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Colonsocpy a year later- something is not right.

WinniWoman

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So last year when I got the results back from my colonoscopy the doctor indicated I should come back in one year. I called and spoke to him to ask why and he said nothing to worry about just wants to check again because I had precancerous polyps which he removed.

Today when I went for my consult, he came in and immediately said that he didn't know if he mentioned it to me but there was a certain type of polyp on the "wall" which they normally do not remove because they are usually not precancerous, but the biopsy came back that it was so now he does have to remove it.

I am a pretty slow thinker and later it dawned on me- aren't they suppose to remove all polyps when they are doing the procedure? I mean- why would he not take out the polyp anyway at the time- precancerous or not?

Now I have to go through this again and not only that- I have to pay a few thousand dollars again out of pocket!! And my husband is due now for his so we will have to pay for that out of pocket as well.

Am I missing something here?
 

WVBaker

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So last year when I got the results back from my colonoscopy the doctor indicated I should come back in one year. I called and spoke to him to ask why and he said nothing to worry about just wants to check again because I had precancerous polyps which he removed.

Today when I went for my consult, he came in and immediately said that he didn't know if he mentioned it to me but there was a certain type of polyp on the "wall" which they normally do not remove because they are usually not precancerous, but the biopsy came back that it was so now he does have to remove it.

I am a pretty slow thinker and later it dawned on me- aren't they suppose to remove all polyps when they are doing the procedure? I mean- why would he not take out the polyp anyway at the time- precancerous or not?

Now I have to go through this again and not only that- I have to pay a few thousand dollars again out of pocket!! And my husband is due now for his so we will have to pay for that out of pocket as well.

Am I missing something here?

"They are not cancer, and most of them have not started to change into cancer," says Dr. John Saltzman, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and director of endoscopy at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "If you get them at the precancerous phase, they don't have a chance to grow and turn into cancer."

Hyperplastic polyps: "These polyps are not precancerous. Doctors generally remove them anyway, just to be safe."

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/they-found-colon-polyps-now-what

Notice they use the term "generally" however, if it were me and like you, I would hope that while they're there, please just remove them.
You've taken a very important step.
 

pianodinosaur

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Seems like there has been a breakdown in communication. If I understand correctly, you had a premalignant polyp removed about a year ago. Now your gastroenterologist wants to perform a follow up colonoscopy a year later to see if there are any recurrent polyps or if there any cancers that have developed in the interim. Is that correct?
 

WinniWoman

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He said this was a adenomateous polyp.
 

WinniWoman

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Seems like there has been a breakdown in communication. If I understand correctly, you had a premalignant polyp removed about a year ago. Now your gastroenterologist wants to perform a follow up colonoscopy a year later to see if there are any recurrent polyps or if there any cancers that have developed in the interim. Is that correct?

No. He said today that this type of polyp- on the "wall" -is of the type they normally do not remove because they are usually not precancerous, but the biopsy said it was (I guess he took a little of it for the biopsy?) and now he has to go back in to take it out. During last years' procedure he did take out a few other precancerous polyps.
 

pianodinosaur

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I am under the impression that an adenomatous polyp is considered a premalignant lesion.
 

pedro47

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Sound liked you needs a second opinion from another medical specialist to ease your mind.
IMO
 

jackio

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If it was an adenoma, there is concern that it will turn malignant. I would think that upon receiving the biopsy results, he should have called you in and had it removed. I had a villous adenoma rectal lesion at age 42. I was told that that colonoscopy saved my life.
 

WinniWoman

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If it was an adenoma, there is concern that it will turn malignant. I would think that upon receiving the biopsy results, he should have called you in and had it removed. I had a villous adenoma rectal lesion at age 42. I was told that that colonoscopy saved my life.

Yes- I mean- he said to come in in a year. Why wouldn't he have me come back in sooner? But really0 why not remove it the first time no matter what?
SMH...
 

MULTIZ321

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Do I understand from what you said that your Health Insurance does not cover Colonoscopies?

Do you have Medicare?

Richard
 

WinniWoman

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Do I understand from what you said that your Health Insurance does not cover Colonoscopies?

Do you have Medicare?

