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<p>I can assure you we all know she was just lucky.</p>
<p>My husband is a physician who performs colonoscopies as part of his practice. In 30 years, RARELY has anyone had a problem during or post proceedure. As many have said before, the difficult part is the prep. Usual findings are nothing, a polyp or two, or diverticulitis - not cancer.</p>
<p>DH had colonoscopies done at 50 and at 55, then got lax. He is now 63 and kept saying, “I really need to schedule my colonoscopy”. He was always too busy, etc. He did a colonoscopy on a 58 year old last week and discovered a huge cancer. DH was on the phone ASAP and his own colonoscopy will be performed this Friday. Nothing like seeing that at the end of a scope to put the “fear of God” in you!</p>
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<p>My son (age 20) was scarily anemic…the doc thought it was an ulcer…6 weeks, two iron infusions, daily iron supplements and an endoscopy later, still very anemic, doctor’s office called to tell him to come in for another iron infusion. Same early symptoms as you. Doctor (when recomming the endoscopy) said, that “It’s unheard of for 20 year olds to get colonoscopies.” Unless the doc can come up with some reason for the bleeding and continued severe anemia, we’re going to be demanding one!</p>
<p>DrGoogle, I don’t know the full answer to your question but on the prep instructions I got for my most recent colonoscopy it said I could have a bowl of rice for breakfast on the day before the procedure. When I talked to the nurse about the prep, I asked if I had to eat that or if it was optional. She said that it was mostly for people who were diabetic or something and couldn’t go without food an entire day. For the rest of the day you can drink juices and broth. </p>
<p>Silversas, thanks for sharing your story. I also waited until I was 52 and I regret that very much. I also had to have repeated treatments but am happy and relieved to say that now I don’t have to go back for a full year because my latest pathology report was good. Six procedures in 17 months made me a prep expert but that didn’t mean I liked it! Incidentally, you might want to read up on the treatment I mentioned earlier in this thread, (Endoscopic Mucosal Resection - EMR) just in case you ever have another large polyp. The doctor who did that for me said that if I ever have a polyp over 1 cm or flat I shouldn’t let the regular colonoscopy doctor touch it.</p>
<p>Puzzle, thank you for the information. I can ask the doctor when I’m ready for one.
For those people whose doctors discovered large precancerous tissue or cancer during colonoscopy what other symptoms did you experience before the colonoscopy besides bleeding. I’ve heard from one relative who had precancerous tissue that she experienced constipation and another friend said her husband, who had colon cancer and his colon had to be removed during colonoscopy, that he did pass a lot of gas. Did you all experience the same thing?</p>
<p>DrGoogle, I had no symptoms whatsoever and also have no family history of polyps or colon cancer. I’m also fit, of normal weight and I eat right - whole grains, tons of fruit and veg, high fiber, no red meat for the past 35 years. Seems very unfair!</p>
<p>Another hint when taking the liquid prep. Right before drinking liquid, chew on two or three crushed ice cubes… it will partially numb some of your taste buds. Then as soon as you’re done drinking each prep, chew some more ice cubes… it helps to minimize the after taste in your mouth.</p>
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<p>That doctor made a ridiculous statement in my lay opinion. Crohn’s disease is a form of IBD that strikes children, teens and young adults (and bleeding and anemia can be a significant presenting symptom.) The “gold standard” test for it is a colonoscopy. That’s just one disease I know of that leads to young people having the procedure – Ulcerative Colitis also has those symptoms as well; both are forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Anyhow, my kid had a colonoscopy while still in her teens for symptoms less severe than your kid’s. Another one was performed a couple of years later because of Crohn’s. But the first one was diagnostic in nature. I’ve known children who had colonoscopies. Don’t wait.</p>
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<p>Thanks for the support. I don’t plan to. Part of the problem is that he’s 20 years old and consequently, has gone to a couple of appointments by himself. He doesn’t advocate well for himself anyway, and I’m not surprised by anyone not demanding a colonoscopy. My husband will go to the next appointment with him.</p>
<p>Missypie, I am glad you’re not waiting. If this doctor still refuses please see another one. My son had his first colonoscopy at 17 and was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. He was very anemic–almost to the point of needing a blood transfusion. He ignored his symptoms for months until the pain was so intense he couldn’t stand it.</p>
