Bowel Screening & Colonoscopy

[Mommidizzle]

Hi Troops ...me again!

Today we have received in the post for my OH - 2 envelopes! One for a routine (5 yearly) colonoscopy and one from the screening people to send off poo samples (again routine coz he over 60!)

I have had several conversations with him today re these appts suffice to say HE DONT WANNA GO FOR COLONOSCOPY !! OR HAS ANY INTENTION of collecting the samples to put in the post !!

While I know he should go for these routine check ups, the stress it is causing him already is making me think is it worth hassle!!?? I know he will not deal with being in hospital for a morning, or wearing the gown not too mention how he will react once they actually begin the procedure?? also i think from memory he would be given a mild sedative would this make his confusion worse??

I would appreciate your thoughts and advice on this please

Mommidizzle

I would appreciate any advice

 

[jenniferpa]

How old is he? How far has his dementia advanced? And if they found a problem, would he be able to cope with the treatment? Those would be the questions I would be asking.

 

[Soobee]

You are right, colonoscopy is not an easy procedure and one which you would not do routinely unless there is a previous history e.g. of polyps.

Do you have LPA for your OH? I would write back to them to state that he is unwilling to attend and request that they remove him from the screening process.

I did this for mum because she could not attend her diabetic eye screening and I had to write to confirm her circumstances. She also had regular colonoscopies over the years and stopped being willing to agree to any procedure when she developed dementia.

The thing to say is that you have weighed up the pros and cons of having the screening or not and on balance it would cause more harm than good.

 

[Mommidizzle]

How old is he? How far has his dementia advanced? And if they found a problem, would he be able to cope with the treatment? Those would be the questions I would be asking.

............he is 69, 3 yrs passed diagnosis and no I don't think he wouldn't cope with any treatment he would have to have..........I guess that answers my question about whether to bother with it or not lol x

 

[Mommidizzle]

You are right, colonoscopy is not an easy procedure and one which you would not do routinely unless there is a previous history e.g. of polyps.

Do you have LPA for your OH? I would write back to them to state that he is unwilling to attend and request that they remove him from the screening process.

I did this for mum because she could not attend her diabetic eye screening and I had to write to confirm her circumstances. She also had regular colonoscopies over the years and stopped being willing to agree to any procedure when she developed dementia.

The thing to say is that you have weighed up the pros and cons of having the screening or not and on balance it would cause more harm than good.

Thanks Soobee i think your right it ain't worth the hassle it will cause him x

 

[truth24]

Why don't you ask his GP. If it is possible for YOU to collect his samples for the test and they prove negative of anything nasty, then I wouldn't think a colonoscopy would be needed too. But you should check with his GP to confirm that and also you may not feel like handling his faeces. Afraid I had to get over the horror of that when my OH became doubly incontinent. I always find the preparation for the colonoscopy to be far worse than the procedure itself

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[cragmaid]

I refused to permit any form of invastive testing for my Mum last year...she has a Cancer in her eye, she now has multiple melanoma metasises. She is 87 blind, 6 stone and unable to walk.....What possible benefit could any of these tests be to her now.

When she was 80 she had to have a Colonoscopy.......the pre examination clear out caused her angina to flare!! She could not possibly have coped with it if her Dementia had been sufficiently bad to cause problems too.
Ask your GP but IMHO...say no thanks.

 

[Trisha4]

Hi Troops ...me again!

Today we have received in the post for my OH - 2 envelopes! One for a routine (5 yearly) colonoscopy and one from the screening people to send off poo samples (again routine coz he over 60!)

I have had several conversations with him today re these appts suffice to say HE DONT WANNA GO FOR COLONOSCOPY !! OR HAS ANY INTENTION of collecting the samples to put in the post !!

While I know he should go for these routine check ups, the stress it is causing him already is making me think is it worth hassle!!?? I know he will not deal with being in hospital for a morning, or wearing the gown not too mention how he will react once they actually begin the procedure?? also i think from memory he would be given a mild sedative would this make his confusion worse??

I would appreciate your thoughts and advice on this please

Mommidizzle

I would appreciate any advice

My husband has also received his poo sticks. He couldn't remember how he used them in the past so I am helping him use them. As he is willing for this to happen it isn't a problem. A colonoscopy is a different issue. Can you talk this over with your GP?


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[Kevinl]

My wife has a colonoscopy a year after she was diagnosed with AZ and both me and the hospital probably wouldn't want to repeat the experiment. The poo tests are (I believe) very accurate, I know as I got an inconclusive on one then had to pass 2 at which point they said they were happy to leave it as that was conclusive it wasn't cancer. Unless there is some sound reason to suspect cancer then the poo test should do. Count yourself lucky if I wanted a sample of my wife's poo I wouldn't have to look very hard around the house to find a sample some days
On the subject of the light anaesthetic one of the most embarrassing things I ever witnessed in and NHS hospital was when the nurse asked if my wife would like to be lightly anaethestised for the process and the doctor snapped at her that it wasn't necessary and she shouldn't have even brought the subject up, so if you do have to have it done please check it will be offered.
K

 

[Lawson58]

My husband, 75 and early AD but with other severe health problems, had an internal bleed in October and he had a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy botjh of which he handled very well.

Neither test found the source of the bleeding and the hospital decided that in view of his poor overall health they would not continue testing. They said if it was what they thought it was, he would probably not survive the necessary surgery anyway so there was not much point.

I wouldn't push for him to have another one.

 

[truth24]

It's amazing how things have changed over the years. When I started having colonoscopies many years ago it was standard to have a light anaesthetic. As even light ones give me hours of vomiting, after several more, I eventually asked if I could do without the anaesthetic and it was really uncomfortable, one of 'longest' periods of mild pain I have ever experienced. At the last one I was not offered anaesthetic but given a form of 'laughing gas' to relax the body which was a great improvement. However, this isn't about me, so I sorry to have gone on. It was just that the memories make me convinced that, unless totally necessary, it's not something that a patient with AD or any form of dementia should be put through. I would imagine they would find the prep vey stressful and the actual procedure extremely frightening and that is something to be avoided at all costs. Please talk to your GP and explain the situation.




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[Leswi]

The 5 yearly colonoscopy would only usually be requested if considered to be high risk due to family history or previous illness, so this may be the reason. It is possible to have CT scan instead of the colonoscopy but the bowel still needs to be clear so the horrible sachets need to be drunk unfortunately. As you say if he is not going to be up to any treatment that may be advised, is there any point in having the tests anyway?