How long do YOU go between colonoscopies?

I went 5 years ago. I will have to go for another one soon. I am still having mild symptoms (on and off) since I started flaring last March.

When I moved and changed GI's she of course wanted a new c-scope and I said no thanks because I had one 2 years previously. Was in remission when I said "no"? No, I wasn't but there were no new symptoms, just the same miserable ones and a c-scope would not have been of any use diagnostically. I had a copy of my previous scope to give to my new doc.

Every time I saw her I had to say "no" again and she took it well because we had discussions and she knew my stand. When I hit the 5 year mark (and was in remission finally) I scheduled it and she was surprised . The prep was absolutely miserable as I remembered but remission made it 20% less horrible and the results showed much less inflammation.

I know my doctor was not the money-grubbing type who want a yearly scope just for the moola, it's just on their "to-do" list to schedule a scope for everyone who walks in with UC. I was actually surprised at how little a doctor gets paid for their part of the bill. The anesthesiologist is the bandit there.

I felt comfortable with my 5 year decision but everyone should make up their own mind, it's your body after all, not theirs. I knew nothing bad was going on so my decision was right for me. Your mileage may vary.

I only had one when I was first diagnosed back in December. My GI said that he doesn't want to do another one until 8 years from now, and from then on he wants to do one every one or two years to look for colon cancer. If I flare severely he might want to take a look, but otherwise, none for the next 8 years.

my GI told me every 8 years, was quite pleased to hear that

I had my initial one, another one a few years later after I switched GI's, than 8 years after that. Now I go in every 2 years since I'm past the 10 year mark (it's been 20 years that I've had UC). But I've had sigs in between c-scopes.