BasicMED... Really????

[ArtVandelay]

There’s also Cologuard test that checks for blood /cancer cells in your stool, much less the hassle of the colonoscopy.

[Pinecone]

I do Cologuard every other time.  But there are some issues with it and it may not be right for you.

I get a prostate exam with my Basic Med, but that is because I get a comprehensive annual physical and it is part of that.  And the doctor does the Basic Med and my SCCA physical paperwork as part of the process.  For no extra cost.

[M20F]

On 7/13/2024 at 1:16 AM, ArtVandelay said:

There’s also Cologuard test that checks for blood /cancer cells in your stool, much less the hassle of the colonoscopy.

The advantage of a colonoscopy is that they can remove pre-cancerous polyps during the procedure.  

[Pinecone]

That is why my doctor alternates them.

[Vance Harral]

The biggest issue with Cologuard is financial, at least if you use insurance for healthcare.

Cologuard has a high false positive rate, about 13%.  If your Cologuard test turns up positive, they send you for an actual colonoscopy, which often indicates there is nothing actually wrong.  The problem is that at that point, your colonoscopy is no longer a "routine screening" that's covered at 100% by law.  Instead, your insurer gets to decide how it's handled, and you typically pay your co-pay or deductible or whatever.  That can run into the thousands if you're on a high deductible plan, see https://www.gastroconsa.com/how-cologuard-tests-may-end-up-costing-you-thousands/

I'm sure the people who developed Cologuard and the docs that suggest it mean well.  It's a way to screen a percentage of the population too squeamish for the gold standard practice.  But because of the way insurance works, it effectively looks like a big financial scam.  Just go get the colonoscopy.

[GeeBee]

9 hours ago, Vance Harral said:

The biggest issue with Cologuard is financial, at least if you use insurance for healthcare.

Cologuard has a high false positive rate, about 13%.  If your Cologuard test turns up positive, they send you for an actual colonoscopy, which often indicates there is nothing actually wrong.  The problem is that at that point, your colonoscopy is no longer a "routine screening" that's covered at 100% by law.  Instead, your insurer gets to decide how it's handled, and you typically pay your co-pay or deductible or whatever.  That can run into the thousands if you're on a high deductible plan, see https://www.gastroconsa.com/how-cologuard-tests-may-end-up-costing-you-thousands/

I'm sure the people who developed Cologuard and the docs that suggest it mean well.  It's a way to screen a percentage of the population too squeamish for the gold standard practice.  But because of the way insurance works, it effectively looks like a big financial scam.  Just go get the colonoscopy.

The other problem is by the time a positive shows up on Cologuard, you are deep into the fight. I've done 6 colonoscopies in my life and they are easy, painless and life saving. Just do it.

[00-Negative]

The digital prostate exam is outdated and should be performed as a confirmation test by a urologist in most cases. No one is getting a prostate biopsy without an elevated PSA. Annual prostate specific antigen is the gold standard for prostate screening. While a digital prostate exam is still listed in the guidelines for prostate ca screening, it is a completely subjective exam and has minimal value unless one or both parties enjoy the test. Haphazardly extracting tissue samples of a man's prostate using traumatic methods can lead to bad outcomes... 

-David

[joepilotmooney]

Have had 2 BasicMeds and my doc just laughed at the butthole part and said you're fine back there. I am very thankful for AOPA/EAA making BasicMed work for us. I hated doing the whole FAA thing every 2 years.

[Hank]

6 hours ago, joepilotmooney said:

Have had 2 BasicMeds and my doc just laughed at the butthole part and said you're fine back there.

I don't remember if it was some idiot Congresscritter who put that part in, or some FAA stick in the mud who insisted on it. Not really sure what value there is in mooning a doctor . . . .

[Pinecone]

23 hours ago, joepilotmooney said:

I am very thankful for AOPA/EAA making BasicMed work for us. I hated doing the whole FAA thing every 2 years.

Agreed.

I just wish they would remove or raise the altitude limit to 25K or 29K.

Or just call it a Class 3 and move on.

[Justin Schmidt]

On 7/12/2024 at 12:18 AM, EricJ said:

You just have to hope that when your doc does the prostate exam he doesn't have both hands on your shoulders.

That's the government and without the common decency of a reach around 

[Sabremech]

On 7/16/2024 at 7:01 PM, GeeBee said:

The other problem is by the time a positive shows up on Cologuard, you are deep into the fight. I've done 6 colonoscopies in my life and they are easy, painless and life saving. Just do it.

Nope! The risk of anesthesia along with a perforated colon from someone I have no idea of their skill level is an absolute no. I do Cologuard as I have zero family history of Colon cancer. If something comes back from Cologuard, I will only go to someone my physician recommends. 
How much colon cancer is actually being detected or prevented? Is this just another money maker for the Colonoscopy clinics?  

[M20F]

14 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

Nope! The risk of anesthesia along with a perforated colon from someone I have no idea of their skill level is an absolute no. I do Cologuard as I have zero family history of Colon cancer. If something comes back from Cologuard, I will only go to someone my physician recommends. 
How much colon cancer is actually being detected or prevented? Is this just another money maker for the Colonoscopy clinics?  

