Colonoscopy Blues

I'm 44 and I just had my third colonoscopy. This saga started 3 years ago when I noticed some bloody stools. I got a referral to a gastroenterologist and he recommended a full colonoscopy. This was considered a high priority procedure, and yet I still had to wait over 6 weeks for an appointment. It was hard to remain calm while knowing I was facing a possibility of colon cancer. I don't know what you may have heard about colon preps but the prep is far worse than the actual procedure. The day before the procedure you can only consume "clear liquids". That's pretty much only fruit juices, soft drinks, jello, and broth, provided none contain red, orange, or purple dyes. Basically, you go hungry for a day. On top of that you then take drugs designed to flush out your colon. For my first prep I needed to take something called Phospho-Soda. It's a foul concoction of highly concentrated salt solution, nasty to drink. The second dose was even worse than the first because I knew what to expect. The flushing of the bowels basically feels like diarrhea, but mostly without the cramps, actually not so bad. The procedure itself is pretty easy. My first colonoscopy revealed hemorrhoids and a "diminutive polyp". The polyp was removed during the procedure and I was told to come back in three years for a repeat. That was this last May. This time the prep used something called Visicol, pills instead of a solution, definitely easier to take, although I ended up getting nauseous. The procedure found two polyps and the histology showed "high grade dysplasia", very unusual in a polyp that size. This precipitated today's procedure. My doctor wanted to be completely sure he got the entire polyps and that the area was healing properly. I'm glad to report that he was pleased with both and found no additional polyps. I do need to return in a year for another check. If that one is clear I get to go back to every 3 or 5 years. I guess I'm actually fortunate to have had the hemorrhoids; without the bleeding I would have had no reason for a colonoscopy before age 50. I do have another bowel prep in my immediate future as a prerequisite for the SRS. Not fun, but at least I know what to expect!