YES, JUST DO IT … PERIOD!
Greetings Friends. Hope you and your families are well. We’ll call this my public service announcement blog for the year.
Over the past 12 months or so, my wife, many of our friends and I have turned 45 years old.
What, you may ask, is the particular importance of turning 45 years old?
Well, for starters, we are halfway to 90 as my son told me on my birthday. Thanks pal, way to cheer a guy up.
More importantly, 45 years old is now the CDC recommended guideline for a first colonoscopy if you have not previously had one. As many of you know, cancer rates are on the rise dramatically in people under 50 years old over the past several decades. Researchers at the leading cancer hospitals are trying to figure out why – and many studies point to certain diet, lifestyle, environmental and other factors related to life in the 21st century. Further, one of the fastest growing rates of cancer diagnosis in people under 50 years old is colorectal cancer.
Sidebar – good news is that diagnosis among people over 50 is actually declining (presumably because screening is more common among older adults).
I don’t talk about it often, but I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in my late 20s. I have been incredibly fortunate to keep it mostly under control with medication, diet, exercise, and a wonderful GI doctor. The hardest part for me is limiting my gluten and carbohydrate intake since I would eat pasta and pizza every day if I could. I also limit my alcohol intake, which may come as a surprise for a wine importer.
How my Crohn’s Disease presented itself is very similar to how colon cancer often presents – I had cramping in my abdomen, which I initially ignored and chalked up to upset stomach. But eventually I started having colorectal bleeding and I was terrified. I went to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston for an exam and colonoscopy and was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease shortly thereafter.
I’ve had 10 or more colonoscopies in the past 15+ years since my initial diagnosis. The prep is (pardon the pun) shitty, but otherwise the procedure is not bad. In fact, I joke with my wife that the 45-60 minutes of propofol induced sleep is always my best nap of the year. My personal routine also involves an immediate trip after the procedure to Five Guys or the best local burger joint, having not eaten a real meal in anywhere from 24-48 hours depending on the exact timing of the prep and procedure.
An estimated three million Americans suffer from Crohn’s or Colitis (broadly referred to as Irritable Bowel Disease or IBD, as opposed to IBC and other similar conditions). I am certain that you have family and friends with Crohn’s or Colitis, and you may not even know it.
Furthermore, I’m guessing that everyone reading this has in some way been impacted or known someone who has been impacted by a disease of the colon, including cancer. It’s a horrific diagnosis and while not always detectable, having a colonoscopy is the best way for early detection.
There are additional health benefits to the procedure namely that the prep gives your colon a through and complete “cleaning.” I can attest to this as I always feel good a few days afterwards. Cynthia Manley on Vanderbilt Health noted that after her colonoscopy “My belly was flat and my skinny jeans fit better than ever … for a few days anyway. If you want to jump-start that weight-loss plan, what better way than a liquid diet and complete colon cleanse?”
The bottom line is this – there are many things in life that we cannot control – certain diseases, accidents and other maladies, so we have to be proactive whenever possible to protect ourselves and ultimately our families. If you’re 45 or older, please schedule a colonoscopy today and urge your loved ones to do the same. And if you want to talk about the prep or procedure, please send me a note. I’m an expert at this point.
All the best.
Mike