Ok. So it’s March. Colon Cancer Awareness Month. We’ve already talked about colonoscopies. We’ve also talked about some of the less glamorous side effects of anesthesia. Apparently, I have chosen this month to become your friendly neighborhood poop-and-propofol correspondent, so let’s move on to alternatives to the colonoscopy. Illustration of the human digestive system, highlighting the structure and arrangement of the intestines within the abdominal cavity. Image created by

Any time you undergo a medical procedure, there are risks. And it is the doctor’s job to review those risks. In my previous post, I recommended colonoscopy screening for all people at average risk starting at age 45. When you give consent for a colonoscopy, you are acknowledging that there are several risks including (but not limited to) bleeding, infection, and perforation. But in this piece, I want to talk about a more subtle “side effect” or “risk” that is rarely discussed

Ok. It’s March. It’s Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Let’s get into this shit…literally. The colon (also known as the large intestine) is about 5 feet long. That’s almost as long as me! You may remember from high school biology that the colon is the organ that absorbs water and some vitamins from waste as it moves through your body. And at the end of that long, noble journey? Poop. (And yes, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people say “poo” instead of “poop.” I don’t know w

Ever since I became a doctor, people have asked me the same questions again and again: What can I do to prevent cancer? What tests can I take for early detection? Should I get full-body scans to look for a possible tumor? Can I do blood tests to screen for every type of cancer? Illustration of a human skeletal system highlighting disease-affected areas, with visible redness indicating inflammation or disease in the shoulder region. (Image created through AI) So let me ask you

As I shared last week, I recently had an abnormal mammogram. When the nurse called to tell me that I needed a diagnostic mammogram, I let out that sigh—the deep, tired, “of course” kind of sigh. I’ve been blessed with dense breasts, and I’ve been considering a breast reduction, so this felt… inevitable. It wasn’t my first abnormal mammogram. But it still landed with weight. It’s not the mammogram itself that gets to me. The squishing? Fine—there’s plenty of tissue to work wi

Have you ever had an encounter with a doctor that left you in tears? What am I saying— of course , you have. A woman rests her head in her hand, visibly overwhelmed by stress, as thoughts swirl around her. I’ve heard so many stories from patients who didn’t feel heard. Whose symptoms were brushed off. Who walked back to their cars, shut the door, and cried. And as I reflect on my own career, I know—painfully—that sometimes I’ve been the cause of that pain (though, thankfully,