Colonic Diseases - Colonscopy

[ammonite]

Thanks for sharing and glad to know you had a smooth recovery. Take care!

[starlight1968sg]

Thanks for sharing.

May I ask if you did your procedure in a govt/restructured or private hospital?

[floppy]

starlight1968sg:

May I ask if you did your procedure in a govt/restructured or private hospital?

Thanks hercules for sharing. I went under a scope as part of routine precautionary checks as my family has a history of cancer (I am still ok thus far :xedfingers: )

Did mine in Raffles Hospital 2 years ago (will probably have to do it again this year). You can check their https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/specialist-centres/fees/package-prices.

[hercules]

starlight1968sg:

Thanks for sharing.

May I ask if you did your procedure in a govt/restructured or private hospital?

I did mine under a colorectal surgeon listed in the panel of doctors of the insurance company.

If anyone had done their colonscopy recently in a public hospital, I would like to know what kind of 'flushing liquid' that it is using. I remember about 6 years ago when my late mum did the flushing, she had to take a pink awful liquid total about 2 -3 litres over think a 2-hour span. It was torturing seeing her having to force drink that much of water in her weak body.

The flushing liquid that I was given is 15 ml in 200 ml water for 4 times, followed by another 2 cups of water, total 6 times at 15 min interval. This is more acceptable than the 2 - 3 litres of liquid used in public hospital (that I would like to know whether they have 'improved' by using this smaller quantity method coz I would like to persuade all my brothers to go for the scopes).

[hercules]

floppy:

Thanks hercules for sharing. I went under a scope as part of routine precautionary checks as my family has a history of cancer (I am still ok thus far :xedfingers: )

Did mine in Raffles Hospital 2 years ago (will probably have to do it again this year). You can check their https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/specialist-centres/fees/package-prices.

My sister also did hers in Raffles Hospital about 2 years ago at a total cost of $2,060.00 (incl of lab test etc). She got a clean bill like you (super envy!).

My surgeon charges $1,300 for colonscopy but if adds up other misc charges (recovery room, etc), its about $3,000.00. Then as my case is a more complicated case (piles, polypectomy, bacteria, etc), the first bill was about $10,000 (incl the gastroscopy, several medications, lab pathology itself costs $1,500, etc).

Did doc advise you to do it every 2 years? The scope itself carries severe complication risk of 2:1000. My greatest fear is colon perforation as I do have a friend who has to carry a colostomy bag externally when she suffered perforation during a surgery not related to colonscopy. I thought if one has a clean bill, then can do it once every 5-year?

[floppy]

hercules:

...
Did doc advise you to do it every 2 years? The scope itself carries severe complication risk of 2:1000. My greatest fear is colon perforation as I do have a friend who has to carry a colostomy bag externally when she suffered perforation during a surgery not related to colonscopy. I thought if one has a clean bill, then can do it once every 5-year?

You can refer to https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/106/screening_colorectal_cancer_nuhs.

In my case, doc advise every 2 years (ideally) due family history of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. The recommendation of once every 10 years is for 50yo with asymptomatic or family history limited to non-first degree relatives. To minimize the risk of such invasive procedure, adult above 50yo should consider a faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) annually.

[starlight1968sg]

Hercules

I did mine at NUH in 2015. Yes, the drinking of liquid to clear bowels is unpleasant but we need to do it so that the doctor can have a clear view of our large intestines.
My colleague did his at NCC and mentioned a similar liquid for “flushing”

[hercules]

floppy:

You can refer to https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/106/screening_colorectal_cancer_nuhs.

In my case, doc advise every 2 years (ideally) due family history of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. The recommendation of once every 10 years is for 50yo with asymptomatic or family history limited to non-first degree relatives. To minimize the risk of such invasive procedure, adult above 50yo should consider a faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) annually.

Thanks floppy for the informational link. At least now then I know why my late mum was fed the high volume of pink yucky liquid (probably due to her failing organs). It was real suffering for her at that time with multiple drinking and multiple vomiting when the doc was trying to figure out the primary site of her cancer that spread to her liver. The colonscopy finally found the cancer was in her large intestine. She died of the secondary liver cancer within about 30 days after diagnosis, passing on at age 78 peacefully in her sleep after a good light dinner with all her children besides her. I am glad in the way that she didn't really suffer much in that overall ordeal (with the greatest suffering in drinking that high volume yucky liquid instead of pain since the only painkiller she took was regular paracetamol at that time when I was discussing with the doc about hospice, pain management of morphine etc).

Quote from link:

Usually, bowel preparation takes 1 of 2 forms: high-volume (3-4 litres) polyethylene glycol (PEG) or low-volume (90 mls) oral fleet. Oral fleet is contraindicated in patients with renal impairment due to its high phosphate content. For suitable patients, it is a more palatable option as it can be mixed with sweetened fluids. Patients taking oral fleet must be encouraged to drink plenty of water to decrease the likelihood of phosphate toxicity.

Unquote

I yet to speak to my doc about the frequency of my follow up (since still pending for the pathology report of the second procedure).

Thanks for sharing!

[hercules]

starlight1968sg:

Hercules

I did mine at NUH in 2015. Yes, the drinking of liquid to clear bowels is unpleasant but we need to do it so that the doctor can have a clear view of our large intestines.
My colleague did his at NCC and mentioned a similar liquid for “flushing”

Can you remember how much you paid in NUH? Did you go there as a subsidised or private patient?

Coz mine may require more regular scopes and the insurance only covers 180 days after procedure, and so I may have to explore more economical alternative as compared to my existing surgeon.