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.

Hi All! Less than a week til my colonoscopy, can feel the anxiety rising 😭 And not even about tye procedure, but the prep ☹️ Have got boiled sweets, lemonade, moist toilet tissue, sudocrem on standby, any other tips? 🫣

Whisper of wickedness -, flushable wipes

If you cut / reduce fibre like 3 / 4 days b4 - it helps
From someone whos prep was graded excellent
Yes they grade u

Thank you! Haha, i'll update after on my grade 😆
Got flushable wipes 👍
We only have 1 bathroom so that will be fun 😬

I only got a 'Fair' for my grading and was inexplicably disappointed like I'd been unfairly marked down in an exam

Didn't really impact on the findings though

Add ice and lemon or lime squash to your prep and drink with a straw.
Take your phone/iPad into the bathroom along with your drink and mumsnet or watch something funny.
Be prepared to feel like shit (haha) the next day or two and to have little appetite which won't help matters.
Have the sedation and gas and air.
I pooped a small amount the day after but then nothing for 6 days due to the big clear out and the lack of food.
Take painkillers for the hunger headache you'll get.
Put Sudocrem on as soon as you start the prep and before you start pooping and apply with tissue or cotton wool after every toilet visit.
I hope it all goes smoothly for you. The moviprep clear out didn't cause any pain.

I got my all clear letter today 😃

@kitchenSink5 I'm glad you've found it useful. I'm sorry about the ÚC and hope you can get your symptoms under control.

@DumbledoresWand how are you doing?

@painintheargh ..so glad you've got your results!!... I've just mixed my first lot of Moviprep... just want tomorrow out of the way now. I've got all the helpful bits and bobs to hopefully make thus evening a bit less uncomfortable, so fingers crossed.
Have had a headache since I woke up this morning, think it's probably down to stress!!!
I'm a tennis fan, so hopefully that will keep me amused into this evening

@DumbledoresWand thinking of you and hoping it went ok.

DumbledoresWand - hope today was ok

Waiting 4 my scan results. They were menna be with dr within 48 hrs but not there yet

@painintheargh
@worldwidetravel2017
Everything went smoothly, felt quite tired though, the Moviprep was doing its thing til midnight..
Had a small polyp removed, just because it was there rather than it looking suspicious, but she said everything else looked fine, and nothing concerning to see - massive relief!! She said there was a small pile which could have been the cause of my positive FIT test
My ultrasound results were available today. Everything including gallbladder, ovaries, uterus were all fine, but my liver has developed Non Alcoholic Liver Disease (also known as Fatty Liver).. this could be why my platelets have been raised. No medication for this but changes to diet, and more exercise. So, this is the start of me trying to be more healthy and do more to try and keep this under control.
@worldwidetravel2017 - hope you get your results soon!
All the waiting is such a stressful time..

Stressful waiting it is

Glad you got on okay :)

Take it easy tomorrow too

@DumbledoresWand that's great news! My mum and I both have fatty livers but don't have any issues because of it. For us it seems to be genetic. We don't drink, not overweight, no risk factors. The consultant mum is under has no concerns. If there's changes you can make then obviously do but for us there is nothing to change. Rest now and be kind to yourself.

Started the prep about 20 minutes ago, it is so awful 😭😭

@WhispersOfWickedness mix line or lemon squash into it and lots of ice and drink with a straw. Or have a nice clear drink in one glass to drink straight after the nasty stuff. So a mouthful of prep followed by a mouthful of nice stuff. I just sipped mine to make sure I wasn't sick. I found the second jug easier going.

Oh, I hope the second dose is better, it was so awful and I only just got it down 😭 The time spent on the loo since has been a doddle in comparison 😆

The prep is just nasty, but @painintheargh is right.. a straw, a nice flavoured drink to go with it, and you're already halfway through, so every drink you have is a drink closer to finishing.

There has got to be a better way 😭 I did straw etc 😔

Evening

How are we all ?

I have an appt with dr this week

A small fibroid was found on my recent scans

Have to discuss that and raised ca125 etc with dr

Booked my next feretin blood test 4 next week

Have a day 21 progesterone check / blood test this week

My free soul pcos supplement with myo inostol arrives in post tomorrow

My shbg reading / number was low ^
Apparently that could help it too..

Period due end of this week ish

My partner and i would love a child

I worry re my age

We tried our luck in what i think was latter bit of what could of been this months fertile window as per flo app

However - as scan noted copus luteum on an ovary
I think our attempts were a little late

Gunna try from days 9 / 10 of next cycle

@worldwidetravel2017 wow that's a lot you've got going on there. The fibroid could explain the raised ca125. Let us know how you get on. Your mention of ferritin levels has reminded me to take my iron tablets. I forget all the time. I'm really feeling tired the last two weeks too as though the effects of low ferritin are being felt now whereas they weren't before. I'm going to ask for a repeat test too and also ask about IV ferritin. I'm doing better with my diet so that's good.

Def take the iron tablets :)

Ive been having cornflakes with blue berries every am 4 folic acid & other goodness

Taking zinc , vit D & folic acid

Also having actimel with vit D in

Brown brown.. brown pasta etc 4 iron - hard tho cuz bowel issues even with polyps removed
Altho some of that could be stress & anxiety

Hope you feel less tired soon

How old are you @worldwidetravel2017 ?
Good luck with trying for a baby 🤞🤞🤞

36.5 eek

And maybe maybe pcos