Pinched nerve or bone mets?

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Oh god, they found something. Dr called and said they found something suspicious on her MRI and are referring it back to her oncologist.


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  • Professor50
    Professor50 Member Posts: 220
    edited February 2015

    Als920. I am so sorry to hear that the news is not straightforwardly positive. I am holding you and your family in my thoughts and hoping for the best.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    I pray that you get some answers soon. The anticipation and unknown are the worst part. I hope that it is just a blip. MRI's are really sensitive and can have false positives.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    waiting to hear back from the onc now. The scheduling deparrment called and initially had us slotted to come in a week from today. We reached out to the onco asst to see if we could get news of whether the results were conclusive or not.the neuro originally said suspicious but then why refer to the onco

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Onco says MRI inconclusive and has ordered a bone scan for next Tuesday morning.

    Anyone had these ordered and come back clear

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited February 2015

    Als-I'm so sorry this is happening. I've not had the inconclusive thing happen, so I am not help. I'm thinking of you and your wife. ((hugs))

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    I am sure plenty of people have had bone scans that came back clear. It will be able to determine if there are any bone mets found.

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited February 2015

    My bone scan came back clear after a "inconclusive" finding as well.  Once you have BC, any blip on the radar will be followed up.  Many times if only to cover their own arses.  I am hoping that this will be the same in your wife's case. 

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    We just saw the actual MRI report and the radiologist noted issues in C6-C7 that were "concerning for metastases" and in her conclusion notes listed it as indicative of metastases and recommends a bone scan.

    Why would the other doctors tell us that they're not sure it's metastasis and they only found something suspicious? Now that I'm seeing what a bone scan is it seems that it's main job in this case is to determine the amount of cancer once it is determined?

    We are so scared right now.

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  • javafriend
    javafriend Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2015
    I had a slight sclerotic lesion show up on t10 on CT scan, but was clear on bone scan. Because bone scan was clear, doctors do not consider the area as cancerous. I am sending lots of positive thoughts and energy to you and your wife.
    Lisa
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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2015

    Radiologists often seem to present the potential worst case scenario in the reports so that whoever ordered the test knows what that could be, but it doesn't necessarily mean that this is a certainty.  Doing this is part of the radiologist's job and why they use terminology like "indicative" or "suggestive", which is different from definitely.  Doing this is what guides the next steps for the ordering physician, which is why more imaging is being recommended. I have been in the spot you are now and I understand how worrisome it is - I had a 4cm mass in my calf which was both "indicative and suggestive of malignancy" of sarcoma on MRI, but turned out to be a benign nerve sheath tumor.  I hope you and your wife receive the same type of news very soon.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited February 2015

    During my initial diagnosis of Stage 3, I had an inconclusive MRI, then a bone scan that showed a lot of uptake in an area of my leg that suggested metastases.  Last, they did some old fashioned x-rays. (why not do those first?)  Then my Onc called a team of experts together to look at my case with the radiologists and told me "it's something, but I'm betting it is not cancer.  Let's get on with your treatment. We'll watch it."   So FRIGHTENING! That was 3 years ago and have never been bothered since.  Hoping for that experience for you and your wife. 

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  • Nan54
    Nan54 Member Posts: 93
    edited February 2015

    I've also had an MRI that showed 'something' that was then proven to be nothing with other tests. I think it happens quite frequently. Praying for only good news for you!!!

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  • jenjenl
    jenjenl Member Posts: 948
    edited February 2015

    same here, ct showed something bone scan clear. Thinking of you as you go through data gathering. Its so scary but stay strong!!

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Thank you for all of the responses.

    We are definitely hoping for the best but luck has never really seemed to be on our side. We were both diagnosed 4 years ago within 6 months of each other, she was dx'd while 36 weeks pregnant. The past week has seen one of our kids have to go to the ER, her neuro appt that ended up asking for the MRI on Friday the 13th, my 6 month scans on Monday and notification of the concerning results on Ash Wednesday and now the pending bone scan on Tuesday. The hardest part is trying to keep everything as normal as possible for the kids.

