Hi Fiona 2003 and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to learn of your situation. I can imagine this is a worrying time for you.

The FIT (faecal immunochemical test) is done to test for 'hidden' blood in poo. This is blood that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The stool sample is sent to the laboratory and they give it a number anything below 10 means there is no blood detected. Anything over 10 means that blood has been found (FIT positive) the highest number is 400.

Try not to read too much into how high the reading is, this does not mean it is cancer nor does it necessarily mean that you are at a higher risk of it being cancer. Finding blood means that further tests are needed such as a colonoscopy  so the doctor can take a closer look at the bowel.

Most people referred to the hospital with a positive FIT test will not have cancer. As well as ruling out cancer, the doctors will be looking for other non-cancerous conditions such as polyps or diverticular disease.

Waiting for tests and the results is seldom an easy situation to cope with.

People often experience a whole range of emotions when waiting for results. We know that talking can often relieve some of the distress and anxiety. There's some useful advice about talking therapies  and how to access them on the NHS website. In the meantime,   Anxiety UK has a good website with helpful tips on how to deal with anxiety in these situations. 

Waiting is difficult so I hope you know more about your  situation soon.

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.

Kind regards

Tina