Should I get a colonoscopy or is there a safer alternative?
If you are going to turn 102 in a few months, experiencing diarrhea for awhile, and have had a heart attack in the last year (or so), should you get a colonoscopy? if not, what would a safer alternative be to check things out?
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You understand and agree that use of the Website does not in any way create or establish a physician-patient privilege or physician-patient relationship between you and any Medical Professional Member. You should recognize that the information provided on the Website (including past questions and answers and articles posted on the site) is provided for your general information. These materials should not be relied on as medical advice and reading and reviewing them is not a substitute for direct consultation with a medical professional about a specific medical problem.
Without limiting the foregoing, you understand and agree that submitting a Free Question or receiving an answer to a Free Question does not in any way create or establish an physician-patient relationship between you and any Medical Professional Member, or between you and us. The information and answers provided in response to Free Questions is intended to be generic medical information, not medical advice, and is based upon the very limited information provided by you in a Free Question. Specific medical advice can only be given with full knowledge of all of the facts and circumstances of your situation. If you are currently being treated by a doctor, that doctor is the best person to give you advice about a medical case or medical matter. Under no circumstances should the information obtained on this site be used to make decisions about the quality of service provided by a doctor or about the proper course of a medical matter.
If you are turning 102 in a few months and if the diarrhea has been chronic(>4 weeks), and have a cardiac history, then there are definitely other tests to do first prior to doing a colonoscopy. There are stool panels to assess for infectious, inflammatory or malabsorptive disorders. Otherwise, sometimes cross-sectional imaging such as a CT may be beneficial if there is any pain, fevers or rectal bleeding.
Hello I am sorry to hear. First I would suggest you see a GI doctor in order to get a consult and review all of your symptoms.
If you are functional 102 year old, you should see a gastroenterologist to determine if you are an acceptable candidate for a colonoscopy. A flexible sigmoidoscopy, a shorter version of a colonoscopy that examines the distal end of your colon, can be considered also. A flexible sigmoidoscopy does not require colon preparation, but just a couple of enemas the morning of the procedure.
If you are 102, you should not do screening colonoscopy AND definitely NOT do cologuard! If indicated, colonoscopy is very safe and effective option. It can be done safely at any age.
At 102, we can find other alternatives besides doing a colonoscopy, such as stool tests, blood tests, and breath tests.