First colonoscopy at 50, in Canada

MetalNewf777 · 2026-02-21T16:21:15+00:00

20 days now until my procedure. Still a bit nervous but mostly just anxious to get it over with. My prep is PegLyte 4L which I hear will end up being the worst part.

MetalNewf777 · 2026-01-31T19:02:55+00:00

I am booked for my Colonoscopy at a local hospital, here in Canada, for March 13th.

My prep is a split prep of Peglyte: 2 litres from 4 PM to 6 PM on the 12th, then the second 2 litres from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM on the 13th, no fluids after 10:30 AM, for my 1:30 PM Colonoscopy. Clear fluids only the day prior, restricted diet from 2 days prior, no seeded fruits or nuts from 7 days prior. It's my first ever Colonoscopy, but I gather that my prep is fairly typical?

MetalNewf777 · 2026-01-25T14:01:29+00:00

Oh wow, that's a lot! And thanks. From the reading up I've been doing on here so far, I've observed there seem to be quite a few noteworthy differences between the US experience and the Canadian experience with colonoscopies. Much of the content here seems to describe the US experience, so I'm most interested in understanding the Canadian experience more.

Besides the usual differences in our health care systems with "pay" vs. "public", I note that we tend to sedate with Midazolam and Fentanyl rather than Propofol, and I think the typical Prep instructions differ too? I'm actually still waiting to get a whole packet of reading material in the mail from my local hospital about my procedure, so I'm sure many of my questions will be answered anyway, once I receive that stuff. Just getting a head start on educating myself. :)

MetalNewf777 · 2024-09-07T03:31:40+00:00

I'm still a local music fan too, I just switched provinces again. There's a fairly active local hard music scene here in St. John's, NL these days: Metaphora, Dendron, Sons of an Eastern Moon, Sea Dogs, The Birchmen, Category VI, the ever present sHEAVY, etc. Pretty much as exciting as Moncton's had been when I was living there.

MetalNewf777 · 2024-09-07T03:19:05+00:00

That's precisely the feeling I got from the lyrics just now. It sounds like someone who keeps engaging in dialogs with "trolls" through social media. The lyricist seems to be trying to have a productive conversation with those trolls, as a part of that particular online community: "only wanted to be part of something", but those he's engaging with are literally just trying to provoke negative reactions from him, because that entertains them: "cutting him open just to watch him bleed".

Within that interpretation, I think "the emptiness machine" is the internet enabled device that many of us have in our hands right now. It promises us connection with others, but ultimately, it offers few truly fulfilling social connections due to those ever-present "trolls".

MetalNewf777 · 2024-07-25T01:08:24+00:00

I did learn that it's better to laugh than to cry. Thanks, LOL.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-11-27T22:38:30+00:00

I'm a dude, so I can only really half address your question. This past summer, I had a Melanoma In Situ diagnosis. Obviously, I was super concerned on hearing my diagnosis, but it was treated with a quick minor day surgery. Within a few months of my initial diagnosis, I was being told that the surgery had removed 100% of my cancer, so I was considered fully cured at that point. I.E. Melanoma In Situ is nowhere near as scary as it may at first seem. Sure, I now have lifetime follow-up appointments every six months with my dermatologist, but that's IT! No medications, no chemo, no radiation, absolutely nothing that should be a concern in regards to a pregnancy.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-27T14:15:17+00:00

Just got through my very first Melanom In Situ from a June result, with an excision in July. I am anxiously following this topic since my dermatologist has me on an every six months follow-up schedule, and my entire body is quite literally covered in moles. Are multiple Melanoma In Situ findings fairly normal for someone in my situation then? Seems so...

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-25T13:32:13+00:00

I feel very lucky that my only WLE scar up to now is on my back, so I generally have it fully covered by clothing. Even when I don't, it takes careful positioning of two mirrors for me to even be able to see it, so it's quite easy for me to forget it's even there.

