Positive Cologuard

[james3389]

63 years old, never had colonoscopy and now feel I’m gonna pay the price. No cancer in family (yet), was having no symptoms, went with Cologuard which came back positive in June. Right after that developed extreme stress and anxiety due to mother passing and trouble in family. Then the next week symptoms started, drastic bowel changes, going 4 times in morning, hardly anything solid, urgent need to go after eating and pain in left side after eating. Lost 10 pounds. Colonoscopy scheduled for Aug. 17. Convinced it’s not going to be good.

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi james3389,

Thanks for posting on Colon Cancer Connected. I am sorry to hear about your mother passing. That's definitely not an easy thing to deal with and something very difficult to get past.

I'm glad to see you have your colonoscopy scheduled. That is absolutely the best way to get the answer you're looking for. It is also a good sign that cancer does not run in your family. That's an important piece of information. My family has lynch syndrome and that caused a lot of people related to my father to get tested. Just curious, what caused you to decide to have a Cologuard test? Were there symptoms that led up to that or was that just something you decided to do because you're 63?

Also, please know that what you're experiencing could be caused by a lot of different things. The key is to catch them early. Your colonoscopy should get you the answers you need. I wish you the best in finding those answers. Please let us know what you find out as it is that type of information that can be helpful to others on this site.

Thank you,

~Tom, GCCA Survivor - Colon Cancer Connected Site Administrator.

Just a reminder - this group is here to offer support, share experiences, and offer our thoughts - but this is not medical advice, and you should always consult your medical professional(s). Additionally, for all emergencies, seek urgent medical care, never delay.

[james3389 in reply to GCCA-Survivor]

Hi, thanks for your input. Doctor offered Cologuard during routine visit. No symptoms at the time, towards end of May. Got positive result back, then began a major episode of stress and anxiety from family issues, then symptoms started right after that, end of June and have continued since. There is a lot of IBS in family, but doctor told me Cologuard looks for cancerous DNA only. That sent my stress to a new level! Latest bowel movements have been mostly dark brown and loose, and have now been having discomfort and bloating in stomach after eating. Trying to stay positive but not working.

[Peanut20233 in reply to james3389]

I hope the shock and anxiety calms down. I’m awaiting my colonoscopy. There were a lot of tears and fears at the beginning and I still have my blips. Doesn’t help that the drs surgery/hospital lost my stool sample for the fit test 🙈 Where on earth is it?!? 🤣 So I have to do another one on Monday. I know it will be positive as I’ve had obvious blood in my stools since March. Anyway, the reason I’m writing is about your anxiety. It’s going to make all your symptoms worse. I know it’s not nice to be going through this but we are. You are taking the right steps to get the issue identified. It could be so many things! Even if it is cancer then you need to get it identified so you can start treatment. Worrying will not make it any better! It will only make you feel worse. Please don’t allow your world to be swallowed up by the fear every day. Do things you enjoy. When I’m feeling overwhelmed I go and water my plants and deadhead the flowers. Good luck to you. Come on you’ve got this and you’re on the road to getting some answers and treatment x

[MOLLYMILO007]

Awe James I'm sure most can identify with this ..I'm 64 had a fit test come back positive excruciating pain in lower left ruled out gynie probs as I'm.female so convinced myself it's something sinister has had been going on for weeks no weight loss but urs could be stress related ..honestly the mind plays awful tricks on us ask your gp for some diazapan or something for anxiety just to help you through this rough patch...I'm sure you will be fine ..my colonoscopy came back clear nothing in my colon as soon as I heard that the pains went ...amazing ...Good luck hope this helps x

[james3389 in reply to MOLLYMILO007]

Thanks for the kind words Molly. It is funny how symptoms seemed to start right after stress/anxiety episode locked in, but seem to be having more each day. Plus, I can’t get past the doctor saying positive Cologuard couldn’t be from anything else since it identifies cancerous DNA. Bathroom trips are a mess, and so am I!

[MOLLYMILO007 in reply to james3389]

Bless u .look keep things into perspective I'd and only if they can catch it early you have a big chance of recovering...u hear of so many having polyps etc and they remove them ..try to keep calm hard I know ...letvus all know lots of positive vibes to you x

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator in reply to MOLLYMILO007]

Early is key. Being a previvor doesn't get the recognition that it should. Catching a polyp and having it removed is huge. That's a big win.

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator in reply to james3389]

Another thing to think about is the positive outcome is also associated with 13% false positive outcomes. Either way, you should feel good in getting the colonoscopy as that will give you definitive information. I think you are in good position with having no symptoms leading into the testing. I think it's awesome that out of nowhere with no symptoms you had this done and may have caught something very early.

One way I deal with the stress associated with this is to focus on being the best patient I can be. When I was told I had stage 4 colon cancer, the biggest thing I had to come to grips with was I had no idea how to fight cancer. There it is and you have to fight. So I focused on what I could control and that was my body. I could exercise, hydrate, nutrition, attitude, rest, etc. as my body was the playing field. I had to make that the best place I could.

Colonoscopy tips ... move the prep procedures ups at least an hour to an hour and a half. This way the wave of having find a bathroom will have greatly calmed down so you can get some good sleep the night before. Do the same thing with the 2nd round of prep the day of the procedure. Also, I like to add some Gatorade flavors to the mix to thin it out and add some better flavor. Don't add anything red in color. There are all kinds of flavors you can mix up.

Good luck ... 👍👏

[james3389]

Abdominal discomfort becoming pretty persistent now, have now checked all the symptom boxes except fatigue. Hope for a decent outcome fading. Wish I could be more positive

[james3389 in reply to james3389]

This from this morning, couple other of these last few days. Have to call tomorrow to get seen soon. Looks like game over. Sorry for the picture

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[BryonP]

James a positive result does not confirm the presence of cancer and a negative result does not necessarily mean the absence of cancer. A clinical study determined that Cologuard gave 13% false positives and 8% false negatives. I for one had a negative test and a colonoscopy determined I had stage 3 cancer. Luckily it hadn’t spread outside the bowel although had broken through the bowel wall. I had a section of bowel removed and no chemotherapy. That was six years ago and still going strong at 78. Try not to worry (easier said than done I know) I wish you all the very best.