COLONOSCOPY
phoenix : did a little more googling and found some very interesting articles on the subject. what i was referring to is called a "pill camera" and if i read the article correctly none of the unpleasant prps are necessary; however the pill camera is not used to replace traditional colonoscopy - it seems to be most useful as an initial screening tool to determine if a colonoscopy is required. (will we be doing our own brain-surgery next ? watched an interesting interview of a "modern " physician recently. he said that he prefers his patients to gather as much information by themselves regarding the disease and treatments, after an initial assessment has been made and before any actual treatment starts -unless it is an emergency -. he said that he can not possible keep up-to-date on all the new information available in the medical field. he said he would spend all his time reading and have no time for his patients. certainly an interesting approach for which many physicians are not ready yet). hbg (for some reason it won't pick up the URL address or go directly; you'll probably have to key it in ???).
www.centracare.com/sch/centers/digestive/digest_camera_feature.htmlTHE PILL CAMERA
hamburger- OK- We were talking apples and oranges. I had heard of the "pill camera", and it seems like a good idea.
WOW.
I had heard of some new thing, and forgotten what it was.
This is amazing.
I presume there are pros and cons, but it's still amazing.
$800?
I think the going rate for a colonoscopy in the USA is about $2000 ( paid by the insurance company, if you have insurance).
A virtual colonoscopy is also about $2000.
Colonoscopy - Awake throughout procedure!
This is my experience and I wonder how many of us are there that do not respond well with versed or other sedatives and won't know it until it's too late?
Last Wed. I went through a horrible procedure where friends and family all said the prep part was very bad, the colonoscopy was a piece of cake. Yeah, right it couldn't have been farther from the truth for me. I felt like they all lied to me including the *&*&^( doctor. Immediately into the procedure I said, whoa I feel everything stop. They said they gave me more of the sedative. I once again said, "STOP", I still feel everything just at that moment I felt a cold steely pain and hear a muffled snip! I writhed with pain asking if he just cut me. Then I felt a searing hot poker burning sensation and screamed stop. Once again the doctor kept going. He said, "Hold still or YOU'LL damage your colon." I thought he would have stopped a long time before this. I was clearly withdrawing consent!
Afterwards in the recovery room, I had words with my doctor that stop means stop, no means no. What part of that did you not understand? He said he was 50% done with the procedure. So, you were aware that the sedative didn't work on me. Oh yeah, it doesn't work on 2-3% of our patients. We probably should have used general anesthesia on you. There it was and you chose not to. I wasn't even told of this PRIOR to my colonoscopy or I would have had the general anesthesia. That's called disclosure. He failed to tell me of that option. Someone had to drive me anyway.
I'm waiting on my results of the polyp. Meanwhile, I've filed a formal grievance with the state medical board for him not stopping the procedure when he knew I wasn't sedated and he proceeded with the colonoscopy against my wishes. A good doctor will stop and reschedule you with general anesthesia.
Please do yourself a favor, do homework and find out how many of these they have performed and what they would do if you were not asleep for this. It's your right to know.
I haven't slept a night through since this traumatic experience.
Sorry about your bad experience - all of mine I have been awake and lucky for me that there were no problems. Lost track of the number of them I've had but it's over 10 and I always take the least amount of sedative possible, I like to remember what happens and watch the camera, I know that might sound sick but it's there and I have an inquiring mind.
Husker,
During any of your 10 colonoscopies did you have polyps removed?
If so how painful was your experience?
Thank you for your comment.
polyps, yes on one occassion I had 8 removed and I didn't feel a thing - I do however believe I can feel the tug when they do a biopsy but they say or claim it's not true. My were of the type that can turn cancerous so that's why I have to have an annual colonoscopy plus the can check out my crohnn's\colitis
Oh I forgot to metion that the Digestive Disease doc could not believe how great\healthy my colon and piping looked since the prior exam. I said well you suppose loosing 80 lbs (eating less) and being on antibiotics for about 180 some days or more and being in the hospital 3 times since I last saw him makes a difference?
congrats on your healthy colon, husker (is there a congratulory card for such occasions ?).
had the procedure done twice (no polyps) and it wasn't too bad, but not enjoyable either.
what's with these new ""capsule" cameras one swollows ? i've read that they give a much better picture of the whole digestive system; of course, if polyps need to be removed, that would still need to be done.
(btw an american medical clinic advertives the "camera procedure" in canadian magazines and will accept canadian dollars at par - how can anyone pass up such a bargain ?). keep well ! hbg