Richard

No Medicare. I am 63 and on husband's employer's insurance. Husband just has Medicare A right now. Employer plan is a high deductible plan so we have not met the deductibles for the year -as is always the case- so we have to pay for everything.
 

MULTIZ321

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Sounds like you need to have the colonoscopy to have the polyps removed. The alternative is not comforting.


Richard
 

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Starting at age 50 I had colonoscopies every 3 years. The rational was that my Father had died with, but not from colon cancer and I guess there was a concern that I might have inherited the colon cancer gene. When it came time for another Colonoscopy at age 80 going through the process again made me nervous. So I went to UT Southwestern, a hospital in the forefront of genetic testing and had myself tested to see if I was carrying the gene. The report came back negative for colon cancer and all the other things they tested for. I gave the report to my Doctor and she hasn't mentioned the word Colonoscopy since. It is now 4½ years later and I'm glad I went the route I did...

George
 

MULTIZ321

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Hi MaryAnn,

I think your husband retires in December. Perhaps you can change your Health Insurance at that time and get a policy that doesn't have as high of deductable as you currently have and that will also cover colonoscopies. A new policy may be more expensive than what you are currently paying, but would be worth it if colonoscopies were covered.

Good luck with your homework.

Richard
 

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I had some precancerous polyps removed also. After the procedure, I was told he removed some and if I don't hear from him - to see him in 5 years. He also said, it does not hurt to call the office anyway. I always do. Don't trust anyone to do their job. He did call me after the biopsy and told me because they were precancerous, he wants to see me in three years - this December.

He should have told you last year why he wanted to see you again so soon........that he left one in there. Have never heard this scenario before - but there is a first for everything.

Sorry you are going through this........get it done no matter what.

Regardless, I would be very annoyed right now because of my health and second the financial part of it. If you don't feel comfortable with him now, perhaps a new doctor/second opinion to make you feel better, more confident with your doctor is in order. Let us know how it all turns out. Good luck!
 

WinniWoman

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Sounds like you need to have the colonoscopy to have the polyps removed. The alternative is not comforting.


Richard

I had the polyps removed last year, but he is saying there was one he didn't remove. Claims it was of the type that are usually not precancerous. That doesn't sit right with me.

I thought doctors removed all of them when they did the procedure no matter what. They remove them and then biopsy them afterwards. At least if the results show they are precancerous they would have already been removed.
 

WinniWoman

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Hi MaryAnn,

I think your husband retires in December. Perhaps you can change your Health Insurance at that time and get a policy that doesn't have as high of deductable as you currently have and that will also cover colonoscopies. A new policy may be more expensive than what you are currently paying, but would be worth it if colonoscopies were covered.

Good luck with your homework.

Richard

I am going to be carrying this insurance through Cobra (or the retiree health insurance- whichever way is less expensive) for 18 months until I qualify for Medicare. We are moving to another state in a few months anyway and this is the simplest option right now.
 

WinniWoman

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I had some precancerous polyps removed also. After the procedure, I was told he removed some and if I don't hear from him - to see him in 5 years. He also said, it does not hurt to call the office anyway. I always do. Don't trust anyone to do their job. He did call me after the biopsy and told me because they were precancerous, he wants to see me in three years - this December.

He should have told you last year why he wanted to see you again so soon........that he left one in there. Have never heard this scenario before - but there is a first for everything.

Sorry you are going through this........get it done no matter what.

Regardless, I would be very annoyed right now because of my health and second the financial part of it. If you don't feel comfortable with him now, perhaps a new doctor/second opinion to make you feel better, more confident with your doctor is in order. Let us know how it all turns out. Good luck!

When I received the results of the biopsies last year the report did say I needed another procedure in one year and I did call him right away to inquire as to why. He said nothing to worry about but I had precancerous polyps and this other polyp he is now referring to but he never told me he left it in. I figured- hey- he's the doctor and I have to do what he says. We have used this guy for many years and he is a very established, well known doctor here with a good reputation.

I feel I do not want to change doctors right now as we will be moving in a few months to another state and will have to set up with all new doctors then. (UGH).

