1. < Digestive Health

Colonoscopy at certain age?

Posted by dunbun13 @dunbun13, 4 days ago

I have Sjogrens and Colitis, my Colitis has worsened and I am afraid the Specialist will want me to have another one, going to Dr next month,I am 76 young and worried about doing another colonoscopy due to my age. Looking for any information please?

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wck | @wck | 1 day ago
In reply to @pml "The last colonoscopy I had was when I was in my 60's. They just told me..." + (show)
@pml

The last colonoscopy I had was when I was in my 60's. They just told me that I would never have to have another one. I wasn't about to argue. They aren't that fun! I am currently 79 and everything is fine. I'm not sure how they make that determination. It probably depends on your previous results. I was very concerned about this last colonoscopy because they changed the medication that you take before you have the procedure. I read the side effects of the medication and one of them was death. So, I didn't take the medication they wanted me to even though I had already paid for it. I just used my mom's home remedy of baking soda and water. That cleans you out very well! The procedure was fine and they found no polyps or anything. There are some good things about getting older; no more colonoscopies and no more pap smears!
PML

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What is the Baking Soda and water remedy recipe ?
Does it work as effectively as the standard cleansing medications?

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | 14 hours ago
In reply to @pml "The last colonoscopy I had was when I was in my 60's. They just told me..." + (show)
@pml

The last colonoscopy I had was when I was in my 60's. They just told me that I would never have to have another one. I wasn't about to argue. They aren't that fun! I am currently 79 and everything is fine. I'm not sure how they make that determination. It probably depends on your previous results. I was very concerned about this last colonoscopy because they changed the medication that you take before you have the procedure. I read the side effects of the medication and one of them was death. So, I didn't take the medication they wanted me to even though I had already paid for it. I just used my mom's home remedy of baking soda and water. That cleans you out very well! The procedure was fine and they found no polyps or anything. There are some good things about getting older; no more colonoscopies and no more pap smears!
PML

Jump to this post

@pml, I can imagine seeing such an extreme side effect would make you stop in your tracks and refuse a colonoscopy. Different bowel prep kits are made up of slightly different combinations of ingredients. I have never seen the side effect of death related to any of the preparations. Here's a list of preparation options:

Colonoscopy prep kits: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22657-colonoscopy-bowel-preparation

Luckily colon cancer is one of few cancers that can be detected early. Left undetected and untreated is a horrible alternative. I wish my dad had had a colonscopy earlier. His colon cancer wasn't detected until it was too late. He didn't want to do a colonoscopy. 🙁

@wck, baking soda and water alone is not an effective method to prepare for a successful colonoscopy. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) may be an ingredient in some types of bowel cleansing preparations for colonoscopy. Complete bowel cleansing is essential for thorough examination of the colon during colonoscopy. Suboptimal or incomplete bowel preparation has potential negative consequences, such as missing polyps or other abnormalities, the need for repeated colonoscopies, and increased procedure-related complications.

- Optimizing Bowel Cleansing for Colonoscopy https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(15)00102-0/fulltext

While the prep isn't fun, you don't want to have to repeat it due to an unsuccessful colonoscopy.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | 14 hours ago

@dunbun13 and @wck, preparing for a colonscopy isn't the top of anyone's wishlist. Here are some tips both from Mayo Clinic experts and from fellow members of this forum that I think you'll find helpful.

Dr. Derek Ebner, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, offers tips on how to make colonoscopy bowel prep, essentially a strong laxative, easier.


Members share their tips in these related discussions:
- Colonoscopy prep: make it easier https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/take-charge-healthy-aging/newsfeed-post/colonoscopy-prep-make-it-easier/
- Tips for successful prep before colonoscopy. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/poor-prep-before-colonoscopy/

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