Ready for Your At-Home Colon Cancer Test? 6 Things to Avoid

Sending your poop in a field by the mail. It seems like a child’s prank. But doing all of your at-home colon most cancers take a look at is ‘adulting’ on steroids. Yes, nobody desires to do it. My youngsters have been grossed out after I defined what the field was for. But this is why it is a must-do: It’s probably an easy solution to save your life. 

Last 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.

I didn’t know what to anticipate. Would or not it’s difficult? Easy to observe? Here’s the decision. It was simple peasy. Nothing just like the stress of making an attempt to observe Ikea furnishings directions. And undoubtedly simpler than following at-home COVID take a look at directions.

Here’s what I realized on what, and what NOT, to do. You solely get one Cologuard field. And getting correct outcomes may imply you catch most cancers in time to deal with it.

My Surprising Cologuard Experience

My expertise with the Cologuard at-home stool take a look at was fairly easy. I used to be pleasantly stunned. I did not have a single second the place I used to be uncertain 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 package was on its approach. I felt reassured to know the prescription went by.

The field arrived. And every little thing — the outside labels, the instructions inside, the labels on all of the items — have been all clear and comprehensible. The complete factor 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 little thing I did was this fast, simple, and hassle-free. Now for the nitty-gritty half.

6 Things to Avoid During an At-Home Colon Cancer Test

Still, there have been issues I want I’d recognized earlier than I opened up that field. Maybe what I realized shall be apparent to others. But I’m not probably the most virtually minded particular person. So this is my recommendation.

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

#1: Don’t put the package’s items on a floor that is not within the rest room. 

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

This labored fantastic, at first. But then I discovered myself scurrying between rest room and eating room like a squirrel transferring nuts.

#2 Don’t use a unclean rest room.

Thankfully, I had a really shiny and recent rest room at my disposal. But it’s important to increase the bathroom seat to set within the assortment holder.

A gross one would have ruined my focus.

#3 Don’t enable your canine to take part.

Maybe ‘take part’ is an exaggeration. But I KNOW I’m not the one canine proprietor who finds her canine buddies cramming themselves into the toilet each time she visits — particularly these COVID-quarantine puppies, with you each minute of on daily basis.

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

#4 Don’t take too lengthy to get the pattern again.

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

The good factor is, you’ve gotten a couple of months to do the take a look at. The not-nice factor is, when you’re a procrastinator, you would possibly put it off. And overlook the deadline. Then miss the deadline. You’ll have to begin yet again, together with your physician.

#5 Don’t do the take a look at when you’re in your interval.

This is maybe the one piece of knowledge I did not get till I’d already opened the field and began the sampling course of. So, head’s up: If you are 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 potential.

#5 Don’t ignore the directions.

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

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

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

#6 Don’t NOT do it!

There’s no cause NOT to get an at-home colon most cancers take a look at. This complete journey was:

• Fast
• Free
• Easy
• Potentially life-saving

That’s 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 particular person behind the counter did not bat an eye fixed. She simply instructed me to set it down and that was it. No have to pay or monitor the factor, all of that’s already on the field. It took 2 seconds.

These assessments really work. And in the event that they discover one thing in your poop, they provide you with a warning immediately to go get a colonoscopy. During 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 may flip into most cancers. But now it is gone. You do not have to fret.

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

If I can do it, anybody can.