How long does a clear colonoscopy last for?

[BrokenGirl]

I don't want to google this but does anyone know how long a clear colonoscopy is good for?
I had one just over 3 years ago but I'm getting myself into a bit of a panic again over it.
I think I remember reading about 10 years but is this true? And how long after a clear colonoscopy can it take a poly to develop?

[Darksky]

Funny this one came up.

Mr.D had one yesterday. He has one every three years because he is prone to benign polyps. Sometimes they find one, sometimes they don’t. When they do he has to go back for removal. I don’t remember them finding one on the very next exam…maybe every other?

[BrokenGirl]

Oh ok, so what you're saying is that someone who is prone to polyps develops them every 4 to 5 years maybe? And I know this is just one person you are talking about, but that does help.
I've only had 1 colonoscopy in my life, 3 years ago, I was 44 then. And they didn't find any polyps.

I just have one other question, do polyps generally develop in the anus/rectum or is it more further up in the colon? Or can they be anywhere?

[nomorepanic]

I have colonoscopies every 2 years so I would say at least 2 years.

I have had a polyp at the very top end of the colon so they can occur anywhere.

[Lana]

With clean colonoscopy, meaning nothing found, including polyps, it is at least 10 years in the US. There are considerations in the US Medical establishment to make it even longer for those that did not have polyps found with their first colonoscopy. You can find this information online.

[BrokenGirl]

Hi Nicola, I'm surprised to hear that you have one every 2 years as I didn't think that was the norm with them. Is there any particular reason why they would give you one every 2 years? And apologies if I'm over stepping the mark here, don't feel that you have to answer that question. Obviously it's a private matter for you but I was just curious, as other people say 10 years.

Lana, thanks so much for that. I don't want to google it because every time I google something that is any way connected to health, google will tell me my days are numbered. But it's interesting that they're considering making it more than 10 years. And the fact that I've only had one colonoscopy 3 years ago and they didn't find any polyps is making me a bit hopeful that I'm ok for now

[nomorepanic]

Oh sorry - yeah I forgot to say why!

I have Crohn's disease and diverticular disease so they keep an eye on me.

That is probably why I have them more regularly than most people.

[nomorepanic]

My point was that at least 2 years is normal even for someone with known IBD so for people without it is probably a lot longer.

[BrokenGirl]

Thanks for that Nicola. Sorry to hear you suffer from IBD so badly, that can't be easy.

My health anxiety has just taken a turn for the worse lately and I started panicking about having a polyp. But I'm trying to work through it and say that even if I have developed a polyp since the colonoscopy, I read in a previous thread here that about 95% of them don't ever turn into cancer. And nobody can be 100% sure that they don't have something, that's just the uncertainty of life.