Navigating senior years.

[customboss]

1 hour ago, Atlas said:

So who's had a colonoscopy lately?

 

Any knee surgeries? Anyone switching Medicare plans for the new year?

 

Back to the regularly scheduled programming...

[Atlas]

2 hours ago, customboss said:

 

 

The overwhelming majority of "Medicare fraud" is exactly that. Private individuals and businesses fraudulently billing the government for goods and services. Medicare is one of the most efficient and tightly managed payers in the world, but it doesn't have much of an enforcement arm. They do audits and go after fraud but they have to focus their resources. That also explains why "DOGE" turned up exactly nothing of a smoking gun or anything to wave in front of the media. Of course, they just wanted CMS' data, which they got.

Edited December 16, 2025 by Atlas

[Donstar]

12 hours ago, Atlas said:

So who's had a colonoscopy lately?

 

Any knee surgeries? Anyone switching Medicare plans for the new year?

 

Back to the regularly scheduled programming...

I recommend to anyone approaching, or in their senior years, to ask their Doctors about having a colonoscopy if s/he never had the pleasure!  I have two members of my immediate family who live without a colon and a close uncle who died of colon cancer.  A colonoscopy can be a life saver or possibly save you from dealing with a whole new way of dealing with body waste.  With respect to knee surgery, I am still waiting for mine.  There is a long waitlist and I know my turn is soon.  I was expecting to have it done in time for Christmas but no such luck!  

Edited December 16, 2025 by Donstar

[diyer2]

My colon has been good that the doc put off more of them for 5 years. 

[Atlas]

4 hours ago, Donstar said:

I recommend to anyone approaching, or in their senior years, to ask their Doctors about having a colonoscopy if s/he never had the pleasure!  I have two members of my immediate family who live without a colon and a close uncle who died of colon cancer.  A colonoscopy can be a life saver or possibly save you from dealing with a whole new way of dealing with body waste.  With respect to knee surgery, I am still waiting for mine.  There is a long waitlist and I know my turn is soon.  I was expecting to have it done in time for Christmas but no such luck!  

 

Colorectal cancer killed my maternal grandmother so I'll be doing screenings early. My parents made a big deal out of their first ones, it was all very taboo to discuss or ask about. My father in law had a false positive test a year ago on one of the mail-in kits and had to go in for the full exam and colonoscopy. It was a huge deal for him, worst thing ever, couldn't talk about it. Fear of potential positive results aside, anything butt stuff really sends people for a loop.

 

It's just a camera, not a fist.

[customboss]

11 minutes ago, Atlas said:

It's just a camera, not a fist.

Actually it’s gas. 
 

During colonoscopy, the colon is gently inflated with gas, but the actual pressures used are quite low. The exact pressure can vary with the equipment and the patient.
Typical pressure levels
Colonoscopy insufflation pressures are generally kept around or under 1 psi (about 50–60 mmHg) inside the colon to safely expand the walls for visualization without risking injury. This is much lower than pressures used in laparoscopic abdominal surgery, which commonly use 12–15 mmHg in the whole abdomen, because the colon wall is more delicate and the pressure is localized.
Gas type and volume
Modern colonoscopies increasingly use carbon dioxide (CO₂) instead of room air because CO₂ is absorbed quickly by the body and exhaled, which reduces post‑procedure bloating and discomfort. Total gas volume used in a routine screening colonoscopy is often on the order of several liters; numbers around 8–17 liters total gas insufflated and then mostly suctioned back are described in the gastroenterology literature, but only a small amount remains in the colon at the end.

[txab]

Yep test early. I wouldn't do the poop in a box kit. Falses on both sides of the scale. But it is better than nothing, I guess.  One of my clients is the best Colorectal surgeon in the area. He says best to get the scope on the initial exam. It's not as bad as most would lead you to believe. I've had two over the last 7 years. Prep was no big deal, other than not eating. I had a worse relationship with the toilet when I had food poisoning. 

 

Try to get your exam for early Monday morning. Prepping over the weekend is preferrable

 

 

[txab]

12 minutes ago, customboss said:

Actually it’s gas. 
 

