Cancer Screening

johnb80 said:
Update Ladies and Gents,
I now have my appointment, 31st July, I had a telephone conversation with the staff and expressed my wishes for a female Colonoscopist and no sedation which they said no problem. They also told me they use CO2 to inflate my colon as required and this is more comfortable than the normal air that is used in many units. I have some wonderful laxative to take the day before and on the day, 'Plenvu' which is apparently better tasting and less of it needed compared to the other options.
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Good luck John 👍
 
Thank you everyone for your encouragement, well wishes and advice. My aim was simply to kick off a conversation on this seemingly taboo subject and it appears I have done just that. So many of us on here have gone through my situation somewhat silently, I feel it's worthwhile being open about it to get us all talking to each other and being supportive

Thank you one an all.
 
johnb80 said:
Update Ladies and Gents,
I now have my appointment, 31st July, I had a telephone conversation with the staff and expressed my wishes for a female Colonoscopist and no sedation which they said no problem. They also told me they use CO2 to inflate my colon as required and this is more comfortable than the normal air that is used in many units. I have some wonderful laxative to take the day before and on the day, 'Plenvu' which is apparently better tasting and less of it needed compared to the other options.
Click to expand...
Hi Johnb, yes that's the stuff I had...has the same effect though😏. Glad to see that you are getting an appointment quite quickly. I remember the CO2 now as well.
 
I second and third what John said. Many years ago, I think before routine screening was a thing, a cousin's husband noticed he was passing blood and went to his doctor. She tried to give him the brush-off but he persisted. He was a known polyp-former, having had nasal polyps removed several times, and he thought this new symptom should not be ignored. She relented and referred him. It was bowel cancer. He had all the treatment and he is still alive, 85 this year. If he hadn't insisted, we all know what would have happened.

A sadder story. A friend took early retirement and went to live in Wales to look after her elderly mother who had dementia. She was over 50 and would have been screened if she'd lived in Scotland, but in Wales the age they start is 60. I don't remember how she was diagnosed but it was too late. I remember telling her about my cousin's husband and how well he had done, but she didn't do so well. She got her first routine screening test kit in the post the very day her consultant told her that her condition was terminal.

I moved back to Scotland when I was 52. One of the first things that happened to me after I registered with the local GP practice was getting one of these kits in the post. (This was before Jay, my unfortunate friend, fell ill.) I've always done the tests. Earlier this year I was kicked out of a blood donation session for low haemoglobin. One of the things the GP asked was, had I done these tests. A follow-up blood test was more or less normal, but they advised a course of iron tablets anyway. Just as I was finishing these, and had had another follow-up blood test taken, another faecal screening test kit appeared. I've just had a negative result from that, quite reassuring. I think the blood transfusion service is just a bit picky about their requirements. But it's good to feel looked after, and do these tests people.
 
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Archev said:
I wrote some nonsense after my last test was dropped in the postbox.

POSTAL BOWEL SCREENING
(A crapping good yarn)

I was crouching over the toilet bowl
Attempting to catch a poo
When the bloody phone began to ring
“Your PPI check’s due”
Keep the excrement out of the water
Says the leaflet in the kit
So this is where life's brought me
I’m a lifeguard for a sh_t
It shows in little pictograms
How to save your little motion
But squatting, pooping, catching
That needs physical devotion
Now I'm not averse to healthcare
I'm a switched on modern chap
But I imagined healthy exercise
Not poking about in cr_p
So with my favoured method
To keep the body waste from damp
I hover there expectantly
And my bloody leg takes cramp.
But that's it done and dusted
I hope the results are clear
And I live to defecate again
In the postbox in two years.

By. Archie McKellar.
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Archie, I cant stop reading this, it makes be smile every time. Well done fella, thank you so much for sharing.
 
johnb80 said:
Archie, I cant stop reading this, it makes be smile every time. Well done fella, thank you so much for sharing.
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There’s apparently a copy of it on the wall at my health centre common room. I handed it in after telling the phlebotomist about it. Luckily she read it after taking the blood samples 🤩. I also sent a copy by email to the guy who fitted my stent after my heart attack. We had been discussing steam engines during the operation whilst he pointed out the plumbing pipe work of my arterial innards on the screen as he worked , fascinating. How we laughed as he worked away inside me, surreal.
 
johnb80 said:
Hi,

A little time ago I lost a long term friend to Colon cancer. He didn't have any symptoms but he did get an 'abnormal' result from his FIT test (a DIY test that's sent to you when you get towards the autumnal years of life). He was invited for further tests by way of a Colonoscopy but he refused stating the embarrassment, loss of dignity etc of having a camera put where the sun doesn't shine and beyond. In less than 6 months he was dead.

A couple of weeks ago I received my annual testing kit through the post and promptly did the test mailing it back to the NHS lab. Whilst away in Wales a few days ago I received my test results 'Abnormal', potentially my first brush with Cancer in my 70 years of life. I accepted the invitation and I've had the initial consultation with the SSP (Specialist Screening Practitioner) who was absolutely brilliant. She put me at ease, explained that 11% of people nothing is found, 50% of people Polyps are found and removed (Polyps are a precursor to cancer) and another 11% cancer was found. I've been assured that there's nothing to be embarrassed about and they will do everything they can to protect my modesty. I'm not in the slightest bit worried about the procedure after the conversation with the SSP I have no concerns / embarrassment / modesty etc. They even offered a choice of colonoscopist - male or female! Frankly I don't mind, I just want to get this over and done.

I'm now waiting to be summoned which I'm told should be within 2 weeks, they don't hang around.

The real point of my message is don't fear these services, embrace them, don't die of embarrassment like my mate did.
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I hope everything goes well for you John, I had it done a few years ago and watched them on the screen removing several Polyps. there was no pain just a bid of uncomfort.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
johnb80 said:
Archie, I cant stop reading this, it makes be smile every time. Well done fella, thank you so much for sharing.
Click to expand...
There’s a serious story covered up in the mirth of that wee poem which I’ll tell.
That squat actually happened and that telephone did really chirp away in the incessant urgent way they do. It really was that message about PPI checks being due. I put it down and carried on with the job in hand so to speak.
Later I did look in to the PPI stuff and filled out the details. Within a week or two I received about £1100 from the Royal Bank. Thus encouraged I did the same with another bank and received about the same from them.
Oh! - the poem had another serious side - my right leg really did cramp mid process but you’d only ridicule if I divulged more 😢
 
Archev said:
There’s apparently a copy of it on the wall at my health centre common room. I handed it in after telling the phlebotomist about it. Luckily she read it after taking the blood samples 🤩. I also sent a copy by email to the guy who fitted my stent after my heart attack. We had been discussing steam engines during the operation whilst he pointed out the plumbing pipe work of my arterial innards on the screen as he worked , fascinating. How we laughed as he worked away inside me, surreal.
Click to expand...
Archie, would you mind if I gave the team at Lincoln a copy of it, acknowledged to you of course?

J
 
MG Clive said:
Thanks @johnb80, I've just returned my poo test and await the results, in my opinion, all tests are a good thing at our age, these things must be caught as soon as possible.
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My bowel screening results back today, 'no further tests are needed at this time'. 😊
20250722_100424.webp
 

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