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One alternative to colonoscopy at 45 that is widely used outside the US are FIT tests. They go for $30 on Amazon (and around $80 for Labcorp) and they are much
by glimshe 3y ago
One alternative to colonoscopy at 45 that is widely used outside the US are FIT tests. They go for $30 on Amazon (and around $80 for Labcorp) and they are much cheaper and incomparably less time consuming than a colonoscopy. The idea is that you only go for a colonoscopy under 50 (and some even say 55) if the FIT test comes positive. Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
- irdc 3y agoNote that this works well in the case of colon cancer because it has a slowly-progressing prodromal stage in the form of polyps whose weak blood vessels cause tiny amounts of blood loss into the stool.
- AnimalMuppet 3y agoOne side effect (heh) of those, at least in the US: If my doctor orders a colonoscopy, then the insurance covers it. But if he orders one of these tests and it indicates that I need a colonoscopy, then I pay for the colonoscopy. Note that this may vary, depending on your insurance...
- glimshe 3y agoOR... Wait until your doctor orders the colonoscopy and drag your feet until you say, without letting them know of the FIT results, "I'm ready to do it now". Doctors in the US will almost always order a colonoscopy starting at 50, and often starting at 45. The cost of the FIT tests is negligible compared to the cost of the colonoscopy, so it makes sense that you do these on your own outside the insurance system.