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Preparing for colonoscopy 8 months post-RALP

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Posted 1/28/2012 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hey folks,

I turned 50 this past October (yay, me) and I am scheduled for my first colonoscopy next month.  It will be 8 months since I had my robotic surgery.

Are there any special precautions I need to take, other than letting the doctor know?  Will they do anything differently than what is normally done as part of this procedure?  Should I expect any additional discomfort outside of what is experienced normally?  Any potential for injury or other complications due to the RALP?

Thanks in advance.

Posted 1/28/2012 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
i'm having my first colonscopy in about 10 days.  of course my situation is different than yours because i had radiation. i had my consultation last week and the doctor said it was no big thing.. the procedure and prep are exactly the same.  i suspect they'll tell you the same thing.

ed

 

Posted 1/29/2012 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
john,

good luck to you on the test, hoping for the big negative for you. i am 59 and have never had one, and now my doctors
feel there is too much risk for damage from the test due to all my radiation damage.

david
Posted 1/29/2012 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Guys I had one done 9 months after my surgery. The procedure was a walk in the park. The prep. Not so much.

Canine Jeff
Posted 1/29/2012 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
Just be sure they are aware. I would tell the doc again, and write it on every form they ask you to fill out.
Posted 1/29/2012 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
I made sure the recepion staff/nurse/doctor all knew, even told them on the table, you should be ok, good luck.


Mal.
Posted 1/29/2012 8:57 AM (GMT 0)
Ditto. I had my first  colonscopy this past October. I too reminded the doc a few minutes before he got started.. He said no big deal and not to worry.
Posted 1/29/2012 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
I had a colonoscopy December 2011, about 5 months after my surgery. I asked my URO, he was fine with it, and I reminded my Gastroenterologist before the procedure was scheduled. I've had several before (thanks Mr. Crohns) so it was no big deal.

And I'll add my vote - the prep juice is just nasty. My instructions were to drink one 8 oz. glass every ten minutes until finished with the "jug" of stuff. Once that was done the rest of the process was a piece of cake.
Posted 1/29/2012 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
I never noticed just how many TV commercials about FOOD there are till I was getting ready for my colonoscopy.

Sitting in from of the tube eating chicken broth while watching commercials showing 10 course meals isn't fun shakehead

Posted 1/29/2012 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
The worst part of a colonoscopy is the day before preperation. I sustained myself witgh banana popsicles. You can't eat solids or anything with red food dye the day before. The probe itself is nothing. You wake up like a 1/2 hour later all done and very hungry,
Posted 1/29/2012 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had my colonoscopy 3 years ago and the day before prep wasn't much different than the day before my RALP.  The stuff you take for prep the day before isn't called "Colon Blow" for nothing. My prostate biopsy was much harder with more complications than the colonoscopy. You will be under anesthetic during the procedure and that made it a snap for me.

Terry

Posted 1/29/2012 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting thread. I'm having one thursday due to slight bleeding. Had one seven years ago so know what to expect. But sort of concerned what the bleeding is all about. Dr. Said it isn' RT related. Any thoughts?
Posted 1/29/2012 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
It's funny that this thread has just started.

My general prac stated at my pre-op physical, in what I thought was sort of an odd comment, that I needed to have a new colonoscopy... I had one back in 2005 for suspected GERD. I also had the scope that goes down your throat. Protonix a couple times a week fixed it.

Anyway, I've asked at physicals when I needed to revisit the colonoscopy and the response was, "Awww, you're good until you turn 50..." So when he made this comment, I was taken aback and questioned him about it. My urologist said I could do it at 3 months post op.

But my question is, why did he make the comment then. Is there something THEY know about a relation between prostate and colon cancer? I asked my GP and he said he would, "Give me a pass on the colonoscopy for now because you have enough on your plate." He never answered my question...

I'm in the midst of switching GP's.
Posted 1/30/2012 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
  I had my colonoscopy 7 months post RRP. The prep is much like the RRP prep. My GE made a comment about keeping a close eye on things because the prostate cancer was in the same "geography" as the colon, and some statistical stuff about increased cancer risk but I've found no studies on it. I figured what the heck, my deductible and copay were paid so the procedure was free. They found 6 polyps, 3 pre- cancerous.

   Like the others have said, make sure the staff in the room know your history and tell the anasthesia nurse you want her to push in on that syringe a little extra just to make sure. :)

Posted 1/30/2012 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
The only way I could describe the prep was that I felt like I was pissing out my butt.
Posted 1/30/2012 4:14 PM (GMT 0)

bertb said...
Interesting thread. I'm having one thursday due to slight bleeding. Had one seven years ago so know what to expect. But sort of concerned what the bleeding is all about. Dr. Said it isn' RT related. Any thoughts?

I got an early start on them due to bleeding. Visible blood. The prep sucks, don't mess with it as you certainly don't want to have to do it over.

In my case, it was only a bleeding hemerroid. Or however you spell that. Leaky blood vessel internal to the colon. Intervention was more problems than leaving it alone, so we have (this was perhaps 7 years before the PCa.) I requested not being put too far under and got to look at the monitor in real time - worked for me, I know that makes some people recoil in horror. Far less irritating procedure than prostate biopsy, for what that's worth, though just about as dignified ;-)
Posted 1/30/2012 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
Bert - do you have the bleeding all the time or only after being on your feet for a long time?
Posted 1/30/2012 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
I had bleeding hemorrhoid that sent me off for the colonoscopy the first time. They found a couple of polyps and removed them. A check 5 years later found nothing. I mentioned this to my RO and he said to schedule a colonoscopy six months after radiation just make sure the radiation did do anything really bad. He said it would the normal fun procedure nothing special because of the radiation.
Posted 1/30/2012 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, didn't mean to steal the thread. Back on topic please, but thanks for the information.
Posted 1/31/2012 7:47 AM (GMT 0)
I have had two of the procedures done since my surgery, there was polyps on the first one, and had to return for a second look a year later.  The night before, the prep goes down better, if it is cold. I kept mines in the freezer, it was like a slush, went down smooth.

Posted 1/31/2012 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks I start prep tomorrow. HD-Rider it will like ride on a mountain road on a spring sun filled morning. Good Luck
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