Colonoscopy - Scopefest segment on myfoxla with dr sonu ahluwalia

Host 1: We are with the good doctor Host 2: Hello, doctor! Host 1: And he has some important information Host 2: We'll be seeing him in a moment. We're actually going to do a kind of setup for him, Steve, big time here. Nothing about this sounds like fun I know, but getting a colonoscopy detects and removes about 98% of colorectal tumors and can reduce the risk of getting colon cancer by 70%. So with that in mind, the La Peer surgery Center held what's called Scopefest this weekend. Dr. Nowan: The purpose of a colonoscopy is to remove common polyps that we know can progress to become colon cancer. So when we remove them in these early stages or even detect colon cancer in the early stage during a screening colonoscopy, we can prevent death from colon cancer, which is the goal. Host 1: So this is the big event that you were at this weekend, right Dr. A? These guys were very serious and it is a serious issue, but you had a lot of fun with it his weekend, right? Dr. Ahluwalia: We did, and this is National Colorectal Awareness Month and we just wanted to spread the word and let people know that it's not as bad as people think it is, right? Host 1: Has that just become a myth that the prep is so horrific? Dr. A: Yeah, the prep, the idea of having a colonoscopy, just the whole concept. Often, we are criticized that we don't taste what we give to people. Host 1: So you guys did this? Dr. A: The idea was that we're going to do it and we're going to let people know that it's okay, it's not that bad. So we actually had a party the night before. We were mixing... Host 1: Like a mixology; you were making Gatorade drinks with all the stuff that makes you spend the rest of the day in the bathroom. Dr. A: Exactly. So you have to mix this laxative with some sort of drink, so we had all these different mixers. And the idea was we'll do it together so that it's a fun event and everybody can see that it's not as bad as they think it is, And then the next morning -- I didn't have a colonoscopy because I was part of the team there but 14 people had colonoscopies that day, doctors and nurses to show that this is something that can really save lives. Host 1: Because this is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, correct? Dr. A: It is the second leading cause of deaths and its preventable. So if you have a colonoscopy, and the guidelines are at 50, you should have your first colonoscopy... Host 1: Unless... Dr. A: Unless a) you have a history of colon cancer. Then it should be younger, at 40 or 10 years before your relative had the cancer. If you're African American it's 45. And there are certain conditions where you can't have it, for example, if you had Krohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These are the conditions where you can't really do a colonoscopy. Host 1: But there's another little thing you can do called -- Dr. A: Correct. You can swallow this oil that actually has a camera that can actually look at things in your bowel. It's not as good as the colonoscopy. But the idea is to let people know that you can save not only your life but lives of people you love if you get them to do a colonoscopy. Host 1: And if you do it, you don't have to do it every year, it's once every 10 years -- why is that? Dr. A: Because the progression of the disease is not that quick, so if you didn't have a polyp or a precancerous lesion at 10 years, the likelihood is very low that you would have it before 10 years/ So every 10 years, get your colonoscopies, save some lives. Host 1: What's amazing is that at this late stage it can do an amazing job of detection and saving lives. Even if it's gone on then you finally get yourself to do this. Dr. A: Yes, and the reason to do a colonoscopy and not a CAT scan or an MRI is that when you do the colonoscopy, you can actually biopsy it. You can actually remove some of these early tumors and I think that really helps in diagnosis and also prevention. Host 1: Great, Dr. Ahluwalia. So go get your colonoscopy. Steve, that sounds like fun. Dr. A: Steve, have you had yours? Host 2: Of course I have. There are mornings here when I feel like I'm having it! It wasn't a big deal. Even the prep wasn't that terrible. Host 1: Is it just that it's been made up into such a terrible, big thing in everyone's mind? Host 2: Then they give you the Propofol and then... boy! It is so comfortable that when you wake up you think, did they really do anything or they just gave me the Propofol, I fell asleep and then I woke up again? Dr. A: There you go. Host 1: See? So listen to Steve.