Hi there,

Happy to hear that your experience was good. I'm anxiously awaiting a colonscopy myself. Hope you don't mind me asking, what were your symptoms??

I was absolutely dreading it but its nothing worry about!

Of course A lot of abdonimal pains, my toilets all over the place and some mucus/discharge also.

I hope you don't have to wait much longer for your one, are you having any bad symptoms?

That's great you had such a positive experience, I have been referred for a colonoscopy and I was really worried about it so your post was really helpful - thank you! 

I've had IBS constipation type usually since I was around 13, I'm 33 now and I have increased soft bowel movements and I feel like I don't "empty" properly when I go. So this is a big change for me. I have a fecal calprotecin sample to do and I have bloods next week, hopefully I hear from gastroenterology soon as my GP put it as an urgent referral

My pleasure, I hope it will go smoothly for you too!

Yes you defiently have to get to the bottom of it, be careful with with fecal calprotecin as my first reading was very low so clearly mistake on my side doing the sample as second time around was very high, you'll be probably get referred for contrast CT scan if your readings are high. It's a long road but it happened very quickly so fingers crossed you get to the bottom of your issue quickly too!

Thank you! I'm just hoping I need the toilet before 11.30am tomorrow as that's the cut off for the courier at my GP's. I'll have to wait until Monday then. 

Sorry if this is gross but have you any tips to ensure I get a good sample and the most accurate reading please? I've never done a stool sample before.

Oh yes, drink some green tea, might make it come out quicker as I was the same. 

That part is the hardest, not sure if you get like a band to go over toilet seat to do your stool on, once I have and 2nd time I haven't.

If you don't have that band pull loads of tissue down the toilet so you won't contaminate the sample and scoop it with the tiny spoon/scoop in the kit, it's not pleasant and remember don't contaminate it with toilet water that's the important bit.

I hope you get on OK! 

Good idea! Oh yes it's all worth it, looking forward to hearing from you, I hope it all goes well!

I have been experiencing abdominal pain, severe bloating, changes in bowel habits (mixture of constipation and loose stools), extreme fatigue and a little bit of mucus along with nausea. However my middle back has been excruciatingly painful over the last couple of weeks which makes my mind go crazy and go to the worst case scenario such as cancer although the doctors has said this is unlikely due to my age. My fc levels came back very high so I have been referred for a colonoscopy. 

Sounds very similar to my issues minus the back pain. I hope your colonoscopy shows no issues.

Atleast you've skipped one step after the FC samples you going straight for colonoscopy I had contrast CT scan before colonoscopy which found thickening of terminal ileum which made me worry sick for like 4 weeks.