# Ugh, do I REALLY have to schedule ANOTHER colonoscopy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304 "2023-08-29T18:16:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/441 "2025-04-13T21:24:45Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > Wow! That is an awesome arrangement. > > > > I plan on addressing this issue with both the clinic and my primary care doctor to see if there are any options available. > > > > I am almost certain nothing like this exists! > > I don’t think it’s giving too much away to fill in a few of the particulars: > State: Minnesota. Insurance: Health Partners. Provider: Park Nicollet Clinics. Coverage secured by: Minnesota Medical Assistance. I suspect those free rides are gravy as far as my insurance goes because they’re reimbursed by the state. > > If I wasn’t so poor, I’d be absolutely screwed. Thanks for sharing that. If nothing else I might even mention it to the people I end up talking to. They might even be willing to start something similar? ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@Old\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Old_Wench)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/442 "2025-04-13T22:36:21Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Forgot to post location - north of Pittsburgh, PA just for reference. I’m in Pittsburgh & willing to help if I’m free. If I remember correctly the general area you’re in, it’s within a reasonable distance. Please send me a PM. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/443 "2025-04-13T22:53:47Z")
> [@Old\_Wench](#): > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > Forgot to post location - north of Pittsburgh, PA just for reference. > > I’m in Pittsburgh & willing to help if I’m free. If I remember correctly the general area you’re in, it’s within a reasonable distance. Please send me a PM. You are very generous. Thank you. PM sent. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/444 "2025-04-14T01:19:30Z")
> [@Old\_Wench](#): > > I’m in Pittsburgh & willing to help if I’m free. If I remember correctly the general area you’re in, it’s within a reasonable distance. Please send me a PM. And there you go! And @Ellecram, old\_wench is renowned among Mumpers for being a venerable conversationalist, so you’ve struck gold. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/445 "2025-04-14T01:31:52Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > > [@Old\_Wench](#): > > > > I’m in Pittsburgh & willing to help if I’m free. If I remember correctly the general area you’re in, it’s within a reasonable distance. Please send me a PM. > > And there you go! > > And @Ellecram, old\_wench is renowned among Mumpers for being a venerable conversationalist, so you’ve struck gold.. I love a good conversation! Thank you all for your help and kindness. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/446 "2025-04-14T01:57:40Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Congrats!! I know you were concerned. How often do you need to repeat the process given the family history? Thank you! Before my Mom was diagnosed, I was on the 5 year plan based on her father’s colon cancer. I did my first in 2020. Mom was diagnosed at the end of 2023, and I had my second colonoscopy in early 2024. I’m on the three year plan until further notice, likely as long as mine come back clean. My GP is opting to do the fecal tests in the “off” years. Mom’s cancer was very aggressive - she diagnosed based on symptoms less than three years after her most recent colonoscopy. I’m happy to do all the screening anyone thinks is appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/447 "2025-04-14T09:04:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > They have no alternative arrangements? Surely some percentage of their patients are in the same situation. My experience is that it is surprisingly common for medical facilities to hand down instructions with zero care for any difficulties that might be imposed. Not all places do this, but too many. > [@Ellecram](#): > > Seems as if they think everyone can just round up a partner for this kind of thing! Exactly. Statements I have faced: “Have one of your kids take time off work”. Um… never had kids “You really don’t have any family around here?” No, I really don’t. Those are the two that stand out. I’m a childless widow who lives alone and has no family closer than 750 miles since my sister moved even further away to be near her kids and grandkids. “Why can’t your sister come out here to help you? Maybe she’d like the trip?” My sister is on a heart transplant list so travel is problematic, from her frail health to, oh yes, _not wanting to miss out on an organ_ by being most of a thousand miles away from her home base. Fortunately, I have friends and am part of a community that has, so far, somehow managed to have someone free when necessary. And, for my most recent thing, I’m OK with having surgery under just local without sedation so I could drive myself to and from but that’s not possible for everything, just some things. Not that driving oneself home just after surgery is in any way fun, it’s much better to have a chauffeur. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/448 "2025-04-15T23:07:21Z")
They can also usually get the information they need from a colonoscopy. The last time I heard of someone having a barium enema, they were there to have a scope, and when that was over, they were going to be awakened and taken a large dose of chalk, ahem, the OTHER way. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/449 "2025-04-15T23:54:21Z")
I had a barium enema a couple of years ago specifically because I couldn’t have a colonoscopy (plavix) and my insurance wouldn’t pay for a virtual colonoscopy ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/450 "2025-04-18T20:51:20Z")
Huh. I guess that could be a major issue. If they’d found something, I wonder what they’d have done? Say “Looks like cancer, but too bad, we can’t cut it out because of the Plavix” (joking, mostly, I’m sure there are protocols). Makes me extra glad I got mine out of the way last month. I’ve got unrelated surgery in a week, and I wanted the scope done before the surgery. I’ll have, at a minimum, heparin at the time of surgery and possibly additional anticoagulants to take at home after - all of which would have potentially delayed the colonoscopy;. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304/451 "2025-04-18T20:58:21Z")
My guess is that if something was found, either the cardiologist would have let me come off the Plavix for the week or so that’s recommended or the gastro would have done it even while I was taking Plavix , depending on the risk of a cardiac even vs the risk of cancer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-do-i-really-have-to-schedule-another-colonoscopy/989304.md?page=22)