Colonoscopy

[PCM]

Not sure why I am sharing this, just makes me feel better about it...

I have a colonoscopy later this week ( my third ).

I know it's of great value and an 'investment' as it were, but it still makes me anxious.

The previous one was somewhat painful.

I liken it to a length of garden hose with a Kodak InstaMatic Sellotaped to the end...

😮

[NemesisUK]

 Ouch!!

Hope all goes well and relatively painless with a good outcome. Sorry, that came out wrong..no, no, what I meant to say..... 😉😄

All the best Piers 👍

[Malc]

Piers .....  post cancer check-ups, whatever the discomfort, are a necessity and NOT to be avoided at any cost eh !  

My having a loooooong length of cable with a camera on the end shoved up my nose and down my throat must be similar ......  thankfully mine is now only 3 monthly and relished whatever the discomfort 

GO4IT  you know it's good for you 

Malc

[dutchie01]

i had one last year did not notice a thing as they put me to sleep for an hour, woke up when all over. did not like the 24 hr laxation trip though....

[PCM]

2 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

 did not like the 24 hr laxation trip though....

MoviPrep - oh my! Light the blue touch paper.

[dutchie01]

1 minute ago, PCM said:

MoviPrep - oh my! Light the blue touch paper.

hah! they told me it could take 2 hrs before its active but Sir please can you make sure you are close to the lavatories? Nothing happened for exactly 2 hrs but then....

[NemesisUK]

28 minutes ago, PCM said:

MoviPrep - oh my! Light the blue touch paper.

Have a read of this long but hilarious account of "Agent Picolax" 🤣🤣

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/agent-picolax.17768540/

[dutchie01]

55 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Have a read of this long but hilarious account of "Agent Picolax" 🤣🤣

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/agent-picolax.17768540/

Those that will take Picolax, we salute you!   hilarious piece!

Come to think of it, When Ukraine could get Picolax in the Russian troops food all would be over in 24 hrs!!

[Herbie]

All the best Piers, I hope everything goes well my friend.

I've never had that one but eight years ago I had bladder cancer. Thankfully it was a very small growth and they cut it out successfully but each year for 10 years I have to have a cystoscopy. The actual procedure itself is nothing and is only slightly uncomfortable, but it's the feeling of peeing razor blades for a couple of hours later that I don't like 

[Barry14UK]

I was due for a Colonoscopy yesterday but it was cancelled due to staff shortage, fortunately before I started the MoviPrep so now fixed for 3rd Sep.  Hoping no cancer is found - have previously had 3 procedures for Prostate Cancer (PCa). It's unfortunate that many men don't know much about PCa, thinking it only affects old men or is always found early due to exhibiting symptoms, neither of which is correct.   Consequently, there are many men in UK who are not diagnosed early and too late for radical primary treatment, so are only treated systemically.  Having said that, more men die with PCa than of it.  Many men are not motivated to sufficiently consider their health and it is often their partners who push then to be checked. If this prompts anybody to look into this further, Prostate Cancer UK do a 'Tool Kit' which details basic information about the disease and various treatments, as here https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org//our-publications/all-publications/tool-kit?limit=100

[dutchie01]

 

It was this interview 4 years ago that had me checking my PSA values. Like with Stephen i got a call from my doctor to report at a specialist for an internal check up, this was to be an internal "touch up" only. I had to report at Dr Barbosa, never forget the name. I was expecting a large hairy middle eastern type with big hands and a loud voice. How different it would be. In front of me was a 27 year old supermodel in a white coat that presented herself by saying"hello Mr Dutchie, i am Dr Barbosa.. I will not bore you any further but it was quite an embarrasing adventure!

 

[PCM]

Ironically, I've just had my (latest) PSA checked. 11.2

Another appointment...

[royoftherovers]

6 minutes ago, PCM said:

Ironically, I've just had my (latest) PSA checked. 11.2

Another appointment...

Keep your chin up Piers. My results for the last 3 occasions.....2, 52,8 !

Who checks the checker ?

[PCM]

Just now, royoftherovers said:

Keep your chin up Piers. My results for the last 3 occasions.....2, 52,8 !

Who checks the checker ?

You win!

[Rabbers]

Piers, please add my own best wishes to the many already received. 

When former VP Cheney left hospital after a routine colonoscopy he had a sore throat.  This LED him to suspect his doctors had gone too far and people to discover he had a sense of humour. 

[Herbie]

Being 64 years old, any value up to 4 is apparently good for PSA.

My last 4 have been 0.75, 0.75, 0.75 and last time 0.52.

I've got a test to do and send off tomorrow so we'll see what that comes in at.

[Barry14UK]

John,

Not wanting to elicit information you may wish to withhold  or go too deeply here into a very complex subject but was that exclamation mark meant to be a 1, making the last reading 81, because the sequence of readings seems unusual.  However, we don't know the time frame for these and any treatment(s) between.

For anybody who may be interested but unaware, there are ranges of PSA according to age that are considered normal for most men.  However, men with enlarged prostates (BPH), or experiencing a UTI at the time the PSA was taken, can have a  raised  figure  for age and still be considered normal.  Conversely, there are situations where a man may be within range but still have cancer for example where he has small cell cancer which is a type that produces low PSA.  So except where PSA is initially exceedingly high, it may well not of itself suggest cancer, only that other tests/scan should  be done.

