How Often Should I Have a Colonoscopy?

At my last appointment, my GI said he would not do another colonoscopy in the immediate future.  He said that he would do the next one 8 years after the first scope.  I've only had one about a year ago when I was diagnosed. He did not see a need to have more frequent scopes.  Does that sound right?  I thought I might have to have it more frequently since the risk for colon cancer is higher for people with UC.

Good to know that 8 years is not an unreasonable time frame. I was not sure what to think when he said that.

Personally...I wouldn't do 8 years. I'd for sure do one at the end of the first year...and if all is clear regarding dysplasia/polyps....maybe 5 years.

q

There's sigmoid scope or a rectal scope. I've had just the rectal scope 3x in the 23 years, never the sig scope. The reason for having it was when I was uncertain about some symptoms or when I had hemmies/fissures and wanted them checked.

q

I've had numerous sigmoidoscopies over the years. The doc just takes a peek at your rectum and part of your sigmoid via camera. And my doc had done some biopsies with a sig in the past.

My GI is adamant about doing a scope every 2 years due to the colon cancer risk.
I thought 2 years was standard for people who have UC>

I had a colonoscopy with my initial diagnosis 7 years ago and the prep alone made it a nightmare for me while I was flaring. I had a second colonoscopy 3 years later and my GI saw that my colon looked so healthy that it was like I had never been sick. Very reassuring news and worth all the effort.

After another flare in 2009 he suggested a sigmoidoscopy just so he could take a 'peak'. The prep the night before was only a couple of pills but the procedure was done without sedation with a camera and I found it to be very uncomfortable. Afterwards my belly was so fully of the pumped air that I could barely move. Two days ago I had another sigmoidoscopy but asked for sedation because I was having so much rectal pain with this flare. The only prep I had was 2 fleet enemas the morning of the procedure and it was nice to wake up afterwards with everything all done. I still had some pain from the pumped air but I promptly when to the bathroom and passed the gas. My GI was able to take photos and compare it to my previous results and it was a much better way to go. He found that I have severe proctitis with this flare so it is in a limited area.

No more than once a week.

8 years is way to long in my opinionll
I have had more than one every year since 2007.
Now since my disease is under control I guess I will be checked out every other year.

When I was diagnosed with UC, my GI said I should get a colonoscopy every two years. Each colonoscopy I got after that showed my UC was progressing. I was glad for the frequent recheck schedule so I knew what was going on. Of course, I was also having worsening symptoms over the years. I don't think any GI would recommend waiting 8 years if your UC symptoms were not getting better so maybe it depends on how active your UC is.

Here is a site with the American Cancer Society recommendations. Go to the paragraph near the bottom where it says "people at increased or high risk". There is also a chart at the very bottom.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ColonandRectumCancer/MoreInformation/ColonandRectumCancerEarlyDetection/colorectal-cancer-early-detection-acs-recommendations

     When I suffered with UP my GI doctor recommended I have a colonoscopy every two years until I started to flare yearly (2003) and he then suggested once a year.  However, he performed sigmoidoscopes twice a year.  My rectum was always a mess but, ironically, my colon never had anything worse than minor diverticulosis...but,...it had to come out along with that rectum anyway .