Is This Really Necessary?

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amlg1
amlg1 Member Posts: 596
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Went To onco on Monday,everything good,except when she asked me if I get headaches,I said yes.She proceeded to tell me she wants a brain mri.I told her I have alwaysgotten headaches all my life,these are no different.She insists I get it.She also asked me anything else,and I tell her a little pain here and there,but I feel fine.She doesn't want me to minimize anything.Do you think she is doing this as also a base line,and not telling me?

I did ask her what is my percentage of recurrance,and she did say it was up there,(which I knew).So in a few days it will be 2 years since surgery,yea,blood work good.Maybe she is cautious.

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited May 2011

    She sounds like the perfect onc......cautious!    Good luck!

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited May 2011

    Doesn't everyone get headaches?  If you know what is normal for you, I don't see the reason for a brain mri, other than a baseline.  A baseline might not be a bad idea. I assume you had the full load of scans, other than brain mri,  when you were first dxed.

     I'm 3C as well and I never had the guts to ask my onc what my chances of reoccurance are.  I didn't want to hear the answer!

     It does sound like your onc is extra cautious, but I can understand how that can be stressful for you.

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  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 2,134
    edited May 2011

    i think your onc sounds very thorough.  sometimes you just have to trust them and let them do their job.  i used to try and second guess everything; but now i trust the doc; ask questions...but basically kinda do what she says to do. 

    when i went for breast MRI two weeks ago; the tech...who has always done my MRI....says to me "keep fighting"  this was after the scan.  i thought Oh Oh...he must see something.....but then after i few minutes...i thought...."wait a minute"  he is just encouraging you to keep up the good work..ie..cycling...walking...eating good./..etc. 

    it is easy to go into "scarey land"  for all of us...but i guess trying to slow down....wait and find out 'facts"  and not let our little minds and emotions get away from us....is a lifetime of practicing. hah*

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited May 2011

    You gotta love it when they say "unremarkable brain"..... I got that too......

    Hubby had a field day with that one!  They also said I had a lot of
    white space......Husband said that explains alot.....

    I am sure she is just being cautious....

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  • Gitane
    Gitane Member Posts: 1,885
    edited May 2011

    amig,  I gotta agree with everyone, here.  This has to be a baseline thing, especially with totally normal bloodwork and all. I have to admit, I don't complain about anything to my onc.  I guess you could call that "minimizing", but I feel like cancer will make itself known.  I don't have to go looking for it.

    I think everyone of us that has had chemo, and especially those of us on AI's have very "unremarkable brains".  Mine was never that remarkable to begin with!!  My husband would absolutely agree with that statement, too.

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  • Suze35
    Suze35 Member Posts: 1,045
    edited May 2011

    Anna - put me in the thorough and cautious camp. Unfortunately, HER+ tends to metastasize to the brain more frequently than other types, and my guess is your doctor wants a baseline. That's a good thing! I believe that the sooner anything is caught, the better, even though doctors like to say otherwise.

    I do agree however that headaches are just a normal part of our post-chemo lives, and I am sure you are healthy - it stinks that things we dealt with normally now become looming specters of death, ugh.

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  • amlg1
    amlg1 Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2011

    Thank You All for all your input,in my heart I know she will find nothing(except a brain hopefully)lol.I'm sure it is for a baseline,and yes she is a great onc.

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  • elmcity69
    elmcity69 Member Posts: 998
    edited May 2011

    anna, saying prayers on it! it's good she's cautious, but yeah, it sucks when they refer you for more scans.

    and i'm soooo sick of people reminding us HER2 gals of brain mets. my onc actually disputes that, but that's a story for another day - this is your thread!

    good luck and let us know....

    hugs-

    janyce

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited May 2011

    When I got my initial scans there was a shadow on my liver. Everyone thought it was just a cyst but my onc still wanted me to get rescanned after chemo… cyst still there no change in size. She wants me to be rescanned in a year.

    Yes they like to be careful. I think if oncs see anything to be able to test (so insurance will pay for it) they will go for it. Don't get too paranoid. If this headache issue is the norm for you I'm willing to bet you're fine. Oncs are super careful in the first 3 years. This is when recurrence is at its highest.

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  • Suze35
    Suze35 Member Posts: 1,045
    edited May 2011

    Janyce, I'm sorry if I offended you, that wasn't my intention. I am also at higher risk for brain mets being TN, and was offering a rationale for the MRI.

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  • elmcity69
    elmcity69 Member Posts: 998
    edited May 2011

    oh Suze35, you didn't! you're just being straightforward. seriously, it was my inner baggage "talking" as well. no offense taken.

    j

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  • AnacortesGirl
    AnacortesGirl Member Posts: 1,758
    edited May 2011

    Anna,

    I also believe this is just a baseline and not a concern.  I've also had to get a brain MRI when I was getting fuzzy vision towards the end of my chemo.  I was pretty sure it was just a chemo SE but the onc was cautious.  I will say that I took 1 Ativan (.5 mg) before the scan and wished I had taken 2.  Something about those MRI thumps and bangs around my head were a little hard to deal with.

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited May 2011

    So jealous!!! I wish she was my onc...it's better for her to be that way than to down play everything you tell her.  I know I can be a bit paranoid at times but not every ache and pain I have is my gerd!!! A baseline is good, you'll know where you stand.  Enjoy that your dr is being cautious at least she is listening to you. 

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