Posted on 02/04/2014 9:12:48 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
There are few medical procedures feared more than a colonoscopy. But what if there was another way to screen patients for colon cancer that's much less intrusive?
Now there is: The PillCam, an ingestible camera that takes high-speed photographs as it works its way through the digestive system and helps doctors spot polyps and other early signs of colon cancer was just cleared by the Food and Drug Administration.
The device is designed for patients who have had trouble with the cringe-inducing colonoscopy procedure, which involves probing the large intestine with a tiny camera embedded in a four-foot long, flexible tube.
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(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
If God elects that I should suffer a terminal disease — I’m not going to fight it, I’m going to facilitate it.
well, I’d like to hang around awhile...
but I do NOT like the old-fashioned, out-dated firehouse-up-your-arse or finger-up-your-butt “diagnostic procedures”
they appear far too similar to O’s Chicago bathhouse, for my comfort
especially when there are more modern, unintrusive ways of getting far superior pictures or results anyway
we’re not living in the 7th Century, after all... we can take advantage of modern medical technology
I had one in 2012 with no anesthesia. I have a high pain tolerance so it didn’t really bother me.
My little sister just her her first one a year or so ago.She was telling me that she was a bit scared because of the pain she might experience.She thought they did it without anesthesia! And no,my sister *isn't* stupid....she's very intelligent,thank you very much!
Bump that damned doc...uh, office manager.
Every half hour or so for me. Guess I have super-control.
like drinking dishwater
A few years ago my dad had one to look for a small intestine problem which was too far away from either end to run in a scope. It might be a matter of powering it for long enough to get through the large intestines. It's tough to swallow a D cell battery to power it for 24 hours.
I’m having tears in my intestine sealed by laser during the procedure. Might as well run the tube and camera at the same time.
Probably from prostate radiation treatment.
How long does it take for that camera pill to go through the entire system? Do you have to fast during the whole time? Even if it takes 4 days? To ME, that sounds even worse than the regular procedure.
In My opion, the prep is the worst part of the procedure. But, that could be because I’m ‘’full of it’’ lol!
I too like the idea that if they do find something that needs to be dealt with, they do it immediately. The pill way, people could get scared and decide to ignore the findings which would be more detrimental to their health.
Here is a tip for those who must have this procedure done. When you get to the part where you have to drink the gallon of stuff as fast as you can, park the gallon by the toilet with long tubing, and just sit there and drink. It will save you a lot of running since the stuff runs out as soon as you take it in.
The faster you consume it, the faster and better it cleans you out, and the less likely you’ll have to repeat the cleansing because you didn’t get it all out the first time.
I found the cleansing part, horrid. There CAN be other complications from the procedure itself, but I can’t see how the pill would be any easier. I supposed if you can’t take the pre-op meds, then the pill could be helpful, but if they find something, then you have to deal with the pre-op meds anyway.
After everything is done, you have no memory of the procedure, at all, and coming out from the meds isn’t that bad at all. It’s much easier than the anesthesia you get for surgery.
They are much smaller now and not a problem to swallow. I was offered the opportunity for that procedure about a year ago, but I declined because it appeared the problem I had that put me in the hospital improved, and was not out of sight where only a camera would find it. So far so good. - Tom
“Guess I have super-control.”
Sheesh! The “prep” I took turned everything to water!
What I hate is they won’t let you drive yourself home after a colonoscopy, nor will they let you take a taxi. They insist that you have to have a friend take you home. (For all they know, the “friend” could be the biggest flake in the world, but they insist upon this to the point where they’ll refuse to do the procedure on you if you don’t comply.) I just hate imposing on people by making them take off work, drive me there and back, etc. So if this pill method does not require anesthesia, I’m all for it just for that reason.
Same here. I think a drawback to the new pill technique would be that they would not be able to remove any found polyps. They'd have to make you go through the cleanse process all over again and then do the scope. The only part that bothered me when I had it done was the the cleanse. You not only had to stay glued to the toilet; but the stuff you have to drink is like drinking spit. I was asleep for the scope part and don't remember it at all.
This pill thing sounds like an Obamacare cheapout.
You made me giggle.
I agree. The procedure itself is nothing because you are in la-la land while they are doing it. I have no memory of it at all. It's the day before drinking all that prep liquid that is the only "bad" part, but even that isn't all that bad.
That said, there is a chance of complications from a standard colonoscopy. I have a friend who had his colon punctured during the procedure and had to have emergency surgery.
Perhaps this video pill is a better way. But with that, all they can do is see a polyp. They can't remove it and test it for cancer like they can with the regular colonoscopies. If the video finds polyps, then they have to go in and get them.
Friend of mine’s life was saved by a colonoscopy, found the polyps in the final pre-cancer stage.
Don't be afrade of getting the standard procedure. It really is nothing, and it could be life saving. You don't even know when they are doing it. Totally painless.
This came out in 2001 I believe. Do we actually think they’ll use it for the masses? The money hungry people won’t allow it for anyone but the elite.
And mine too !
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