Thread: Get those med tests

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Originally Posted by hotroddaddy

I need to get off my arse and start on mine, im only 33, but its getting about that time.

I agree and I need to do the same. I turned 35 this past week and I need to get some things checked out too.

I haven't thought about this in a while; but, the relevance of this particular posting reminded me of a guy that I would consider a friend of mine even though we didn't really run with the "same crowd" or really "pal around" with each other.

My highschool economics teacher who was actually also one of my football coaches, (Mark) was a great guy. Oddly enough, he actually also became a fairly good friend to me over the years. He of course was older than I was by what seemed like quite a bit at the time; but he was one of the coolest teachers you could ever have. In fact, he and his wife (Holly) took my best friend from highschool (Ian) and I out to dinner as a graduation gift shortly after we graduated.

He had always seemed to appreciate our particular sense of humor and seemed to let us get away with bit more than some of our classmates. In fact, our Senior year, Ian and I had him arrested by one of the local Sherriff's department officers on a "trumped up" charge during class one day as a practical joke. He got a pretty big kick out of the whole thing.

So anyway, not too long after I got stationed at McChord (1992), I found out that he and Holly had both taken teaching jobs down in Olympia and moved out here to Washington. So, I got around to tracking down a number for them and gave him a call.

We visited for a few minutes on the phone and I invited he and Holly to join my girlfriend and I for dinner. In fact, I told him I owed him one anyway and I would even pay. He told me that he'd love too; but, wouldn't be able to make it because he was scheduled for a "minor procedure" at the local hospital. He went on to tell me that he had been having some problems going to the bathroom for a while now, and that he was now starting to have problems digesting food and so he was going in to get it taken care of.

So, anyway, I ended up going to visit him in the hospital the day after his "procedure" and we had a great visit. He told me that the doctors had removed a small part of his intestine and that they seemed to think that "this might do the trick" but that there were a few more tests they were going to run before he was to check out the following day.

Anyway, we visited for probably 2 1/2 to 3 hours, laughing and joking about the arrest warrent he'd been served as well as a few other things that had happend. He told me stories of his new job and leaving the old one. He asked me about my job and gave me updates on all the kids I had gone to school with etc. Finally, we agreed to get together sometime within the next month or two for dinner and a few drinks, and I left to let him get some rest.

About 3 weeks after this, I was sent on a Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY) for a short period of time (2 weeks) to Pope AFB in NC. Right after this TDY, I had scheduled some leave to go on a fishing trip with my buddy Ian, who also happened to be in the AF at the time, stationed in Great Falls MT. So, when I got back into town, one of the very first things I did was called Ian to verify that the trip was still on, and he broke the news to me, Mark was dead. Cancer was the culprit.

You could have knocked me over with a feather, I was so stunned. In fact, at first I argued with him and told him I'd just seen Mark and Holly about a month and a half before this and there was no way that could be right. He then read me the obituary that he had copied down over the phone while talking to his parents, and it finally started to sink in. At some point after that, my roomate at the time, who had un-intentionally, overheard one end of the conversation, looked up at me and told me that I had gotten a phone call from "a Holly" while I was gone, and that she had wanted me to give them a call as soon as I could. I can still remember the chill that ran down my spine when he told me that.

So, Ian and I canceled our fishing trip and made plans instead to attend the funeral. I didn't even unpack my bag, I just loaded it up in my truck, went into my duty section, signed and turned in my leave paperwork and drove to Idaho for the funeral.

It was there that Holly told me that they were informed of the diagnosis the morning after I left his hospital room. The cancer had evidently started in his colon and had already spread pretty much throughout his entire body and was eating him alive by the time he went in. He had simply put it off too long. I guess they also told them that there wasn't really anything that they could do at that point to stop it, all they could do was make him comfortable because it had spread so far. So, they made a decision, and checked him out of the hospital and they went back to SE Idaho so that they could be around family, and he died while I was in NC.

He was only 34.

I know that they say that you don't have to have "the tests" until your over 40; but, if you suspect that something isn't working right, don't wait for the checks at 40 to find out why.

Dutch

Unfortunately I'm an expert on Prostate cancer. Had it twice in 3 years plus it f#$@ed up other things secondarily that have yet to be repaired.

And yeah get that blood pressure checked at any age! I went into a drug stor e with the free machine a few years ago. I was 209/119!!! Denny your brake system should have such good pressure.

Meds got it down and it's not a problem now. And hey, you don't even have to go to the doctor. You can go to Walgreens to test yourself.

I talked to some friends who had the colonoscopy procedure and described it as very painful. I was scheduled for it, so I made an appointment with the doc ahead of time. I told him that I had a very low threshold for pain and that if he hurt me, we were going to have a serious problem with each other after the procedure. I think he was visualizing a gasoline fire by the time I got through. I asked him if I had scared him and if he wanted me to find another doc. He said no, that he was able to do the procedure without any pain whatsoever. When the day arrived, he had two nurses standing alongside him administering happy juice into my veins. Just enough so that I was still conscious and could move around as per his instructions, but felt no pain at all.

If you're scheduled for the procedure, go and have a sit-down with the doc like I did. Although they are exceptional and highly regarded individuals, they are still only humans who put their pants on the same way you do. Talk with him eyeball to eyeball and make him understand that you will not tolerate pain during the procedure. If he balks or hems and haws, find another doc.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

I talked to some friends who had the colonoscopy procedure and described it as very painful.

