Spyke

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36 replies

Both the British and American receptionists for their versions of the Office have now had breast cancer.

Schedule the checkup, never put off those visits.

I'll be doing my first colonoscopy soon

56
lemmy.dbzer0.com

I'll be doing my first colonoscopy soon

Get a bidet. No joke, you will feel like the insides of your body is being shed. It feels like hell and like you want to quit but it is very important to finish your prep.

20
NABDadreply
lemmy.world

I'll say that the prep was anticlimactic when I had my colonoscopy. Biggest problem was it didn't kick in when it was supposed to. I ended up staying up much later than planned and calling the emergency line because I was starting to think it wasn't going to happen.

Then it did. Not anywhere close to as bad as people had suggested. I do have a bidet, which certainly helped, but I've had a lot worse experiences from eating at the cafeteria at work.

According to my wife who had to have a colonoscopy in her 30s, it was a lot worse then. She said the prep for the most recent one was nothing.

So, don't sweat the prep.

15

I had a much different experience. First, there was a restricted diet a week prior that was hard to eat around since I am vegan and the instructions were geared for non-vegans. Then a 4 day liquid-only diet. I had diarrhea for at least two days. The actual salty solution was very hard to stomach. And I used the bathroom so much that I felt extremely cold and ill, and almost didn't finish the gross salty solution because I didn't want to use the bathroom anymore or have to taste the solution and just wanted to go to sleep. I didn't have flavored prep, I know some people got gatorade by reading online, but fml my prep was hell and they found nothing, someone in the comments said theirs was 12 hours (?!). What the hell, and I had mine earlier this year too. I've had food poisoning 2 or 3 times but it was nothing like this.

4
NABDadreply
lemmy.world

Assuming you don't have some particular condition that requires a different prep, I'd wonder if your doctor just isn't keeping up with the latest medications.

4

Most likely the latter. I live in a rural area and am usually restricted on the amount of doctors around. I was told every patient has to do this bland diet and then liquid diet combo at the hospital. I do think everyone should get their prep done, but I'd be lying if I said I would gladly do it again.

3

Yeah that sucks.

I happen to live near a larger city, and there are a multitude of healthcare options around. Two large university health systems and multiple smaller health systems and independent hospitals all competing in the area. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a doctor here. However, I don't recommend that. You'll just piss off the doctor and reduce your options by one.

3
Dhs92reply
piefed.social

My first colonoscopy about 12 years ago, when I was in highschool, had a 2-3 day long prep period. My most recent one was like 12 hours. They've made major improvements

4

Well God damn somebody needs to tell Canadian doctors about this. I get scoped every 6 to 8 months and the prep is always the 4 to 5 days of pure fucking hell. I've considered letting the Crohn's kill me instead of continue like this...

You can bet I'll be looking into this easier prep.

4

Just going to copy-paste my experience:

I had a much different experience. First, there was a restricted diet a week prior that was hard to eat around since I am vegan and the instructions were geared for non-vegans. Then a 4 day liquid-only diet. I had diarrhea for at least two days. The actual salty solution was very hard to stomach. And I used the bathroom so much that I felt extremely cold and ill, and almost didn't finish the gross salty solution because I didn't want to use the bathroom anymore or have to taste the solution and just wanted to go to sleep. I didn't have flavored prep, I know some people got gatorade by reading online, but fml my prep was hell and they found nothing, someone in the comments said theirs was 12 hours (?!). What the hell, and I had mine earlier this year too. I've had food poisoning 2 or 3 times but it was nothing like this.

2

As someone who has always had fun digestive issues, absolutely. It's always been on my to-buy list, I'll be getting one before that

2

Keep asking my doc if I should be getting those from a younger age because of a history of cancer and he always disregards the question. Check your body for lumps guys.

10

One chemo treatment is ~$35,000 without insurance and you normally need 4-6 chemo treatments over the course of a few months. And they won't give you the chemo until you pay. My personal treatment plan was 6 treatments in 4 months.

A mammogram or colonoscopy is going to run you about $100 to $3000 without insurance once a year.

There is also many groups that will help offset the cost of getting the preventative exams. If you are really putting this off due to costs, DM me the location you are in and I will try to find a organization in your area that will help pay for the treatment.

EDIT: this is in the US, normal countries cover healthcare costs like this.

4

I have an autoimmune disease and have to get a colonoscopy every 2 years. The prep sucks, but you'll get great sleep under sedation. Then you're not supposed to do anything serious after, so you have a day to sleep more.

5

Both the British and American receptionists for their versions of the Office have now had breast cancer.

Damn. Paper is worse than asbestos.

2

Fuck. She's an amazing actor that MADE Dawn for me and many other viewers.

The acting in the original "The Office" will never get enough credit.

30

First, as a "young" (40s) breast cancer survivor, this is my worst nightmare. I was diagnosed with Stage 1A. I was very lucky to have caught it when I did, I was 42 and you normally don't get your first mammogram until 50. I finished treatment almost 3 years ago. I still have consent anxiety about a recurrence or worse - recurrence + it metastasized. In my support group you join and then you leave when you die and I have watch far too many young women leave in the last 4 years.

Secondly, Stage 4 might be incurable but its not a quick death sentence anymore. With proper management de novo breast cancer like this can be kept in check for decades. It's not the same as life without cancer, but also, if you get stage 4 breast cancer, its not the end.

Bottom line - don't let anyone tell you you are too young to get checked for any cancer and if you have been putting it off, do it now. Its better to know at Stage 1 and do the treatment when its the most effective and the easiest.

8
boaratioreply
lemmy.world

I live in the US, and my wife has been getting yearly mammograms since she turned 30. I just always assumed that was the normal practice. Is it not?

4
lemmy.world

No, not for Kaiser at least, but if you have history, certain genes or additional risk factors to be screened early you can. Once you are 40 Kaiser will let you get one if you request it. Once you are 50 they push you to get one once a year.

4
boaratioreply
lemmy.world

I hadn't considered that my wife's mother had breast cancer in her late 40s, so maybe that's what triggered my wife getting mammograms. I just assumed all women got them regularly at a younger age. Thanks for the info.

3

Yes, if your immediate family has had the same type of cancer you are already at an elevated risk. I would suggest she get gene testing done as well. I know it sounds crazy from the other side, but if I had had the option to have a preventive mastectomy and reconstruction and called it a day with cancer instead of years of treatment with chemo, radiation and multiple surgeries with complications, I absolutely would have.

4
lemmy.world

I would have thought the doctors would have expored multiple options with her. Do you have reason to believe that wouldn't be the case?

11
sh.itjust.works

Man, you expect to see shitty, ignorant takes online, but this one needs to win a prize.

11

The immuno treatments have been around for decades.

4

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Lucy Davis, ‘The Office’ and ‘Shaun of the Dead’ actor, announces incurable cancer | Spyke