Bowel Health Check with colonoscopy (referral form at the bottom of the page)
Bowel cancer develops through a well defined pathway. Bowel polyps (also called adenomas) can slowly grow over years in the lining (also called mucosa) of your bowels and become cancerous (also called carcinoma). Colonoscopy can remove these pre-cancerous growths and keep you cancer free. It is a very safe procedure where a flexible camera is inserted into your anus to examine your small and large bowel. Prior to your procedure you need to flush your bowels, by drinking bowel preparation and only having clear fluids the day prior to the procedure. Colonoscopy usually takes approximately 30 minutes and you will be given sedation medication to keep you comfortable and asleep.
Symptoms
Many patients with bowel cancer or large polyps do not experience any symptoms. Depending on the size and the position of the cancer people can experience:
Blood in your stool or bleeding from the rectum.
Change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool
Abdominal pains, cramping or distention.
Fatigue
Weightloss
A feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
Anaemia
Bowel screening
In new Zealand people between the ages of 65 and 75 are offered screening where stool samples are analysed for traces of blood (FOBT). This program has been very successful and has detected many people who had cancer but no symptoms. Limitations of this test is that 40% of cancers do not bleed and therefore do not get detected by stool testing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does it hurt to remove a polyp?
No, there are no nerves in the internal bowel lining (mucosa) and therefore there is no pain when polyps are removed
Can I refer myself for a colonoscopy?
Yes you can fill out the form below and we can assess your referral as well as arrange pre-approval with your insurance company.
Do I need a colonoscopy if I have had a negative bowel screening test
If you have any symptoms then you need a colonoscopy regardless of the bowel screening stool test (FOBT) result. The blood stool test is only for people without symptoms. The stool test misses 40% of cancers as they do not bleed and only 5% of people with a positive stool test have cancer. This is why I am doing my PhD on improving bowel cancer detection with "next generation sequencing" and gas based stool detection.
How often do you find polyps?
The risk of you having polyps depends on your age, gender, family history and symptoms. It also depends on how clean your bowel is and how skilled the person performing the colonoscopy is. High quality and safe endoscopy is my top priority and on average I find polyps in 60% of patients
How long is the wait time for colonoscopy?
I have very short waitlists and can usually perform your colonoscopy within 1-2 weeks. This is done to keep the time you spend worrying to a minimum.
How much does a colonoscopy cost?
If you have private health insurance the cost of your colonoscopy could be fully covered. If you have southern cross health insurance, we can claim on your behalf and you only need to pay your excess. If you have insurance with another company, you will need to pay waitemata endoscopy the costs and you can claim back yourself with your insurance company.
You can also pay for a colonoscopy yourself if you do not have health insurance. The actual cost will depend on the treatments you needs (such as removal of polyps or hemorroid treatment). Prices start from 1916,00 NZD including GST and we will email you a detailed list with the costs of other treatment prior to you booking.
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Self Referral Form
Please fill out the form below and one of my staff will contact you within the next business day to discuss and find a convenient time for the procedure.
Clinic Appointment
Or if you prefer you can see me in clinic first to discuss your options and create a treatment plan. You can use this form to refer yourself for a clinic appointment instead.
Dr Marius didn’t hesitate to contact me for an appointment. During the consultation Dr Marius he explained the possibilities in detail, I felt heard, understood and my symptoms was taken seriously. I was sent for tests and was given a new diagnosis within a week.
Excellent bedside manner and kept me informed throughout the procedure which really put my mind at ease. In addition I very much appreciated Dr Marius explaining the interim findings and the steps to follow.
Dr Marius.
I am writing to express my appreciation for all that Dr Marius has been able to do so i have been able to avoid major surgery.
I have adenocarcinoma,(cancer in the duodenum). I was offered an extremely invasive operation called Whipple. This involves extensive cutting and rejoining of the liver pancreas and gall bladder with all its aftermath and infection risks.
I chose not to have this as i preferred to have quality of life rather than longevity. Sadly i have been up close to...
I was really worried about the results of my latest gastroscopy. Marius was very kind, patient and reassuring and went out of his way to explain my condition and to arrange further testing. I am extremely grateful for his thoroughness and understanding.
Marius was the first person to take my condition seriously, and do everything in his power to help me. Even when my issues went outside of his scope of work.
He is empathetic and diligent, and has been an heavy weight in my corner and my ace up my sleeve.
I’m so grateful for him, and would highly recommend.
