Health Champion Blog

If you’re 50 or older, this message is for you: Have you had your colonoscopy yet?

If so, congratulations. If not, what are you waiting for?

We know. The very word produces a Yuck response: not a topic for polite conversation. Except if you or a loved one has been affected by colon cancer. And then you can’t talk about it enough.

March is Colorectal Cancer Month, a time to remind people about preventative health screenings. So, that’s what we’re doing. Urging. And reminding. And 50 is the target time, because the majority of cancers occur after that age.

Colon cancer — a cancer in the cells of the colon or large intestines — is the third most common cancer in the U.S. — affecting about 110,000 men and women each year. Add in rectal cancer (located at the end of the colon), there are approximately 150,000 new cases annually. It often starts as a small benign (noncancerous) clump of cells called polyps, common in adults and usually harmless. However, since most colorectal cancer begins as a polyp, removing them early is critical to preventing cancer.

People prone to developing colon cancer are those who:

eat a high fat diet

have a family history of colorectal cancer and polyps

have polyps detected during a colonoscopy

have a history of chronic ulcerative colitis.

Planning for Your Colonoscopy:

Check your insurance benefits-if you are over 50 most insurance plans will cover a screening colonoscopy

Be sure to check whether your insurance benefits also cover the procedure if you have a polyp or any other tissue removed for biopsy

Check with your doctor which of your medicines you can take the morning of your procedure

Plan on being home the day before with easy access to a bathroom

Line someone up to drive you home, as you will not be allowed to have the procedure otherwise

Plan to wear loose, comfortable clothing

Prepping for Your Colonoscopy:

The day before: Known as “the bowel prep,” this is the most challenging part of the procedure. You’ll clean out your bowels by drinking clear liquids and taking laxatives according to detailed instructions…

The day of the colonoscopy: Arrive for the procedure a little early to allow for paperwork. You’re given a light anesthesia. The doctor inserts a long, flexible, lighted tube called a colonoscope into the anus, guiding it through the rectum and into the colon. The scope inflates the large intestine with carbon dioxide gas to give the doctor a better view. A small camera mounted on the scope transmits images to a computer screen. If the doctor sees a polyp or unusual-looking tissue, it can be removed and later examined for signs of diseases. The procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes. When you wake up, you’ll feel groggy and hungry. And that’s it.

Caught early, colorectal cancer can be successfully treated.

So, what are you waiting for?