Pancreatic rest and Bowel polyps - should I worry?

[TyneFilth]

Had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy last week. Various 'interesting' findings on my notes, but due to the effect of the bowel inflation/irrigation on my diverticula, I was in total agony even with the maximum sedation and G&a. The consultant couldn't complete the whole colonoscopy, so I will have to have a repeat procedure under general anaesthetic. They've just offered a date when I'm out of the country on holiday, and the next opportunity won't be until September. I've asked to be kept in mind if there are any cancellations in July but they've said not very likely.

My question is probably unanswerable I know, but I want to understand whether I should be kicking up a fuss and trying to be seen sooner. They've taken a 4mm sessile polyp from the sigmoid (unclear whether that's being tested for anything), and biopsies from my duodenal bulb, D2 and antrum. If any of those are dodgy, how fast can the likely problems develop to a point that treatment becomes difficult/pointless?

I first had what I thought was IBS in October 2022, first diagnosed with diverticulitis by a CT scan in May 2023, referred for a gynae scan though to rule out ovarian torsion, then treated for iron deficiency with the basic ferrous fumarate which just caused more constipation and bowel pain. So from the point of that CT it has taken a whole year to get seen for my actual gut, which I've been saying was the problem all along. Iron deficiency actually seems to have been solved by taking antibiotics to kill off the H Pylori which my lovely GP (a bowel cancer survivor herself) was v diligent and realised we should test for.

So my questions are really -

1. Worst case, what might I have?
2. How fast could it progress?
3. Should I complain at the time it's taken to get to this point?
4. Who should I complain to - PALS?
5. Would going private be any use or would it just extend the queue for everyone else in a similar situation to me?

I am female, 45, some family history of IBD on my mum's side, healthy weight, non smoker, don't drink much any more, good varied diet.

1 you won’t know until you’ve had the colonoscopy to check all the bowel. My DH has diverticulitis and his colonoscopy wasn’t successful and he had a CT scan which confirmed colitis. I don’t know how complaining will help, it seems like you’ve been offered a date, but you cannot make it, so they’ve offered you another. Where we live they only work on a 2 week calendar. Going private should be quicker.

Unbelievably, I've had exactly what you have. H Pylori, sessile polyps removed during colonoscopy, diverticulosis, iron deficiency. What are the chances!

Anyway, the polyps couldn't be removed first time around as they were too big. Got them second time with sedation only, no major pain or discomfort. H pylori treated successfully, and I had an iron infusion which sorted out the iron deficiency. I had a GI bleed from a perforated ulcer due to H Pylori which led to iron issue. High fibre diet for the diverticulosis.

The removed polyps and other biopsies were analysed, all clear thankfully, and colonoscopy will be repeated every three years.

I don't know how quickly they might follow up if something sinister is found, which I hope isn't the case, but I would say fairly sharpish.

I'm fine now, no recurrence of anything and I get an abdo scan for other things every six months, but they keep an eye on pancreas, liver, gall bladder and all that.

You're planning on complaining rather than rearranging your holiday?

Seriously, if you want to get to the bottom of it and feel you've already waited too long, why on earth wouldn't you take the next available appointment?

I'm not "planning on complaining", no, @ChrisPPancake . My questions (given that this is the health topic, not AIBU) are really whether the limited info so far is enough to mean I should be worried, and therefore whether I should take a more assertive approach to hasten being seen. I am seeking people's experiences on whether this would make any difference (either to my own care, or for future patients). If it would just create more angst and drama, I am quite prepared to take some deep breaths and not Google "do I have bowel cancer" and "how fast does bowel cancer develop from a 4mm polyp".

For various reasons the holiday is not easily cancelled/moved. But obviously if for example my biopsies came back before then with something urgently actionable about them, I would. If the consultant or my GP doesn't indicate that results are holiday cancellation worthy, then I will continue taking those deep breaths and not Google "what is gastric erythema" and "is it bad to have pancreatic tissue growing through into my stomach".

@hastalav how amazing we are gut twins! That is really useful to know, especially the follow up frequency. That is reassuring thank you.

@Mindymomo the endoscopy secretary I spoke to today said that their surgery calendars are per month, so it seems that they have just had August's calendar released. There was only one day on it where an anaesthetist is bookable for gastro cases. And this is at a large hospital in the south east of England - I am guessing that they also were booking across the three-hospital trust.

@TyneFilth I do understand what you're saying, but you mentioned contacting PALS to complain and 'kicking up a fuss to be seen sooner' when actually you declined the offered appointment, so I was just giving my view.

Biopsies can take a couple of weeks for results to come back ime, treatment is not necessarily immediate due to timing of MDTs etc, plus they would probably want to have done the colonoscopy first so they know exactly what they're dealing with.

I do know how stressful the waiting can be though and I'm sorry I came across as a bit snappy.

I had a 4mm sessile poylp removed last year, looked dodgy apparently, but came back negative for cancer. Polyps are really slow growing and if they were majorly concerned they would be getting you in sooner and urgently. I also had high calprotectin and iron deficiency, I honestly thought it was bowel cancer, luckily for me it wasn't, despite having most of the symptoms.
Complaining isn't going to help you achieve anything and will probably just stress you out more.
You could go private yes. It won't affect waiting lists for anyone else and will get you seen a lot quicker.

Thank you for coming back @ChrisPPancake and I am also sorry I snapped at your points.

Thinking about it I am more confused/annoyed about last year's CT scan diagnosis not being turned into a gastroenterology referral, but to the gynae scan. I think that PALS should be able to help me understand why that route was taken and I had to have three more episodes of diverticulitis before "it's my guts, really!" was believed enough to qualify me for a gastro referral. I worry that the past year is the lost time when a problem could have been growing unchecked, not the difference between a July/Aug/Sep follow up colonoscopy.

And I don't really have the money to go private so I don't even know why I'm putting that as an option.