Bowel Cancer Screening Test positive

I am at med to high risk of bowel cancer according to genetic counselling. My MUm had it twice (different strains) which raises my risk. She had major surgery each time but lived very well and happily with her colostomy bag until almost 97.

Sillyoldbird

V3ra I’ve heard really bad things about the preparation drink!

I know the whole experience will be very unpleasant but it’s a necessary evil and not really that I’m bothered about- just the outcome.

The whole experience won’t necessarily be unpleasant. Yes, the bowel prep is vile but that was by far the worst bit for me. The colonoscopy itself wasn’t in any way unpleasant. I had no pain, no discomfort. I would suggest you have sedation. I was able to watch the screen which is an interesting experience! My sedation was fentanyl which is an analgesic, buscopan which relaxes your bowel and midazolam which is the sedative and I’d pay good money for that one! 😂. It’s sheer bliss. I was concerned as I have a significant family history of colon/rectal cancer. I was found to have a 3mm polyp which was removed via the colonoscopy and lucky that it was as the histology showed pre-cancerous cells. It’s great that we have these tests that can predict trouble before it occurs. Good luck with yours.

well, i didn't find the prep solution vile at all.
it just needs a bit of planning.
i've had 2 colonoscopies.

I had to have a Colonoscopy which found pre cancerous polyps (and Diverticular disease) thank goodness I did the Bowel Screening test.
I had to go again after 6 months when they found another very small polyp. Then another colonoscopy 2 years later which was clear.
Funnily enough a letter plopped (🫤) through my letter box yesterday to tell me that a kit will be sent to me in the next couple of weeks.
As people have said the preparation that you have before is the worst part, resign yourself to sitting on the loo for about 4 hours, but once it’s stopped you feel fine, I didn’t find the taste bad at all, I think it was lemon.
My Grandfather died from Bowel Cancer so I’m pleased that I had the test.

Try to stay cal, because if your blood pressure goes up, they will not carry out the colonoscopy for safety reasons.

Best wishes and try to stay positive 🙂

calm, sorry.

Sillyoldbird - it’s all going to be fine

Thanks everyone for your comments

Callistemon21 I already have high BP which gets worse every time I go to GP. It’s controlled by meds but apparently I have ‘white coat syndrome’, so although it’s fine when I’m at home, medical settings have an adverse effect on me.

I’ll discuss with the screening nurse and see if there’s any to help

Sorry, Sillyoldbird I have no advice to offer, just sympathy, and lots of positive vibes and .

DamaskRose, sometimes that’s all that’s needed - thank you 🙏

I have loads of colonoscopies and can honestly say I would rather have one of those than having a tooth extracted. I have had polyps removed and told I have diverticular disease which apparently most older people have some degree of.

I had another test last week from the GP and that has come back clear.

Perhaps take some home BP readings with you sillyoldbird in case of BP concerns. Tell staff you have white coat syndrome, it’s common and they will understand. Works for me. An anaesthetist will monitor you through the whole procedure.

I’ve had two colonoscopies as a result of the routine tests. In my case the blood found was as a result of haemorrhoids. The preparation does mean stay close to a toilet, it’s not so bad.

The actual procedures were interesting, I could watch on a screen (optional) and the consultant explained what I was seeing. Staff are very kind and understand anxieties. I’m sure you won’t need to wait for very long. Good luck. Wishing you well.

I had the test you do by post and it was clear. A couple of weeks later I developed constant diarrhoea and did a poo test for the GP which showed quite a likelihood of bowel cancer. I had a colonoscopy and a polyp removed. The biopsy showed I had microscopic colitis, which can only be diagnosed by biopsy. There are 2 types, ulcerative colitis and collagenous colitis. I had collagenous colitis and was prescribed a course of steroids which worked immediately. That was over a year ago and I have had no recurrence. The GP said if it comes back he will be able to prescribe the steroids and no need for the colonoscopy which is a brilliant diagnostic tool but the prep is no fun at all! If you can afford it I would go private for the colonoscopy to avoid the waiting and worrying.

Cornergran thanks for the advice about blood pressure.

Maggierose that must have been very worrying for you - glad it turned out well.

