Positive fit test and colonoscopy result.

Hi,Id just like to share my experiences that ive been through over the last few weeks for the benefit of people who are going through the same thing.

Im a 50 year old male and I recently had a fit test result of 16. Not massively over but over nonetheless. Immediately I'm thinking the worse and I was convinced I had bowel cancer. I'd noticed blood whilst wiping on the odd occasion which I'd never seen before. My other symptoms were a change in my toilet habits and occasionally I'd get stomach pains. I'm going to sound like a hypocrite here but stay off Google as it sent me doolally! My anxiety was worsened as well by a work colleague who's recently had bowel cancer but has since made a full recovery. 

Just because your fit test is high it doesn't mean you have cancer. It could be lots of things. Believe me I was the world's worst at being anxious to the point that it made me I'll. Share your thoughts with family and this forum helped me as well.

I had my colonoscopy today. They were really nice and helpful and made me feel totally at ease. The pre examination drink was fowl but I split my drinks into quarter measures and had one every 15 minutes,then the other 4 a few hours later. Be warned though, don't stray to far from a toilet. My colonoscopy was ok, I had the sedation and barely felt anything. They found I had internal piles,4 polops that they removed and I also have colitis. Apparently the colitis can cause slight bleeding. It's quite enflamed down there which I now have to take suppositories for the next month to hopefully get it back to normal. 

Don't be Afraid it could be anything and you really need to have the colonoscopy to give you the all clear and peace of mind.

Good luck and thank you to the good people on here who helped me. 

Take care. 

Steve.

  • Polyps I know take a lot of years to develop..ive heard 10 years or so to turn malignant so a positive perhaps if you had a clear colonoscopy 5 years ago..it is weird us 70s children are getting things younger..guess it is good they reduced the age of the routine FIT test otherwise I wouldn't have been caught till later.x

  • Offline in reply to Helensr

    I have had 2 positive fit tests.  

    1st one was piles, then 18 months later i had a routine bowel cancer screening test.  That came back as positive.     Went for another colonoscopy, and they found a polyp, which was removed and i will be put back on the listcfor another Fit test in 2 years.

    Its hard not to worry, but its good that you are being seen - and just remember, its not necessarily cancer x 

  • Offline in reply to Reb73

    Wow! 2 positive FIT tests. Did you ever feel worried about the "what ifs"?

    Also, hope you don't mind me asking but why did you have a FIT test so soon after the first one?

    So appreciate you taking the time to reply to me ️ x

  • Absolutely ref the FIT test age. Thank goodness yours was caught and you now have a clean bill of health for it x

  • Offline in reply to Rana15

    Yes, i did worry, but thought atcleast they are moving quickly so if there are any problems - hopefully theyvwill.catch it early.

    My 1st fit test was due to feeling exhausted, tired and changes in my bowel movements.  I also had an endoscopy wgere i found out i had a hiatus hernia.   The 2nd one ( 18 months later) was just a routine bowel cancer screening test.  

    They did say i didnt have to have the 2nd colonoscopy, but theyvalso said that things can change - so i decided to go ahead - cos you just dont know do you?   If i had left it, and was recalled 2 years later as per the screening recall - it could potentially been different news, and possibly if it was cancer - it could have been too late - do you get what i mean? 

    Thats why i decided to go ahead.   

  • Offline in reply to Reb73

    Ah ok, yes I do know what you mean. Plus knowing you'd had a positive result and left it would definitely eat away at me so you definitely did the right thing x

  • Offline in reply to Reb73
    • PS did the hiatus hernia cause anemia for you? X
  • Offline in reply to Rana15

    Not yet, im.on lansaprozole daily.   Been told to.lose weight which will help it.   Not easy when you are going through menopause.   Im trying, bit not very successful x

  • Offline in reply to Reb73

    Perimenopause and menopause are savage on our bodies! Hope you're coping OK on the lansaprozole and it lessens the symptoms for a hernia. My mum has one and I know she gets incredibly painful reflux from it x

  • Yes am so glad they reduced the age for routine FIT tests as i had no symptoms so finding it was malignant was a total shock...I was stage 2 so caught before it moved out of the bowel so have been really fortunate...altho still 3 years of surveillance till I know I'm clear..so long way to go yet x