capsule endoscopy/ colon capsule

[al007]

Had colonoscopy done by Chucheep yesterday wonderful kind and caring man

 

Sedation was dormicum and pethidine, ( the second I have not heard for years but father used to prescribe for mother when she was playing up !!,) in any case felt no pain whatsoever, remember nothing but was walking i5 mins after finished,  very wonderful easy experience

 

Have had 4 colonoscopies in last 12 months and this the easier of them all, I am a very scared patient, and this was easy easy

 

Price including biopsies just over 10,000 batt, also exceedingly reasonable

 

If you need to try to find way onto Chucheeps list PM me and I will try and help, a very caring man and good at his job

[lopburi3]

8 hours ago, al007 said:

Had colonoscopy done by Chucheep yesterday wonderful kind and caring man

 

Sedation was dormicum and pethidine, ( the second I have not heard for years but father used to prescribe for mother when she was playing up !!,) in any case felt no pain whatsoever, remember nothing but was walking i5 mins after finished,  very wonderful easy experience

 

Have had 4 colonoscopies in last 12 months and this the easier of them all, I am a very scared patient, and this was easy easy

 

Price including biopsies just over 10,000 batt, also exceedingly reasonable

 

If you need to try to find way onto Chucheeps list PM me and I will try and help, a very caring man and good at his job

From price I would guess this was done at Chula?  He was mentioned as working at 3 hospitals in this thread.  Sounds a bit more comfortable than your India experience.

[al007]

2 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

From price I would guess this was done at Chula?  He was mentioned as working at 3 hospitals in this thread.  Sounds a bit more comfortable than your India experience.

Correct Chula in the modern section of the hospital, and absolutely painless, I must admit after my India colonoscopy experience, that was probably the most  painful of my life, I dosed myself with a couple of valium prior to going to the hospital, but even for the most nervous really painless

 

I was at Chula again yesterday and very frustrated by the 4 hr wait to see the chemo doctor, but then need to remember cost at Chula is eminently reasonable, and that helps greatly

 

I get biopsy results on monday and am nervous, there has again been talk of surgery, with temporary colostomy  bag although other views have said wait and see, I will rush nothing and may well request a second opinion, and at least I know where to go for that opinion

 

If I chose the wait and see approach, how does one monitor the regrowth of the cancer if it does start

 

My Prostate cancer appears under very good control with my PSA having dropped from 15 to 0.4

My CEA is continuing its downward trending now at 1.74, I see this as positive on the colon cancer

 

Yesterday I asked the doctor about next blood test he said three months, I said I preferred monthly, and asked what was the down side other than small monthly cost to my view, he said none so, except if something went in the wrong direction it could be an incorrect result and worry me, I replied I need to monitor and know, we agreed on monthly for the time being, again I have learnt from experience we as patients must not blindly follow what the doctors say and with careful checking and second opinions where possible

Edited February 22, 2017 by al007

[lopburi3]

Colonoscopy seems to be the choice for colon cancer monitor from my brief read but could be wrong.  Not sure of the prostate.  

 

I just had PET/CT scan (negative) after normal CT/contrast found a suspect liquid area six months after bladder/prostate removed.  This is good for finding any cancer in other organs or spread to lymph nodes but not very effective for prostate which seems to be your main concern.  

 

As for the blood test frequency suspect every month might cause more stress alarm than it is worth for most people - but obviously that is something you have to determine.  Sounds as if you are in much better shape than it appeared just a short time ago - so would also ask doctor if there is any real upside to monthly tests (would treatment likely to be given earlier)?   I understand your recent experience of 'nothing to worry about' when there may well have been might be a factor here.  At any rate expect you are a much more happy camper with current findings.  

[al007]

Prostate at the moment has been on low worry and concern, and in any case many people die with prostate cancer but not because of it, so for the time being it is the colorectal cancer that is the concern

 

This is also far more dangerous and can grow and spread quickly

 

Fortunately so far there has been no suggestion of spreading to other organs, but I understand the best way to check for spread is PT/CT Scan, my Holep surgeon in India who was very good told me this

 

My colon cancer was first reevaluated by MRI after chemo and radiation, then as a double check colonoscopy with biopsy

 

I am always happy to share my experiences privately if it can help anyone, just PM me and I will give my tel no

 

 

[Sheryl]

For the colon cancer the best way to monitor is through repeat colonoscopies. You would want to know it  was growing long before it would reach the point where CT would be useful.

 

While no harm in getting second opinion be aware that delaying surgery if indicated can be very harmful. A few months can make the difference between surgery that leaves normal bowel function and control intact, and a permanent colostomy.

 

If after chemo and radiation there is still a malignant tumor present, albeit shrunk (which sounds liek may have been the colonoscopy finding), it is not going to go away by itself. In fact, untreated it is not going to do anything but grow.

 

The only good reason to refuse surgery in such a scenario (assuming the tumor appears to be fully resectable and has not spread to other organs, i.e. surgery offers good chance of complete cure) would be if there were individual risk factors that made surgery especially dangerous in your case, or your overall life expectancy was such that you were very likely to die of other causes first.

 

Colon cancer is not like prostate cancer. More people do not  die with it than of it.

 

Opting against surgery might also mean more chemo and radiation, having been through this you know it is not a walk in the park.

 

In getting second opinion be aware of the Thai tendency to tell patients what they want to hear, especially if consulting a doctor who knows you will not in any case be getting treatment from him. Also be wary of selective hearing on your own part.

