Bowel Scope Screening

[GingerMerkin]

Just received a letter asking me to go for this. It sounds hideous with small risk me 'having a new ae torn'. My sister thinks it is hysterically funny and says I will be made to touch my toes whilst they do it!

AIBU to want to ignore the letter?

Bowelscope is a new screening test for 55 years olds. It is a one off test that is offered to everyone. It is not available in all areas of the country yet, probably only about 25%. That is because with NHS resources hospitals are not able to run the screening test unless they are able to (rightly) service all the patients who need a similar test and have symptoms.

If you are older than 55 you will not get an invitation, you will need to wait till you are 60 for the bowel cancer screening programme.

The purpose of the test is not to look for cancer (although on the rare occasion it is found) but to look for polyps. There are some polyps that can turn into cancer. Studies have found that by identifying people with these polyps you can cut the bowel cancer rate by about 40%.

It is a 10 minute test which involves putting a camera into the first part of the bowel. You will not be offered sedation but will be offered gas and air. They will stop the test if gets too painful.

I would urge anyone who is offered the test to take part.

I certainly did wannabestress free.

An update on this having had the test done last week.

To anyone else offered this yes have it done. The fashion police would cringe at the dignity shorts but more modest MNers would appreciate them.

Do not underestimate the pain though. I was in agony with tears pouring down my face but was not offered any pain relief whatsoever. I asked for gas and air and was told I could not have any as I might faint or fall over and break a limb,

The test was normal with not even a tiny haemorrhoid to be dealt with. I saw my bowels on the screen (through the tears) and it is all a distant and slightly disturbing memory now.

I've just been offered this but the last post has worried me a lot, I don't want to be in agony

Wtf?? That's horrible. I don't believe that leaving patients crying in agony is acceptable.

My mum never did the stool test. She died, horribly, of bowel cancer at the age of 64. By the time they found it it was far too late. I miss her every day, and I wish I could go back in time and make her do the test.

well done, OP. Not a bundle of fun by anyone's standards but a lot better than the alternative.

I was going to suggest (until I realised it was too late) that you find someone to take you home from this; that allows more anaesthetic.

but it is over with and glad all was normal. Also glad this is coming in as general screening (eventually).

I've had this now, was fine but am upset I had a ' poorly prepared bowel '.I tried really hard with the home enema as well

Oh god. My lovely dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer last week (thanks to a colonscopy). He's having surgery early next week to remove it and some lymph nodes. I was feeling quite positive that surgery would sort it but see from this thread that many of you have lost loved ones.

Good grief! No pain relief?
Thats awful and needs addressing as it could really put people off what could be a life saving procedure

I was sedated for my colonoscopy, didnt even noticed they'd started, was too busy blethering to the staff about rock music, tattoos and hair dye.
It didn't hurt. Or if it did I can't remember though I can recall discussion of Foo Fighters vs Red Hot Chilis and how Black Sabbath turned up very very late when DH went to see them. Like Axl Rose at Reading festival.
I had several poylps removed. Told I had diverticular disease, which I already knew.
Id tested positive on the fob test, you know the poo sticks test they send through the post.
I thought I was fine after, DH said I was wandering off and talking shite but I think he often thinks that anyway

MrZippy has this done every 2 years because almost every adult member of his family has had bowel cancer. His mother died from it, and he cared for her during the 15 years it took her to die, so he always attends the appointments.
It isn't fun, obviously, but he is given some sort of pain relief if he wants it ( he doesn't usually) and when the doctor found polyps which would probably have developed into cancer (given family history) he was very glad that he hadn't opted out. The polyps were removed there and then.

Worriedmum100-keep positive! Hopefully your dad will have had his op by now and will be well on the way to recovery by now, I was in the same position early last year when my dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer a week before my wedding! 18 months later he has had the op and the chemo and there is no more cancer, hooray! I certainly know of more people who have survived bowel cancer than have not.

Thanks. He's had the tumour removed. It was much larger and more complex than expected. Surgeon said it was T4 which freaked me out because initially I didn't understand the difference between T4 and stage 4. It had adhered itself to other tissue but they think they've got it all out. He has a temporary stoma at the moment. Just waiting for the pathology results now which is very nerve racking.

Sending positive thoughts Worriedmum100 its an agonising wait

It's really not bad. I've had several of these due to Crohn's and they're alright. The worst bit for me is the prep; I can't drink the Movicol (puke it up) so I have to have my enema done in hospital instead.

They're actually fascinating.

I'm having this done in the morning. Currently trying to drink the mingling stuff. Having it done due to family history. Why does the stuff taste so gross!!

I was sedated for my colonoscopy but it wasn't painless. I had to ask for more pain relief as I was do lightly sedation. Can't believe to were given no pain relief. Truly awful.

That's terrible Dolly

I had one with sedation - it was fine. Not really sure OP is looking for reassurance though - it's all a big joke for her..

My DH had a colonoscopy on Thursday with very light sedation to see if he had internal piles. The purging medication the day before was a bit spectacular but the procedure was painless and no after bleeding so if you are invited for a colonoscopy don't be to worried.

DH doesn't have piles but bowel cancer. Not sure who was most shocked him or the doctor.

Please do it. We lost a close family friend to bowel cancer last year and the end was awful. i wouldn't have wished that on my worst enemy.

I had the test this week. It was uncomfortable but the test was clear and I'm glad I did it.

As an IBD sufferer with a brother diagnosed with bowel cancer at 52 I am now “looking forward” to annual colonoscopies. I join with others in emphasising the importance of doing this!

I have actually seen colonoscopies performed when I was a nursing student. (I did a rural clinical so was allowed to go into the OR.) Obviously they didn't look very comfortable but they didn't look to be too horrendous. The whole procedure usually takes less than half an hour.

You'll need someone to drive you home afterwards.

I do not know about your specific situation, nor what the guidelines are in the UK, but where I live, if you do not have a family history of colon cancer or some other issues, and everything looks okay, you usually only need a colonoscopy every 10 years. (Usually if there is a family history of colon cancer you have to go every 5 years.)

Hubby lost his beloved grandfather to colon cancer. GFIL had several siblings who died from colon cancer at about the same age. After his death, MIL and GMIL found tube after tube of hemorrhoid cream. They suspected that he was having rectal bleeding but thought it was just hemorrhoids.

Please, please go get this done.