I’ve not had a very good night and feel very sick and shaky this morning. Iwish I knew how to calm myself down and just get on with things like others do. I’m thankful to have a very supportive husband, so I’m just sitting here like a rabbit in the headlights while he runs around after me.

I feel so pathetic not being able to deal with this kind of thing in a calm and rational way.

I’m hoping to get an appointment this week with a consultant at a local private hospital so perhaps it will make me feel better that things are happening.

I had a so called positive test and a colonoscopy was advised. However, I found out that the medication (ibuprofen) I was on at the time does alter the result. However, they do not advise one of that and nor do they (or can they?) screen for it. Having had a colonoscopy only a few years previously I opted out of another one. Two years later, I ensured I was not taking ibuprofen at the time of taking my sample and my test was negative.

I had a positive test and had already been to GP as I could see the blood and was waiting for an appointment. The screening service was much quicker. I had a colonoscopy and it was a polyp which was removed later. My father also had bowel cancer (successfully treated) so I too was concerned. The polyp wasn’t cancerous but was considered high risk of turning cancerous so I had repeated checkups for 3 years. Now back in the normal screening system. Easy to say but there are lots of reasons other than cancer

I had a positive screen test (not the postal one) last year and had to have a colonoscopy. It was negative. The consultant told me that the screen tests were so thorough that they would pick up the minutest spot of blood in perfectly healthy people. She seemed to indicate that consultants were often wasting their time on unnecessary procedures. The very best of luck, Silkyoldbird👍

If you can go private, do it. Whatever the outcome, you will deal with it. It's not knowing that makes one sick with worry. Take one day at a time
Best wishes to you
Xxx

The preparation I was given (called movie-prop) had to be dissolved in a litre of water and there were two sachets. As others have cited you need to stay close to a toilet - thank heavens I have a downstairs loo. Eventually you are just passing clear water. The taste is not unpleasant.

I know that of the cohort who had their procedure at the same time as me most of the women said they had not managed the full 2 litres. The doctor who did the procedure said I had "good bowel prep". After starving for 2 days we were given tea and lightly buttered toast in the recovery room. That was the nicest thing about the procedure.

I, like others, tested +ve, had a colonoscopy and had a polyp removed. I did not want any sedation and I was fine. Everything turned out to be normal.

The worst were my trips to the loo. My poor rear end looked and felt as though it was on fire so make sure you have the appropriate cream.

You will be fine.

NotSpaghetti said. "He says - drink the drink (quickly) with a straw so you don't actually taste it."
Can I just add, don't try to get through all the sachets too fast, as tempting as it is to get it over and done with!
I did this when I had the test 18 months ago and on the day I was told the passage was not totally cleared, probably due to me drinking my way through them too fast.
Please believe me and others, this is the worst part of the process. I also had the 'up and down' in one session. Like so many other things in life, the anticipation is far, far worse that the actual event. Good luck x

I've had several colonoscopies over the years & I find the taste of the bowel prep stuff absolutely disgusting! My best way to cope with it is to get it as cold as possible in the fridge & to drink each dose as fast as possible!! The results are certainly dynamic!!

just follow the instructions exactly for the prep solution; i don't understand why people say it was so bad.
it's manageable, not painful, one just has to pay attention and be organised.
i didn't find it tasted of anything really.
it concerns me that people may be put off going for the procedure if everyone says the prep is horrendous etc.

Hi. As you can see by the amount of replies it’s not unusual to be recalled. I had a positive test last September. I was very anxious, I’ve never had to have any thing like it before and it was fear of the unknown for me.
I had haemorrhoids too but wasn’t aware they were bleeding. The prep was honestly the worst bit. I was worried about the sedation so just had gas and air they monitored my bp throughout.
It was fine just a bit of cramping, I had two small polyps and unbeknown to me I
I have diverticulitis too.They put the bleeding down to my haemorrhoids.
I waited three week, it’s a shame your wait is longer but they may phone with a cancellation. Good luck .

I had a positive test last year and had to have a colonoscopy. My husband had bowel cancer 7 years ago so I was very aware of the process.

I really built myself up to a state about both the bowel prep stuff and the procedure itself.

Neither was anything like as bad as I had anticipated. They saw a small polyp in my insides which was removed there and then. Because of this I have to have the procedure every couple of years.

Turns out the blood was from piles which I didn't even know I had.