How often do you hv a colonoscopy?

I just saw my new GI. She states that since I'm mild my next colonoscopy would be in 8 years?  That seem pretty long! I heard someone who has Chrones but only has inflmation and he's getting another colonoscopy in 6 months to see if the meds are working.

8 years doesn't seem right to me.

What's your experience? 

how often if you've had pre-cancerous polyps?

My dr said no longer than 5 years apart between scopings once you have the diagnosis of UC. That way we'd catch something early.

However, it's only been max of 3 years between as I've had symptoms sooner.

I was dx'd in this past March and my GI said if all is well, I won't need another c-scope for a couple years.

I'm also fuzzy on the early years... I had a horrible, long flare at the onset of my UC (I'd had a few sigs during the UP years) and I had a few colonoscopies to check how it was going, that first year or two...... I guess 2 years passed, I had my first child, and then when I was scoped they found several polyps, including an adenoma. So.... I had another scoping in 3 months, and then it's been annually after that.

When I was first dxed, my GP told me a story about a friend from med school who had UC and he was feeling good so he put off scoping... and died of colon cancer. She made me promise to get scoped every year or two, based on my initial inflammation. She was known as being a top-notch diagnostician, so... I've done as she asked.

My new GI (a year now) said that since I've had UC over 10 years, he'd ask me to do it annually despite the history, adenoma, etc.

I just saw my doctor today for follow up on a colonoscopy 2 weeks ago. I was diagnosed a year ago and this was my first since then. He said I'll need another in 2 years unless I'm having problems that make it necessary to take a look. He said if he had found any dysplasia on this one though, it would be much sooner than 2 years until the next one. Thank God, there was none but I had a lot of active disease. I am okay with going again in 2 years, even as awful as the prep is, the peace of mind is worth it once it's over and done with. I'm sure all would agree.

Post Edited (ep49) : 9/16/2010 11:46:06 PM (GMT-6)