topic Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard? in Wellness

Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Nataliesgramma — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 22:46:57 GMT

I got my kit in the mail today. Any tips or advice?

I plan on doing mine on Monday...

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

NickNack — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 22:52:37 GMT

@Nataliesgramma I did several years ago and got a false positive. I then had to have a colonoscopy, and when that showed nothing the gastroenterologist had me have another test. I don't remember what it was called, but I had to drink a lot of chalky stuff and have x-rays. They were negative, too.

I would never do it again. The gastroenterologist said he never recommends Cologuard. It was my Internist who said I could do it instead of a colonoscopy.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Goldengate8361 — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 22:58:15 GMT

@Nataliesgramma I did it. It was easy. Counter to the other post here, the stats show that is highly accurate.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

jannabelle1 — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 23:13:56 GMT

Yes, I did the Cologuard this summer, and it was also recommended by my PCP for people with a lower risk. My advice is to read the instructions thoroughly (sounds like you've done that). You're doing yours on Monday and that's good since you want to get it in the mail as soon as possible after you do the deed. At first I thought it sounded complicated, but it's not - the instructions are very good.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

patbz — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 23:46:49 GMT

DH and I have both done this within the last year. Very easy and painless; I had had two colonoscopies in the past, with negative results. The funny thing is you pop in its box and drop it off at UPS store, so you literally ship your s***!

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Xivambala — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:26:33 GMT

@Nataliesgramma

I've use at-home stool tests for highly personal reasons. They are very easy. Only advice I have is try not to mix urine with your stool sample; harder than it sounds. Get it in the mail ASAP.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Dawnie — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:22:31 GMT

I took the Cologuard test a year ago. . It came back positive. My gastro said I was not a candidate for a colonscopy, only virtual due to a bend in the colon discovered in my last colonscopy.
Since the false positive rate is 13% I chose to do nothing.
The Cologuard test cost Medicare $600. A retest is not covered. I bought a test from A and tested myself. It came back negative. I redone the A test six months later, still negative.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Shelbelle — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:24:20 GMT

Colonoscopy remains the gold standard, nothng replaces it for accuracy.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Xivambala — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:25:56 GMT

@NickNack

There are reasons one could get a positive stool test. I would not let this experience deter you from further testing. Sounds like your gastroenterologist had you go for a Virtual Colonoscopy with barium followed by a CT. It sounds like overkill to me to have all 3 exams, but I'm not a MD!

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Leggett28 — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 01:09:37 GMT

I wish I could use Cologuard In the last sixteen years I’ve had 45 polyps removed. Thankfully they’ve all benign. I have to have a colonoscopy every three years. If you use cologuard and it detects something then you will have to have a colonoscopy. What ever you have to do is so worth it. I’m so use to the prep for the test it’s nothing for me now.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

hckynut — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 05:44:26 GMT

@Nataliesgramma wrote:
I got my kit in the mail today. Any tips or advice?

I plan on doing mine on Monday...

@Nataliesgramma

My only tip! If you are seriously concerned about Colorectal Cancer? The only procedures close to 100% accurate are a Colonoscopy or a Double Balloon Enteroscopy. Anything else to me is a waste of time.

hckynut

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

SurferWife — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 05:55:52 GMT

Our doctor, an internist, didn't recommend Cologuard. She recommended a colonoscopy.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

LindaSal — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 13:18:58 GMT

I agree with those stating a colonoscopy is the way to go for the most accurate results.

My gastro doctor who also treats my acid reflux stated that colon cancer is a fairly low percentage but if you fall into that percentage the chance of survival are also low

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

NickNack — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 13:40:28 GMT

@Xivambala wrote:
@NickNack

There are reasons one could get a positive stool test. I would not let this experience deter you from further testing. Sounds like your gastroenterologist had you go for a Virtual Colonoscopy with barium followed by a CT. It sounds like overkill to me to have all 3 exams, but I'm not a MD!

@Xivambala No one ever said virtual colonoscopy to me, so I'm not sure that's what it was.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Shelbelle — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 13:42:08 GMT

I think when a doc has a patient that is so put off by colonoscopy, he can recommend Cologuard as a compromise, but a patient who is willing to go for the gold standard should not be told to do Cologuard.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Still Raining — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 15:15:58 GMT

Everyone I have ever gone to refused to do Cologuard.

I was non risk at 50 when I had my first colonoscopy and they snipped polyps like there was no tomorrow.

Cologuard does not spot non-cancerous polyps which is what you want out promptly.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Xivambala — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 15:18:11 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
@Xivambala wrote:
@NickNack

There are reasons one could get a positive stool test. I would not let this experience deter you from further testing. Sounds like your gastroenterologist had you go for a Virtual Colonoscopy with barium followed by a CT. It sounds like overkill to me to have all 3 exams, but I'm not a MD!
@Xivambala No one ever said virtual colonoscopy to me, so I'm not sure that's what it was.

@NickNack:

I worked in Radiology for many years. The chalky substance was barium. It is used primarily for upper and lower GI's, small bowel exams, and CT procedures. If you were having your colon examined with barium (given barium was used), the only other way would be with a barium enema or lower GI. As a technologist, I always explained exams to my patients.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

NickNack — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 15:56:41 GMT

@Xivambala wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@Xivambala wrote:
@NickNack

There are reasons one could get a positive stool test. I would not let this experience deter you from further testing. Sounds like your gastroenterologist had you go for a Virtual Colonoscopy with barium followed by a CT. It sounds like overkill to me to have all 3 exams, but I'm not a MD!
@Xivambala No one ever said virtual colonoscopy to me, so I'm not sure that's what it was.
@NickNack:

I worked in Radiology for many years. The chalky substance was barium. It is used primarily for upper and lower GI's, small bowel exams, and CT procedures. If you were having your colon examined with barium (given barium was used), the only other way would be with a barium enema or lower GI. As a technologist, I always explained exams to my patients.

@Xivambala This was a while ago, and I don't remember what the technologist said. The gastroenterologist said x-rays and didn't mention drinking the barium. That was quite a surprise! I thought it was overkill, too.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

Azcowgirl — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 16:38:50 GMT

Cologuard resulted in a false positive for me and a friend of mine. Both of us then had a colonoscopies that were clear, no polyps.

Re: Anyone ever do Cologuard?

hckynut — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 19:46:31 GMT

@Shelbelle

One of my good friends always said to me: "there ain't nobody going to stick anything up my ***"! They eventually did, and much worse than a Colonoscopy.

He died 4 years ago of Colorectal Cancer.

hckynut