During colonoscopy, the colon is gently inflated with gas, but the actual pressures used are quite low. The exact pressure can vary with the equipment and the patient.
Typical pressure levels
Colonoscopy insufflation pressures are generally kept around or under 1 psi (about 50–60 mmHg) inside the colon to safely expand the walls for visualization without risking injury. This is much lower than pressures used in laparoscopic abdominal surgery, which commonly use 12–15 mmHg in the whole abdomen, because the colon wall is more delicate and the pressure is localized.
Gas type and volume
Modern colonoscopies increasingly use carbon dioxide (CO₂) instead of room air because CO₂ is absorbed quickly by the body and exhaled, which reduces post‑procedure bloating and discomfort. Total gas volume used in a routine screening colonoscopy is often on the order of several liters; numbers around 8–17 liters total gas insufflated and then mostly suctioned back are described in the gastroenterology literature, but only a small amount remains in the colon at the end.

I asked them to make sure they checked my pressure and get it right before they were done. I never felt any inflation. When I had abdominal surgery by poking a few holes in my belly the blew me up like a truck tire while they did their work

[customboss]

2 minutes ago, txab said:

I asked them to make sure they checked my pressure and get it right before they were done. I never felt any inflation. When I had abdominal surgery by poking a few holes in my belly the blew me up like a truck tire while they did their work

I feel and felt your pain. 

[Atlas]

5 minutes ago, txab said:

I asked them to make sure they checked my pressure and get it right before they were done. I never felt any inflation. When I had abdominal surgery by poking a few holes in my belly the blew me up like a truck tire while they did their work

 

I had laparoscopic surgery about 20 years ago; only time I've taken pain meds during recovery. God that hurt.

 

I've heard europeans typically don't take sedation with their colonoscopies. It's not supposed to be painful.

[customboss]

1 minute ago, Atlas said:

 

I had laparoscopic surgery about 20 years ago; only time I've taken pain meds during recovery. God that hurt.

 

I've heard europeans typically don't take sedation with their colonoscopies. It's not supposed to be painful.

My 4 colonoscopy's have never hurt, just fart ALOT.  Of course I fart all the time anyway.  Serious surgeries of abdomen have to inflate to get the parts seperated to service. Thus more inflation issues. 

[txab]

7 minutes ago, Atlas said:

 

I had laparoscopic surgery about 20 years ago; only time I've taken pain meds during recovery. God that hurt.

 

I've heard europeans typically don't take sedation with their colonoscopies. It's not supposed to be painful.

I was more sore from the surgery than I was from doing sit-ups and/or crunches, (don't remember how many, a bunch though) when in school. 

Pain meds got me through it like you. 

 

I'd bet the sedation is more for relaxation than pain. I never felt anything, but have heard some have felt discomfort getting the camera to move along

Edited December 16, 2025 by txab

[KARNUT]

I’m more playing the odds with the family heritage. Diabetes runs in my family and high blood pressure. Colon cancer doesn’t. My wife being in Human Resources at a hospital and a friend being in billing. Accidents happen even during colonoscopy. More often than people think. I took my wife to a procedure and the waiting room was packed. I’m thinking there has to be a better way than the assembly line I saw. Turns out you can get scanned. Not as fast and profitable as a colonoscopy. I asked my doctor when the scans came back for my liver, heart, and kidneys. I asked well what about my colon? Your in good shape was his answer. I see was my answer. 

[customboss]

6 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

I’m more playing the odds with the family heritage. Diabetes runs in my family and high blood pressure. Colon cancer doesn’t. My wife being in Human Resources at a hospital and a friend being in billing. Accidents happen even during colonoscopy. More often than people think. I took my wife to a procedure and the waiting room was packed. I’m thinking there has to be a better way than the assembly line I saw. Turns out you can get scanned. Not as fast and profitable as a colonoscopy. I asked my doctor when the scans came back for my liver, heart, and kidneys. I asked well what about my colon? Your in good shape was his answer. I see was my answer. 

Scans, yeah I have had many many x-rays, high DEF X-rays, and MRI's and they missed my hips being severly damaged.  Bottom line is squeaky wheel gets greased. So if you don't have a probelm mostly identified by pain complaint Dr's miss it.   Until I got a Community Care MRI here in Alamosa with a brand new MRI ( German made) it caught the hips.  Thanks VA for 15 years of needless pain.  

 

 

[Donstar]

17 hours ago, Atlas said:

anything butt stuff really sends people for a loop.

 

Nothing lights up a crowded room than an unexpected fart especially during a quiet, solemn occasion! Butt stuff is very personal yet we all poop.  Those of us who have cared for people who are unable to toilet themselves appreciate just how personal and private bowel movements can be for a patient.  It is an unpleasant task to assist a but it can be devastating for the patient.