Bowel Screening

ewal

Blueingreen said:

In Scotland at least one of the good things is they've recently simplified this quite a bit, without going into unpleasant detail what you were expected to do was much more of a faff before now it's easy peasy, no excuse for not doing it.

Felt so sorry for the people at the other end employed to open the envelopes.... The new test is so much better.

Emp_Fab

I’m wondering if this is a regional thing as I too am 55 and never get any of the screening letters mentioned.

strumjoughlamps

Couple of years ago I had to have camera both ends, fortunately not the same camera

I found the mouth camera more uncomfortable than the bum one. 

PhilW1

ewal said:

Blueingreen said:

In Scotland at least one of the good things is they've recently simplified this quite a bit, without going into unpleasant detail what you were expected to do was much more of a faff before now it's easy peasy, no excuse for not doing it.

Felt so sorry for the people at the other end employed to open the envelopes.... The new test is so much better.

I felt sorry for the people at the “other end” too!

Philly_Q

strumjoughlamps said:

Couple of years ago I had to have camera both ends, fortunately not the same camera

I found the mouth camera more uncomfortable than the bum one. 

I've been through the same process, quite a while ago.  There wasn't any discomfort at either end, I find the finger-up-the-backside from the GP infinitely more distressing.

TADodger

I also didn’t get the offer of a test at 55. I am now 57 and earlier this year was diagnosed with bowel cancer.  

I don’t know if I had a tumour at 55, but I do know that the earlier any issue is detected the greater the chance that it can be wholly and permanently removed by surgery with no requirement for chemotherapy or other follow up therapy.

My advice would be; if you get a letter go and have the test. If you are 55 and don’t get a letter, then ask for a test. I wish that I had known / thought/ paid more attention to it.

gusman2x

strumjoughlamps said:

Couple of years ago I had to have camera both ends, fortunately not the same camera

I found the mouth camera more uncomfortable than the bum one. 

To be fair, it's much better when they do the mouth end first. Otherwise you're left with a horrible taste in your mouth all day. And a sore bum.

JohnnyPlectrum

FarleyUK said:

I had a full on colonoscopy about a year ago after some symptoms (I was 38). Was meant to be just part of the large bowel that was checked, but they decided I could take it (without any pain killers or numbing stuff), so gave me the Full Works.

Was quite bizarre - worst thing was the bloody prep for it, and drinking that vile liquid to make you empty your bowels. Not nice.

However, once it was done, I was glad I got checked (thankfully all clear, including multiple biopsies). Was sore at a couple fo points, but glad I had it done. Plus, I got to see inside my bowels on the TV! I remember the person doing the colonoscopy showing me on the camera where it was, by having me press down on my stomach with a finger - and you could see it on the TV!

Didn't you have the massive need to fart too?

EricTheWeary

Philly_Q said:

@PhilW1 It so happens that I turned 55 yesterday (along with our friend Boris Johnson) and I've been reading up on this screening process, partly inspired by the prostate thread this week.

Just wondering, how soon after you hit 55 did they contact you?

(And when you say you just sat in a room of men, you don't all witness each others' jacksie examinations and hear each others' results, do you?)

Well happy birthday for two days ago @Philly_Q , you would have been a year above me at school. 

Philly_Q

@EricTheWeary Thank you sir.    I wish I was back at school, those days weren't so bad in retrospect.

PhilW1

Philly_Q said:

@EricTheWeary Thank you sir.    I wish I was back at school, those days weren't so bad in retrospect.

Yeah.. they never bothered with the camera!

JAYJO

CloudNine said:

FarleyUK said:

I had a full on colonoscopy about a year ago after some symptoms (I was 38). Was meant to be just part of the large bowel that was checked, but they decided I could take it (without any pain killers or numbing stuff), so gave me the Full Works.

So, aside from the excellent post by the OP, which is reassuring to those people heading for an imminent bumspection, we have also learned that Farley has an arse like the Mersey Tunnel.

Maybe next visit they'll brick it up.