My purpose for writing this is two-fold. First, I want to give thanks. Next, I want to encourage EVERYONE (especially naturists because we tend to be healthy or we may think we're healthy) who's around my age or older to go for a a health check up. The second part is probably more important than the first.
For some time, I've been troubled about colon cancer. I have friends who have this cancer (it's the most common cause of cancer death for non-smokers. Almost everyone else I know has gone for a colonoscopy. When I told my wife that I'd be going for NEWT 2017, she urged me to go for my full check up first. She reasoned that it wouldn't be fair to the rest if I developed some health problems and we were up on an Alpine mountain. So I decided that I would do my test before I send in the booking for NEWT 2017.
I have just got home from the hospital and the first thing I did was to do this pic:
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oNfmR5QB2jjoRLi2shMzhnw9Vmiqi7ynjOTDNxAfWWSEpHhdNvqPifNgBcTzov7MZ4z4Ks_ZowaaZn19Z3c6FzKmSRzqwz7lQyYWQpk4XYm9lOArvqwij3j1QJmlTplSeWah6F0uZ4tDaU-Sws2KLHNU2F4zpCTZ9mKcjPbhYOUFnbl1kcXjlHuyGkM3bIe3C0r_Tu0Hvo0cWqiXv1B2_4DzB5Ga5y1d17hHtEkpTMX4yyAjvmxJDy_s24nqDevX3jjYgKdwkjlD4oI3yvjsmMK2KU21lVOU1HQjXpeTERbZVUlU2RNAtWawMcCuPRpA8Yi8Sf0qgAVdTEvgLCtfw6M9YXnJfMBflqx8iHoV6doiy996hhPofUccFzwTZh1SurovrF9HDU9fj48k9AN5zyA1ogfpMGbAjm67hg7O_XGlRTkcWRRMpWRC0oIP8qyh1927wYP3crrnoEhGiPxAVL1VIjWbuCjVEDZ7gg2YRpFcjEY3Q8MlXtRz7dJHxsfr58A62ZUPzWMuVyy9N9ziWEZgY1tvN9_mtFqXoEWPX-8G3JOW_-u5rswomYpyyktuR1noeqOmj7acRt-8ANQsr6TQWs9-DkQMLPbfcWBlc2tGNF3sLA=w300-h750-no">
On my left hand is the full report of all the tests I did – colonoscopy, endoscopy (gastroscopy) and a full blood test with all the cancer markers. I had a great all-women set of doctors. My gastroenterologist was superb and really professional. She not only did a good job, she explained everything to me very clearly. She told me that I woke up as soon as the procedure was over and the first thing I said was, "Any cancer?" and when she replied in the negative, I fell asleep again. LOL
My anaesthetist was really good too. She knocked me out effectively and I didn't wake up even for a second while the procedures were being done. I've heard horrendous stories of people waking up in the middle of a colonoscopy but I was asleep throughout. I woke up just for a few seconds after everything was over and I slept again and woke up just after five minutes of being transferred to the recovery room. Even my phlebotomist who took my blood for the blood test was excellent – she did such a good job that I didn't even feel a pin prick.
I'm holding the Holy Bible on my right hand. OK, I'm not exactly a religious chap but I felt I should at least give thanks to all that is good and pure and true, however you wish to term it.
All the tests were negative which means I'm most definitely going to be at NEWT 2017 barring accidents and other unpredictable factors.
My advice to everyone is to go for these tests. There is no reason not to go for them. You may not believe it but one reason why I didn't want to go for the tests was I really didn't want to know it if I had cancer. I was that STUPID. The fact is if they detect anything harmful, early detection is always a life-saver. So, my fellow naturists, don't make the same mistake I made. We naturists need to be healthy since there are so few of us. Go for the tests NOW and may all of us be healthy and strong enough to go hiking at NEWT 2017. See you there!
My son's roommate went in for a "check up" and some of those tests. While at the medical center he contacted an antibiotic resistant flesh eating disease. He brought it home and my son got it too. By the time that everything was done my son had lost a portion of the meat on one arm, and the roommate suffered even more loss.
