UGHH!! If you've ever had to drink sodium laxative...

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

...then you know my pain.

Fleet Phospha Soda Laxative is a clear liquid that you mix with juice or water and drink in preparation for various medical procedures -- in my case, a colonoscopy tomorrow morning. (My mom died of colon and liver cancer, so I started getting myself checked in 2002 -- very early, since I was only 31 but my mom died at 59. As it turned out, the doctor found three polyps to remove -- not malignant, but potential for cancer in the future if left alone!)

So tomorrow is my second colonoscopy. I have to have them every two years now, given the family and personal medical history. Oh well, things could be worse.

You're required to void your bowels in preparation for the exam, of course. The doctor gave me a sheet with instructions. Starting the day before the exam, there is no eating solid foods, and no red colored liquids or juices with pulp. So it's pretty much apple juice and chicken broth for 24 hours.

Now, the laxative liquid. It is the saltiest, most repulsive stuff you can imagine! I mixed it with apple juice but that really doesn't fix the problem of the taste.

So, I want to let any of you know that if you ever have to take this stuff, HOLD YOUR NOSE AS YOU DRINK IT. It is the only way to really minimize the awful taste of the stuff. It helps a lot to hold your nose.

I am sooooo looking forward to pigging out on a really tasty lunch tomorrow after the exam! I am NOT a good one for fasting. I love food too much!

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[RogerRamjet 0]

All that and you didn't even mention the real low point which comes a few hours after drinking that stuff...

I had my first at 49, everything normal. Every 5 years was the recommendation based on no family history of problems. That's plenty soon enough for me

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[hooked 0]

Been there, done that. Nasty, nasty stuff. The worst part after drinking that vile stuff comes a short time later. The colonoscopy is a breeze compared to the 'day before' the test!

J

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Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[antifnsocial 0]

Okay, I am glad you're being healthy and all, and I hope your test results are very good and that you get the all's clear sign. But eeewww...all I can think of is shit now.

Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean.

[quade 4]

Horrible stuff . . . but on the up side, it's one of the few medications I know of that works exactly and as powerfully as advertised.

So . . . ya got that working for ya.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Actually, it's more like peeing, since you haven't had anything but apple juice and chicken broth!

When I think about it, I may really have saved my own life two years ago.

My mom died in 2001 at age 59. Colon cancer had spread to her liver, undetected, until it was too late. She lived for a little over a month after her diagnosis, even though they estimated she had 6 to 9 months. (What do they know?)

A year later, I went to my doctor and told him I wanted to get a checkup in that area just to be sure things were okay, and we'd have a baseline to look at things from in the future.

I was referred to a gastroenterologist and had a consultation with him. He said that the standard thing is to start testing family members at an age 10 years prior to when the parent was diagnosed with cancer. For me, that would have meant waiting til I was 49 -- and at the time that was 18 years away, and more than enough time for my 3 polyps to turn malignant, which the doctor says can happen from 4 to 7 years after they start!

I coulda been dead from my polyps (who knows how old they were when snipped) in a matter of 2 or 3 years, and I still would have had 16 more to wait until I first started getting checked!!

The doctor said that insurance would not cover the procedure at my age unless I had some... symptoms. So I looked at him right then, understanding him fully, and said, "Doc, I've been having these bad pains in my abdomen and bad bowel movements" or something like that, and he said, "Okay, let's get you scheduled for an O.R...."

An hour later he was coming up to me on my recovery cot and saying, "It's a good thing we did this test on you -- we found and removed three polyps." Two of them were of the suspicious kind that are known to eventually have the potential to turn cancerous. The other was a more benign kind.

So my advice to anyone is, get the test done at 30. Don't wait til the age that the fuckin' bean counters say is "appropriate," because the only reason they use that age is because doing it earlier will affect their bottom line, the scumbags. If you have to, LIE to get it done. It could save your life. I really think my gut feeling (ha ha) and insistence saved my own.

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

Okay, I am glad you're being healthy and all, and I hope your test results are very good and that you get the all's clear sign.

Thank you!

Oh, and P.S., at least I find it fun to be put under anesthesia. It's a fascinating thing, really!

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[TypicalFish 0]

Glad everything came out OK. (Sorry, couldn't resist)


I have to say that this should be in the running for "Thread Title Of the Year"....

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET

[DeNReN 0]

last stuff I had to drink was called citrapurge (or there abouts)...wasnt that bad...but they wernt kidding about the purge part

Drank it about 2 hours before my shift at work ended...45 mins after finishing it...well.....I was finished.......never drink that stuff when you have a 20min drive to the next bathroom

[hooked 0]

Quote

last stuff I had to drink was called citrapurge (or there abouts)...wasnt that bad...but they wernt kidding about the purge part

Drank it about 2 hours before my shift at work ended...45 mins after finishing it...well.....I was finished.......never drink that stuff when you have a 20min drive to the next bathroom

LOL! Sorry, but I can relate.

J

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Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Oh no no no no no... I took the day off from work today -- paid sick time -- because I knew exactly how this goes.

I don't know why when I had this done the first time two years ago, I didn't think of holding my nose for the laxative drink. It's a two-doses during the day thing, and I didn't even remember the hold-the-nose trick on the second dose, knowing then how bad it tasted. I knew it this time, though! Live and learn.
-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[DeNReN 0]

Ask if you can use that "citrapurge" stuff next time...sorta tastes like sprite...even looks like a "pop shop" bottle....sept for the medical label

Had to take that and a few laxitave pills.....I was cleared out for my tests!!!!!!

