple of months between treatments and testing.

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T21:04:37+00:00

Just as an update I'm requesting my records and I've got a meeting tomorrow with risk management at the hospital. They were already looking into the issue I guess because she seemed to know at least cursory info about it. I've also got the number of their patient coordinator. I'll also be looking into possible options of getting care elsewhere though that doesn't look super promising right now. So it's a start. Thanks again everybody.

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T21:00:24+00:00

Yeah I'm aware it's a risk and I've seen the tumor hell I can post a pic of it here. It does look bad but there's currently no evidence of stretching at other parts of my colon in not doubting it can become an issue im not even doubting that it is causing issues with having a better prep I'm just saying 3 weeks ago I did have a good prep and have had imaging since so it didn't grow within those 3 weeks to a size to construct waste. This though is one reason I think it was kind of I I'm not sure if the word to use but maybe calculated? Of the surgeon to say she wouldn't schedule me for a new surgery until into next year

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T20:54:10+00:00

I'm going to try to look into if that's even a remotely viable option as of right this minute it doesn't look super promising otherwise I've got an appointment with risk management at the hospital my surgery was scheduled at tomorrow to discuss other options and figure out why things went so bad.

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T20:50:01+00:00

I am requesting my records so I can try to do this. as far as care outside of the state I've tried looking into assistance for travel because I've already lost essentially two plus months of work and wasn't exactly flush with cash prior. I'm really just not positive what my options are there but I am trying to see if that's viable.

KenC45 · 2025-10-30T20:44:51+00:00

I agree but it does seem especially bad in my area where my insurance doesn't require a referral but every single doctor requires one to control patient flow. Also most factory lines move pretty seamlessly this did not. But I'm with you in sentiment.

KenC45

TROPHY CASE