There are BIG risks every time you (or someone you know) goes near one of those places. The medical business always is marketing their services, but they kill an estimated 200,000 Americans per year from malpractice and mistake.
Their "colonoscopy, endoscopy" devices mentioned above are notorious for spreading infections by not being properly cleansed.
I will go to them if I break my leg, they are good at fixing broken bones. But I am VERY cautious about any other contact.
The protocol is every 3 years so I have had two since then including last year.
My PC doctor had given me two flex sigmoidoscope exams in office to save me money.He found two polyps in the same location both times. By the time for the third exam came I insisted on a colonoscopy as I was having problems. The sigmoidoscope goes about half-way into the colon. The colonoscopy found a tennis ball sized cancer two inches beyond the reach of the sigmoidoscope. The operation got it all with no further treatment needed. I was very lucky I was scared enough to insist. It's been six years.
The doctors said the cancer was not Agent Orange or alcohol induced.
Thank God. If it's been six years you should go for another colonoscopy soon.
As a survivor of bowel cancer I wholeheartedly agree with getting regularly tested. I understand here in the UK there is a postal stool service for over 55's…I was however 49 when diagnosed. I had trouble with 2 colonoscopys because of the size of my tumour. The 3rd colonoscopy was given without a general anaesthesia but using a variance of Rohypnol! I was awake from stat to finish yet had no knowledge after…that was very surreal. Anyway I had an operation and treatments and here I am. 2 years later I developed 3 areas of skin cancer…again more ops and treatments. I find being a sun-worshipping naturist both in my garden and local beaches etc it is a type of cancer which can be just as dangerous yet can be trivialized…I've never used skin protection and still don't now. I try to leave my gate to a greater power….whatever that may be…
The postal stool service starts at 60 in the UK – they sent me mine within days of my 60th birthday! I think it is then every two years after that. I have heard that there are calls for the starting age to be reduced to 50. Your case certainly supports the need for this!
Stool tests are not reliable. They test for occult blood but many cancers do not bleed.
Glad you recovered. Go for regular tests at least for your peace of mind.
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Why choosing the wrong doctor to do your colonoscopy can kill you!
Volume 13 | Issue 118
October 5, 2016
One of the less-welcome birthday gifts you'll likely get when you turn 50 is a reminder from your doctor that it's time to schedule your first colonoscopy. This is a very important screening, and if everyone received one, deaths from colorectal cancer would likely drop dramatically. However, I know the process of getting this screening isn't exactly pleasant. That's why it's important to find a doctor who will do the best possible job for you so that the test is worthwhile.
A number of different types of doctors can perform colonoscopies, including primary care doctors, general surgeons, and gastroenterologists. But they're all human, and some tend to be better than others. While gastroenterologists as a whole tend to be the best because of their specialty, you can still find a wide range of skill from doctor to doctor. So your primary care doctor could actually be your best bet. Fortunately, there's a good way to gauge whether or not your doctor knows what to look for while performing your screening.
As your doctor evaluates your colon, one of the things he or she is looking for is an adenoma, a type of polyp that can become cancerous. However, adenomas can be hard to spot. Doctors can track their ability to find them according to a measurement called an adenoma detection rate (ADR). The ADR indicates the percentage of patients in whom a doctor finds an adenoma.
Of course, not everyone has adenomas. If we did, colorectal cancer would probably be a much more likely possibility for all of us. So your doctor doesn't need to have an ADR of 100% — nowhere near that, in fact. If your doctor has an ADR of 20% or higher for women and 30% or higher for men (who typically have more adenomas), you can trust that he or she probably knows what to look for. An ADR of 25% or higher across the board (i.e., not divided by gender) is also acceptable.
The ADR score truly can make a difference. In fact, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine looked at over 300,000 colonoscopies that 136 gastroenterologists conducted over the course of 10 years. Remember, this type of doctor is supposed to be the expert. But the researchers still found that for every 1% increase in a doctor's ADR, his or her patients' risk of developing colorectal cancer before their next colonoscopies dropped by 3%. So it's clearly worthwhile to seek out a doctor with a strong ADR.
