Need a colonoscopy - looking for good vibes

[ThrowawayLurker]

I'm a long time lurker with gastro symptoms for the last 20 years or so. This is more of a venting/thought clearing post but would appreciate good tips and vibes.

At 54, I'm overdue on my colonoscopy but have kept up annually with the stool blood tests for the last 8 years. Well, this year my FIT card came back positive, although the rest of my check up was perfect and no symptoms of anything to note. Got a quick appt. with a gastro who explained there are many benign reasons for a positive FIT and looking at my blood work said counts were good and no anemia and I should just relax until the colonoscopy (in late January). He even threw in that even if it were something "nefarious" (his words) it's most likely early enough and not to worry.

At this point until the past few days haven't really had much anxiety about this surprisingly, until I started to get these weird twinges of pain in my lower right side. Almost a feeling like someone is poking me, though sometimes it feels slightly crampy too. Oddly enough I've had these sensations before but now of course my mind is beginning to run away with the combination of the two.

Like I said, looking for any tips or good vibes to keep me sane for another month.

[jojo2316]

Poor you. Firstly, the cause of sensations is almost certainly hypersensitivity, given their timing. So I think you can pretty much rule them out as meaningless. And secondly I absolutely agree with your gastro that it is almost certainly nothing serious. Given there regularity of your checks I would hazard a guess that a polyp is the worst you are going to get. But, also, so many much more minor things can cause a positive result. So try to take your doctor’s advice and don’t worry!

[NoraB]

He even threw in that even if it were something "nefarious" (his words) it's most likely early enough and not to worry.

Nefarious. Great word.

He's right though. With all your other tests coming up clear - it's unlikely to be anything that can't be easily sorted. My husband actually had severe anaemia, B12 deficiency, and visible blood in his poo. Looked like Freddie Kruger had used our loo at times! Scary scary scary, right? Wrong. His colon was clear. He has external haemorrhoids - which account for the bleeding. The anaemia turned out to be pernicious anaemia and he had to have injections for about a year - but he doesn't have to have them now because his levels are normal. Severe anaemia and blood in poo? It's easy to jump to the cancer conclusion, but the fact is that these symptoms were due to two conditions, and NO cancer!

Like I said, looking for any tips or good vibes to keep me sane for another month.

I had imaginary bowel cancer in 2017. I was 100% convinced that I had it and was going to die. I sorted out my own funeral and the evening before my colonoscopy I cleansed my colon with the delightful prep (with lemonade chasers) then a few hours later I sat on the loo pondering life as the world literally fell through my @rse-hole..

Then I did a Doris Day, as in Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) and I knew that whatever shit (scuse the pun) life was going to deal me the next day - I would accept it and deal with it.
Acceptance came the day before my world was going to be turned upside down, and once I'd finished shitting myself delirious, I felt totally calm and had the best night's sleep in years!

Of course, there was no cancer, but I already gave you the plot spoiler on that. Not even a polyp!

Point is, my mind had TOTALLY convinced me otherwise!

So that's my tip - do a Doris and accept whatever will be (will be) but I honestly don't think this is anything serious.

[ThrowawayLurker]

Thank you for your responses.

I guess what bothers me is those weird nagging twinges (I hesitate to call it pain, on a scale of 1-10 they'd barely register a 1). If it weren't so concentrated in one area I don't think I'd give it a second thought.

I guess not much I can do until next month anyways other than try and enjoy the holidays!

[NoraB]

I guess what bothers me is those weird nagging twinges (I hesitate to call it pain, on a scale of 1-10 they'd barely register a 1). If it weren't so concentrated in one area I don't think I'd give it a second thought.

Yeah, I hear you actually. I've had abdo pain in the same place for 3 months now. Can't get near a human being to be examined but tests have so far come up clear. I also have fibro so I can't actually be accurate on pain levels as a 1 to you could be a 5 to me.

[ThrowawayLurker]

It's crazy, I never felt anything until after my gastro visit. It comes, it goes. And now I have crazy gurgling sounds coming from down there. Every time I try to NOT think about this stuff something happens to bring my anxiety back.

(edited to add) Also, if I push down on the spots that twinge there's no pain or anything. You'd think after dealing with stuff like this for 20 years I'd know better.