FIIT test, low iron, constipation, scared

[painintheargh]

NC for this.

Since having covid and changing my diet to lose weight last November I've had constipation. It's responded well to lactulose. No pain, no diarrhoea, no bleeding.
The GP tested for coeliac and a full blood count, liver, thyroid, hormones, kidneys, the full works. All fine except for an iron level of 8. My diet is rubbish on the iron front and the GP wasn't concerned about the iron and just told me to up my veg. Because the constipation has continued I've been asked to do a FIIT stool sample to check for blood which I will take to the GP tomorrow.
Im 46, pretty fit and do a lot of cardio exercise daily, I don't smoke, don't drink, I haven't eaten meat since 1990, my BMI is 21 and was 26 at its highest so my risk factors are low but im scared.

Does anyone have any experience of this who can offer any advice or handholding please? Im sure it's just that I don't eat enough and there's not enough food passing through my gut to make me poop regularly. I live on porridge, yogurt, fruit and soups. Very little in terms of stodgy high volume foods like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta. Portions of those are infrequent and small.

I'm a single parent of 3 with little to no help and terrified of cancer.

Thank you. Here now and crying and feeling like a right idiot

That's okay, it's normal to be scared.

You're going to get through this and soon it will be nothing but a horrid memory

Try some deep breathing (in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four - and repeat).

Still waiting. And breathing 😁

Ah bless you. You’ll be fine x

I'm hoping this message finds you out the other side and feeling a bit better about it!
You were never going to feel at your best this morning, with an empty stomach, probably dehydration, probably poor sleep! Here's to the best meal ever later, and a better night's sleep tonight 👍

Just cross posted, argh, I was so hopeful you were in there by now!
My procedure's booked for the afternoon, but I still have to stop eating when the morning appointments do... doesn't seem fair 😆
Hopefully not too long now 💐

Thinking of you @painintheargh . When I had a colonoscopy they offered sedation and it completely knocked me flat. They had to wake me up and tell me they needed the bed back. I hope you get through it quickly.

Hope it all went well and that the results are good 🤞

Just waiting to be cannulated and have the sexy shorts and gown on. Rocking them I am!

The nurse has reassured me about the blood and said it's usually quite a lot of blood you'd see in your poo not the possible tiny amount I've seen twice. Her mum and friend died of bowel cancer and those stories weren't helpful to hear! She was trying to say how important it is to have the test.

I'm next in. The sooner I'm sedated the better. No idea what I'll have to eat later. Nothing appeals. The waiting is possibly the worst part so far since the dulcolax hitting at 430am yesterday morning. The moviprep was fine. Just liquid poo but no pain. The thirst and headache isn't great but the dulcolax was the worst by far. Hot , sweaty agony but short lived. They don't always give that though. The nurse had hers done privately and only had moviprep. I can have gas and air too if I like. Bring it on! Best bit of labour that until the baby is born. The nurse who cannulated me is very handsome 😍

All done and the sedation wasn't very effective but the gas and air really helped. They've taken random biopsies but that's all I know. BP and heart rate were very high. Just drinking tea and have had biscuits and waiting to see my report. I'm pushed off about the gas and air. My throat wasn't numb either. My head hurts from dehydration, lack of caffeine and lack of food but that will right itself soon.

Well done, take a big sigh of relief! Will you get the report today?
I'm just having the main prep (except mine is plenvu not moviprep), so hoping for the same experience as you 🤞🤞

Well done @painintheargh . I hope it's all fine for you.

Well done
Guess the biopsies were of polyps?
I had that..
Then biopsies were fine

Fingers xed for you

Home now and feeling ok apart from the headache. I've got a big cup of tea and decent shortbread and am going to watch tv.
My bowel prep was graded as good. I feel like I've failed there but it was virtually impossible to drink as much liquid as they said before 6 today. No cause for concern in stomach or bowel. Everything normal. The biopsies are random ones from my duodenum and have been sent to histology.

@worldwidetravel2017 no polyps seen. Nothing abnormal seen. So no idea idea why my ferritin is low or I'm constipated. Let's see if increasing fibre and iron improve things.

@painintheargh ...it must be a relief to be home, and that they haven't found anything sinister. Hopefully the fibre and iron will help.
I had my phonecall, it was basically a health questionnaire, and confirming that I'd be happy to have a colonoscopy. She said I will be contacted tomorrow with an appointment, which will be within the next 14 days.
Slow progress, but it is progress...

@DumbledoresWand glad things are moving for you now. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have based on my own experience. By good I was a nervous wreck.

Bit cramps now and tired.

I just want to say a huge, huge thank you to you all for keeping me company and relatively sane throughout the wait and for answering my many, many questions. I'll never forgot the kindness of strangers on here. But tearful again now ffs 😁

Theyll contact you again with biopsy results and next steps / advice..

Is your gp keeping an eye on feretin?

No idea about the ferritin. I can start taking the iron tablets now.
The biopsy results take 2 weeks to be reported but it can take 6 weeks for them to tell me about them.

You can ring them after 2 weeks & ask re biopsy results
Just tell them your anxious 4 results

My colonoscopy is booked....
6th July at 08.30.
Got to have a blood test before & they're sending the prep out in the post...@painintheargh& @worldwidetravel2017 it'll be like Groundhog Day for you when I start asking you questions lol.
Got a few bits planned between now and then so they'll keep me distracted for a while ...

An am appt is good - nicer than 3pm etc etc

Keep busy

And remember - the prep is the worse
&
Many colonoscopies are fine
You got this

@DumbledoresWand that's great you now have an appointment.

I'm w