The little-discussed risks and side effects of colonoscopy screening and why, in some cases, people would do best to avoid them. If you must have one, how to minimize the dangers as much as possible and a safe alternative to consider as a logical middle ground.
March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month each year. At that time, the usual health experts trot out on TV and print media to urge us all to get a colonoscopy. The inherent risks of this reviled procedure especially for those over age 50 are usually conveniently glossed over in favor of an aggressive push about the benefits.
That “kick in the butt” might initially sound like a good idea. However, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rate of serious complications from colonoscopy screening is ten times higher than any other commonly used cancer-screening test.
According to Konstantin Monastyrky, author of Fiber Menace:
The odds of being killed or injured by the side effects of colonoscopy may exceed your odds of getting colorectal cancer in the first place.
He further points out that the procedure is far from infallible. It often fails to catch colorectal cancer in the first place. In addition, it can cause, contribute to or accelerate the growth of colorectal and other cancers.
Let’s go into each of these colonoscopy risks in detail.
Dysbiosis
Intestinal flora is disrupted by a colonoscopy because the procedure requires a thorough washing out of the large intestine with large doses of synthetic laxatives. This is followed by bowel irrigation with polyethylene glycol and hypertonic electrolytes.
These substances kill bacteria, both good and bad just like antibiotics. The gut dysbiosis that inevitably follows contributes to irregularity, constipation, colitis, IBS, Crohn’s, and other diseases known to increase colon cancer risk. Dysbiosis also contributes to a wide range of other autoimmune health problems.
Worsening of Stool Patterns
Those already affected by hemorrhoids, chronic constipation, IBS, or diverticulosis may find these conditions become worse after colonoscopy.
Complications
Serious complications, such as colon perforation, occur in five out of every one thousand colonoscopies.
The risks of delayed bleeding, infection, and ulceration are even higher. Unfortunately, reporting of these complications in connection with colonoscopy is rare.
Increased Risks of Stroke, Heart Attack, and Pulmonary Embolisms
Dangerous blood clotting is a side effect of anesthesia, particularly among patients with diabetes or heart disease.
Infections
Procedures performed under anesthesia are associated with an increased risk of serious infections. This includes pneumonia or pyelonephritis.
False Sense of Security
Doctors miss from 15-27 percent of polyps, including six percent of large tumors. The New England Journal of Medicine even reported that some doctors blast through the colonoscopy so fast they miss cancer in full bloom!
Indeed, the desire for speed is why most colonoscopies today are done under anesthesia. Might there be a profit motive? Some doctors do 60 colonoscopies per day at an average cost of $1,500 to $2000 each. You do the math.
Colonoscopy Alternative
Many people do not realize that you can order an at-home colorectal screening kit to avoid most colonoscopies. They are inexpensive, safe, and convenient. Blood, polyps, and other abnormalities are quickly detected by using a simple stool sample. Results are available fast with lab accurate results.
If you have a positive result from one of these home tests, then go get a colonoscopy. But, in most cases, you will get a negative result, saving you the discomfort and risks of the actual colorectal screening.
Ways to Manage Colonoscopy Risks
Here are a few suggestions about how to increase the level of safety and accuracy in the screening for colon cancer.
- Those with a family history of colon cancer or otherwise at high risk probably should do a colonoscopy. But it is best to request to have it done without general anesthesia. That’s where the majority of the risks are. Some doctors offer inhalation sedation as a safer alternative. Doctors who prefer knocking the patient out use this approach so they can ‘jam’ through the colon much faster. Billing for anesthesiology increases revenues for the hospital too.
- Doing radiography first is pointless. The reason? If they find some polyps, you will still need to have a colonoscopy. Besides, you don’t want all that huge exposure to ionizing radiation.
- If you do decide to go through with a colonoscopy, at least prepare with clear broth you make yourself. Commercial brands at the store are not nutritious and contain unhealthy additives and MSG. Exposure to these chemicals can potentially make digestive issues worse and recovery more difficult.
- After the colonoscopy, follow this protocol to rebuild gut flora. It is the same process recommended by experts after a round of antibiotics.
For goodness safe – there are risks with getting out of bed in the morning – for that matter, going to the toilet (that’s when a large percentage of people drop dead!). Colonoscopies are only as good as the person performing them – as with ALL medical procedures – do your homework!. Thet SHOULD be a very simple procedure with minimal risk that can save an enormous amount of heartache later – especially is there’s a family history of bowel cancer, or you have a personal history of polyps. I’m a person that’s generally very cynical about all things medical and particularly about big Pharma and it’s unethical control over the health care industry, but this procedure is simple, painless and harmless, if done well – and can save a lot of grief later!!! There’s always the exception of course, like anything in life, but blimey, would you rather leave an unknown polyp festering in your bowel (and they’re very common!), to turn in to an incurable cancer, simply for the fear of a very simple test. As I said, do your homework, choose your surgeon and trust that all will be well – it possibly (in the most unlikely of circumstances!) won’t be if you don’t check! YOU need to be in charge of your own healthcare!
It disrupts your body’s natural balance. If you don’t need one, don’t get one. If you have a family history of colon cancer, a colonoscopy is here as an option to help you. If you have suspicion that you may be at risk, then do your research, weigh out both the pros and cons. This is as valid as anything else you find online. It is your body, treat it well.
Sure there are risks to getting out of bed in the morning, but they damned sure aren’t 1 in 1000. That’s way too narrow a window when there are other equally effective, less invasive, less dangerous methods. I’m becoming very cynical about American health care…it’s looking more and more like one huge cash cow for the doctors and clinics to me.
My mom had a colonoscopy to get some polyps removed. During, the Dr perforated her bowel and didn’t catch it. She developed sepsis and spent four months in agony in the hospital, having multiple surgeries and procedures before dying from the complications. To hear people dismiss the risks of this procedure breaks my heart. Stop and really research the benefits vs risks for YOU individually. This procedure should NOT be done for no reason.
I feel your pain. My grandmother had a perforation in the bowel and although the Dr caught it and repaired it and the subsequent surgery to remove air from the stomach cavity was a success, she passed away last Wednesday from complications, nine days after the colonoscopy. The risks are very real and people can die if the procedure is not done properly and the prep isn’t done. My condolences for your loss.
EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE TO POST THIS!!! We do SEVERAL free colo’s every year and find pre-cancerous polyps EVERDAY!! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!! I will be un-liking your page!!
There are many comments from people. They are apparently just relating their experiences. I have likewise been through the barbaric procedure of sigmoidoscopy. Perhaps if meical “professionals” were more honest about what may happen, instead of the desired reactions, there would more faith in the medical industrial complex. Heathcare in the US is pretty much just about the money. And I worked in healthcare for decades. 🙁
interesting Kolbrun Thorsteinsson Hoffritz
No one is forcing any of you to read this or follow her advice!
In spite of healthy lifestyle and diet there are genetic defects on some people’s DNA that runs in families. My family is one of them resulting in death to an aunt and uncle and my own daughter suffering with colon cancer surgery at age 35. I resent the “holier than thou” attitude from some on this page……May you never lose loved ones and become cancer ridden yourselves.
I had one.. No issues.. I was getting a pain regularly for years and after the procedure it was gone. But now reading what Meg Annan wrote… Probably won’t ever do it again!
I sat on the jury for a medical malpractice trial. A colonoscopy gone awry. But we had to find in favor of the doctor bc the patient signed a waiver and was told of all the risks – in this case her large bowel was punctured and she required 6 follow up surgeries and ended up having it totally removed. Her life is ruined. The trial still haunts me… I would never get one.