Hi and thanks for your post.

I am sorry to learn of your situation. Living with the uncertainty and waiting to have tests is worrying and can cause a lot of anxiety. It’s very common to worry about the possibility of cancer. However, it’s important to remember that until you have your results, these are thoughts and not facts. It would be worth talking to your GP about your concerns and how worried you are, as they know your situation and they may be able to give you further support. Some people cope by keeping busy or distracting themselves. Others use calming breathing exercises or mindfulness and relaxation.  

A positive FIT ( faecal immunochemical test ) can be caused by other conditions as well as bowel cancer. This can include haemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel problems, polyps and diverticular disease so it is important to know that having a positive fit does not mean you have bowel cancer, even with a high FIT.

A FIT test is considered to be positive if the results are above 10, so most people with a FIT test between 10 and 400 are likely to be referred to the hospital for further tests such as a colonoscopy. 

I was unsure why you had a repeated FIT. Sometimes it is possible that the FIT result can be different if it is repeated, again this does not mean it is cancer, but it does mean that further tests such as a colonoscopy are needed to examine the bowel closely. Unfortunately, until you have your colonoscopy no one can say why the results of the repeated FIT test were different or why there is blood in the stool. It is this uncertainty that can cause worry and anxiety. So thinking about what support you need whilst waiting for the colonoscopy can be helpful.

I hope this information helps Please get back to us if you need any more information or support.  You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Take care

Jemma