David Buono really had no reason to worry about his gut health. Into his 40s, he was physically fit, working out five days a week, lifting weights, running and walking. He enjoyed participating in Tough Mudder obstacle course races and mini marathons. He tried to eat healthy, drank alcohol only occasionally and in moderate amounts, and had no family history of colon cancer or any type of digestive disorder.
So when Buono’s 45th birthday came and went, it was relatively easy for him to ignore the emails from his UPMC primary care provider reminding him it was time for his colonoscopy. The messages cited the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommendation that all adults, even those who are at average risk for colon cancer, get their colonoscopy at that age. That’s because occurrences of colon and rectal cancer in patients under 50 are on the rise, and survival rates are much higher when it is detected at this early stage. Even knowing this, Buono continued to scroll past the emails and bury them in his inbox.
“Part of it was fear,” UPMC patient, David Buono said. “I had been trying not to think about it. But there was no good reason. For the most part, I procrastinated just because I could.”
“It was smooth sailing — you go in, you take a nap, you go home,” says Buono. “The staff at UPMC — from the nurses to the doctors to the anesthesiologist — make you feel as good as possible. Even when they took my blood pressure, they put me at ease, so it didn’t go through the roof. The whole procedure was relatively easy. In fact, if they hadn’t told me I had the procedure, I wouldn’t have known. I felt fine.”
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From the onset, Buono was amazed at how easy the staff, nurses and doctors made the whole process. They walked him through the entire procedure in advance and gave him reading materials and clear instructions on preparation, which began 24 hours before the appointment. He knew not to eat any solids the day before ― only clear liquids like beef broth or gelatin ― and to drink plenty of fluids, especially water. At 5 p.m., he knew to mix in the prescription laxative that would “clean him out.” He tried to get plenty of sleep.
“The worst part was the preparation,” says Buono. “And frankly, I’ve had worse cases of stomach flu than what the prep did to me.”
The next morning, he went into the clinic at 6:30 a.m. All the paperwork was in order. The technicians called him back for the procedure 7:30 a.m., and he was finished less than 45 minutes later.
“When you consider that heart disease is 80% preventable by reducing the risk factors such as obesity, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking, patients realize they have a level of control in regulating their blood pressure, sugars, and cholesterol,” says Dr. Qureshi.
UPMC in Central Pennsylvania offers collaborative care across the region, giving women the information, choices, and access to vital resources that they’ll need to practice self-care and fend off heart disease, depression, and anxiety — as well as live a healthier life in general.
There are in-person classes and events promoting healthy lifestyle choices, as well as plenty of online resources for women to access at home or on the go.
Partners in care
Colonoscopy at 45:
One man’s wake up call to getting checked
MARCH 2023
Interview with:
David Buono, patient
Two years passed. Then one day Buono, a soccer fan, saw a public-service video put out by actors and co-owners of a Welsh football team. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were going into the hospital to get their preventative colonoscopies. At 47, Buono decided he was overdue. “I couldn’t ignore it anymore,” he says. “I thought, ‘If they can do it, I can do it.’”
Buono contacted his primary care physician at UPMC and scheduled his colonoscopy.
“Establishing a relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) can help women get ahead of potential problems such as heart disease, depression, or anxiety,” says Dr. Qureshi. “Being healthy today includes preventative care to achieve and maintain wellness.”
“The connection between mind and body”
The results of the scan were as good as Buono could have expected. Doctors found one polyp that, upon examination, was non-cancerous. But his life was still changed forever. Now he’s paying much more attention to his gut health, what he eats, how he feels and, most importantly, how he needs to stay on top of this and other preventative services.
And he’s decided to speak out so that other people know not to be afraid of getting a colonoscopy, so they don’t wait to get checked.
“I want to help folks feel like its normal, like it should be part of their routine,” says Buono. “There really isn’t a good reason not to have it done, other than whatever fear you can create in your mind. But actually going through it was easy. And if you wait until you feel sick, it may be too late. More than anything, my colonoscopy offered me tremendous peace of mind.”
In other words, they realize they have control over their heart health.
For more information about women’s health services at UPMC, call 717-231-8900 or visit UPMC.com/CentralPaHeart.
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Colonoscopy at 45: One man’s wake up call to getting checked
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