> The worst part, by far, was the emptying / prepping.

As described in one of the great modern tales of legend:

https://singletrackworld.com/2009/02/the-picolax-thread-retu...

My doctor recommended a combination FIT+DNA test instead of colonoscopy (brand name "Cologuard"). She said it's not quite as good as the "gold standard" colonoscopy, but it also doesn't have the risks of colonoscopy.

And the FIT+DNA test is so cheap and easy, you can do it every year or three instead of every 10 years with the colonoscopy.

She still recommends colonoscopies for high-risk patients, but she thinks the risks outweigh the benefits for low-risk patients, so she recommends Cologuard in those situations.

I appreciate this risk-adjusted and probabilistic approach rather than one-size-fits all recommendations.

Yeh if you want to improve the screening rate then someone needs to figure out how to make the prep easier.

> The worst part, by far, was the emptying / prepping.

This. The procedure itself was a snap (I was completely sedated; I'm in Canada), but it was NOT a fun 2 days of "pooping" pure liquid and being hungry. I don't think I was away from the toilet for more than 20 minutes at a time.

I did one two years ago without sedation, I wanted to work afterwards. I didn't feel any pain, so sedation is really not necessary

> The worst part, by far, was the emptying / prepping.

Protip to those who have it coming up: Ask for the pill prep instead of the "sludge" prep. You end up spending the day on the toilet either way, but at least it doesn't taste as bad with the pills.

I didn't actually mind the prepping too much personally. Just to be safe I started early to go on the long end of what they suggested with the diet and basically just ate baked, unseasoned chicken for 10 days. Then did the bowel prep; a lot of people hate the drink, but idk. I thought it was fine. Maybe better to assume it will suck though, that way you at least can't be disappointed.

> In the end they nothing was found, not even polyps.

Same here, thank god.

I ended up paying 15000 usd due tó complications.. that was the worst part for me

I had a colonoscopy without any sedatives and I agree, the prepping was worse. Not eating for 24 hours was easy, drinking the solution the night before was unpleasant, and drinking the solution the day of was awful.

My pro tip would be to take the day off work. Trying to work while drinking the solution in the morning didn't really work.