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.
Please people —don’t believe everything that uninformed people write on the internet/Facebook. It may cost you your life
Back in November of 2011, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published an editorial entitled «Less is More: Not “Going the Distance” and Why» After enumerating a smaller subset of the problems related to screening colonoscopies, it concluded:
“…less colonoscopy can mean more well-being for us all.”
You can read this article here: http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/11/09/jnci.djr446.full
Uninformed? Many very credible doctors will echo exactly what this article says…of course, they are the ones who don’t have a financial interest in these clinics. Excellent discussion of the danger of colonoscopies in How Not To Die, and great, informative articles on it by McDougall online. Just because you read something on the internet doesn’t make it UNtrue, either.
Oh, Jeez. What are we supposed to do then to check? That other fecal test isn’t really very accurate, is it?
@Kerry, I recommend that you read the underlining research in its entirety following the links at the end of Dr. Daniel’s article. This isn’t a matter that can be answered in one sentence, and the approach to prevention differs from person to person, depending on the multitude of risk factors.
Is the the same as a cleansing colonic or colonic series?? I did several colonics during a cleanse, but felt like I did not do a deep enough cleanse as I got really busy and had to stop after a few weeks and feel like it made me worse – bigger belly, more intestinal issues….
Any input on colonics?
@Ig: Colonics aren’t the same as colonoscopy prep with electrolyte solution or polyethylene glycol (PEG). The latter is far more harmful because they use chemicals that affect intestinal flora, kidneys, and cause neurological damage. You can read more about it here: http://goo.gl/RR9dl.
That said, colonics is a perfectly viable tool to prep people for colonoscopies, and far more safer than using PEG solution.
Not all doctors will agree with colon lavage for prep. I did botand my gastro doctor flipped out and almost wouldn’t do scope. Her report says prep was poor.
Hmmm….I’ve had two colonoscopies myself, each of my 4 siblings(all under age 37) have had at least one, and my mother has had a few. No bowel perforations happened. No adverse reactions or prolonged problems from the prep. If you have a good healthy whole food diet, which we do, you shouldn’t have a problem “recovering” from the prep. None of us have had ANY problems. Follow your doctor’s recommendations. Ask them if they’ve perforated a bowel during a procedure. Google the doctor & read reviews. But DON’T cancel a scheduled procedure or delay your colonoscopy as a result of this article.
@Rebekah: Some people drive drunk without killing anyone or themselves. That doesn’t mean that drunk driving is any safer. Dr. Daniel’s post points out to risks. Yes, they are minor in the overall scheme of things, but tell it to those healthy adults with zero risk for colon cancer who got killed or maimed by a botched screening colonoscopy.
Eh, colon cancer could be an issue for anyone whos spent any time in there life on a bad diet so even I would be reluctant to skip out on testing. But is it possible to use natural-based laxatives?
what ever natural therapy you would do for cancer of the colon is probably what you should be doing on a regular basis anyhow – so save the money for the test and put it to better use in caring for your diet.
I have had many colonoscopies under conscious sedation (Fentanyl) as I have Crohn’s. All of them have been extremely painful, even when the Crohn’s was in remission. I remember grabbing the doctor’s arm once and yelling several times. I have a very high pain threshold too. My father was healthy all his life and never took any prescription drugs or drank alcohol. He never ate white bread, always good rye or whole wheat. Sadly, he never had regular check ups (since he always felt great , hiked in his 70s, had great teeth, no family history, etc.). At age 76 he was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer as he had a very bad pain in his side. Shortly after this he died. It definitely could have been caught early and treated with regular check ups, etc.
If I could get out of having a scope, I definitely would, as it is so painful for me. To suggest doing this without any type of sedation, for me, would not be an option. The medical profession certainly has its shortfalls but if you have ever been really sick, you thank God for the advances we have in medicine and the drugs that help when you are really sick, through no fault of your own. I don’t like taking drugs either but when you are really sick, you beg for them. If you don’t know this feeling, count yourself lucky indeed.
Please don’t confuse “screening colonoscopies” for healthy people with zero risk for colon cancer and “diagnostic colonoscopies” for people with life-threatening disorders, such as Crohn’s disease. Just like we don’t (yet) advocate preventive chemotherapy, we shouldn’t advocate screening colonoscopies for healthy people who are not in a high risk group for colon cancer.
How is referring to light sedation as “general anesthesia” presenting full facts? Informed consent requires the accurate disclosure of the risks vs benefits of any procedure before it is undertaken. I agree with always doing your own due diligence, but make certain you are getting the facts.
Colonoscopy without anesthesia=no way. Let the idiots who suggested that be the test dummies first and they will definitely change their tune on that idea.
It is too bad the health profession shoves it down our throats without telling us the potential risks and side effects! My mother recently had one, but she drank bone broth and other homemade beverages instead of the sugary ones they recommended.