Colonoscopy time frame

I've had UC for 3 years and have had 6 colonoscopies in that time. This isn't the norm though. I'd say only 1 out of all of them was actually for a genuine check up. Another 1 was for diagnosis, the next 1 was to confirm diagnosis, the next 1 was a second confirmation (totally unnecessary). The second last 1 was to administer a FT and the most recent 1 was done to check what the FT had done.

My mother died from colon cancer, so I got them annually while I was flaring. Now it's every two years unless they find active disease.

Initially it was once a year, then my condition was termed as under reasonable control so i got moved to 18 months. Then i stopped going there and moved to a different hospital. The new hospital seems to enjoy playing with cameras. I had a full colonoscopy as it was my first time with a new consultant and team, after that he just did sigmoid exams about once a year as he says the sigmoid is a good indicator of the rest of the bowel if its not in remission. I've been at this hospital for 2 years now and had 1 full colon and 3 or 4 sigmoids. You know things are getting bad when the endoscopy staff recognise you at a visit.

I got one for diagnosis, then at the end of the first year. AFter that...every 3 years until year 20ish, but I've increased it to every 2. My doc will be retiring, so I'll have the last one with him in October.

If all is good regarding no precancer/dysplasia, etc...every 3 years seems a good norm.

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