Chest CT & Bone Scan

emegram

I finished my chemo & radiation treatments one yr 3 months ago, June of 2010.  Life has been good...I have HAIR again...and I've moved on!  I'm managing OK taking Femara.  Some days I didn't even think about cancer!!   Now I have developed a cough.  When I saw my oncologist, she ordered a chest CT.  Those results show something (?), and she wants me to have a bone scan.  Do any of you ladies who have "moved on" find your oncologist ordering more tests which cause you stress and fear again?  I just want to be well and thought I was.      

elimar86861

Hey Bev, 

I wouldn't say I've had that many tests or scans.  I had one bone scan about a year out, when I mentioned "pain" and "rib" in the same sentence to my MO.  The scan was clear.  Showed nothing.  I think the pain originated with rads, not that anyone admits that, and it resolved on its own in a couple months.

You have to realize that with almost ANY complaint, a doc will order a diagnostic for the WORST condition it might be, and work backward from there ruling things out.  Why not ask the doc WHAT the CT showed and WHY she wants the bone scan?  You gotta ask if you want to know sometimes.

A lot of times it takes 6 mos. to a year for scarring on the lung to become noticeable, become symptomatic.  This might be what is going on with you.  Google "radiation pulmonitis" and see if it sounds familiar.   It is a shame that with rads we have the risk of collateral damage to our lungs, but hopefully yours will turn out to be something else.  It's sad that we have to be fearful, rather than our former happy-go-lucky selves, but on the flip-side of that we B/C women probably catch other conditions earlier than the average female now.  Good Luck in finding out what ails you.

Harley44

Bev,

I am 4 1/2 yrs. out, and this past summer, I started having terrible pain in my shoulder....

My surgeon ordered a ct of the chest and ct of the neck... and a bone scan.

Elimar is right...  unfortunately, NOW that we have had cancer, whenever we have a complaint, the doctor will order tests, and rule things out FIRST....  before thinking about a possible problem, one that won't scare us so much...

Turned out, I have ARTHRITIS in my SPINE!

Your issue is probably something simple...   

I also had to have an xray of my sinuses...  I think the dr. did that only because of my history... It was nothing...  I had a terrible sinus infection...

Harley