 

Re the prostate, periodic PSAs and digital rectal exams would normally be all that would be recommended in the situation you describe.  Do not stress out over small increases in PSA, PSA will normally flunctuate a bit and small increases don't necessarily mean anything. If the cancer has recurred/grown to any significant extent PSA rises will be more than minor and will also be sustained i.e. it will rise and keep rising.

 

The main danger with overly frequent PSAs is if transient minor increases in PSA lead to unnecessary invasive procedures like prostate biopsy etc.

 

 

[al007]

43 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Some valid comments the question is surgery or wait and see, a recent different approach, that is now accepted by many colorectal surgeons, at 72 and past my sell by date If possible maybe I favour wait and see, if 50 yrs old maybe a different opinion, the critical question on wait and see is how to monitor quickly and efficiently the cancers progress

 

Does CEA give any input on this

 

 

For the colon cancer the best way to monitor is through repeat colonoscopies. You would want to know it  was growing long before it would reach the point where CT would be useful.

Obviously if the wait and see approach were to be adopted, monitoring is critical, and maybe another colonoscopy in one month, then if no growth again in three months, and then regularily

 

While no harm in getting second opinion be aware that delaying surgery if indicated can be very harmful. A few months can make the difference between surgery that leaves normal bowel function and control intact, and a permanent colostomy.

Second opinion would only delay a week, and I have already identified where it will come from, apparently my specific case was discussed at a recent colorectal seminar

 

If after chemo and radiation there is still a malignant tumor present, albeit shrunk (which sounds liek may have been the colonoscopy finding), it is not going to go away by itself. In fact, untreated it is not going to do anything but growAgreed but we do not know how quickly, and further even with surgery there is no guarantee it will not return.

 

The only good reason to refuse surgery in such a scenario (assuming the tumor appears to be fully resectable and has not spread to other organs, i.e. surgery offers good chance of complete cure) would be if there were individual risk factors that made surgery especially dangerous in your case, or your overall life expectancy was such that you were very likely to die of other causes first.

An acceptable view but not one I agree with YET, and it appears a lot of the medical profession has modified its views

 

Colon cancer is not like prostate cancer. More people do not  die with it than of it.

Agreed

 

Opting against surgery might also mean more chemo and radiation, having been through this you know it is not a walk in the park.

Agreed but even more difficult, I am advised I could have more chemo, but no more radiation, which will continue to destroy cells and the body for the next ten years, the question is will its continued effect slow any growth of the cancer

 

In getting second opinion be aware of the Thai tendency to tell patients what they want to hear, especially if consulting a doctor who knows you will not in any case be getting treatment from him. Also be wary of selective hearing on your own part.

I trust the man I would ask for a second opinion, and make it very clear he is to ignore my views

 

Re the prostate, periodic PSAs and digital rectal exams would normally be all that would be recommended in the situation you describe.  Do not stress out over small increases in PSA, PSA will normally flunctuate a bit and small increases don't necessarily mean anything. If the cancer has recurred/grown to any significant extent PSA rises will be more than minor and will also be sustained i.e. it will rise and keep rising.

I want to monitor also speed of increase, and if it went from 0.4 to 4.0 in a month would wait for another month in any case, but if I had waited three months and it showed say15.0 no data to evaluate rate of increase

 

The main danger with overly frequent PSAs is if transient minor increases in PSA lead to unnecessary invasive procedures like prostate biopsy etc.

Valid point but I would not allow this

 

I have cut and pasted this section of this thread and emailed it to my three doctors who all allow me to communicate by email, I am lucky and happy with my team of doctors

 

 

 

[ChidlomDweller]

On 1/31/2017 at 12:49 PM, flylow said:

In France a capsule endoscopy cost E620 (500 capsule and 120 medical service fee)...  Can expect intestine or colon...
http://www.ouest-france.fr/leditiondusoir/data/691/reader/reader.html#!preferred/1/package/691/pub/692/page/8

Less than B24.000 at today's exchange rate...
Some place are charging double in Thailand

Shopping around for a colonoscopy in Bangkok today.  Your post gave me the idea to search for the cost in Belgium (where I'm going at the end of the year).  The costs seem pretty much fixed by the government.  The total cost comes to about 550 Euro without, 600 Euro with biopsy.  Starting to think I'll just get one there.  I bet if polyps need to be removed it'll turn out cheaper there.

Edited November 12, 2017 by ChidlomDweller

[Sheryl]

It will be, unless you go to a government hospital here

Less than 10K here http://www.cccthai.org/l-eng/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1&Itemid=6

[gamesgplayemail]

Hello,

 

I am wondering if it is possible to have colonoscopy and stomach endoscopy done together when put at sleep ?

 

Is is usually a good idea when someone needs both ?

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Sheryl]

Yes, and yes, if both are really needed.

[questionsreplies]

hello, so this capsule does the same job as gastroscopy and colonoscopy ?

 

a good idea to do it yearly at checkup time ?

 

Thank you.

[Sheryl]

No and no.

 

The Capsule is not as good as endoscopy and if it spots anything at all unusual will still have to proceed with endoscopy.

 

These tests are not routine and certainly nto to be done yearly except if there is so known disease present that requires it. Gastroscopy = never routine and most people will never require it. Colonoscopy = after age 50, recommended to do once every 10 years to screen for colon cancer.