Just wanted to add my two cents for those out there waiting in fear of the colonoscopy. Last fall, as a 34 year old woman, I had what my GI doctor called a "double-decker" - and endoscopy and colonoscopy at the same time. I have been previously diagnosed as having Celiac's disease (autoimmune disease where your body attacks your small intestines and neurological system when you consume gluten, which is in wheat, rye, barley, and oats) and was still having gastrointestinal issues. Endoscopy with biopsy is the gold standard. The colonoscopy was for the IBS symptoms I have.

I was knocked out pretty well for the colonoscopy (they did that first) but I woke for the end of it and saw them zap a polyp on the video screen. That was interesting, and then they knocked me out more for the endoscopy (goes down your throat). Later I woke up fine.

The worst part of the colonoscopy is the "clean out" the day before - drinking the solution that makes you hang out on the toilet a lot - that was not particularly fun, but since I also have problems with hypoglycemia, the fasting wasn't great either.

Before the procedure, my mom told me it's like getting a couple of really good martinis and I'll have to agree. It was a cake-walk. If you are the age (is it 50?) for screening, or have colorectal cancer in your family (as I do) then you should absolutely get this done. There's nothing to fear.

Stephanie

The best thing about my colonoscopy (if there can be such a thing as a best thing) is the drug they used to knock me out. It gave be the best sleep I have had in years. Friends who have had confirmed the same impression. I mean, that is really good stuff. Something to look forward to if you have a colonoscopy in your future.

I'll second that last letter writer's emotion. Demerol, which they give you for the colonoscopy, is definitely worth the price of admission. I felt euphoric the rest of the day. Pure bliss. The test doesn't hurt, takes a very short time, and is just about the only cancer-screening tool that can actually PREVENT cancer (during the procedure they can snip out polyps before they turn cancerous), so what do you have to lose? The prep is a bummer, but it's only one day out of your life, and once the exam is over, you're back to normal.

For the record, we girls don't want anything going up our butts either, but we are generally more manly about all things medical than you boys are. This psychosexual gobbledygook about the male avoidance of colonoscopies is nonsense - men don't go to doctors, ask questions, get tested, take medicines, etc. Perhaps this is why the ladies live longer?

Last year I had a colonoscopy (I was 75 then) and I was a bit anxious about the actual procedure (I had no symtons). The nurse who gave me the relaxing pill said "You might feel some discomfort BUT YOU WON'T REMEMBER IT". My interpretaion: this is really gonna hurt! When you think about it this is no solace at all. The fact I wasn't gonna REMEMBER it did absolutely nothing to allay my fears about the immediate future! In the event, the procedure was over before I knew it, and if there was any "discomfort" I had not the slightest recollection of it. Was it there but I don't remember it? I simply don't know. In the follow-up survey by the doctor's office I praised everyone involved for being so nice to me. I also suggested they instruct the knockout-nurse to drop the line about not remembering the "discomfort". It serves no purpose whatsoever other than to induce needless anxiety. Even if it is true!

I had a disease that predisposed me to colon cancer, so I've had 6 or 8 colonoscopies. I never liked the preparation (flush out the bowels), but the colonscopy itself was always oddly fascinating. I'd get as little anesthesia as possible and watch the view of my colon on the tv screen while chatting up the doctor and nurses. The highlight for me was always when they turned the room lights off and the scope light up so that my belly would glow red. The whole procedure would be slightly uncomfortable but not painful.

Few of the letter writers addressed the rectal cancer part. I don't know if J is getting chemotherapy, but here's my condensed advice, based on two separate sets of chemotherapy.

1) Chemotherapy sucks

2) Buy an iPod

3) Buy a tivo

4) Reduce your daily goals to taking a shower and emptying the dishwasher. Everything else is just a bonus.

Good luck.

Steve

Boy, this letter brings up some bad memories.

Four years ago, my father, previously healthy as a horse, was diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer. Thankfully, he is now cancer free, albeit with the constant reminder of a permanent colostomy.

I can't help feeling that if he'd known that his own mother had died of this disease, instead of "women's cancer" as the rest of his family so delicately put it, and that many members of his family had polyps, he may have gone for a colonoscopy at 40, instead of when he started feeling sick.

The fact that his family would rather have it known that his mother died of a gynecological disease rather than colon cancer shows just how stigmatized this problem was in the past.

Know your family's health history. If older members of your family seem deliberately fuzzy about why grandma died, press harder. It may save your life.

It was quite a coincidence to read your story about a young man of 40 who was reluctant to go get a colonoscopy. I had just returned from the clinic today after having a flexible sigmoidoscopy. I am 53 years of age and this is my first one. They found 5 small polyps, some hemmorhoid problems. I am expecting these polyps to be benign, since they were very small. I am glad I had done today, even more glad after reading your column. People shouldn't be afraid of this procedure. There is a little discomfort with air, but the whole thing was over in 20 minutes. And it probably saved my life. Unfortunately, I also found out today that I have Hypertrophic Cardiac Myopathy, a thickening of the heart muscle. While in the hospital last summer, I had an echocardiogram to check out a murmur. Since I didn't have any symptoms, I figured I was OK. The doctor didn't even bother to tell me until today, even though I found out that my brother was recently diagnosed with the same condition. It's hereditary. So what do I do now? I don't know. I've had many opportunities to be taken from this world. When I was born, the doctors had perform 8-10 operations to rebuild my ureters. I almost died of a staff infection when I was 9. I have lived under the dark spectre of mortality throughout my life. " Would I ever be normal, would I live to a certain age" were questions that came up often during my adolescence and early adulthood. But somehow, I survived, I thrived and gave of my gifts, one of which is love of music (I am a talented professional violinist). Now after today's news, although disappointing, I am not defeated. Anyone who has been through what I've been through and survived has to have been put here in this world for a reason. And that every day that passes is an opportunity to experience something new, a friendship, a sunset like no other sunset I've seen, the passage of reflected sunlight on my window...