Sending your poop in a field by means of the mail. It seems like a child’s prank. However doing all of your at-home colon most cancers take a look at is ‘adulting’ on steroids. Sure, nobody needs to do it. My children had been grossed out after I defined what the field was for. However here is why it is a must-do: It is doubtlessly an easy method to save your life. 

Final 12 months, I did the FIT take a look at. I took a really small pattern of my poop. And mailed it to a lab for testing. This 12 months, I graduated to the Cologuard® at-home colon most cancers take a look at. The pattern I despatched was a lot bigger.

Stool Checks: What is the Distinction?
The fecal immunochemical take a look at (FIT) seems to be for blood in your poop, usually an indication of polyps.
Cologuard detects sure DNA markers in addition to blood within the poop.

I didn’t know what to anticipate. Wouldn’t it be sophisticated? Simple to comply with? Here is the decision. It was simple peasy. Nothing just like the stress of attempting to comply with Ikea furnishings directions. And positively simpler than following at-home COVID take a look at directions.

Here is what I realized on what, and what NOT, to do. You solely get one Cologuard field. And getting correct outcomes might imply you .

My Shocking Cologuard Expertise

My expertise with the Cologuard at-home stool take a look at was fairly clean. I used to be pleasantly stunned. I did not have a single second the place I used to be not sure what to do subsequent.

First, the day after my supplier ordered it for me, I acquired textual content messages telling me that my take a look at equipment was on its means. I felt reassured to know the prescription went by means of.

The field arrived. And every thing — the outside labels, the instructions inside, the labels on all of the items — had been all clear and comprehensible. The entire thing was, as my dad used to say, idiot-proof.

I acquired the take a look at outcomes again only a few days after I put the field within the mail. I want every thing I did was this fast, simple, and hassle-free. Now for the nitty-gritty half.

6 Issues to Keep away from Throughout an At-Dwelling Colon Most cancers Take a look at

Nonetheless, there have been issues I want I would identified earlier than I opened up that field. Possibly what I realized will likely be apparent to others. However I am not essentially the most virtually minded individual. So here is my recommendation.

With the following tips, plus the already wonderful Cologuard expertise, you are positive to have a profitable at-home colon most cancers take a look at.

#1: Do not put the equipment’s items on a floor that is not within the lavatory. 

Not pondering, I used our tiny lavatory. It would not have a lot counter area in any respect. So I had the take a look at equipment laid out on the eating room desk. I needed to unfold every thing out to get it proper.

This labored superb, at first. However then I discovered myself scurrying between lavatory and eating room like a squirrel transferring nuts.

#2 Do not use a grimy bathroom.

Fortunately, I had a really shiny and contemporary bathroom at my disposal. However it’s important to increase the bathroom seat to set within the assortment holder.

A gross one would have ruined my focus.

#3 Do not enable your canine to take part.

Possibly ‘take part’ is an exaggeration. However I KNOW I am not the one canine proprietor who finds her canine pals cramming themselves into the lavatory each time she visits — particularly these COVID-quarantine puppies, with you each minute of each day.

However I am telling you. I used to be actually intent on accumulating a clear, fur-free specimen. Having my canine at my ft was not useful. I ought to have put him in his crate.

#4 Do not take too lengthy to get the pattern again.

This one is tremendous crucial. And imagine me, the take a look at equipment had loads of reminders about this.

The great factor is, you may have a number of months to do the take a look at. The not-nice factor is, in case you’re a procrastinator, you would possibly put it off. And overlook the deadline. Then miss the deadline. You will have to begin yet again, together with your physician.

#5 Do not do the take a look at in case you’re in your interval.

That is maybe the one piece of knowledge I did not get till I would already opened the field and began the sampling course of. So, head’s up: In the event you’re bleeding in any respect, wait till you are not. For an at-home colon most cancers take a look at, your pattern must be as pure as attainable.

#6 Do not ignore the directions.

Like I mentioned, the instructions are simple to learn. The font is massive. The instruction booklet is colourful. And the to-do steps are simple to comply with.

However do not get cocky and skim the information. This isn’t an intuitive factor you possibly can vaguely guess at and meet the mark. Learn all of the phrases on the entire thing — each within the field and on the exterior transport labels.

I nearly tousled after I began to skip a web page. I wrongly thought the subsequent motion was apparent.

Do not NOT do it!

There isn’t any purpose NOT to get an at-home colon most cancers take a look at. This complete journey was:

• Quick
• Free
• Simple
• Doubtlessly life-saving

That is proper: As of this writing, most insurances cowl each a stool-based take a look at and a follow-up colonoscopy.

And significantly, after I went to drop off the field on the UPS retailer, the individual behind the counter did not bat an eye fixed. She simply advised me to set it down and that was it. No have to pay or observe the factor, all of that’s already on the field. It took 2 seconds.

Actual Individuals Glad to Get a Colonoscopy
Scared? Unmotivated? Then .

These checks really work. And in the event that they discover one thing in your poop, they provide you with a warning immediately to go . Throughout that process (not fairly as enjoyable as Cologuard, I admit), in case your physician finds a polyp, or little bump, in your colon, they’ll take them out proper then and there. That polyp might flip into most cancers. However now it is gone. You do not have to fret.

Talking of alerts: I acquired a textual content message, in addition to a word in MyChart, that my take a look at equipment had arrived. A pair days later, the messages gave me the all-clear. Whew!

If I can do it, anybody can.