For men and women, turning 50 usually brings a mixed bag of emotions. While you look out toward the latter part of your life, you want to make sure you can enjoy every minute of it. And that's where important cancer screenings like a colonoscopy come in.
At GastroDox, our team of gastrointestinal specialists is here to help you check this important item off your preventive healthcare list, as they've done for many of our patients in Cypress, Texas, and the greater Houston area.
And, believe it or not, a colonoscopy may not be as bad as you think. To prove that point, we offer these seven reasons.
The American Cancer Society predicts that 2018 will see over 97,000 new cases of colon cancer and 43,000 cases of rectal cancer, making colorectal cancer the third most diagnosed cancer in men and women in the United States, outside of skin cancer.
Unfortunately, colorectal cancer is also the third leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 50,000 deaths predicted for 2018. The good news is that this number has been slowly declining over the past several decades thanks to awareness efforts and regular screening.
With a colonoscopy, we're able to catch and treat the disease before it has a chance to take hold, helping you avoid becoming a statistic.
One of the biggest hurdles to the colonoscopy is its poor reputation. We understand that no one likes the idea of a doctor sending a probe through your anus, but the idea is often far worse than the practice.
For your comfort, you're sedated during the procedure, which means you are completely relaxed and you don't feel much of anything. You may sense some pressure from the air we send in to get a closer look at the walls of your colon, but you don't feel any pain.
In fact, you are lying down, and because of the location of the procedure, you can't watch every move. You can even bring some headphones with you to listen to your favorite music or an audiobook during your procedure.
A colonoscopy is a visual examination of your rectum and colon, but if we see any polyps that look problematic, we can remove them on the spot. Polyps aren't necessarily cancerous, but they can turn into cancer. By removing them, we can help prevent cancer from taking hold in the first place. To be on the safe side, we also biopsy your polyps afterward.
Before your colonoscopy, we're going to have you take laxatives and restrict your diet for a few days because your colon must be completely empty when we go in.
Most of our patients take the day off from work the day before, as well as the day of, the procedure in order to cleanse properly. You can use this time to catch up on some rest or your favorite TV show while also enjoying the benefits of this mini-cleanse, which flushes your system out nicely.
If everything goes smoothly and we don't find anything that warrants further investigation, we're not going to ask you to undergo another colonoscopy for 10 years. That's a considerable amount of peace of mind.
Of course, if we do find something we want to investigate, we may have to repeat the procedure sooner, but with one under your belt, the second one will be much easier since you know what to expect.
We know we started with this point, but it bears repeating. By giving up a day or two out of your life, you can take proactive steps to avoid a cancer diagnosis. Cancer rarely affords this opportunity, often being detected when it's already fairly advanced, so this is a chance worth seizing.
Don't delay setting up your colonoscopy - it's really not as bad as you think. Give us a call or use the online scheduling tool on this website to book an appointment.
Dr. Bharat Pothuri is a Board-Certified Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist. With extensive experience in digestive health, he specializes in advanced endoscopic procedures, chronic GI disorder management, and preventive care. Dr. Pothuri is dedicated to providing expert, patient-focused insights to help improve gut health and overall well-being.
No, a colonoscopy is usually painless due to sedation. The preparation can be uncomfortable, but the procedure itself is quick and essential for early detection of digestive issues.
Most IBS patients do not need a colonoscopy unless they have alarming symptoms like unexplained weight loss, blood in stool, or a family history of colon cancer.
A colonoscopy may be unnecessary for young individuals with no risk factors, mild digestive symptoms, or when alternative tests provide sufficient diagnosis.
Some people feel bloated or groggy after sedation, but most recover within a day. Drinking fluids and resting can help speed up recovery.
