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[Elliebee]

My other half had a health assessment through BUPA which included a FIT test. This has come back with a score of 7. The Gp at BUPA said they have recently changed labs and the new lab indicates anything above 4 as positive. However, BUPA and NHS guidance remains the same at anything above 10!
As his dad had bowel cancer he has been offered a colonoscopy but GP said it’s not something they’d offer with a a score of 7.
As we’re off on holiday next week the colonoscopy isn’t until the end of Aug. My other half isn’t worrying at all and says if the test had been done on NHS it wouldn’t even have flagged up as positive. The BUPA GP said if it’s anything it’s likely to be polyps or internal piles. He’s got no symptoms at all and blood results were all normal.
But I’m worried sick / health anxiety has kicked in. I’m not looking forward to going on holiday next week.
Has anyone else come across this new FIT number ?

[Penguin]

If he'd had it done through NHS bowel screening, the cutoff for referral is actually 120! It's only 10 and above for GP requested tests,  which is when someone goes with bowel symptoms. 7 is still a very low number and, without any other indications, such as anaemia, persistent change in bowel habits or pain, he is still very low risk.
My fit last year was 23, I had a colonoscopy and it was a bleeding polyp.
Your OH could ask GP to do a full blood count as this would show up any anaemia, which could then trigger a referral. Does he have a history of constipation, piles etc? Because it could just as easily be a pile that has slightly bled, also very common.

[Penguin]

Reading again I see he's already had blood tests. Really does sound low risk, please try not to worry. People bleed for lots of numbers and, as he said, it wouldn't have even shown up on NHS tests. Polyps can be easily and quickly during the colonoscopy.

[Elliebee]

Thank you Penguin. I didn’t realise it was 120 for routine tests. I’m curious as to why the lab BUPA use stipulate 4? He has no history of constipation or recent piles. He did have a small pile few years back.
Bloods are all normal too.

[Penguin]

I don't know either. But I do know I massively panicked with my result of 23 (I'd had lower left abdominal pain) but GP said the number was still very low and wouldn't have been flagged by the bowel screening programme. I think it's good he is being offered a colonoscopy tho, the surgeon who did mine said everyone should be checked after age of 45 as lots of people have polyps that can then be easily removed before they have the chance to turn into anything.

[Elliebee]

Thank you for the reassurance Penguin. I’m such a worrier