High Positive FIT Test - Extremely Worried

[PeppaPigster]

Hello,

I just had back my results from a FIT test I did last week, it came back as very high (106). As you can imagine, I am completely freaked out and would love to hear some positive stories to calm me down until my colonoscopy (which I will book first thing tomorrow).

Background is: I suffer from health anxiety and had done one of those private 'cancer screenings' two years ago that checks all sorts of bloods and markers and also does a FIT test. Everything came back more or less fine, only the FIT sample was positive (around 20 back then). I followed this up with my GP/NHS and they asked me to do another FIT test before referring me on for a colonoscopy, so I did another one about 2 weeks later, and that one came back negative. So the NHS said no need to follow up further. And so although this had given me peace of mind initially, it has been in the back of my mind since then to do a repeat FIT test. I am so angry I waited 2 years for this.

It's probably worth mentioning that I have no real bowel issues. If anything, my digestion is probably one of the things that works best in my body (I do suffer from other issues). No constipation or diarrhoea, no intolerances, no bloating, I go regularly at the same time every day. So I was really surprised when - from all the things they tested - it was the FIT that came back as suspicious.

Now, two years later, I still don't have any issues with my bowels. I have gained stubborn weight around my belly and hips (blaming this on peri menopause, I am 42), and sometimes feel a bit of discomfort in my belly but I usually find this is more because everything has gotten a bit too tight these days.

I had a bit of a stomach bug 2 weeks ago - cramps and pain in my belly, and two days of diarrhoea. My kids also had diarrhoea the week before, so I wasn't really worried. But once this had settled I took that as my trigger to finally do another FIT test - and now the results are in and I am having a complete meltdown. I have read that if the FIT is higher than 100, then chances are 20% that it's cancer.

Does anyone know what the chances are of it being cancer if I am otherwise symptom-free? Is there any possibility that the stomach bug I had the week before might be responsible for this high result? Feeling sick with worry!

Hi op,
Sorry you're feeling so worried at the moment. I don't have any medical knowledge about this, but I wondered, how long had you been clear of the stomach bug and diarrhoea before you did the test?

Hi Thaimoon, I would say about a week?

The FIT test tests for blood in your poo. If you had diarrhoea it could have irritated or torn the bowel or caused some haemorrhoids, all of which could result in blood in your poo. I’d say the fact you’d recently had diarrhoea before taking the FIT test is likely to be the reason it’s come back high, it seems sensible to follow it up with your GP but hopefully it’s just because the diarrahoea irritated the bowel.

Hi, I had a really high positive fit test at the beginning of 2020. I don’t know the number but the dr informed me that it was “almost definitely” bowel cancer.
It wasn’t.
I had to wait months for my results, the colonoscopy was done just a few days before lockdown so nobody could sort my test results. But I was given a diagnosis of microscopic colitis (which is the “best” kind of colitis as no permanent damage).
With hindsight I think the continual flaring up of diarrhoea like symptoms I had were what caused such a high number on the fit, so that maybe what has happened in your case too.

I do get blood in my poo after diarrhoea so hopefully that's what's caused your positive result. I hope you get reassuring test results from here going forwards

I've recently had a FIT test which came in at 200, though I did have bleeding every time I went to the toilet. Colonoscopy booked in now. Have you had a full set of blood tests done, including CA125? None of these things are in themselves absolutely predictive of cancer but if they all come together to read positive it's more likely I think.

It's a very stressful time and full of anxiety waiting for things to get moving, I know.

Sorry you are going through something similar. When is your colonoscopy booked in for?

I haven’t had any other tests done, the FIT test I paid for myself (it‘s one of those you order online). I will call my insurance tomorrow, I hope I can do this all privately to speed things up. It’s the waiting and googling that’s the worst.

Have you had bleeding for long?

I’m 32 and did a FIT test last year. I was getting weird stomach pains had a bug around 3 weeks before but these pains weren’t easing up.

my FIT test came back positive. Straight on the 2 week pathway for a colonoscopy. Besides myself with worry.

Everything was completely normal and was put down to blood from straining/piles/stomach bug.

please try not to worry. The fact you’ve had a bug it could well be exactly what I had.

