Colon Exam:
My Experiences & Thoughts

A yearly colon exam can be one of the most important things you can do as your age starts to climb over 50.

These checkups can easily spot colon cancer and if colon cancer is spotted early you have a 95% survival rate.

Unfortunately, most colon cancers are not detected early enough, because people do not ask their doctors for a checkup.

When I had stomach problems I had a colon exam done. When I first heard that it was going to be a colonoscopy I was less than thrilled.

A colonoscopy is when they insert a tube with a tiny camera attached to it, through the backdoor and look for anything abnormal.

A few days before my appointment I had to only drink liquids and use laxatives to clear out my digestive tract, so they would be able to see more clearly.

When I entered the exam room I was given some painkillers and was instructed to lie down and wait for the doctor to arrive.

As the doctor was examining my colon, I could see everything that he was seeing because the video screen was in front of me. It was fascinating to see the insides of my own stomach.

When the exam was done my doctor took a few samples from my colon. These samples were then to be examined in the lab to see if anything abnormal was found that the human eye might miss.

All in all I found the exam to be completely painless and my doctor was cool and competent. The whole procedure took about 15-30 minutes from when the doctor came into the room and when he left.

If you're traveling with your own car you might be asked to stay a few hours at the hospital so the sedatives have time to wear off. Bring a friend or family member if you want to get out of there quickly!

Other procedures that can be used to examine the colon that you might come across is a barium enema and a virtual colonoscopy.

During a virtual colonoscopy a tube is inserted into your rectum and fills your colon with air. An MRI is then taken to see if anything looks suspicious, if it does, then a colonoscopy is performed.

So, make sure you have your colon - and health - checked frequently to ensure that nothing odd is going on.

Experts are also recommending that we take a daily multivitamin and omega-3 supplement, because we aren't getting what we need from our food, because of the chemicals being used to grow crops.

I have been using a high-quality multivitamin and omega-3 supplement for years now, and I'm feeling better than ever.