I am based on ctDNA testing clear from Stage IV (no family history) for six months (8 months after my third surgery, a lot of chemo, and radiation that fried at the time my still working asshole.  Try taking a shit when your asshole has burns).  As pointed out by others, when Cologuard shows anything you are off to the races.  My symptoms turned up three months prior to my diagnosis     
 
You make great gear blocks, but my guess is you aren’t as versed in medical science.

Had I been more diligent in getting a colonoscopy, well I wouldn’t be shitting in a bag.  
 
You do you, all I can say is Propofol is great and bless the basic med.  Would encourage colonoscopies. 
 
 

[EricJ]

17 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

How much colon cancer is actually being detected or prevented? Is this just another money maker for the Colonoscopy clinics?  

I'm told it is "the" type of cancer that is really a problem these days, and nobody quite knows why, but it is on the increase.   Over history various different types of cancers dominated (e.g., stomach cancer in the early part of the 20th century when packaged/canned foods were coming into common use without any sort of regulatory oversight), and the big one now is colon cancer.    It may be because detections have gotten better, I don't know whether that has been factored in the relevant analyses or not.

My doc stresses that I get this done because he's had patients with it and, "it's a lousy way to die."   Apparently it's a very bad road to go down, so some docs that have been there with patients are pretty firm about testing.

For me the main reluctance is the prep.   I had it done once and the prep was so awful I don't ever want to have to go through that again.   I think if the prep were better more people would do it, and there appears to be a large variance in how prep is done.    If you get one of the awful ones, like I did, you really, really don't want to go back.   I've had friends that had some simple, easy prep one time, and then awful another, so I don't know why there's a difference or why anyone would want to do the awful kind.

 

[Hank]

20 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

Nope! The risk of anesthesia along with a perforated colon from someone I have no idea of their skill level is an absolute no. I do Cologuard as I have zero family history of Colon cancer. If something comes back from Cologuard, I will only go to someone my physician recommends. 
How much colon cancer is actually being detected or prevented? Is this just another money maker for the Colonoscopy clinics?  

My colonoscopies were done by a gastroenterologist at the hospital, not by some fresh-out at a "colonoscopy clinic." Are those a real thing? They sound like a nightmare to me!

And my 'scopes were unrelated to, and not recommended by, my FAA Certificated Flight Physician (AME). Nor by my Urgent Care Basic Med doc from the little box

They were recommended by my regular doctor, the old "primary care physician." No signs, no symptoms, first age and now family history from dear ol' dad. So I'll keep on getting them, whether I keep flying or sell out and hang up my headset.

[Hank]

1 minute ago, EricJ said:

I'm told it is "the" type of cancer that is really a problem these days, and nobody quite knows why, but it is on the increase.   Over history various different types of cancers dominated (e.g., stomach cancer in the early part of the 20th century when packaged/canned foods were coming into common use without any sort of regulatory oversight), and the big one now is colon cancer.    It may be because detections have gotten better, I don't know whether that has been factored in the relevant analyses or not.

My doc stresses that I get this done because he's had patients with it and, "it's a lousy way to die."   Apparently it's a very bad road to go down, so some docs that have been there with patients are pretty firm about testing.

For me the main reluctance is the prep.   I had it done once and the prep was so awful I don't ever want to have to go through that again.   I think if the prep were better more people would do it, and there appears to be a large variance in how prep is done.    If you get one of the awful ones, like I did, you really, really don't want to go back.   I've had friends that had some simple, easy prep one time, and then awful another, so I don't know why there's a difference or why anyone would want to do the awful kind.

Watching dad, it ain't no fun.

The hard part of prep for me is drinking that much Gatorade / power ade. Try a "low residue diet" for a few days beforehand, then the one day liquid diet. There's not a whole lot left to clean out . . . .

[M20F]

12 minutes ago, EricJ said:

For me the main reluctance is the prep.   I had it done once and the prep was so awful I don't ever want to have to go through that again.

 

The vinegar bottle powder (forget what it is called) + water shake/drink was great.  
 

Miralax + Gatorade = vomit comet.  
 
Similar to LOO/ROP your experience may vary.  

[Sabremech]

16 minutes ago, M20F said:

I am based on ctDNA testing clear from Stage IV (no family history) for six months (8 months after my third surgery, a lot of chemo, and radiation that fried at the time my still working asshole.  Try taking a shit when your asshole has burns).  As pointed out by others, when Cologuard shows anything you are off to the races.  My symptoms turned up three months prior to my diagnosis     
 
You make great gear blocks, but my guess is you aren’t as versed in medical science.

Had I been more diligent in getting a colonoscopy, well I wouldn’t be shitting in a bag.  
 
You do you, all I can say is Propofol is great and bless the basic med.  Would encourage colonoscopies. 
 