Tech, I just had the PSA done a few weeks ago and the colonoscopy last Thursday, my 2nd one so far and on each one they were pain free but then again I was totally out for the whole procedure. I've also heard of people complain about the pain so I think I'd do as you suggest if ya never had one before because they sure don't have to be painful.

Thanks Twitch for starting this thread, good info!!
Larry M.

I've had a colonoscopy about every three years - and the only time that there was any pain was the first time when the doctor tried a modified version - a sigmoidoscopy. I about broke the doctors arm (and actually got thrown out of his practice because of that deal). I now have a weak area in my lower colon due to his incompetence which pains me occasionally.

First of all, a sigmoidoscopy is done without any anesthetics as it only goes a very little ways in. It can hurt - big time. It is also almost useless due to the fact that it doesn't scope the entire large colon.

Next is the colonoscopy which should be done ONLY by a gastroenterologist (rear admiral )that has been properly trained. This procedure examines the entire lower colon while you are in la-la land. Time before last, I woke up to see a plane run in to the World Trade Center - rude awakening. Prep for this procedure is really the most painfull part - you take a pill or two, listen to your stomach rumble and growl, then you spend the next 2-3 hours in sight of or on a toilet

If you have a family doctor(GP) that want to do this procedure - DON'T LET HIM - go to a specialist that has the right tools, has a competent staff and knows what he is seeing on those beautiful full color pictures of your innards - nothing, hopefully, polyps, usually not too bad, but he'll remove them, diverticuloses, he'll tell you to be carefull what you eat or hopefully not - something else.

My wife had recurring diverticulitis - and the doctor advised removing part of her lower colon. She had it done, but has to be really careful of what she eats since about a foot of it was taken out - 6 weeks recovery. Now some adhesions are giving her some problems but not too bad.

Good advice Dave, I probably should of said something about the fact tha my Dr. was a (rear admiral) also and I'm glad I had her instead of some Dr. that wasn't well versed in the procedure.

The sigmoidoscopy is what a friend of mine had and he said it was a BIG PITA That kept me from having any of the procedures for a long time til my daughter kept bugging me about it. So I finall went in and had it done just to shut her up! Thanks Sherrie, glad ya bugged me.........
Larry M.

While we're tallking about the painful side of procedures. When you have your prostate biopsied (I've had it done twice already) make sure to tell them to wait at least 15 minutes after they inject the anathesia. If they just inject and then start the bipsopy, every time you hear that little "click " your are going to bounce your arse off the table. And at 11 "clicks" per biopsy it can get to your head really fast.

John

Originally Posted by 41willys

Ain't it fun getting old

"Getting old isn't for sissies".....now, WHO was it that said that? as he wanders off, mumbling to himself.

I was taught at a rather tender age, I thought, in a rather elite school of learning, SL University, Sin Loi University (those that are alumni will know where), just how fragile life is, have tried to make the best of what time I have been given, and not take for granted or assume anything.

Originally Posted by DennyW

Ah yes, SL University, Sin Loi University, 66-69.

I took your place, Denny. I was a freshman when you graduated...I just didn't stay as long...69-70

By the way, Thanks for your sacrifice and Welcome Home!

I had the borescope done a few years ago. It helps to have some smart-assed quipps ready for the doc ahead of time.

You're going where no man has gone before

If you find my pride in there, let me know

Can you make a print out of that? I'd like to PROVE to my wife that my head is not up there.

On a pain factor of 1-10 it's probably a 2.

I avoid doctors as much as possible. They always seem to have something bad to tell you.

Thats funny Firebird. My doc gives me a nice colored 8x11 pic showing various areas of my colon just to prove to my wife my head is no where in sight!
Larry M.

I need to get off my arse and start on mine, im only 33, but its getting about that time.

If you have a family history of colon cancer you need to do it earlier.
That is around 40 yo or so -

Denny...Don't go checking out on us.

Ditto!!!!
Denny, your old signature 'Its been good knowing you all' always got me to wondering if you knew something you wern't telling.

I'm glad you got rid if it!!!!

Originally Posted by SBC

If you have a family history of colon cancer you need to do it earlier.
That is around 40 yo or so -

That's why I did it at an early age.


Now I have developed a new problem since my allergic reaction to cashew's. I doubt it has anything to do w/it but it seems odd that it showed it's ugly head after that. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE , I never ever had a problem w/it in my life, I could even me pissed off & wound tighter then a 8day clock & still wouldn't have high blood pressure. I am over weight by about 70lbs, (wish I could lose it but w/my other health problems it hard to do any exercise) I have been that for the past 10yrs & never had a problem. Yesterday I had the crap scared out of me. I got a bad headache & the bruises on my arm went from light red to purple & when I took my blood pressure it was 197/89 & has stayed on the high side since. I did call the doctor & they are going to get me in & do some tests & most likely put me on mor meds, ooooo joy.
Looks like I'll have to give up even more foods then I already have. Man is meals going to get boring, but I gotta do what I gotta do cause I plan to be around for a longggg time...joe

Originally Posted by TooMany2count

Now I have developed a new problem since my allergic reaction to cashew's. I doubt it has anything to do w/it but it seems odd that it showed it's ugly head after that. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Those little pills work wonders, Joe. Do what Doc says.

BP's just one more thing us geezers can put on the list to bellyache about. I'm very fond of my prostate medication too.

And my arthritis pills.

And my senior vitamin pills.

And my ..... aw ...forget it. Just who started this "Golden Years" BS anyway?


Jim