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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/2/2010 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not really wanting to ask my doctor this because I don't really want to know the answer, but I'll ask here and see what your thoughts are.

How often do you, or should we as Crohnies, have a colonoscopy?

I've thought about this for a while and just keep "forgetting" (sometimes even unintentionally) to ask my doctor. Thanks folks!
Posted 9/2/2010 11:03 PM (GMT 0)

Unintentionally <LOL> I think we would all like to 'forget' to have these ;P

My GI does them every two years if all is 'well' and otherwise whenever he needs to see whats going - which has been 3 this past year with another scheduled for next wednesday :(

He tells me 2 yearly is good because even if symptoms are OK the disease may still be running rampant so these colonscopys help determine effectiveness of meds, progress of disease plus a bonus cancer screening.

Be well :)

Posted 9/2/2010 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
I go every 5 years because I always have issues afterward.
Elizabeth
Posted 9/2/2010 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yearly, or every other year, because I've had Crohn's for 13 years and the incidence of colon cancer increases after 10 years. Before that I only had them every 5 years or when I showed symptoms of stricture and they would try to dilate the stricture.
Posted 9/3/2010 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
It depends on how active my disease is. I now have Medicare being on disability and they only cover the cost one time every 2 years (not sure how flexable that is in time of flare etc) this will be my 1st scope using the medicare my last was oct 31 of 2008 and I am having bleeding so I go in 3 weeks.
Posted 9/3/2010 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
My dr recommends at least every two years because of increased cancer risk in people with IBD.
Posted 9/3/2010 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
I've had 4 colonoscopies in 10 years, so that's one every 2.5 years. They've not been quite that evenly spaced out, however. I had one in 2000 (this was when I was diagnosed). I can't remember when the 2nd one was, but 2005 seems like a reasonable guess. Then I had one done in 2007 and one done this year.

How often you should have a colonoscopy isn't set in stone. It depends on the location of your disease, the severity of it, your bowel cancer risk, etc. But for most folks probably once every 2-3 years is a safe bet. Less if your disease is mild or in remission.
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