Recent poo test

I had full pelvic radiotherapy and it caused significant bleeding.

I imagine that he will need a colonoscopy.

Hi johnam - I’ve seen this many times before.  Even a small indistinguishable amount of blood in a sample will trigger a check.  However, it’s almost certainly a by product of post radiotherapy irritation and will heal on its own.  AW

Hello Liz

So sorry to read that - I am sure it will be nothing, although it's best to be checked out.

I've had 3 colonoscopy's and had a few "dodgy" looking polyps snipped off. I found the colonoscopy pretty painless - as for the preparation the night before the less said the better. On colonoscopy number 2 the cutter broke and he had to take the entire thing out and do it again!!

Mine were done as a precaution as it looks like they don't get a full view of the "pipework" on your MRI.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Thanks Millibob 

our GP called this afternoon and she has prepared him that he maybe given a colonoscopy.. Although she thinks it probably post RT.   thank you for your input . It means such a lot to us both 

hugs to you & Mrs Millibob & hope you have a great Xmas 

Liz & OH xx

Hello Liz

At our local diagnostic centre you get the option to watch the entire thing on TV. I found it amazing and although I was holding the gas and air in my hand for pain relief (you had the option of a local anesthetic), I never touched it - I couldn't keep my eyes off my own insides! And yes I hate the sight of my own blood and am needle phobic!!

IF he is going for one - the night before when he has to drink the awful mixture to empty your bowels - drink it through a straw, you hardly taste it!! .

(You have reminded me I will start a Christmas greetings thread early next month so they are all in one place - best wishes to you two too)

Kind Regards - Brian (and Mrs M (Lorraine)) xx

Hi Liz (johnam ),  RT can cause damage around the pipework and blood is often the result, so all very normal.  Shortly after my RT I developed bleeding 3 or 4 times a week.  Enough to be visible in the pan or on toilet tissue.  It was quite unnerving to see and after 8 years I still get a bleed every month or two.   The poo test is very sensitive and can detect minute amounts of blood, so this is quite likely to be from radiation proctitis, diverticulitis or just a rogue pile.  A colonoscopy is a very simple process and fairly pain free. The hard bit is preparing the pipework to be empty!

Thank you David , 

we are sitting waiting on THE phone call . Will update once we know what they think 

thank you for caring it means a lot 

Liz & OH xx

Hi David2017 

yoo are spot on . Colonoscopy 4th December . Xx

I remember my radiotherapy team mentioning that many patients end up with a colonoscopy due to bleeding caused by their treatment. I got the impression that in many cases they thought this unnecessary and that patients had not advised the bowel screening team that they had been treated with radiotherapy,

I guess the main thing is to let the bowel cancer screening people know that you have had radiotherapy and if you've experienced any bleeding.

At the end of the day if you are bleeding its probably not a bad thing to get things checked out so you are sure of the cause and can explore any available mitigations.

Good Luck Rob

Hi Sandberg  Rob

thank you . He explained this to the person in the phone . He hadn’t noticed any blood but said the say he did the sample he had to strain as he was constipated . So more than likely that . But he decided better getting it done just incase .  They phoned him late yesterday and offered a cancellation on Thursday at 8am so it’s a week earlier saving him worrying more .

thank you for caring it means a lot 

Liz & OH xx