Colonoscopy how often?

I've had this disease for over a decade now and I was wondering how often I should be getting a colonoscopy?

I did some searching and found one doctor that noted patients should move to a colonoscopy every year once they have had the disease for 20 years and I found another doctor that noted that at the 8 year mark patients should move to a yearly colonoscopy.

I recently saw a new GI and he recommended that I start having a yearly colonoscopy. As much as I thoroughly enjoy a good colonoscopy, I'd prefer to keep them to a minimum.

My mother passed away one year after I was born from colon cancer at age 36. Unfortunately, that probably doesn't favor long periods between colonoscopies. I have been having a colonoscopy every other year.

once a year,i've had colitis for 24 years and have had more scopes then i care to remember,but it keeps me alive.

I haven't had one in four years, but I'm also in my early 20's. I agree with pb though. Once a year is probably a good idea, especially if there are relatives with colon cancer.

1 a year!

yearly

Every year for me too, although I'm not always good about following that. I have a horrible insurance deductible.

Same as Fruitgirl for me . . . .

But yes, if you've got a history you'll definitely need to do them yearly!

OK. I cry uncle. I see my new GI again in early March so I guess I'll go ahead and discuss scheduling one then. Unfortunately, I have a seton (installed in mid-December) up the old behind right now and will probably need to have surgery in the March/April time frame to remove it and move onto the next step. I guess I'll let the doctors fight over who get dibs.

I was fortunate enough to get a perianal abscess late last spring which was cut open and drained. A few months later the abscess decided to come back so then I had surgery (October) to have a seton installed. That seton lasted one week before my flare went ballistic and the seton vanished one evening when I spent most of my time on the toilet. Anyway, I had another seton installed in December. My seton is a thin plastic tube that goes through the fistula that had formed because of the abscess and into my rectum and then back out through my anus and has a couple of knots from thread that tie both ends together. It allows the abscess to drain and not seal over which should supposedly help it heal. It's really annoying. I can't wipe my butt, I can only pat it so I end up showering every time I use the toilet.

Perianal abscesses are more typical in patients with crohns but both my GI and rectal surgeon agree that I do not appear to have crohns based on the appearance of the abscess and past history. I'm apparently part of that lucky population that get one in their life time just because. I could not track down a reason for getting an abscess and my rectal surgeon said that the cause was not known.

I have procto sigmoiditis. I don't care what anyone says, you should have a colonscopy at least once a year. I've had as many as 2 per year. I have been to Cleveland Clinic and Strong Hospital in Rochester, NY where I am presently being treated. I get a sigmoidoscopy at 6 months and the C-Scope at 1 year intervals. Why would anyone wait is beyond my comprehension. You have a choice to prevent something, make that choice. Sorry to sound harsh but I've lost 35 members to A.L.S., they didn't have a preventative choice. We do.