Bowel cancer screening

I am so lucky that the age for bowel screening in my area has been increased and the limit now is 74. My poo sticks will be arriving within the next few weeks. I must make sure that they do not get caught up with the Christmas post by doing it as early as possible.

charleygirl re avoiding the Christmas post, you and me both, I got my advance notice letter in the mail yesterday.

Grannyknot that is a package that the PO would not want to open! I may even leave it until the beginning of January.

i first went to GP a few years ago having blood in poo, i worried myself so much by the time I went for the colonoscopy but it turned out to be Diverticulitis which can give a few problems but a relief not to be cancer, i had 2nd screening 18 months ago as i had bad bleeding, again it was the Diverticulitis, i dont do the poo sticks when they come as mine would show blood anyway and although i have told them & they agreed not to do it they still send packs to me which seems a bit of a waste, my husband returns his though, it is so good we have all the screening, i have just had my breast screening through & had to cancel it as husband is having an Eye op same day at different hospital & I need to drive him but have asked for one asap in new year & just hope it dosnt clash next time

So many stories about colonoscopies but I'd like to put in a word here for the barium enema - now that's an experience - not so much the actual event (made much more bearable by a wonderful team of radiologists, etc) but the 'prep' the day before ............... The upside is instant weight loss for all of 24 hours! However, in common with the sentiments contained in so many of these posts, the joy of (eventually) having a letter containing the words 'entirely normal' is well worth every minute of discomfort. Go for it!

Be it the result of colonoscopies, or barium enema's! 'Entirely normal' are two words to be cherished, for sure grammargran.

charleygirl my testing kit duly arrived about 10 days ago, I bit the bullet and on the 4th day after, back it went in the mail with a pile of my Christmas cards to friends and relatives.

Which means ... today I got the 'all clear' letter back in the post!

Well done, NHS.

Grannyknot I also decided to send mine asap and today I received the all clear. I was dreading a repeat of the colonoscopy etc 2 years ago. It was not the colonosopy, it was the lead up and waiting for the result.

Well done us, Christmas mail slight avoidance tactic notwithstanding. I didn't realise you had the 'whole 9 yards' previously. I'm glad you can relax too now.

A week or two ago I got the biopsy result on a polyp that was found and removed during a colonoscopy last month. It was all clear though I am now 'under surveillance' and will have another colonoscopy in three years time.

I agree that waiting for results is stressful. The imagination runs riot.

Petallus was the polyp picked up from the routine screening? That's good then and also that you're being followed up. Good that you got the all clear. Nice to get that sort of good news, at this time of year.

Grannyknot the polyp was found during the colonoscopy and removed then and there (with a hot wire).

Polyps are prone to turn cancerous hence the future surveillance.

It does feel reassuring that I am being kept an eye on

petallus that is exactly what happened to me 2 years ago and because I had the polyp removed, in my part of London the screening is being done 2 yearly.

Grannyknot i was seen and treated under the routine screening program and I was very impressed with the efficiency of the whole procedure.

Charleygirl snap then. Someone I know has had more than twenty polyps removed so we have a way to go yet!

Good to hear that the screening is doing its job!