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.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Colorectal Cancer Support Group.

My husband had a positive colo test. He said 13% chance of false positive ? Rather than panic or worry, he ignored it. He is still ok after the 6 years . He says , don’t go looking for a medical problem unless you feel bad . At his age (76) you will always find something. I say feel as good as you can as long as you can . No one lasts forever . And every death is not a disaster.

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Profile picture for dazlin @dazlin

Colleen, this my 2nd attempt to answer your reply..seems it disappeared. Yes, I'll go through Mayo since I'm already an existing patient there. I live about 100 miles south of Jax Mayo Clinic. My care team has put orders in G.I. dept, on the 13th, but nothing has been scheduled yet. They said keep trying, so I called again yesterday, and still nothing scheduled. This coming week will be going on 2 weeks. I'm praying this doesn't get dragged out much longer. I'm not taking this well at all!!! Besides, I DREAD the tests!!

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I had a cologuard test. It came back positive for blood in the stool, not necessarily cancer. They made me have a colonoscopy because of it. I had one. It came back with one precancerous polyp. They removed it and told me to retest in 3 years.

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Profile picture for marcia115 @marcia115

msrhray,
I had the same, my cologuard test came back positive, but I don't no
how to read it, the green line says negative with a % sign and below it
is the red line that says positive with a % sign, I just don't understand it,
how do you figure it out?
marcia115

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I had to send mine in and let them read it. They contacted me, said I had blood in my stool, and would need a colonoscopy, so I did. It was precancerous polyp & they removed it. Told me to come back in 3 years.

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Profile picture for carolt1551 @carolt1551

I'm 72 had a colorquard come back positive then had a colonoscopy that came back bad. Had my surgery to remove part of my colon remove. Found cancer in my lymph nodes so now starting chemo. Sucks

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Bummer! My husband just had a regular scheduled colonoscopy. No symptoms. His came back positive for rectal cancer. He had surgery & a temporary bag. Is now waiting to have chemo. I dread it for him. He is recovering well from the surgery, but hates the bag!

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Profile picture for jbrazell @jbrazell

I had to send mine in and let them read it. They contacted me, said I had blood in my stool, and would need a colonoscopy, so I did. It was precancerous polyp & they removed it. Told me to come back in 3 years.

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It's also in 2 lymph nodes.

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Thank you for your post and update. I had a negative test a little over 3 years ago and a positive test this week. Luckily I have my scope next week but I’m terrified.

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Hi,
I had a positive Cologuard test 3 years ago, needed to get my 1st colonoscopy and they found a over 20 pre-cancer polyps that they removed and tested. I thought that was it, but they suggested that i get another colonoscopy a year later that also found more polyps. That's when my Gastro highly encouraged getting genetic testing for AFAP (attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis) . That's also came back positive. If the polyps are not removed then there is a 70% chance that they will become cancer. Cologuard was a blessing in some aspects because I may have never known. Now I am REALLY having a hard time finding any physicians that know anything about this Hereditary Cancer Syndrome and what I should be doing about it besides regular 6 months - 1 year colonoscopies., and thyroid ultrasounds. As far as I know, there is still no actual cancer. Its supposed to be better to know earlier when it can still be prevented.

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Profile picture for klesab @klesab

Thank you for your post and update. I had a negative test a little over 3 years ago and a positive test this week. Luckily I have my scope next week but I’m terrified.

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@klesab, how did your colonoscopy go?

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I had my first Colonoscopy at 51 (average no family risk factors). I was good and I was told to come back in 10 years for another. Fast forward I was due for one this year and opted for Cologuard screening instead. It came back abnormal and now I need to follow up with a Colonoscopy. I was on the fence in the first place and should have done Colonoscopy. Now my anxiety is up and I am not trying to go down the rabbit hole about this. I feel fine and have no GI symptoms to speak of. I have read a lot about false positives (my PCP told me 13%) and I have suffer in the past from hemorrhoids/fissures. Anyone else have this experience that they can share? I just wished now I would have gone with my first instinct and just gotten colonoscopy.

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Profile picture for dbchip @dbchip

I had my first Colonoscopy at 51 (average no family risk factors). I was good and I was told to come back in 10 years for another. Fast forward I was due for one this year and opted for Cologuard screening instead. It came back abnormal and now I need to follow up with a Colonoscopy. I was on the fence in the first place and should have done Colonoscopy. Now my anxiety is up and I am not trying to go down the rabbit hole about this. I feel fine and have no GI symptoms to speak of. I have read a lot about false positives (my PCP told me 13%) and I have suffer in the past from hemorrhoids/fissures. Anyone else have this experience that they can share? I just wished now I would have gone with my first instinct and just gotten colonoscopy.

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@dbchip is there a specific reason why you don’t want to get a colonoscopy? For most people it is just the prep procedure that turns them off having another colonoscopy.

I have had a few over the years and dreaded them because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to drink that jug of prep! I hated that stuff - could never finish the entire jug, and would throw up half way through. Then one gastroenterologist prescribed Pico Salax and prep day was a breeze compared to the previous.

Perhaps you could ask your gastroenterologist to prescribe Pico Salax as your prep. It consists of two small sachets of orange flavoured powder, each drunk down dissolved in about four ounces of water. During the day you can drink as many liquids, and Jello, of your choice (except anything red, blue or purple). Now I refuse to have a colonoscopy unless the gastroenterologist prescribes Pico Salax! It is the easiest prep I have ever taken! The colonoscopy itself, as you might know is the easy part because you are sedated.

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