This is what I am hoping and praying for, thank you. But will definitely be doing a colonoscopy this time!

Thank you so much! I‘m glad it was nothing! How was the colonoscopy?

I’ve actually had 2 colonoscopy’s and 1 sigmoidoscopy altogether. First colonoscopy was 13 years ago and sigmoidoscopy 5 years and a current colonoscopy last year.

I was dreading the last colonoscopy because I found the last ones extremely painful. (I have quite a complicated stomach, which didn’t help)

however, this time around it was completely fine and totally manageable. Nothing like what I remembered previous ones being.

The prep is a bit grim, but it does pass.

knowing the outcome straight away is great as well!

@PeppaPigster

'When is your colonoscopy booked in for? ... Did you have bleeding for long?'

Booked in this week. Bleeding for 3 weeks.

so 80% chance of being not cancer on those odds…..loads of bowel conditions …..could be anything or nothing…..try not to worry.

The blood could be down to the tummy bug you had, when I had gastroenteritis a few years ago I had a lot of blood in my stools. My partner had a positive fit test this year and his colonoscopy came back normal. Try not to worry too much, I know it's hard though.

I’ve had bowel cancer. I didn’t have any bowel symptoms or pain or obvious bleeding but I was very tired and when my GP ran blood tests I was severely anaemic. I’m post menopausal so we needed to work out how I was losing blood and booked a colonoscopy.

Its good that you’re doing the colonoscopy just to be certain but there’s a good chance that there’s nothing to worry about and it’s just a bug.

When is your colonoscopy scheduled for @berrybug ? I have mine on Thursday! Continuing to freak out and going to very dark places with my mind….

In my case I know it has nothing to do with inflammation (Calprotectin test was negative, and I don’t suffer from any digestive issues). I did suffer from horrible hemmorhoides during my pregnancies, but this was a few years ago. And even if I still did have internal piles I wasn’t aware of, surely you’d see the blood on the stool? (Could be the case with you maybe?)

So in my case, that really only leaves polyps or cancer doesn’t it? I am so worried, especially when I think of my three small children…

@PeppaPigster

I've now had it. The solution prep drink was the worst thing but have water alongside it and swig after every prep drink mouthful. I followed a small meal/white diet for 4 days before which really helped.

The colonoscopy was fine. I had sedation but I was alert and awake throughout and could see the video-screen.

They found 4 polyps and have sent them off for testing so will have to see what the biopsy results are but because they were small (less than 5mm) they have predicted that these will likely be benign so I'm being cautiously optimistic.

They said the blood was likely due to a pile (had it since childbirth but it cones and goes).

So, all tentatively good. I hope you're okay. It's a very stressful time.

@berrybug so pleased your colonoscopy was ok. I think they can normally tell if a polyp is dodgy so that’s good news.

@PeppaPigster best of luck today. I saw blood n my stool for the first time a couple of weeks ago and after a positive FIT am booked in for a colonoscopy tomorrow.

Dreading the results more than the procedure but trying to keep in mind that positive FITs are common and 9/10 that are positive aren’t cancer.

Keeping everything crossed for all of us x

I‘m back home - the colonoscopy was literally a walk in the park. They sedated me with Propofol (seems to be the standard if you go private?) so I was actually asleep! They found a 1cm polyp which they removed and sent for biopsy - but the doctor told me he was 100% sure it wasn’t cancer, so I am cautiously optimistic.

He said it was definitely worth having done the procedure though to remove it, so I‘m very pleased! He recommended I do another in 3 years‘ time.

@berrybug I am glad to hear you had good news too!

@Irishgal11 I‘m sure you will be fine! My Fit test was 106, but the doctor said even that wasn’t really THAT high, and he told me before the procedure that we really wasn’t expecting to find anything! The odds are definitely in your favour! Good luck!

@PeppaPigster ah I’m delighted for you! Such a relief.

And good to know what he said about your 106 not being high. Mine was a 74 and all drs I’ve spoken with says cancer v unlikely so hoping the experts are right!

Prep starts in a couple of hours…

All good for me too. No polyps but found the haemorrhoid that most likely caused the bleed. Relieved would be an understatement!

Worst 2 weeks ever but so pleased it’s over.

Amazing!!! Good news all around!