I wont go into the circus that happened the next morning at the hospital

[IanHarrop 42]

I can relate - sort of like pissing out your asshole.

Had the procedure myself years back, had damaged myself when I hit the water while skiing - abrupt water enema. Wasn't fun but at least I don't have to back ever 2 years!

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[wee 0]

aww poor jeffrey. i haven't been down that road yet -- but when i do, you'll be the first one i go to for sympathy. p.s. remember to bring a book (or a mag w/o food pix)

If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off!

[ltdiver 3]

Jeff,

Sorry you have to go through this! Glad to see you're taking a pro-active approach, though. You're a good example.

Question, however. Since they now the non-invasitve procedure available (body scan) why is it important to go through all the torment and torture this procedure has with it? Why not go with the scan?

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[mx757 4]

I had it. my Father died from Colon cancer. its not that bad drinking the stuff.. but gets tiring sitting on toilet all night.. but the procedure next day wasn't bad as I thought and it was over quick.. my insurance wouldn't cover it unless there was bleeding I had bleeding I told them..insurance covered it.. I'm not really looking forword to next one in year from now..but its not that bad..better dying from Colon Cancer. My Father suffered long slow, painful death from that..

[Stumpy 284]

Good luck PJ - enjoy your "Post-op" meal!!!

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[freakyrat 1]

It's kind of salty ginger like. I had to do it last year the doc found two small polyps and one 10mm one with a tail on it. Cancer runs in our family so I know he prevented things by taking these out. I was out at Perris (last January) before I had the colonoscopy done. I was ocassionally doubling over in pain like I had appendicitis or something but it was actially the large polyp that was above the appendix that was causing a blockage. I kind of didn't act right with Dan BC when he came over to talk cause I didn't feel like jumping the way I felt. Well I'm fine now but I need a followup in January and got to drink this same junk again. If it prevents cancer it's worth it. If it is any consolation I had two winning cash five lottery tickets for $500 apeace and I got to collect them two days after I had my procedure.

The fleet phosporus soda laxative is a lot better than the junk they used to make you take and it works a lot better.

Hope your test comes out OK


Chris

[smiles 0]

uuuugggg
My mother just had hers done, (colitis) and was complaining about the huge jug she had to drink...4 liters??? Had to drink it every 10 minutes and could not finish the whole works...then worried like *** over the fact she wasn't shitin "clear" as pee by the next morning.

The procedure went fine and everything worked out. Used to be done at hospitals, now the doctor is all set up to do colonoscopy right in his private practise.

Cannot complain when compared to barium enema-


Hope all goes good for you.

SMiles

[skreamer 1]

Aah, so this is how you prepare yourself before you post on SC.

[SkydivingNurse 0]

When one of my patients takes this stuff and the effect finally arrives, we always announce "Code Brown" over the paging system.
My favorite, though, is a product called Go-Lytely. You do any BUT go lightly.

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

Jeff,

Sorry you have to go through this! Glad to see you're taking a pro-active approach, though. You're a good example.

Question, however. Since they now the non-invasitve procedure available (body scan) why is it important to go through all the torment and torture this procedure has with it? Why not go with the scan?

ltdiver

Two reasons:
1 - I have read reports that the "virtual colonoscopy" is not at all as accurate and effective as a real one.

2 - Given that on my first one, two years ago, three polyps were found and removed, it makes sense to do the real one in case -- as happened on Wednesday -- they find another one and have to remove it. Why do two tests if you expect you may have to be up inside there anyway? (Yes, the doctor said he found and removed one small polyp.)

P.S. I appreciate the sympathy. Thanks.

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

I had it. my Father died from Colon cancer. its not that bad drinking the stuff.. but gets tiring sitting on toilet all night.. but the procedure next day wasn't bad as I thought and it was over quick.. my insurance wouldn't cover it unless there was bleeding I had bleeding I told them..insurance covered it..

Heh heh. Sounds familiar.

Quote

I'm not really looking forword to next one in year from now..but its not that bad..better dying from Colon Cancer. My Father suffered long slow, painful death from that..

The absolute worst part of it for me -- since I figured out that holding my nose kills much of the taste of the laxative -- was going hungry for the whole day and night. I am not the type who can go long without feeding.

Sorry about your dad. My mom did not have a particularly easy time of it, either. If I can prevent having to go that way, I will. Some people, like my brother, are afraid to go finding out stuff like this. They prefer to never know -- presumably until they're already sick. I've tried to push him to get tested, and he ducks it each time, but hey, it's his life to live, not mine. But you'd think that a guy with a new daughter would want to go and assure his own health for a while...

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[ltdiver 3]

Remember Katie Couric and her husband, Jay Monahan? For myself it was their story that brought this illness to the forefront of America's mind. Speaking up -now- can help prevent another person from going through the pain and agony of this disease.

Thanks, Jeffrey, for speaking out.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[hooked 0]

Yes, thank you Jeffrey for speaking out! My mother presumably had colon cancer, but she would never let them test her, they were 99% sure. So....I've had the colonoscopy, they found three polyps, one was a suspicious one. So now, I'll repeat the test in 3 yrs. Funny, how people react to having a colonoscopy. My doctor, said tell all your siblings and family members to have the test......guess what? Even with the background and the results of my test, they still haven't had a colonoscopy. Even when you tell them the actual procedure isn't bad at all, it's the laxative part that's nasty! Go figure........they know they should have it done, they just won't.

J

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Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.