Noticing blood in the stool is something that will scare any person. If you notice blood in your stool, you should know there can be several causes behind it. Some of the most common causes include Crohn’s disease, diverticula disease, anal fissures, hemorrhoids, ulcers, intestinal infections, or benign or malignant growths or polyps of the colon. Keep in mind that you will not always be able to clearly see blood in your stool. You might have to rely on fecal occult blood test to find microscopic blood in your stool. In this blog, we will tell you key things about fecal occult blood test. Let’s get started.
Way of Taking The Test
When testing for fecal occult blood, you need to collect at least 3 small stool samples. These samples consist of a little bit of stool collected on an applicator’s end. It is essential that you collect stool samples one day apart. This is advised because colon cancers, for instance, do not bleed consistently but from time to time.
You can buy the test kits for checking fecal occult blood online. Using those test kits, you can easily perform the test in the comfort of your home. Or, during one of your appointments with your doctor, you might be given the home test by him/her. The good thing is, the test kits have clear instructions on how to perform the test. Depending on the test kit you use, you might have to check the results yourself using a test card or send the samples to the doctor’s office for analysis.
Preparing For The Test
It is important to prepare for the test properly because your preparation can greatly impact the results of the test. Before 48 to 72 hours of taking the test, you need to avoid eating certain foods that can affect test results. Generally, raw vegetables, raw fruits, and red meat should not be eaten as they can influence the results. Also, you should not consume vitamin C-enriched foods more than 250 mg per day 3 days before the test. If you are on some medications, you will have to consult with your doctor whether you can continue taking them before your fecal occult blood test.
How Often You Should Get Tested
Apart from fecal occult blood test, you can also go for colonoscopy for checking colorectal cancer. If not colonoscopy, you should then get an occult blood stool test done ever year once you reach the age of 45. Along with this test, some people have to use flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years to detect the presence of colorectal polyps.
If interested, you can contact All Star Medical Supply for buying Hema-Screen occult blood test kits. The test kit we offer allows you to conveniently, rapidly, and non-offensively detect occult blood in the stool. You can use our kit for routine testing as well as mass screening programs for colorectal cancer.