I’ve attached a link to the NICE guidelines and section 1.6 covers follow up guidelines. They recommend following up for 3 years but a lot of hospitals still seem to monitor you for 5 years. I was diagnosed through a colonoscopy in 2016 and then had another one before being discharged in 2021. I had scans and CEA checks a lot more regularly - if you click on my name then you can see my timeline
Anyone with an ileostomy should bear in mind that bowel prep is not required prior to a colonoscopy. This should be brought to the hospital's attention before attending as I discovered that confusion surrounds the issue.
I had one a year after surgery, then it will/may be 5 years. Shall have to wait and see, as signed off from collecterol now after 3 years. Not sure what happens after then.
I was initially told that I'd get colonoscopies at 12 months and 48 months following diagnosis. Because I still have an ileostomy though, they won't now happen. I queried this and was advised that they wouldn't be able to check the large bowel so CEA bloods and CT would be the back up plan. It seems as if different areas have different protocols.
