Can you do a FIT test wrong?

[Wobblyheart]

I have a lot of concerning symptoms, 38yo female and awaiting investigations.

I have had a fit test which came back with 4 but essentially result was given as "negative".

However, I just realised I didn't follow instructions and I didn't brush along the poop, instead I just dipped the stick in one spot. Would this invalidate the test?

Did you just get enough to cover only one groove? If so it might not have been enough.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bowel-cancer-screening-kit-how-to-use/nhs-bowel-cancer-screening-fit-kit-instructions

They returned my result so I guess they were able to process it. However I can see that on the slides they show as if you have to have to sort of sweep the surface of the poo and I just dipped it in one spot so nit sure whether it didn't collect the "outside" of the stool and not a representative example maybe....

I’d mention it to your GP and see what they have to say. If they’re concerned about it they’ll probably ask you to repeat the test.

Try not to worry too much!

Hi, what was the out come of this as I may be in the same boat?

Hi - I think the BCSP thresholds are along the lines of 80 in Scotland, 120 in England and 150 in Wales - for symptomless folks. But for those with symptoms, I believe the threshold is 10 across all the nations. But the FIT is just one of many tests available.

I don't believe there is an incorrect technique - as long as the sample is big enough to process - I managed to obtain my figure of 170-odd with the same method you have described - with a result that was out of the blue, no symptoms etc., completely unexpected. You say you are "awaiting investigations" so I think you have further support in hand OP?

While I have declined the colonoscopy for reasons I wont go into here, my partner was referred due to their symptoms alone without ever even doing the FIT test (apparently it wasn't even discussed for some reason) - so totally via the GPs actions. So as the BCSP and RubyTrees advises - speak to your GP in the first instance if you are in anyway concerned OP. Best of luck!

GP said to retest, which I did and it was also negative. I'd ask GP for a second test for just your peace of mind (or you can buy one online but it is a bit pricey)

Hi, I’m wondering the same. I did some of the Amazon FOB tests and some came positive but with those you meant to dip into it.
Im to do theNHS FiT test yet.
I always thought I need to dip into the actual poo as I thought the blood would be inside? I couldn’t not find any answers if the blood is inside or outside actually.
Im so confused about it too..

@Wobblyheart did the gp said about the blood being in or outside?

"The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) looks for tiny traces of blood in your poo that are too small to see. The test recognises human blood. This means it is less likely to pick up other blood in your poo that might have come from something you ate."

www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/tests-and-scans/FIT

I am aware of this but I still want to know if the test should be done by dipping inside the sample or scrape the sample surface outside.?
The Amazon FOB tests are all to dip inside and NHS says to scrape outside.
I am confused about this?

I am aware of this but I still want to know if the test should be done by dipping inside the sample or scrape the sample surface outside.?

I think it depends on the consistency.

When I’ve done mine in the past I’ve rubbed it along the sample on the outside so that all the grooves were filled. I was doing the test due to malabsorption symptoms and it was easy to fill because the stools were loose.

If the stools were more solid I would've put the stick inside the sample and then tried to fill as much as I could.

Please don’t worry too much - it really doesn’t have to be perfectly filled, just do as much as you’re able to.

No he didn't, he just said to follow instructions. So your amazon test might be different to how the FIT test works hence different instructions. I would ask gp for the fit test and scrape along to catch most surface

Hello, I did the NHS last week and it came back negative, saying no blood detected. I scraped outside the samples surface multiple times.

Oh I dipped only too. I guess I should re do.

Redoing is good actually, I would take it as a comfort that it was negative since my dipped ones were negative too.

There are tests online you can buy and sed off too, but essentially if you have 2 consecutive negative FITs the accuracy increases to nearly 99%

That’s good to know. Just not sure I’ve got the money for a second one!

Try asking your GP, they are normally happy to give you those if you have recurrent symptoms (does not need tk be bleeding). But I had 3 for tests done in the last year via the GP.