Men who have been treated, fall outside the above mentioned ranges and although PSA is used in different ways to help monitor development, other factors have to be taken into account such the type of treatment administered and other tests/scans as considered appropriate by Clinicians.

I paid for a 68 Gallium PSMA scan at the Paul Strickland Scanning Centre which changed my treatment plan as it can for some.      

[royoftherovers]

6 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

John,

Not wanting to elicit information you may wish to withhold  or go too deeply here into a very complex subject but was that exclamation mark meant to be a 1, making the last reading 81, because the sequence of readings seems unusual.  However, we don't know the time frame for these and any treatment(s) between.

For anybody who may be interested but unaware, there are ranges of PSA according to age that are considered normal for most men.  However, men with enlarged prostates (BPH), or experiencing a UTI at the time the PSA was taken, can have a  raised  figure  for age and still be considered normal.  Conversely, there are situations where a man may be within range but still have cancer for example where he has small cell cancer which is a type that produces low PSA.  So except where PSA is initially exceedingly high, it may well not of itself suggest cancer, only that other tests/scan should  be done.

Men who have been treated, fall outside the above mentioned ranges and although PSA is used in different ways to help monitor development, other factors have to be taken into account such the type of treatment administered and other tests/scans as considered appropriate by Clinicians.

I paid for a 68 Gallium PSMA scan at the Paul Strickland Scanning Centre which changed my treatment plan as it can for some.      

 

6 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

John,

Not wanting to elicit information you may wish to withhold  or go too deeply here into a very complex subject but was that exclamation mark meant to be a 1, making the last reading 81, because the sequence of readings seems unusual.  However, we don't know the time frame for these and any treatment(s) between.

For anybody who may be interested but unaware, there are ranges of PSA according to age that are considered normal for most men.  However, men with enlarged prostates (BPH), or experiencing a UTI at the time the PSA was taken, can have a  raised  figure  for age and still be considered normal.  Conversely, there are situations where a man may be within range but still have cancer for example where he has small cell cancer which is a type that produces low PSA.  So except where PSA is initially exceedingly high, it may well not of itself suggest cancer, only that other tests/scan should  be done.

Men who have been treated, fall outside the above mentioned ranges and although PSA is used in different ways to help monitor development, other factors have to be taken into account such the type of treatment administered and other tests/scans as considered appropriate by Clinicians.

I paid for a 68 Gallium PSMA scan at the Paul Strickland Scanning Centre which changed my treatment plan as it can for some.      

Many thanks Barry for showing interest in my readings.The exclamation mark was intended as I am aware of the erratic nature of my readings and the dangers of reading too much into them.

Had my last reading been 81 I`d have been more concerned about them,but I must treat all readings with respect and steps have been taken to ensure that the appropriate action is taken.

[Barry14UK]

I am happy for you John.  I have been on a support forum since 2007 when I was first diagnosed and we have had men whose PSA has been in the thousands vary from one PSA to another, even without changed treatment, by maybe a couple or so hundred between PSA tests but never seen a variation that has moved so much percentagewise and with lows and an intermediate high such as yours without treatment on successive tests.  We have had a man who had a PSA of 80 but despite repeat tests cancer could not be found.  I was not suggesting you might have PCa even though 52  is well above normal scale. 

I would expect nothing else of you than you would have covered all eventualities.   

[Hillie]

12 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Have a read of this long but hilarious account of "Agent Picolax" 🤣🤣

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/agent-picolax.17768540/

That is definetly a good read.   @NemesisUKThanks for posting the link.

[Malc]

gentlemen ..... we all have to pop our clogs at some time .....  at 72 I'm anticipating going on at least another 30 years ...........  still got too much in life to achieve 

was hoping it would be a bus taking me " out " from behind not seeing it coming and all that, an instant " whack " and GONE  ......  but not so sure I can cross the road these days without all the traffic slowing down to let me pass even with me waving me stick at 'em to speed up and run me down please 

Just take care everyone and if there's treatment to be had to prolong a good and happy life then that's great too .....  I'm buying into that scenario for sure 

Malc

[PCM]

On 8/21/2022 at 9:28 AM, PCM said:

I have a colonoscopy later this week ( my third ).

😮

Well... I had my colonoscopy yesterday. The result was clear which was good and I am glad I had it.

The 20 minutes was painful, but something to be endured for the greater good.

I am a great believer in saying thank you, as best I can, so sent some chocolates to the nurses and consultant to say, 'thank you'. They were all brilliant, professional, reassuring, kind; just everything you would wish them to be.

Thank you for all the support I received here. It was and is truly appreciated.

[Rabbers]

Excellent news.  Stay well.

[peniole]

Well done on getting a colonoscopy! Definitely worth it.

The PSA test on the other hand is no longer recommended as a screening test. Hasn't been for 2 years now. I should know, I teach this to med students. See: https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/prostate-cancer/

A digit rectal exam on the other hand, no pun intended, is valuable.

[PCM]

1 hour ago, peniole said:

The PSA test on the other hand is no longer recommended as a screening test. Hasn't been for 2 years now. I should know, I teach this to med students. See: https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/prostate-cancer/

A digit rectal exam on the other hand, no pun intended, is valuable.

Thank you.

Very interesting to hear...

My PSA varies, I have also had a (clear) related MRI and two DRE's ( also clear).

The first DRE was with my GP. As my name was called out in the waiting room, the doctor appeared wearing a plastic apron and rubber gloves. I expect the other patients waiting all secretly thought, "rather him than me!".