 

Sorry to hear that you’ve been through this. You are correct that my profession is not medical science. What I ask is  how much colon cancer is caught or prevented by a colonoscopy? Polyps do not automatically equate to cancer. There are serious risks with colonoscopies as I mentioned and I take those into consideration. I will not go to a colonoscopy clinic where god only knows where these people got their degrees or experience. 
Obviously you and others don’t agree with my decisions. That’s what makes this country great. We get to make our own decisions. I’m not sure how best to describe my feelings with the medical community now. I just don’t feel they are listening to us and our symptoms and taking the time to really figure out what’s wrong or going on. It’s get you in, say yep, yep and out the door you go with a prescription. Too many of my friends have experienced so many years of pain before the problem progressed far enough for a real diagnosis. By then, it was too late and they lived their remaining years popping pain pills. 
How do we get the true health care and time we deserve from the medical community? 

[EricJ]

2 minutes ago, Hank said:

Watching dad, it ain't no fun.

The hard part of prep for me is drinking that much Gatorade / power ade. Try a "low residue diet" for a few days beforehand, then the one day liquid diet. There's not a whole lot left to clean out . . . .

I got the "drink this ten gallons of expensive prescription radium mix/laxative over the next 24 hours" prep, which I wouldn't wish on an enemy.   I'm not sure what that stuff was, but it's seriously awful, and the amount they want you to suffer through is...not fun.    It's an effective way to discourage people from ever doing that again.    

[M20F]

Just now, Sabremech said:
How do we get the true health care and time we deserve from the medical community? 

How do we get true mechanical care and skill from our AP/AI community?  Are you a quack?  Do your customers (me being one) think you are a quack?  Or is it maybe we recognize and respect you might be smarter with a wrench than we are and seek your advice?

My only advice is don’t let a great skill set in one profession to make you believe you are an expert in another.  

My situation would have entirely been prevented with colonoscopy at 40/45/50 as recommended.  Instead I just went with the ain’t nothing wrong why bother and 52/53 were rough years. 
 
Cannot stress enough that Michael Jackson OD’ed on propofol for a reason.  It is the best part of a colonoscopy.  
 

[M20F]

7 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I got the "drink this ten gallons of expensive prescription radium mix/laxative over the next 24 hours" prep, which I wouldn't wish on an enemy.   I'm not sure what that stuff was, but it's seriously awful, and the amount they want you to suffer through is...not fun.    It's an effective way to discourage people from ever doing that again.    

Maybe this picture will be an effective way to encourage people that drinking a little laxative is better.  Seriously awful, you probably fly a Piper…. 

[EricJ]

12 minutes ago, M20F said:

Maybe this picture will be an effective way to encourage people that drinking a little laxative is better.  Seriously awful, you probably fly a Piper…. 

I had a bunch of imaging done, too, and there was some barium crap or something that tasted like burned chalk that I had to down a zillion gallons of.   No fun.

 

[Sabremech]

12 minutes ago, M20F said:

How do we get true mechanical care and skill from our AP/AI community?  Are you a quack?  Do your customers (me being one) think you are a quack?  Or is it maybe we recognize and respect you might be smarter with a wrench than we are and seek your advice?

My only advice is don’t let a great skill set in one profession to make you believe you are an expert in another.  

My situation would have entirely been prevented with colonoscopy at 40/45/50 as recommended.  Instead I just went with the ain’t nothing wrong why bother and 52/53 were rough years. 
 
Cannot stress enough that Michael Jackson OD’ed on propofol for a reason.  It is the best part of a colonoscopy.  
 

I don’t mind you sharing your thoughts, but don’t appreciate the I’m right and your wrong mentality. I didn’t post my feelings or reasoning behind my decisions to get lambasted nor did I ever suggest you were a quack. 
I will continue to appreciate your knowledge on Mooney’s but am done with you on this subject.

David

 

[M20F]

8 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

I don’t mind you sharing your thoughts, but don’t appreciate the I’m right and your wrong mentality. I didn’t post my feelings or reasoning behind my decisions to get lambasted nor did I ever suggest you were a quack. 
I will continue to appreciate your knowledge on Mooney’s but am done with you on this subject.

David

 

I appreciate your mechanical skills, your hard earned ratings, years of experience wrenching, up blocks/down blocks, etc. 

One day I hope you view health professionals the same way I view your skills/resume and trust their years of teaching, licensing, and experience to keep you and your family safe.  
 
Had I been as diligent in my own health as my Mooney’s health, life would be better. 
 
All the best David. 

[Sabremech]

12 minutes ago, M20F said:

I appreciate your mechanical skills, your hard earned ratings, years of experience wrenching, up blocks/down blocks, etc. 

One day I hope you view health professionals the same way I view your skills/resume and trust their years of teaching, licensing, and experience to keep you and your family safe.  
 
Had I been as diligent in my own health as my Mooney’s health, life would be better. 
 
All the best David. 

Again, I never insinuated your skills aren’t top notch. Unfortunately, not all of them are at your level. 
I feel I’m being diligent in my health and happy with my decisions so far. 
All the best to you and hope we cross paths in the future again.

David