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Mwatters Asked December 2022

How can I prep my husband, who is totally bedridden, for a colonoscopy? Doctor prescribed a two day prep.

BarbBrooklyn Dec 2022
Welcome, Mwatters!

Why does your husband need a colonoscopy?

Has he had a non-invasive "poop in the box" test that showed reasons for a colonosocopy?

I would question the wisdom of ordering this procedure for someone who is bed-ridden, unless they are admitted to a hospital for the prep.

funkygrandma59 Dec 2022
PLEASE don't put your husband or yourself through this nonsense. I mean really? Is the doctor that prescribed the colonoscopy not aware of your husbands condition? Because no doctor in their right mind would prescribe one for a bedridden person, unless perhaps(if absolutely necessary)if done in a hospital setting.
My late husband was completely bedridden for the last 22 months of his life and I would never have considered putting my husband or myself through that no matter what.

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Beatty Dec 2022
Tricky procedures requiring prepping of this kind are often done as an in-patient for non-mobile, disabled or frail people.

Call Doctor. IF benefits clearly outweigh risks for this procedure - ask for it to be arranged as an in-patient.

Doctors are human & sometimes forget a 'routine' test can be overly burdensome on the caregiver.

anytown Dec 2022
Sounds like tone deaf doctors. I would politely communicate the issues raised by other posters here back to the doctor who prescribed this.

gladimhere Dec 2022
Sounds unanimous, no colonoscopy! Why does the doc want him to have one? He is quite ill and bedridden? What in the world!!!

NO WAY!!!!

Do you think that somehow the procedure will help him?

CTTN55 Dec 2022
This is absurd! The doctor expects you to force that ghastly amount of liquid down him, and then you clean up diarrhea for hours and hours?

JoAnn29 Dec 2022
Just because Doctor wants this done, doesn't mean u have to agree to it. I just went thru one a year ago at 72. I will never have to go thru one again. There is an age limit and I think its 75. As we get older the lining of the colon thins. It can be perforated and then Peritonitis sets in and you can die.

There is no way you can do this. I had to take 12 horse pills at two different times with lots of water. I have a small stomach and could not hold the water down. And how do they expect you to transport him to the hospital?

What are they looking for?
Luta65 Dec 2022
I agreed to my first and only colonoscopy at age 56 and will NEVER have another one. There are now stool smear tests (not the usual ColoGuard) that detect DNA of cancerous cells. far more accurate than the scopy which misses 37% of cancers and the devices are notoriously unclean. The Olympus brand cannot be autoclaved and spreads every manner of things between patient victims.

I'm among the approx 3-5% (or 15k )of people annually who suffer long term nerve damage to the lower spinal nerves and mine was so brutal - and I was awake and fighting, held down by 3 people - that I had to seek out and undergo PTSD counseling for the experience.

Never again.
polarbear Dec 2022
This doctor is desperate to make some money off of your 76 y.o. bedridden husband. I'd report him to the medical board.
bundleofjoy Dec 2022
exactly.

please OP, don’t do it. you’re still in time to say NO.

it’ll only cause damage to internal organs. and whatever you discover going ahead with the exam, are you really going to treat it? operation at his age? chemotherapy?

3 months ago, a doctor wanted to do that to my LO too. he would have made a lot of money. i said NO. (in my case, i’m very lucky that my LO is doing just fine; i’m very glad i said NO; my LO is very glad too).
sp19690 Dec 2022
I once read where a doctor had bragged about giving a 95 year old woman her first ever mammogram. It just shows you how stupid and greedy some doctors are. Just curious how old yiur husband is and why doctor us recommending a colonoscopy.
BurntCaregiver Dec 2022
Thay's digusting, A 95 year old woman. The doctor who ordered that shoud lose their license.
BurntCaregiver Dec 2022
Age 76 and bedridden? He doesn't need a colonoscopy. Your husband must have one very greedy doctor.
If it's colon cancer the doctor is looking for, tell him to order a Cologuard test. It detects 92% of colon cancers. Then tell him he can come himself or send a nurse to hold the collection container under your husband's a$$ to collect the specimen.
JoAnn29 Dec 2022
I had the Cologuard first. It was a false positive. Dr later said it may have been blood from a fissure. Really? The test is suppose to be able to tell the difference between cancer cells in the blood and regular blood.
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