Talking with others helped me feel safer

But colonocopies have changed quite a bit over the past 15 years. Things are very different now. There’s absolutely no reason to be afraid as long as the doctor is experienced and attentive to the patient. I find it important to talk with the doctor before the colonoscopy. It helps me to be familiar with the person doing the examination and the room where it takes place. I don’t see what's being done and don’t feel any pain. I’m not afraid at all of having a colonoscopy.

I was very lucky to find a good doctor right in the town where I live. I've now been with the same doctor for about twelve years. I trust him and am convinced that he does the colonoscopies well. He has a lot of experience with this disease. He's very open and I'm quite sure that he does a good job. I can be honest about what I'm thinking and we can discuss the results. It's important to me to have the opportunity to discuss the results and any further steps hours after the examination, and not right after the colonoscopy has finished, when I'm still feeling the effects of the sedative.

I've already had a lot of conversations about this topic with my doctor. It really helps to know that he's very careful during the examination.

I've had this condition for decades. But I've only just now realized that regular colonoscopies can help detect signs of bowel cancer early enough.

I take medication to treat the inflammation caused by the ulcerative colitis. These medications may also lower my chances of getting bowel cancer.

Whenever I notice the first signs of my ulcerative colitis symptoms getting worse – like blood in my stool, diarrhea or pain – I react immediately. As a result, I've been able to avoid very severe outbreaks that require hospitalization in recent years. Before that I would make the mistake of waiting too long to see the doctor and then finally starting treatment.

A healthy lifestyle is also important to me. I hope that can help me to prevent the cancer from developing. I go jogging several times a week and try to eat healthy food. I want to feel physically strong and well.

I think it over quite often: “Am I doing enough or are there other options I should be trying?” It’s not easy. There were also plenty of times a while back, when my daughter was still very young, where I was very worried about getting bowel cancer that wouldn't be detected until it was too late. Some nights I would lay awake and think about it, crying. I wondered whether what I was doing was right and how I would deal with my fears, and that was damn difficult. But that was a long time ago. All I can say is that dealing with these issues and talking a lot with my doctor helped me feel a bit safer. Under those circumstances, I just needed someone with specialist knowledge who I could talk to openly. Talking with other people who have ulcerative colitis and who are in a similar situation is also a great help.

It’s important not to stick your head in the sand and to deal with the issue of bowel cancer. I think you shouldn’t just sit back and expect others to do it for you. You have to leave your comfort zone and really grapple with it. Then you'll feel like you’ve done everything you can and won’t have regrets later on.