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What are colonoscopies for anyway?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/10/2013 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Ok so, i had a colonoscopy when i was diagnosed in 2011 and i never had another since.  However, my doctor keeps pushing me to get another one.  I havent had a new symptoms or anything different.  I do not like colonoscopes either because the before procedure hurts me and then i bleed alot after the scope.  Is there another alternative?  I really dont want a colonoscopy.  Im only 16!!!

Please help... what do i do?   What do i say?  I also havent gotten my period yet.. which im thinking the ulcerative colitis can set- back female growth?   can it?

answers please!

thanks!!

Posted 12/10/2013 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
Katie, on the Crohn's forum you said you were pregnant. Are you pregnant?

And yes, any disease or serious illness can delay your menstrual cycle. Use of steroid medications like prednisone can alter your growth, as can malnutrition from UC or Crohn's.

Scopes are important for the doctor to understand the extent of your disease. It is not unusual to have a scope every few years when you have an inflammatory bowel disease.
Posted 12/10/2013 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
Ditto kazbern about what's up with the post about being pregnant on the Crohn's forum.
Posted 12/10/2013 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
And now you've edited the post on the Crohn's forum saying that you were pregnant. ***?
Posted 12/10/2013 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Colonoscopy checks inside your bum to see what's going on. Simple. For UC docs do it to see just actually how much you are flaring since your systems can only tell so far. Also some docs don't like it because the prep can do lots of harm to the intestines. Hope this answers your question.
Posted 12/10/2013 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Next time you see your doctor tell him you read that colonscopies should only be used for cancer surveillance and diagnosis in UC and that your cancer risk isn't elevated until you have had the disease for 8+ years. See what he says. You can print this out and take it with you:

"According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for colon cancer screening, people who have had IBD throughout the colon for at least 8 years and those who have had IBD in only the left side of the colon for 12 to 15 years should have a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years to check for dysplasia. Such screening has not been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer, but it may help identify cancer early and improve prognosis. These guidelines were produced by an independent expert panel and endorsed by numerous organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America."

digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colitis/#cancer
Posted 12/10/2013 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
"And now you've edited the post on the Crohn's forum saying that you were pregnant. ***?"


hmmmm, the plot chickens !


and you can say no to the scope - doc may not like it, but oh well -
Posted 12/11/2013 11:50 AM (GMT 0)
I would ask the doctor what purpose will the colonoscopy serve. Unless it is going to allow the doctor to better treat your disease or prevent some other disease then I don't see an obvious purpose.

As I get older and use the health care system yet more I have learned to turn down certain procedures since they would provide little benefit in maintaining or improving my health.

As for me, I have a colonoscopy every year based on my duration of this disease and family risks factors.
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