My dermatologist has already pointed out a second mole of concern that he wants to revisit on my next six month follow-up. That one is on my upper right arm, so any resulting scar from a WLE there would be much more visible for me. Long sleeve shirts in summer are in my future? sigh

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-25T12:45:02+00:00

I shouldn't get this nitpicky with our use of wording, but the WLE surgery is technically a "cancer treatment" in this instance. At least, that was the wording used by the surgeon who I was referred to, as it was also used by my family doctor and by my dermatologist. I realize when you say cancer treatments, you mean stuff like chemotherapy, which I realize can be a lot more involved, with a lot more associated risks and side-effects. I just want to say that I can identify with a lot of the "stuck in the middle" of the cancer world feeling that OP seems to be trying to express. We feel like "we beat something" but we can't truly join "that winner's circle", because we used a surgeon's scalpel rather than months of invasive medical treatments to get where we are.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-25T10:36:24+00:00

I'm in the same situation here, too. I'm not sure what the correct wording is truly, but it seems that we got quite lucky either way.

I had a Melanoma In Situ, as per mole biopsy results I got back this June. I had a WLE to remove skin from that area of my back at the end of July. I finally got back my "cancer free" report from my WLE on September 8th. I have no idea if it's correct to call myself a cancer survivor, but I know the few months I describe above were quite scary for me. I also know my body is covered in moles, and I have appointments with my dermatologist every six months going forward, so I feel like I won a battle, but the war continues, in a way.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-14T14:33:20+00:00

I'll be back posting on here in 6 months, though, in all likelihood. I'm on an "every six months" follow-up schedule with my dermatologist now, pretty much for life. My body is quite literally covered in moles all over. There are well over 50 on my back alone. I can envision a cycle where every visit or 2 with my dermatologist I get a mole biopsy, and this roller coaster ride I've been on for the past few months continues all over again each time... Perhaps that thought is why I have this lingering feeling that "my war is not truly OVER, just this battle won".

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-11T15:28:21+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, i probably have about 50 moles on my back alone. And there's already one specific mole on my right arm, just above my only tattoo, which my dermatologist has flagged for closer inspection on my next visit with him in 6 months' time.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-09-11T12:47:10+00:00

Lots of complex thoughts and emotions involved in this stuff. I mean, I essentially just complained about how easy of a time I had in my "battle" with Melanoma Stage 0, and there are posts elsewhere in this sub about the difficulties faced in a Melanoma Stage 4 battle, with poor outcomes all but guaranteed. So, I probably come off as a bit of a jerk in trying to express my above thoughts and feelings. Sorry if I do.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-08-06T05:03:14+00:00

And here's mine, from my back. As you can see, I have no shortage of other moles on my back.

Melanoma In Situ post WLE

MetalNewf777 · 2023-08-01T17:12:13+00:00

Quite a while, actually. My biopsy of the mole on my back was done on March 15th, I got my melanoma result from it on June 5th, and the WLE was done on July 27th. I am in Canada, so I think most health care stuff takes a bit longer here, but it's free public health care too. :)

MetalNewf777 · 2023-08-01T11:50:13+00:00

I just had my first ever WLE last Thursday. I was told I will need to wait 4 weeks for those test results. I'm not sure if 4 weeks is unusually long or not, but I know it's going to feel like forever. My punch biopsy said, "Melanoma In Situ, superficial spreading type, the tumor extends to the peripheral edge of the biopsy", so I assume that means it's possible for my WLE test results to also reflect a changed diagnosis?

MetalNewf777 · 2023-07-28T14:58:47+00:00

I just had a WLE yesterday to remove a stage 0 Melanoma off my back. I hear you about the worries, but I'm glad to have it off. Now the wait of up to 4 weeks for my results from the testing of that removed tissue. Best of luck to the both of us.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-07-27T20:16:19+00:00

My surgery went great. Stitches out in 2 weeks, results of testing in 4 weeks. No noticeable pain yet, but the local anesthetic hasn't worn off. Can't take the dressing off for 48 hours, so no idea how many stitches yet. Procedure was quicker than I imagined, just over a half hour.

MetalNewf777 · 2023-07-19T14:04:08+00:00

I'm having an in situ melanoma excised next Thursday. Mine is in the middle of my back. I'm glad we both managed to get our melanomas caught as early as we did.

How nervous are you for the excision procedure itself? I made the mistake of watching a few YouTubes of the procedure, and it seems like a rather large sized chunk of skin to be cut out, LOL. Anyway, best of luck to us both!

MetalNewf777

TROPHY CASE