Am I crazy?

Esmerelda

Hello dear ladies,

Let me begin by saying I know how crazy I might sound. I just received a negative bone scan result and negative sacrum and coccyx MRI result for metastatic cancer. (Yay!) I am still waiting on results from the lumbar MRI. Which is making me a bit frustrated, as I am presenting with constant lower back/tailbone pain (nagging/burning), tingling in left foot toes, occasional nerve pinch feeling in mid back, and occasional upper vertebrae pain. This has been going on for two months (after having moved my family into a new home and really did a number on myself from lifting, packing, etc.)and interestingly I always wake up in the morning with no pain, and have no pain at night. Only when I become fully awake and get out of bed does the pain return, and it does feel worse and more constant than several weeks ago.

My question is: could the bone scan be wrong? Should I speak with my onc nurse about a CT scan? Or, praying my MRI lumbar result is negative for metastatic disease, can I then MOVE ON from wondering if this is cancer?? I have read a bit about which scans show blastic vs. lytic lesions... Does MRI show both?

I just have no explanation yet for this pain and it’s making me doubt everything. I know I should RUN with the good news bone scan and Tailbone MRI, but I can’t mentally do it yet. I am sure I’ll have the lumbar MRI results tomorrow, and my onc nurse said she’d call me as soon as they come In. I just don’t know how much I should push in this direction. My onc nurse didn’t think this was cancer from the start. I don’t know if I’m being normal-vigilant or PTSD-paranoid vigilant! Anyone have any perspective to share? Thank you.

Peregrinelady

Esmerelda, yes, you are crazy. We are all crazy after this diagnosis! The constant worry about recurrence is the most difficult part of this whole experience, IMO. All kidding aside, it sounds like maybe you overdid it while moving and pinched some nerves somehow. I remember moving classrooms and my arm just went totally achy and had tingling sharp pain. I ended up working with a physical therapist and she did wonders. Hopefully, this is similar to your cause of pain and you can find the cause soon. You are doing the right thing in persisting. Please keep us posted.

KBeee

You said you did a number on your back from lifting, moving, etc. I would see an ortho and try PT for a while. This BC stuff is stressful, and I understand your brain always taking you back to BC...mine does too, but take comfort in the bone scan and move forward. Hopefully the MRI will give more insight into the cause of the pain. Sciatica pain can lead to numbness, and it can be debilitating. I have had hip bursitis IT band inflammation, and it is extremely painful as well. The MRI should give more details about things such as that. As long as it comes back negative for cancer, I think you can safely put the cancer fear to rest as for it being a cause for the pain. A CT will likely not show anything more than the MRI or bone scan as far as bone pain...and it carries with it the potential to increase future cancer risk. Keep us posted on the MRI results.