Anyone have a positive Cologuard test?

Posted by dazlin @dazlin, Nov 21, 2019

My test results came back positive. I asked what did it show, because they test for 11 different cancers or categories. They said, it just states either negative or positive for cancer. I had problems a few years back and did a colonoscopy, which came back ok. Now this!! I'm reading theres a 13 percent chance of false positive. Right now I'm extremely distraught about having to go through all Consults, tests, and dreaded preps. Orders are in for Consult with gastro, but they're booked out through January or February in Mayo. I have not received any notice for appointment yet. Dont know what to think or do.

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@john171

Some people just generate false positives, and when checked with colonoscopy, they’re negative. Go figure.
But, th way I view it is that you cannot afford not to have a colonoscopy to negate the Cologuard results. The appointments and prep are a pain for sure, but this is what I tell myself: There’s only upside to getting the test, because if it’s negative you have piece of mind; and if it’s positive you’re catching it early for the best chance of a healthy recovery. Good luck!

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i completely agree, and i believe that a false positive on the cologuard does a big service to users, but a false negative can be very harmful.
in my case i would not have done the colonoscopy without the false positive. it was a very powerful reinforement agent.

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Some people just generate false positives, and when checked with colonoscopy, they’re negative. Go figure.
But, th way I view it is that you cannot afford not to have a colonoscopy to negate the Cologuard results. The appointments and prep are a pain for sure, but this is what I tell myself: There’s only upside to getting the test, because if it’s negative you have piece of mind; and if it’s positive you’re catching it early for the best chance of a healthy recovery. Good luck!

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No. But that’s when you schedule a colonoscopy. It may be nothing, but Cologuard has determined that more info is needed. I know the prep is difficult, but I wouldn’t hesitate.

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@georga35

Hi Samdeman,
Cologuard may have detected a pre-cancer situation. My husband kept refusing a colonoscopy but I finally got him to do cologuard test. He was 74 and non-smoker male. Test came back positive. He finally agreed to colonoscopy a few months later ... Which found a polyp in pre-cancer stage. Polyp removed during colonoscopy. No further issues... He was just told that he should follow up with another test in 5 years. If my husband had not done cologuard followed by colonoscopy, doc told him he would have been dealing with CRC within 5 years.
So don't delay taking action. I hope your situation is resolved easily just as it was for my husband.
Take care.

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I had my colonoscopy . Came back negative with 3 polyps and a hemmoiroid discovered. My post op is in 2 weeks. Be interested in what lab sex regarding tissue. I did Sutab. Awful glad it is over.

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@samdeman

i had propofol. they offered the medication. 20 seconds or so later, i was completely out.
when i woke up it was done.

i would do that again.

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That has been my experience and I like it too!!!

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@diane22

All I can say is GET a colonoscopy… DON’T mess with color guard!!!! I’m an educated person who wouldn’t get a colonoscopy 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. Well at 75 I had a positive colorguard test… came here and got reassured.. thank you Coleen and all! I was beyond worried and had my prayer warriors on it.. Results 5 polyps removed.. one was precancerous but hey they are OUT Praise God… GET that colonoscopy when it’s time

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i had a positive cologuard also.
i am a healthy 72 year old male. the doctor called me and said i have bad news? what a bedside manner.
but without the positive cologuard i would probably not have taken the colonscopy.
did you use sutab? i did and it was kind of awful

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@vic83

I was always wondering why some people are asleep and other people say they are awake. My first colonoscopy I was awake, the next three I was asleep. I googled and found that there are three types of anesthesia for colonoscopies:
1) Sedation where one is aware
2) Propofol drug where one goes to sleep in one room and wakes up in another
3) General anesthesia (only for special situations)
Now, the sedation drug where one is aware does not require a licensed anesthesiologist to administer and the doctor can do it if trained. BUT Propofol requires a licensed anesthesiologist to administer and monitor. This is called MAC or Monitored Anesthesia Care
I think it is a matter of whether the place doing the colonoscopy has someone on staff or not....so choose where you go if you want to be asleep!!!!

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i had propofol. they offered the medication. 20 seconds or so later, i was completely out.
when i woke up it was done.

i would do that again.

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i had a positive colo guard. i am a 72 year old male. the waiting for the colonoscopy was awful.
i had the procedure two days ago. two small polyps were found and removed
and they found a hemmoird. my post op is in two weeks.

i am assuming then, they tell me if the polyps were cancer.

.

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@vic83

Yes, I can appreciate how it can be interesting.
So how were you then treated? What kind of follow-up surveillance schedule do you have?

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During the colonoscopy, they took 5-6 biopsies which were found to be cancer. Referred to Mayo in Rochester (40 miles away).

Had surgery which required taking the whole colon out and surgeons attached the small intestine to the rectum. Followed up with chemo done in Red Wing, MN. Quarterly blood work and CT scans were done which now have moved to 6 month intervals.

I've had extremely short colonoscopies annually thereafter for several years and now have them at 3 year intervals - although they are not more like an extended rectal exam. They do take a careful look at the juncture between the small intestine and the rectum.

Hope that helps.

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@rjjacobsen

I always like being awake and watching the monitor. My last few were in color.

The time they discovered colon cancer looked awful and ugly - a large black mass - didn't need an MD to see something was wrong.

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Yes, I can appreciate how it can be interesting.
So how were you then treated? What kind of follow-up surveillance schedule do you have?

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