Colonoscopy prep

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I am a 50-year-old cisgender man, and regular DMARD-monitoring blood tests (for Rheumatoid Arthritis) highlighted a steady decline in my Hb and RBC a couple of months ago, around which time I also started fainting and falling frequently. So, amongst other things, my GP decided to get me to take a FIT test, in order to identify if there was any internal bleeding contributing to the anemia. Incidentally, my chronic constipation had begun to worsen significantly around this time, and what had been steady weight loss started to become more dramatic too.

The FIT test came back >400 so I was referred on the urgent cancer pathway to the colorectal team. After my telephone appointment, I was referred for a pelvic and abdominal CT, gastroscopy and colonoscopy, all of which are scheduled for 30th December. Due to my ongoing constipation, I have been advised to begin a low-residue diet from today, and because we have a 4 hour drive to the hospital on the day, I have been advised to take the Plenvu the evening before.

Understandably, I am terrified about the worst outcomes of the procedure, but I am grateful and fortunate it is all happening so quickly. My biggest anxiety and fear is about my bowel not being sufficiently clear for the colonoscopy to take place as scheduled. I depart on a 6 week work trip a few days later, so any rescheduled date would not be until mid-February, which is a lot of time in which to worry further and become more scared.

Therefore, I would be grateful for any advice or guidance as to

1. how to maximise the likelihood of the Plenvu adequately emptying my bowels;

2. how to ensure that the low-residue diet doesn’t itself exacerbate my constipation;

3. anything else to ensure I am as thoroughly prepared as possible between now and then for the colonoscopy on Monday.

I know there are lots of people on this forum who are wrestling with lots of huge worries and fears, but I would be hugely grateful were any forum members able to help who have been through similar circumstances and still managed a successful colonoscopy.

Thanks in advance

Kareno62 over 1 year ago in reply to cavy

Hi cavy Well good news that there was nothing untoward found during the colonoscopy but I can totally understand where you’re coming from in regard to the next steps. Bowel cancer has been eliminated as the cause of the high fit test and your other symptoms but still leaves the question as to what’s causing them? I remember having a separate coeliac blood test as it’s not checked during a fbc but not sure if coeliac disease causes a high fit test?
Hopefully your scan results will come back quickly and you can discuss the next steps forward with your consultant.

Please keep us updated? Posts like this can be helpful to others experiencing similar symptoms so please don’t ever feel that you’re being disrespectful to those who have had a cancer diagnosis - although the colonoscopy has been a good outcome for you I’m sure others will appreciate that there is still an issue that needs further investigation for you

Take care

Karen x

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

Arial88 over 1 year ago in reply to cavy

Hi cavy that's good news, but I can absolutely see why you need answers as to symptoms. I hope the GP appointment is helpful, a follow up FIT sounds sensible. Good luck with next steps, let us know how you get on!

Susan13 over 1 year ago in reply to cavy

Good news that there's no camcer in the large intestine. As you've said, they still need to identify the reason for your symptoms.

Please don't feel bad talking freely here. I've haven't met anyone who will judge you for not having cancer. Personally, I celebrate it when scopes are clear. Your suffering is real regardless of what caused it.

Also this is great for all the people waiting for test results. It's all well and good for Karen to quote the statistic that only 1 in 10 colonoscopies results in a cancer diagnosis. But nothing is more reassuring than seeing someone in the 9 out of 10 group!

Good luck on your additional testing. Hopefully the find the cause of your symptoms soon.

cavy over 1 year ago in reply to Susan13

Thank you, Kareno62 , Susan13 and Arial88 for these kind messages.

I certainly hope this thread proves useful to others:

as you say, to add a personal story to support the 1 in 10 statistics, given how easy and natural it is to think the worst when you are placed on the cancer pathway;
to give reassurance that, if you follow all the instructions you’re given (in my case, it was 5 days of low-residue + both Plenvu doses the day before, even though it was an afternoon procedure, because of the long drive - but everyone’s instructions may be slightly different), the scopes are likely to be very clear - even if, unlike the one-size-fits-all guidance that says that you only know when your bowel is clear if you are passing clear liquid, what you pass, even after almost 15 bowel movements, never stops being brown and cloudy; and the ‘flushing’ only starts after dose 2;
and to share that, for me, the Plenvu wasn’t as difficult as I feared it would be, and nor were the procedures themselves - it was the worry and fear which felt like it was flooring me.

My next steps, apparently, unless the CT results indicate otherwise, are likely to be a capsule endoscopy (to have a good look at the small intestine, most of which, I have learned, is not seen by the gastroscopy or colonoscopy), an SEHCAT scan to check for malabsorption, and then, depending on those results, possibly a second FIT test.

So the search goes on, but, despite this, the relief about the colorectal results is huge.

PS. Despite everything I had been told beforehand, the nurses in the unit all told me I could eat literally anything I wanted for dinner that evening, and such was my hunger after what felt like a food-free Christmas, and my relief about the results, I went out for Fish and Chips, and an apple crumble with ice cream. I knew deep down this was a bad idea, but the fever, cramping and other symptoms that followed for the next 36 hours confirmed it. So my advice here is, whatever you are told, reintroduce normal foods very gradually after the procedures, to ease yourself gently back into your everyday diet!