Many Patients Skip Recommended Colonoscopy: Study

In 1982 my mother died of colon cancer at the age of 47. She was told by her doctor that when she reached 50 her insurance would pay for a colonoscopy. I approached my doctor and asked to be screened with a colonoscopy in my late forties due to the fact that my mother and grandmother's sister died of colon cancer very young.. I was referred to an oncologist that asked me to produce a death certificate for my mother to prove that I was a high risk pt. in order to get a colonoscopy covered by my insurance. After I called my Dad on the East coast to send a copy of my mother's death certificate to give to the doctor ,I returned and the doctor said I am sorry I put you through this. Protocol is now changing for high risk pts. (happy to hear it) that high risk pts. are now getting screened earlier. I wish I could still have my mom beside me ,but hopefully other people will be saved the agony of what she went through. I don't think people wander into a doctor's office wanting a colonoscopy on their day off without a good reason and I still fell that unless we really take our lives seriously enough to question protocols ,we may be risking our lives.

Cat VanBergen of CA 4:02PM April 16, 2012