When you're scheduling your screening, be sure to ask about the doctor's ADR. The office staff or a nurse can often provide this information. Some doctors don't keep track of this measure, as it's not legally mandated, and others refuse to provide their numbers. If either of these are true of your doctor, but particularly the latter, it's worth looking elsewhere to find a doctor to conduct the screening. If you do have an adenoma, you certainly don't want to go through the discomfort of a colonoscopy only to have your doctor miss it, putting you at risk of cancer.
I'm sure we are all very healthy as naturists who love nature, hiking and other activities but going for a check up is still obligatory. When I considered what happened to my friend, I freaked out and decided that I would go for a colonoscopy. What happened to my friend was terrible. He discovered his cancer too late. The surgeons had to remove a portion of his colon and since it was too close to the anal opening, they had to seal up the opening and divert the remaining colon out of the side of his body. He has to wear a bag to collect faeces on the side of his body permanently. He said he was grateful he could still live and he's such a kind person. He wrote to all of us telling us to go for colonoscopy. He said if he had detected the cancer early, he wouldn't have to go through all this. The fact is none of us did it. We always think it can't happen to us. Last year, another friend of mine died of colon cancer. Recently, I was at my uni reunion dinner and I discovered that everyone had gone for a colonoscopy. I was the only one who hadn't done it! Quite a few had pre-cancerous growths that were snipped off at the colonoscopy. If they didn't do the colonoscopy, the growths would have become cancerous over time and it would have been very serious. I realised I had no choice. I owed it to myself to go for a colonoscopy. But since I was going for that, I decided to go for a gastroscopy plus all the cancer marker tests. That frightened me because deep down, I don't want to know if I have cancer somewhere. But that's how stupid I am. Ignorance is not the answer. Knowing I have cancer would mean I can have early treatment and prognosis is always better when there is early treatment. The good thing about doing all the tests is when they prove negative, you really feel on top of the world.
Yes. Cancer is scary, but if it's caught early it can often be eliminated. The treatment's no fun, but it's easier than living for a while with cancer.
i m afraid for health problems and i hope to can save for a long time, i mean for ever – it's a pity to see people who are ill and stay in hospitals, i hope that the naturist way of live give us a good protection.
I believe it helps!
It's not confirmed yet, but all that vitamin D is thought to help stave off many types of cancer. 🙂
Excellent news! I just turned 60, so it's time for me to schedule my next colonoscopy. Hopefully, I'll get further proof that I don't have my head up my ass! 🙂
My father and 2 of my uncles had colon cancer, the uncles found it too late. I've had colonoscopies every 5 years(3 so far) and would recommend all men to have it done.
My current doc is great! He knows of my allergies to anesthetics and found ways to work around it. My last test I was wide awake and didn't have a problem with it…though it's a very odd sensation. I could watch everything on a monitor and see what was going on. Only 3 polyps this time and everything is fine.
Sorry to hear about your dad and uncles. But as long as you go for regular check ups, nothing untoward will happen. Where were the polyps? I have been reading about colonoscopy and it seems that if the polyps are hyperplastic polyps in the rectum, they are common and you don't need to remove them. But I could be wrong. Don't take what I say as gospel truth.
Mine needed to be removed. The first time I had about a dozen, so this time was great! It is so simple to make an appointment. The worst part is the prep and drinking all the fluids and meds to clean you out…ick.
I agree with you. The colon cancer can almost be invisible until the instant when it is too much late. It's why it'is important to make examinations regularly. For me,nearly ten years ago, a test led to a coloscopie then to a surgical operation to take away tumours which proved to be cancerous. I had the chance to be diagnosed early.
Thanks for sharing, Jacques! That's very good news. You should do regular check-ups. We need your beautiful photos for NEWT every year for the next 50 years at least!!! So stay healthy!! It's really true. One of my friends died of colon cancer and another friend discovered his cancer too late. They had to cut off a large chunk of his colon and they had to divert the waste material into a bag attached to the side of his body. He says it's permanent. At least he's still alive. Colon cancer is really terrible and it's such a common cancer. And it's preventable when detected early.