i will be 98 on 9/4/2026. should i get a colonoscopy?

I think that is fantastic that you are 98 and apparently in good health! I'm 80 and they told me that I would never need to get another colonoscopy since I'm in good health too. Your change in your bowel movements could be related to diet or side effects of any medications you are taking. Do a search on the Mayo Clinic website of the side effects of all your medications and over the counter supplements that you are taking. You also might want to get a second opinion just to be sure. It's also important to keep in mind that these days doctors seem to want to order expensive procedures. My husband had lung cancer and was taking Keytruda treatments which cost $25,000 per infusion. He reacted badly to them and refused anymore treatments. The cancer doctor got really mad because they would be losing all that money. She didn't even care to see him when he was so sick from the Keytruda. We got another cancer doctor. But my point is that money seems to play a more important role these days in patients care than it used to. Something to consider.

One thing that really helped with my husband's cancer was prayer. We gave everything up to God and let him handle it. After all, he made you and he can fix you! I'll say a prayer for you also.
I wish you the best!
PML

Hi Noel,
you might consider a pill cam scan instead
https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/healthcare-professionals/products/digestive-gastrointestinal/capsule-endoscopy/endoscopy-systems/pillcam-sb-3-capsule-endoscopy-system.html
The lining of the intestine becomes more friable as we age and it becomes easier to tear with the scope.

With the pill you still have to do the prep.

Digestion often slows down as well sometimes causing the inconvenient watery effect.
The pill camera is good at examining the small intestine which is difficult to see with the scope and may be the source of your changes. It can detect celiac disease, crohn's, polyps or other obstruction, but importantly changes to the lining of the intestine which could cause absorption issues.

I try to avoid anesthesia; the usual is propofol with colonoscopy, but it's is only a little uncomfortable without.

A low supplementation of magnesium glycinate might help.

It isn't your 96 years that give me pause; it's the "rural" clinic.

Bless your choice.

If I were 98, I'd be hesitant to have general anesthesia, on too of the other potential issues that were mentioned in the prior post.

I'm impressed you are still posting to a message board at 98. My mother lived to 101 and never used a cell phone, computer, DVD player, or any other electronic device. And I'm not talking about 1950; she passed just a few years ago, "technology-free. "

My mother is 92 years young. Her gastrologist told her at the ago of 80 she no longer needed to have regular colonoscopies.

@labrown I was around 78 when I had my last colonoscopy and I too was told I do not need another. I had four polyps removed.

My Mom had squamous cell carcinoma on her right calf when she was 95 and after enduring the radiation, she swore she would never have any more treatment that affected her quality of life. She only consented to non invasive testing for the remainder of her life. She lived to celebrate her 101st birthday with us. A month later she suffered a serious fall that required hospitalization and had to go into a rehab facility. She had a stroke a month later and passed away peacefully in her sleep a few days later.
The question is not whether to have a colonoscopy in your late 90's but whether you would consent to any aggressive treatment based on the results? If not, then the colonoscopy question becomes a moot point. If you refuse the colonoscopy, what is your doctor suggesting as the next course of action?

@kjoed53
I would not get a colonoscopy.
At age 77 my Dr does not recommend it.
The danger of perforation of the bowel is too great.
I do a fecal occult blood test yearly.

NO!!!!

General anesthesia is not commonly used for colonoscopy. It is helpful for individuals who have trouble breathing on their own. MAC monitored anesthesia care us with Propofol is the most common protocol.
Of course, neither is necessary.
Not needing a colonoscopy after an age isn't because you won't develop cancer. Similar to the thinking that men don't need PSA tests after a certain age; it's because they didn't use to treat these cancers after a certain age. So you have someone like Biden with the best insurance in the world not getting the simple treatment at 70, but having the late term diagnosis with all of its complications.
Smaller more refined equipment as well as a sea change of treatments for these maladies, has expanded protocol and life itself.
Many diseases, discovered early, now have easy treatment that greatly improve the quality of life, while letting us survive them.

Hi, Noel. Hope you're feeling OK.

Have you or your doc considered doing the ColoGuard test? If this hasn't been discussed, I'd call in and inquire about it.

See the link below.

All the best!

/LarryG
https://www.cologuard.com/