Varying results on FIT tests

[Everlong2789]

I have had IBS for decades so thought I had just been having a bad flare up of that for the past month. Stools were very dark but no visible red blood. I took a home FIT test one day to make myself feel better (it didn’t) and it quickly came up positive. Hoping it was faulty test, I repeated the next day (had bought a 3 pack) and it was also quickly positive. I used the 3rd test a week later and it was negative and just did another today and negative. In the midst of all of this, I did go to a gastroenterologist. I could only get in with a nurse practioner, but it allowed me to get endoscopy and colonoscopy scheduled.

I told her history of IBS, positive home FIT test and have lost 10 lbs in 6 months (now weigh only 105 at 5’7”) and she scheduled me like 5 weeks out (appt August 7). I did try calling other Dr. offices but they were booked so far out for the initial consultation that it wouldn’t have helped. Is this the normal procedure? I thought healthcare in US was supposedly better than in UK but I see a positive FIT there gets them scheduled urgently within 2 weeks?!

I have anxiety when everything is going fine so this has really ramped it up which, of course, is making my symptoms worse. I have 14 year old twin sons and keep panicking that I won’t be there for them. I am 54, no family history (that I know of) of cancer but my mom has ulcerative colitis since she was young and she has polyps removed at her frequent colonoscopies. I had a colonoscopy around 22 years ago. That’s when IBS was diagnosed. One benign polyp was removed and I was told to return in 10 years. I didn’t 🙁. I was in the thick of it with having toddlers but I have no justifiable excuse for having not gotten it done more recently. I did cologuard 2 1/2 years ago and it was negative. I don’t know how much consolation I can take from that.

Would it be common in colon cancer for a FIT test to only be positive some of the time? And, if yes, how can it be regarded as something helpful to do once a year? If I had done one test (like most people) this week it would have been negative. While I dread the prep and tests, at this point I’m more scared of the results than anything else and kicking myself for not going back for one sooner.

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi Everlong2789,

Try this site and perhaps your colonoscopy can be moved up.👍

It is sad, but it can really matter where you are when dealing with healthcare needs.

Tom

colonoscopyassist.com/

[Everlong2789 in reply to GCCA-Survivor]

Thanks! I’m also going to call the place I am scheduled with tomorrow and ask if they can move it any sooner if I use a different Dr at their practice. I think since a used a home FIT test and had the negative cologuard 2 1/2 years ago, they aren’t prioritizing me. They did run a CBC panel because apparently, if those numbers were off, it has to be done at the hospital instead of their outpatient facility but things like iron came back at the lowest end of normal.

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator in reply to Everlong2789]

Sounds good. Also, ask to get prioritized to fill a cancellation. Have your prep materials ready to go. It may be short notice 🤔👍.