Hi ho, hi ho...it's off to scan I go!

That sounds very stressful. Especially when everything is going soo well for you. I almost WISH my oncologist would do the same for me though.  Because I will NEVER ask for one but if I had this peace of mind, it would be a tremendous relief.  When I was first diagnosed I had zero scan anxiety.  I was not worried.  Now, I get soo nervous and worried every time I have to have blood drawn. So I'm sorry you have to have this scan anxiety.  I am also from the not wanting to know crowd. But....how nice it would be to get an all clear at the same time.  How else do they really know?  It DOES make sense.  I wish you wonderful clear results and then I will be jealous of the good nights sleep you will have that night!!!

Jenny, good luck for the scan!!! The further we move, the more we get anxious about tests, don't we? I wish I never had to go for a check up. Last time I refused to do TMs, just can't handle the stress. I am turning from " want to know everything" to '' dont want to know anything''. You go ahead, get the clean results and that wonderful feeling of peace... Sending you lots of strength while you wait, my friend!!!!!

Jenny,



Good luck with the scans. Please keep us posted.



(((Hugs)))



The Mods

Jenny-We are with you for your scan! We all understand scanxiety, it sucks. But you will be so relieved when you get the all clear! I also have ct scan coming up, I stress as soon as I make the appointment. My insurance decided they would not pay for a pet scan because my last one was good, I don't really get it! My doc is mad!

damazon-after my first bout with cancer I was in a collision. Went to the emergency room immediately and they did x rays right away. I was terrified they were going to find cancer, so I get your fear. It makes since that you hurt and not the lady who hit you, I think that is common. I would tell your oncologist, you should be checked out because of the accident. I also think I do not want to know and just go on until I have really bad symptoms, but I keep telling myself the scan doesn't change anything, either the cancer is there or it is not, and I guess I would really rather know than not know so I can fight it.

Best of luck!!!

Jenny - I agree with Karina.  Yes, scans suck and I'm sorry you have to have one.  But, it will be an awesome feeling when you get clear results.  A clear pet scan trumps tumor markers.  We'll be thinking of you.

I'm waiting on scan results from Monday. I was told it would be 3 business days and to start calling the onc on Wednesday. No word yet. He typically calls in the evening. I have bugged his poor assistant every day since Wednesday. Today, I said that I'd be willing to talk to one of the Fellows, but still no call. It was a CT scan, by the way, of the chest, I sure hope I don't have to go through the weekend not knowing. And to make matters worse, one of my cats has had oral cancer since April and is being put down tomorrow morning. Plus yesterday I found out I have gluten intolerance and will not be eating bread, cake, pasta (at least the regular ones) again. Thankfully, Whole Foods has a really good GF cupcake, and I may be having to have one this evening if this waiting goes on much longer!!!!

Got the call---everything was normal! Yippee! But I learned I have surgical staples in the area of my ALND. Didn't know that. No wonder it bothers me so much!

Jenn , I have the same pain sweeti,  all the time. When I wear heels or am on my feet to long sometimes the pain is so bad, I have to take serious pain meds....I HAVE HAD A BONE SCAN AND I  think it is left over from chemo and tamox................This is the gift that keeps on giving love,  however,  we are here to deal with it....I just thank the Lord every day for that!

You will be fine...IF YOU ARE NOT READY RIGHT NOW FOR A SCAN,  WAIT TILL YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.....XO

PM ME ANYTIME...LOVE YA!

STEPH 

Hi Damazon- I noticed that you and I were diagnosed on the same day with almost identical stats ( my ILC is Prog +) curious!

I am in a study and get yearly CT and bone scans which give peace of mind for a year if they show nothing! My first ones were three months ago and the Ct showed up a PE ( lung blood clot) a liver thingy? ? and a ground glass opacity in the lung .... I was feeling great until then!! Now on warfarin having regular blood clotting tests and waiting for CT scan results to see if the opacity is smaller or growing... And this was my first year! The liver thing was ultrasound examined - clear! I really get the whole scanxiety thing now! The bone scan was clear so I am positive that it will all be fine- but I will be going through this next year for every lump and bump to be checked and rechecked. I thought that being in the trial would give me peace of mind by being vigilant. I feel healthy now so will consider myself that until proven otherwise!!!

Hi Robyn,

That is a coincidence and I live in Canada! I too had a liver thingy on my first scan, prior to chemo and after surgery. They called it TSTC (too small to classify). Like you, further testing with ultrasound found simple cyst. Very happy. My bone scan after chemo also all clear. Sorry to hear you have additional concerns but I plan to follow your lead -- good to go unless told otherwise. I had that attitude but I folded after being hit by the big car. I like another member's quote, "Courage is not choosing to be brave, but standing firm in the face of adversity when options are limited."

Robyn, may I ask why they did not send you for a completion ALND after your SNB? As I was clinically node negative at time of SNB surgery, and only node positive with macrometastes on IHC staining later after path report received they felt they did not to wait longer to provide chemo as determining the actual count of positive nodes would not change my treatment plan.

Had my brain MRI yesterday and just got a call from my dr.  All clear!  No mets in my brain at this time.  Woo hoo!  Doing the happy dance.  What a relief. 

What about you, Jenny?  And lanagraves, I highly recommend getting the scan when you're able.  Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to this beast.  But I do understand your hesitation because I tried to talk my way out of mine last week too.  Luckily, my dr said we needed to do the scan.  Now I can breathe again.  But if it had been bad news, at least I could have started fighting sooner, than later.

Hugs to all,

Kathy

Great news Robyn, very happy for you!!! Thanks for your details on ALND. My team recommended not to do an ALND on the same logic you provided. I am very happy that I did not do a completion ALND but was anxious initially as I was one of the first in British Columbia to follow this route. The team based their recommendation on the basis of Z0011 trials and I was concerned. Stage 3 and women with mastectomies were not allowed to be part of that trial. Thank you so much for your note, I am eternally grateful.