Evening all,
My Grandma (64) had a FIT test come back positive with a reading of >400. She was referred for an urgent colonoscopy, which is currently at a 2 week wait with NHS.
Symptoms of loose mucousy stools, upset stomach, and increased need to empty bowels started a couple years, but GP has been advising her it's IBS and food intolerances; he gave her Buscopan and told her to change up her diet. She took the advice, and the episodes seemed to remit here and there, but recently it's been back with a vegenance. She has diarrhea frequently for the last couple of months, and now has had a bit of bright red blood in stools a few times. GP got her to do a FIT test when she told him about the blood and persistent diarrhea, and the results were as mentioned above. She has no weight loss or loss of appetite and is generally 'well' otherwise, but she says she has some days were she feels 'off' (fatigued, abnormally warm, and just overall 'meh'), but other days where she feels absolutely fine and fit.
She is in good spirits -- though I suspect just putting on a brave face -- but I am so nervous! Of course, I'm reassuring her and telling her to not worry and just wait for the colonoscopy, but my anxiety is through the roof. The FIT reading and symptoms are absolutely indicative of *something* being amiss, and now we just have to hope it's something less malicious than cancer. She had a half-sister through her Mother who had sadly bassed from a 10+ year battle with bowel cancer many, many, years ago so the worry is on even more - even though nobody else in the family has ever had it, and it's not known if anyone on her half-sisters paternal side had it either. Either way, it's making me panic even more knowing there is even just a small potentially familial link. My Grandma is everything to me; I can't lose her now.
I've read a handful of posts on here of people in the same boat, re: very elevated FIT test numbers, but few people posting follow-up updates -- which honestly makes me think they were probably cancer-free, which is good - but I suppose I'm just looking for some confirmation bias in the interim between now and the colonoscopy. Sigh. I have no one else to really share with, and obviously I have to keep positive for my Grandma, which is why I'm posting here.
Will post updates whatever happens after colonoscopy.
