Scan Anxiety!

pepper43

Thanks to my synchronous malignancy (chromophobe renal cell carcinoma that was found in a PET scan following breast cancer dx), I'm set for a CT scan on Wednesday just to check on things and I'm on defcon Level 5 anxiety. On one hand, I'm grateful to get a follow-up scan after treatment (my Oncologist told me they wouldn't have done it if I had battled only breast cancer alone), on the other I'm not looking forward to going to hospital and getting IV'd. And, of course, my mind is going to scary places.

How do you deal with scan anxiety after treatment???

Anonymous

Xanax. It's the only way I can get through the few scans I've had to have. i take a .25 mg tab which takes the edge off my anxiety but allows me to function normally. I try to tell myself, with mixed results, that if on the off chance there is something, it will be treated, I'll recover, and continue to live a long life. Sometimes it works. Keep posting here, as that helps me when I'm worried too.

I'm betting everything is going to come out clear. Let us know.

Hugs.

LBoyMom

I have horrible fear and anxiety about pet scan right now. Got official diagnosis last week. I have pains now in places I’ve never felt. I’m hoping it’s mental. I’m terrified to get a scan and have them tell me more bad news. :

jgd78

Been diagnosed with stage 2 had my scans all done ct's, mri for breast and bone scan for spreading prior to surgery single mastectomy as i asked my BS for them for peace of mind. they all returned back clear. the back pain i was getting went away for a few weeks but now it's back again this little pain almost in centre of back like a small little area of pain but not bad enough to take meds at all. i start chemo in 2 weeks but want to ask onc for another test to check out this funny little area in back. should i ask for mri? i hear bone scans are wrong quite a bit. this cancer is a constant worry omg i hate it. thx for your help x

jgd78

Been diagnosed with stage 2 had my scans all done ct's, mri for breast and bone scan for spreading prior to surgery single mastectomy as i asked my BS for them for peace of mind. they all returned back clear. the back pain i was getting went away for a few weeks but now it's back again this little pain almost in centre of back like a small little area of pain but not bad enough to take meds at all. i start chemo in 1 week.should i ask for mri? i hear bone scans are wrong quite a bit. i almost feel like going to emerge as my onc said no to more testing.this cancer is a constant worry omg i hate it. thx for your help xx

MoniThor

LBoyMom-I feel exactly the same way. I’m less worried about my upcoming lumpectomy on January 5th, and more worried about the scans that will follow before treatment. Every twinge or ache has me so anxious. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I’m having heart palpitations. I can’t breathe. And of course I’m attributing everything as symptoms that will reveal themselves during scans.

I think I already have PTSD from biopsy period. With a BIRAD 4A, radiologist assured me lump was probably just a complicated cyst, so when I received the IDC DX on December 21st, I was absolutely floored. Now I’m so afraid each new test is going to bring more bad news. My BS prescribed temazepam to help me sleep, but I don’t like the way it makes me so lethargic the next day.

Claireinaz-maybe I will ask for Xanax to get through the scans. Thank you.

Mimie

I’m scheduled for a PET Scan this week as a breast MRI done six months after diagnosis indicated a new retropectoral lymph node and a stable retropectoral lymph node. I developed radiation induced pericarditis in October, my inflammation levels are through the ceiling. Thinking this test will be waste of time as inflammation will make everything light up. Climbing the walls with worry.

carmstr835

I understand completely, Mimie, Monathor, and Lboy mom. I am sure there are others that have expressed their concern and anxiety about their upcoming scans. I am in this club too.

They found I have lesions in my liver, adrenal gland, and just recently my right lung. They have known about the 10 liver lesions, largest was 1.3 cm back in May. The plan was to rescan after chemo, looking for a change. There was no change after chemo in August. The thoughts are they are cysts and very common. But, they found a 2.8 cm lesion on my adrenal gland at that time. They did an MRI and found it was adipose tissue (fat, I think).

In November, I was hospitalized with chest pain and a ct scan was done on my lungs looking for pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). It was negative for blood clot and the pain resolved, fever went down and I was discharged with no diagnosis, however the ct scan showed a .9cm lesion on my right upper lung. I had it compared with a lung CT scan from May 2017, it was determined there no lesions in May 2017, so this is new. My oncology radiologist was showing it to me as he compared the 2 CT scans of my right lung and noticed another lesion in the same area about 20mm deeper, attached to a blood vessel. That is scary, he was quite concerned as well. He wants to do another scan tomorrow (8 weeks later) and also cancer marker blood tests. So yeah, I understand all the anxiety regarding these things. I am hoping for good scans for all of us.