Post Treatment, are You Getting PET/CT Scans?

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  • tamlyn110
    tamlyn110 Member Posts: 195
    edited December 2009

    Rn2teach- Thanks so much for the hope that I will at least be able to ask my BS or GP for a scan & don't have to rely solely on my Onc.

    I totally agree that it does NOT sound logical that finding something earlier would not increase our chance of survival- How could'nt it? I will never understand that theory.

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  • Meggy
    Meggy Member Posts: 530
    edited December 2009

    Tamlyn and all the other ladies, I have even gotten scans out of two general practice doctors.  I think it makes them feel important.  So far I like to push for MRIs (had two of my brain both clear) because there are no side effects at all...no radiation.  I also got a bone scan when my hip hurt but there was nothing...it was just joint pain.

    I took more chemo than they normally do for stage 3....and rads too....so I feel like I've taken my share of poison (thank God for that poison)....so I want to put off additional scans if I can....such a hard choice.  BUT, at the very least, I'm getting scanned at the 5 year point so I can just walk the heck away from this thing.  

     I also disagree with this concept that there is no difference in outcome.  How can that be?  And what do they consider a difference?  Do they not care if someone lives 4 or 6 months longer?  Well, I bet my kids would care..I sure would.  

    God Bless us all.

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  • S_Quinn
    S_Quinn Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2009

    Hi Meggy

    I've heard of other women with earlier stage disease who get more frequent scans and more blood work than I do. I'm stage 3C- waiting for light breeze to knock me over to stage IV - but my doctors are the same way - follow the symptoms. I do get an annual PET/CT . I've have had 3 Full Body PET/CT  Scans since completing treatment 2/12 years ago and one or two bone scans to rule out mets. Other wise I go in for quarterly visits and my onc examines me aruond the upper body and asks about headaches and appetite etc.

    I always leave feeling like I'm sure he's missed something or that I've forgottern to tell him the symptom that I'm sure is going to kill me, but by the next day I've forgotten that I have cancer. So I think not too much tesing is a good thing- too much would make me feel like a patient. These appointments feel like a quick visit and a chat.

    Quinn

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