Obsessive behaviour

[DaveCH]

Need some advice. I’m male 38 and had a colonoscopy and endoscopy right into small intestine exactly a year ago. Checking my poop in the toilet is such an obsession it is affecting my life as I’m worried about blood. I had a 4mm benign polyp that was removed apart from that all clear. I’m trying to overcome this obsessive checking. I have done some reading and if a small polyp is found and removed you don’t need another colonoscopy for 3 to 5years as polyps take years to come cancerous.Due to the fact I had these tests a year ago would it be safe to say I don’t need to check until my camera at the three year period. People will say you should always check but if I see some tomatoe etc I freak out. Do you just have a quick 2 second look. Any advice as I’m trying to break this cycle and would I be better just going and flushing without looking ?

[utrocket09]

Need some advice. I’m male 38 and had a colonoscopy and endoscopy right into small intestine exactly a year ago. Checking my poop in the toilet is such an obsession it is affecting my life as I’m worried about blood. I had a 4mm benign polyp that was removed apart from that all clear. I’m trying to overcome this obsessive checking. I have done some reading and if a small polyp is found and removed you don’t need another colonoscopy for 3 to 5years as polyps take years to come cancerous.Due to the fact I had these tests a year ago would it be safe to say I don’t need to check until my camera at the three year period. People will say you should always check but if I see some tomatoe etc I freak out. Do you just have a quick 2 second look. Any advice as I’m trying to break this cycle and would I be better just going and flushing without looking ?

Just flush and walk away.

[DaveCH]

Just flush and walk away.

Because the tests cover you for quite a few years ?

[zebra]

I have exactly the same....I had colonoscopy in April, everything clear....only 4 hemorrhoids....they were treated wit rubber band ligations but I am obsessed with looking in the toilet....exactly every tomato or some orange colour etc and I am totally freaked out....I dont know what to do...Want really to break this cycle...

[DaveCH]

I have exactly the same....I had colonoscopy in April, everything clear....only 4 hemorrhoids....they were treated wit rubber band ligations but I am obsessed with looking in the toilet....exactly every tomato or some orange colour etc and I am totally freaked out....I dont know what to do...Want really to break this cycle...

Did they tell you how long the colonoscopy covers you for

[zebra]

5-10 yrs

[DaveCH]

5-10 yrs

Exactly so why do we keep looking. So annoyed with myself

[zebra]

exactly....I feel horrible and every morning before the toilet i feel really down...I cant calm down....

[DaveCH]

Bumping anyone else have an opinion on this ?

[Fishmanpa]

Just flush and walk away.

Better yet, do a courtesy flush before you stand up/finish. You can always flush again for the paper.

Positive thoughts

[Worrywart84]

This is interesting to me because I had major colon cancer anxiety for 6 weeks until my colonoscopy was clear this past Friday. I was told to come back in 5 years (due to family history.) I examined my stool obsessively up until the procedure but since then haven’t given it a second thought. Colonoscopy is the gold standard. Poop appearance is all over the place for a variety of reasons (including anxiety).