Colonoscopy

[mamadeb]

Next time I do this, which will probably be next year, I'll schedule it for the morning, thank you. Silly person here thought I could avoid a day off of work, but I took it off anyway.

I don't fast well, and since I couldn't drink for at least four hours prior to the procedure (I actually stopped much earlier), it was not fun. I was, however, complimented about the cleanliness of my colon.

I did have one moment of worry - I'm in the middle of my period and there was some question about that, but it turned out not to be a problem.

The results were, um. They found ten polyps, nine of which they removed. This tells me that I did the right thing in going in - right thing *big time*. I was told to start taking Caltrate twice a day - apparently that decreases the likelihood of getting polyps by 25%, and to eat more roughage. I hate salad. Ah, well. I'll start nibbling on carrots and celery. (I also have to avoid aspirin and ibuprofen for two weeks to prevent bleeding. Tylenol is fine.)

The one they didn't remove? 2 centimeters long. They biopsied it instead, but he believes it's benign. It's just that with one that big, he prefers removing it in a hospital rather than a clinic - plus he thinks I can wait as long as year. Since I do produce polyps, it seems likely this is going to be a yearly event (sigh), I'll ask if we can combine that with the next check up. I don't want to go through this thing twice in one year unless it's necessary. And we don't want it to be necessary.

I have told neither mother about the extra-large one. If I can avoid giving either of them worry, I will. I see the doctor again in three weeks (he comes on Mondays and Saturdays, and two Mondays from now is Memorial Day. So, the following one) and we'll discuss things.

It took a while to recover - the gas made eating and drinking uncomfortable for a while. I even stopped being hungry.

The procedure itself? I slept. I even dreamed. No problems at all. (Jonathan tells me he took a little nap as well when he waited for me.)

Comments

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

The doctor seemed very sure it was benign. It was just, you know. Large.

Yeah, we're a tad worried, but mostly I believe the doctor.