I have had a number of colonoscopies already. The initial screening at age 50. Then I had to go back in 5 years, but I waited until 7. Then 3 years when he ended up doing like 2 of them at once or something like that (he had to go back in) and it cost me like double almost. Then 2 more years- which was last year. Now this again 1 year later. I hope all will be ok and this is it for awhile with these colonoscopies. There has to be a better way ...

I did tell him I must have a morning appt. Last time it was too much for me with an afternoon appt and then he was, of course, backed up and I didn't get in until an hour and a half later. He claims I will be his first appt. We shall see when the nurse calls me with my appt time right beforehand.
 

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I figured- hey- he's the doctor and I have to do what he says.

I listen but I research and make my own decision. My most glaring example was something that happened some 35-40 years ago. My (previous) Cardiologist insisted I needed a pace maker. I researched it, got a second opinion and decided against it. I'm now 84 and still no pace maker. I have A-Fib and monitor it carefully. My (current) Cardiologist says that if my pulse, blood pressure, etc stay within a certain range I can just live with it. I have a number of other examples where I have not followed Doctor's recommendations. But note that when I don't follow their recommendations I always discuss with them the reasons for my decision. Never have any of them resented this...

George
 

wackymother

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I feel like you're struggling to understand what is going on and the doctor is not making it clear. Would you agree?

I would make a list of questions for the doctor and write them down. Then I would call the office and say that you need to ask the doctor some questions, so could he please call you when he has time to discuss your situation. Then when he calls, take notes on what he says and ask any more questions that you have.

You're going to follow his advice and do the follow-up colonoscopy, but before you do it, you should understand what is going on.
 

Timeshare Von

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Do I understand from what you said that your Health Insurance does not cover Colonoscopies?

My understanding is colonoscopies under ACA are considered preventative and are covered 100% until they have to remove something, then they because surgical and subject to deductible and copays.
 

WVBaker

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I figured- hey- he's the doctor and I have to do what he says.

4 questions to help you and your doctor make better medical decisions

https://www.inquirer.com/health/shared-medical-decision-making-20190402.html

"Here are some questions to help you share in decisions about your care:"

How will I benefit from taking this test or medicine?

What does a positive or negative result mean?

What are the risks or potential side effects?

Are there other options?


"Studies have shown that when patients feel well-informed and thoroughly heard, they are much more likely to follow through on recommendations from their doctor."


Remember, patients should make the final decisions. ;)
 

Beachclubmum

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I saved my own life by being medically pro-active and not just following what a doctor told me to do.

You have two options:

Get a new doctor now. This has a big plus because it sounds like you don't trust your current doctor.

However, if you do indeed feel like he's the best doctor in your area and knows you and your history well, then the second option is to go in and have the colonoscopy done and the polyp removed.

What stands out to me is that you've been in for a lot of colonoscopies at frequent intervals where they've removed polyps each time. I wouldn't mess around at this point. Even slow growing, the one that's still there needs to come out. Wouldn't you prefer to pay a few thousand dollars now than deal with a full blown cancer diagnosis next year?

Finally, I'm a big (BIG!!!) believer in getting records as they come in. So not only would I get a copy the summary from last time (sounds like you may already have access to that), you need to get the full report the doctor wrote up as well as a copy of the path report from the biopsies. Read them thoroughly, then prepare your questions. You could even consider taking that information to a second doctor for a second opinion, however if things are as you believe them to be as stated here, you know a second doctor will want to remove the polyp. So one place or another, I'd go ahead and schedule the removal. Just my 2 cents.
 

presley

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you're going to have to tell the doctor that you don't understand why he didn't take it out a year ago and wants to take it out now. My completely wild guess is that it needed to grow a little more since you said it's in the wall. It would be risky to cut into the wall for something small. If it grew enough to have it removed, it's probably less dangerous. Again, this is a totally wild guess, partially because I have a cyst in my sinus that can't be removed because it's too small.It's enough to keep me from having normal a normal inhale on that side, but so small that if they take it out, the scar tissue will block my passage even more.

If you ever don't understand something your doctor says, it's very important to ask for more information. He or someone else in his practice can describe it a different way. Keep asking until you understand.
 
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