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Anyone have a positive Cologuard test?
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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I had positive, also. It turned out to be a pre-cancer polyp. If I hadn't had the Cologuard, that polyp would be cancer before my next colonoscopy.
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5 ReactionsGood news, @SusanEllen66. Phew. Kinda like taking your car in when a light is on in the dash and then the car mechanic determines nothing is wrong.
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5 ReactionsHmmm. If it was me I’d be celebrating. Small annoyance compared to alternative.
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5 ReactionsHow wonderful that your colonoscopy was normal! You should be relieved instead of annoyed.
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3 ReactionsOkay did Cologuard, the results were positive. I went for a colonoscopy and it was normal.
How annoying…
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1 ReactionFor anyone who is interested, I thought it might be useful to post a link to this study, which looks at patient attitudes and experiences that positively and negatively influenced whether they completed the mt-sDNA test kit (Cologard) and expected to do so in the future:
- Attitudes and Experiential Factors Associated with Completion of mt-sDNA Test Kit for Colorectal Cancer Screening https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23743735231213765
This was published in the Journal of Patient Experience in 2023. It does involve some Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences (the maker of Cologard) authors. It touches on the patient anxiety that @dbchip mentions, but it is not entirely focused on the emotional side of its use (i.e., some of it looks at comfort, embarrassment, ease of use and following instructions, etc.)
An acquaintance had cologuard because he didn't want the colonoscopy. It came back positive. He had the colonoscopy, had a polyp removed, and he's good to go with screening every 5 years. Plus I had read that some doctors say don't use cologuard if you have hemorrhoids, because of the presence of blood triggers the positive response. Seems like you either have nothing, or you have something that probably can be easily handled with a colonoscopy. Don't stress yourself unless you learn otherwise. BTW, the first time I was referred to the hospital for follow up breast imaging due to a suspect mammogram, I worked myself up into a tizzy. Turned out nothing wrong, a lot of false positives there too. Good luck!
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1 ReactionCologuard is better than nothing. Many reports on here about the test's stress inducing impact when ++ result is found. Many times false ++. If it is working for you great but for many people better just to get the colonoscopy.
I am on 3-year recall also, have history of polyps. Better to bite the bullet and get the colonoscopy which is the gold standard.
Yes, but no harm getting one in between colonoscopy. Mine was accurate. My G.I. doctor told me one of three possibilities with test- can show cancer, polyps or nothing is wrong.