That is so true! My colonoscopy was scheduled for noon on a Monday. On Friday the office called me to ask if I could come in at 8:30. I said “YESSSS!!!” I was dreading waiting around to go to the office after doing the prep.
This blood test, like the stool test, only tests for cancer.
The colonoscopy searches for pre-cancerous polyps.
One time (of many) I had a colonoscopy, yes I’d had to go through the bowel prep that started at 12:00 noon the day before and lasted until about 6 or 7 that night. And then no food / water after midnight and until after the colonoscopy was over and I awake enough not to, well, barf the orange juice and crackers.
I have reactive hypoglycemia of unknown origin. This particular colonoscopy was set for 11 am. My blood sugar was crashing so bad that I thought I was going to pass out in the waiting room.
Another time it was set for 8:00 am but they got behind in outpatient procedures, and it was nearly 12 before I got called back. Got me in the bed, put the IV in and four minutes later I was tunnel-vision blacking-out passing out. “Help!” I yelled.
They laid me down flat and increased the fluid. Called a cardiologist. My blood pressure apparently had torpedoed.
I’m due for a colonoscopy right now. Not fancying it. I don’t even have a gastro doc right now. He’d be a newb and yes the extra cost of the newb doc / setup 1st appointment. Then the colonoscopy percentage cost with basic Medicare. I’d have to get a loan just to get the 20% the financial clerk would ask for.
I’ll just call and say look, if you’ll do this thing for free—if you really insist I need this, hey I don’t have the money. See if financial assistance will cover it 100%.
Or it just won’t happen.
Or maybe it’s just too darn dangerous to go through anyway. The last one I had, no problem. But I had to come up with $600 **SURPRISE!!** they didn’t even tell me about. That was 10+ years ago.