<p>Your son is right in the age range to be diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. There are other reasons for bleeding and anemia, however, at the very least the doctor should have ordered a full panel of labs to determine if there is another cause. I know at the time my son was going through all this I was praying he only had a parasite which was one option his primary care doctor suggested.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions you think I might be able to help you with. I know it was uncomfortable for my teenage son to go through all of this, especially when you go to the GI dept and the majority of people in there are much older.</p>
<p>Missypie, you can PM me as well, if you wish. Hopefully, it’s something temporary, but when my daughter was diagnosed, it really helped to find other people who’d gone through the same thing and who were further ahead on the learning curve.</p>
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<p>The internist referred him to a gastroenterologist (sp) for the endoscopy, then the gastro. sent him back to the interist once it was done. Since we now have a relationship with the gastro., should we just take Son to him and bypass the internist?</p>
<p>My son’s primary doctor was the one who started the labs. He then referred us to the GI on call who worked my son into his schedule. Right after the colonoscopy the gastroenterologist was able to give us a working diagnosis pending the final lab results.</p>
<p>Our medical clinic does not allow you to make appts with the GI dept unless there is a previous relationship which is why we started out at the primary’s office. </p>
<p>If your clinic / health insurance allows you to make direct appointments with the GI doctor that’s where I would go. I probably would also call the primary to see if he ran labs and if so what the results were. </p>
<p>For the endoscopy did they just do the upper GI? I’m assuming yes if they were looking for ulcers. </p>
<p>I don’t want to be indelicate but if he has diarrhea they should have run stool sample tests by now.</p>
<p>The sooner they get a good diagnosis and start him on any necessary meds the better.</p>
<p>For missypie or anyone else who is reading this thread and may want to know more about Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns here’s one of my favorite websites.</p>
<p>[CCFA.org:</a> Kids and Teens](<a href=“http://www.ccfa.org/kidsandteens?LMI=5]CCFA.org:”>http://www.ccfa.org/kidsandteens?LMI=5)</p>
<p>Puzzled88, thanks for your comments. I of course read all about how to remove large flat popyps in creative ways. Mine was measured as 4cm by 7cm at colonoscopy, and was even larger when it was measured after removal. It essentially circled a good part of the colon, so surgery really was necessary.</p>
<p>Thanks for others’ kind words as well. It really was a tough time – but I want to emphasize what others have said – most colonoscopies are normal, or small thingees are removed during scoping and thus stopped from ever growing. And, I am completely fine now. Turns out you can do just fine with about 1/2-2/3 of your colon (I would never have believed it!) and bodies are very resilient!!!</p>
<p>Missypie, if your health plan allows you to go directly to a specialist, then go straight to a GI doctor, with as much history and lab results in hand as possible. It’s helpful if you can write down the history of what has happened to the best of your ability. I second the CCFA site – CCFA is the best. I think it’s wise that your husband or you accompany your son, not because your son is not competent, but because doctors can be a bit dismissive of young adult patients. One physician, who missed my daughter’s diagnosis (causing her to get significantly sicker before she was diagnosed) told her she was an overachieving type who needed to learn to relax. The valuable lesson there (and there have been many) is that if your gut instinct tells you that a doctor is missing something or not taking something seriously or behaving in an insulting manner, get as far away as you can from that doctor as fast as you can.</p>
<p>silversas, that is fantastic news that your problem was finally resolved. If you don’t mind me asking, did they do the resection laparoscopically? My doctors have given me a year’s reprieve but if my polyp is back at the end of that time, I have to have the surgery. I am dreading that but am also encouraged to hear that you recovered well.</p>
<p>So…late yesterday afternoon H was able to talk to the internist about Son’s anemia. Recall that in the post-endoscopy vist, the doctor told H and Son: 'No ulcer. Hiatal hernia and acid reflux. Take Prilosec." Nothing in that statement accounted for anemia. </p>
<p>When H talked to the doctor yesterday he said, “No need for any more tests. I totally know what is causing the anemia. He has an esphogael ulcer. That is why I said to take Prilosec.” </p>
<p>Ummm…doc…he’s seen you twice since the endoscopy and you never mentioned an esophgael ulcer. H was calm on the phone…I fear I would have yelled at the guy. Which is pretty much the reaction Son had when told…“You mean I worried about this for weeks and the doctor knew what the problem was all along!!!”</p>
<p>So, good news but jeez.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>This doctor sounds awful. Has he been taking the Prilosec or is he starting it now?</p>
<p>I’m glad you received good news!</p>