I did this test once back in, oh, early 2021 I think. My doc says that due to my age and my redundant bowel, it’s time to do it again. It seems a bit early to me, but whatever.
So as soon as the caffeine kicks in and I get the urge, it’s off to the upstairs bathroom to poop in a container. Ick. But it sure beats the hell out of doing a colonoscopy prep and having someone drive me to and from the surgery center. And when I had my only colonoscopy back in 2011, I woke up mid-procedure with bad intestinal pain (no doubt due to the redundant bowel giving the doc navigation issues). So doing this test eliminates a repeat of that incident.
I’ve done it, or another brand equivalent. It’s part of my yearly physical, except when I have a colonoscopy scheduled anyway.
As I understand it, it’s a pretty good screening system for those of average risk. I’m not average risk, and as of this year am on the three year plan for colonoscopies. I suspect we’ll still do the Cologuard-like tests at my physical. My risk is only marginally higher than it already was when I was on the five year plan, and we were doing it then.
Hoping for a nice clean (heh) negative result for you!
Cologuard doesn’t require you to poop in a container. Instead, you create a “hammock” using the provided tissue paper across the toilet seat.
It will seem like you need three or four hands to get it right. You don’t. Just read all the instructions carefully beforehand (NOT while you are doubled over with a cramp trying to hold everything inside). Pack up the little sample-taking gizmos carefully, note the date and time, and clean up and flush, and don’t forget to wash your hands!
I did Cologuard once. It did its job, told us I needed a colonoscopy (i.e. it gave a “positive” result). I did need a colonoscopy, which came up with two polyps and some diverticulosis (not inflamed). Probably saved me a lot of trouble.
I did the test shortly after starting this thread, and it was easy-peasy. Do, as VOW says, read over all the instructions ahead of time so that you’re not trying to understand them mid-poop. I read and reviewed them last night and unboxed everything ready for use. Also, since they want the kit brought to UPS for return the same day or at the latest next day, don’t do the test on a Sunday or a holiday. Your local UPS branch might be closed and you’ll have to wait. This factoid should have been listed at the very beginning of the instructions, which it wasn’t. I’m lucky that my nearest UPS branch is now open on Sundays.
Have done it twice now and it couldn’t have been easier. The people at Cologuard were pretty awesome also.
My doc said I was due for a second test so called in the request to Cologuard. About a week later a rep from there called, said according to my insurance I was covered for a test every 3 years. The request was put in 2 weeks shy of 3 years. They asked my permission to hold off 2 weeks before shipping it or else I would end up paying out of pocket.
Nice they caught this cause I never would have.
According to my sister, if your Cologuard shows you need a colonoscopy, the colonoscopy won’t be covered by insurance as a preventative test because it is now a diagnosed medical treatment procedure. She had to pay the entire cost of the colonoscopy out of pocket, instead of just the snipping parts. FWIW.
My wife had a positive Cologuard test. Our doctor said it’s the first time he’d ever seen a positive Cologuard in his practice, which freaked us the hell out. However her colonoscopy was fairly clean; just a couple of polyps. The colonoscopy was covered by her insurance (Medicare plus Medigap; I’m not sure how much was covered by each).
Gotta love how private insurance works. If a preliminary test indicates that a colonoscopy is medically necessary, “we’re not gonna pay for it – ha ha! Sucks to be you!”. Although it’s not clear to me why they wouldn’t pay for something now classified as “medical treatment”, I mean, beyond the fact that the bastards will use any excuse to avoid paying. In a decent health care system, medical necessity is the first and only consideration for coverage.
Anyway, here in Ontario the screening standard for those at average risk is the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) which over a certain age is done every two years. A colonoscopy will be covered at any time if a doctor feels it’s medically advisable, either as a result of a positive FIT result or for any other reason.
It used to be standard practice for people over a certain age to have regular colonoscopies at intervals of something like every five years, but more frequent FIT tests seem to have superseded that, thankfully, at least for those at average risk of colorectal cancer. It’s probably been a decade since I had my only colonoscopy.
I have heard similar anecdotes and I suspect the issue is that the ACA requires insurance to fully cover certain preventative procedures but that if the same procedure is performed for diagnostic/treatment purposes, the standard terms apply and it’s a matter of satisfying one’s deductible and coinsurance. As a result, a screening colonoscopy performed for preventative medical purposes is fully covered, but one performed after a positive Cologuard test is no longer preventative and now the patient must first pay their deductible and any coinsurance.
YMMV. Strongly suggest everyone read their insurance terms and, if necessary, call to discuss with their carrier.
Yep, had a clean FIT test at 50 but later had some unexplained belly pain and a 35 year history of IBS so my GP sent me for a colonoscopy. One polyp removed and the pain resolved - likely a pulled muscle. Now I need a repeat colonoscopy at 5 years and if that is negative for anything I go back to a 2 year FIT cycle.
FWIW my doctor strongly steered me away from Cologuard and toward a colonoscopy. He said Cologuard will miss things that a scope will not (I have no risk factors other than age).
I’ve had 3 colonoscopies over the years - before there was Cologuard - and I was thrilled when my doc let me try the new and improved method! She indicated we’d alternate testing methods and I’ll have to ask at my next once-over when I’m due to be probed again. As far as I know, my maternal grandfather is the only one who had any kind of cancer (not counting the paternal aunt who smoked her way into lung cancer) so I’m pretty low risk.
In my old age (I’m 70) I’ve been pretty good about check-ups and tests. I’m fortunate to have really good insurance. Believe me, I know how fortunate…
These sorts of tests are not perfect, but the presumption is that they’re so easy and convenient that they’ll be done regularly (the frequency here is every two years) whereas patients may be reluctant to submit to the considerable inconveniences of a colonoscopy. For patients that are not at high risk, the logic is that it’s better to have regular testing that can detect the vast proportion of potential cancer signs than to have no tests at all because it’s too much of a bother.
I don’t know how the system works in the US, but here the FIT kits are mailed to your home, you put a tiny sample in a little bottle, seal it up in a postpaid envelope, and drop it in a mailbox. Done!
Have you done a Cologuard test that worked like this? If not, where did you hear about Cologuard working like this?
I did Cologuard in 2020, and it was as @teelabrown described: there’s definitely a hard plastic container, directly into which you are supposed to poop.