Over 50S Bowel Screening Scotland

[gordiescotland1]

Hi there
I was 50 on 2nd January I had a nice day with my parents and my sister and brother in law at my house and then we went out for a meal at night. All did Lateral Flow Tests.
This week I received a bowel screening test kit from NHS Scotland as I have turned 50. I have followed the instructions and sent it off today. Anyone have any experience of this. Good or bad?
Since November I have been having what I considered to be IBS symptoms, left hand sided abdominal pain after eating and movements 4 to 5 times after every meal with this pain. I guessed as I have had no blood it cant be anything untoward so I am hoping I will get a clear result otherwise I will be quite worried.

[Atheist]

Gordie, you'll have to wait. I've been doing it for a few years, and no bad results yet.
Be patient and don't worry until it's time to worry.

[ynnafymmi]

As long as you followed the instructions you got with the test kit and sent off the required"stuff",you will hear back from them shortly if everything is ok.The radio host Tam Cowan credits the bowel screening service with saving his life.He reluctantly sent off his"stuff"expecting to never hear from them again,the results proved positive and he had to have a few operations"down below"to save his life.

[Bazile]

At what age do you get one of these bowel screening test kit , in England ?

[bednobs]

60

[Mamyalynne]

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bowel-cancer-screening-programme-overview#:~:text=Bowel%20cancer%20screening%20is%20offered,invited%20for%20bowel%20scope%20screening.

[Mamyalynne]

Sorry Bednobs.

[Buenchico]

>>> Anyone have any experience of this . . .

Given the typical age profile of most AB members, I suspect that lots of people here have had plenty of experience with the tests. For example, I got my (negative) result back on Friday but Bobbisox is still waiting for her result.

(They're far simpler now that they used to be. The older tests required samples to be taken, and smeared onto a card. on three different days. Now it's just a single sample, with less messing about).

As the whole point of the tests is to look for blood in the sample that's not visible to the naked eye, the fact that you've not noticed any blood in your poo is largely irrelevant. However it probably would mean that, in the VERY UNLIKELY chance of any blood being detected, any problem will have hopefully been caught at an early stage.

Things to remember:

1. The vast majority of test results are NEGATIVE, however . . .

2. As 1 in 50 are positive then, given the scale of the screening programme, there are still plenty of people who get a positive result. (i.e. if you're unlikely enough to do so, you're far from alone!) ;

3. A positive result does NOT necessarily mean that you've got bowel cancer. There are plenty of other reasons why blood could be present (including such minor things as piles);

4. Even if you turned out to be one of the VERY FEW people who do turn out to have bowel cancer the, as long as it's caught early enough, a very simple operation (to remove the affected part of the bowel) has a 100% CURE RATE ;

5. If you were really unlikely, and found yourself to be within the VERY, VERY SMALL number of people found to have cancer that's progressed beyond its early stages, it can usually still be 'treated', if not actually 'cured'. (My own prostate cancer is 'incurable but treatable' and I'm still going strong!).

I suspect that most people have at least a small amount of worry at the back of their minds when they send their poo samples off. (I'd had quite a bit of blood in my poo some months before my test, as a side effect of the radiotherapy for my prostate cancer. I then had some more bleeding some time after that but the consultant just said "Shove some Anusol up there!". So, with some history of rectal bleeding, I was a bit worried that my test would come back positive but, as I've said, it didn't).

So, as I see it, you probably don't need to book the crematorium just yet ;-)

[Etch]

The letter I got (dated 21 Dec 2021, in England) telling me that I was invited to be screened for bowel cancer (again) says, "We offer screening every 2 years to people aged 60 to 74. We are also gradually extending this age range, so if you are aged 56, we are inviting you as part of this process."

[zebo]

I believe that this screening was piloted in a few counties including here in Norfolk, I think it was about 10 years ago that we first did it.

[anneasquith]

Chris, did I read you were having some similar symptoms ? ( sorry for intruding gordie )

[Buenchico]

^^^ I think I've covered that quite well in the penultimate paragraph of my post above, Anne.

(All I've got to worry about now is the result of the latest PSA test I've got coming up. There's always something for we oldies to worry about, isn't there?)
;-)

[anneasquith]

Teach me to read preceeding posts :-(

[goodgoalie]

I've done 3 of these tests, all negative - you hear from them quite quickly.

Another test that is offered to men over 65 that few seem to be aware of is a screening for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, something that is often fatal if left undetected. My brother was screened and it showed that he needed (and had) an operation within a week. There are four basic results from 'no further action' to the most severe like my brother's, and it's a simple ultrasound scan similar to the one pregnant women have. It could save your life, so if offered one I would take it.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm/

[anneasquith]

GG, your brother was so lucky.

[goodgoalie]

Yes, anne he was lucky with the AAA scan and operation (you should have seen the scar) but he died of a heart attack four years later. I had to have the scan 2 days after his funeral, knowing that AAAs run in families and my Mum had one, though that's not what she died of. Mine was fine, I'm relieved to say.

[ladybirder]

I have never heard of this screening so I just googled it. Nobody ever contacted me between the ages below. How come?

// Bowel cancer screening is offered every 2 years to men and women aged 60 to 74. People older than this can ask for a screening kit every 2 years by calling the free helpline on 0800 707 60 60 \\

[maggiebee]

I have been doing this test every 2 years since I was 50. Much easier these days and results come through very quickly. Did my last test at the end of December and, because I turned

[maggiebee]

I have been doing this test every 2 years since I was 50. Much easier these days and results come through very quickly. Did my last test at the end of December and, because I turned 75, will not be invited again. I can of course request a test kit.

[Buenchico]

I had the AAA test when I reached 65, GG. Fortunately it turned out that I wasn't pregnant ;-)

I often wish that I'd taken more notice of the posters at my doctors' surgery, advising all men over the age of 50 that they can have a PSA test on demand. If I'd bothered to do so, my prostate cancer might have been picked up a lot earlier, giving me a far better prognosis and saving me from having to have months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/should-i-have-psa-test/

[anneasquith]

Maybe a post geared to men of AB. Take notice boys :-)