Have had for a few years symptoms of occasional abdominal pain (worse with stress and relieved by gas or stool), loose stools sometimes with mucus, foul gas. No weight loss or crippling pain, no fevers, appetite remains the same. Went to GI doctor for recurring anal fissure . Normal CBC and mild elevated crp of 12.2 (0.1 - 8.2) and sed rate of 18 (0-10). Why did they recommend a colonoscopy?
Hello! Thank you for the query. If you are 50 or older, such symptoms should always be checked with colonoscopy because with age of 50 colon cancer risk rises significantly. And the main intention of colonoscopy is to rule the cancer out. Cancer usually does not give any pain in early stages and gives hardly any symptoms. Usually when the symptoms appear, it is quite advanced.  If you are young person, inflammatory bowels' disease can be the reason of your symptoms (Crohn's disease) and this can usually be verified with colonoscopy. Symptoms can be just like yours.  Moreover, your symptoms do last for years and does not seem to get better. So the colonoscopy decision is very reasonable. Hope this will help. Regards.