    Truly hoping for a break in the string of events.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    I pray for you to get that break. Your family has been through a lot. It's really unfair.

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited February 2015

    you keep saying she was 36 months pregnant, surely that is not true! 36 weeks?

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Sorry, I hadn't realized I already posted about the pregnancy at time of diagnosis.

    Yes, it was weeks.

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited February 2015

    Thats okay! Phew! I was just going to feel sorry for your wife, just for that! I am following you two and wishing you the very best. It is scary when you are diagnosed with bc at such a late stage, and i know for me, stage lV can happen at any time. so you KNOW I am pulling for your wife. I just know also that MRI's are good at detecting EVERYTHING, but without specificity. So I am just hoping for her to just have something benign that they will just watch, until they see it is stable. You guys have been through quite enough, and i think its pretty cool that you are here for her, and asking questions on her behalf.

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited February 2015

    Also, so did you guys have the baby right before, or right after she was diagnosed? Is that how they found it, during a pregnancy exam?

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    She had a lumpectomy before our daughter was born and started chemo a few weeks after. She actually nursed right up to the moment before the first drip of chemo. We have a picture of her in the chemo chair with her nursing for the last time.

    No, she found a lump two days after we got back from out of state for a surgery I had to have for a recurrence. We found out it was cancer two days after Thanksgiving and our daughter was born the first week of January.

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited February 2015

    O that picture, how sweet and sad. I am so sorry, and no you guys do NOT deserve this, so i am praying she is not having a recurrence.

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited February 2015


    ALS920

    I am so sorry that you are going through this, it seems so unfair.  I do understand as my DH and I were dx within 2 months of each other, him with advanced colon cancer and myself with BC. I totally understand when you say that you are trying to keep everything normal for your kids as we feel that way about ours.  I know that scans such as MRI and CT scans are very sensitive and pick up the strangest benign things so I am realy hoping that the bone scan clears things up.  I hope that your scan comes back clean also and you can move on from this. 

    Please keep us updated so we can celebrate the good results with you!!

    Hugs to you and your family

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  • Alicethecat
    Alicethecat Member Posts: 535
    edited February 2015

    Hi Als

    In case this helps...

    I've had a bone scan too. Oncologist told me that they'd 'seen something'. In this case it was Thoracic bone number 3. A different bone but similar wording to the response re your wife.

    They repeated the bone scan six months later.

    It was natural bone repair.

    Hoping for the same for your wife.

    Alice





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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2015

    My husband had pain in his back and got an x-ray. The test came back suspicious for spinal cancer; this came in when I was still undergoing tx for my own bc. Our GP ordered an MRI and found that the suspicion was unfounded, and that instead he had arthritis in his spine. I think sometimes docs cover all the bases because they are so afraid of litigation. I hope that you will finally wind up with happy news. It can happen!

    Hugs to you and your wife and babies-

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Thank you all.

    We are in such a dark place right now it just hurts so much. I try to be productive at work and I'll be alright for a short time and then the tears come again so I have to find a part of the building to compose myself. I know how much I hurt right now and I know my DW is feeling worse as it is her life at stake as well as the thoughts of our small children. We looked at the MRI report again last night and the final conclusion was pretty cut and dry. The radiologist actually stated that the area in question "represented metastatic disease".

    I told my senior manager this morning and she was floored. She knew about our past as I have been here through all of that but when I told her stage 4 she simply stopped in her tracks to make sure I wasn't kidding., When she realized I was serious she simply put everything down and hugged me. Just writing this I have had to close and lock the office door so no one sees me crying. I need to be strong but am having so much trouble keeping myself together. :-(

    I know that we still have a thread of hope that the bone scan shows something else but with the way the events have played out it's hard.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Sorry to keep ranting but I just need to.

    Yet another insult to injury is that I have to go see my oncologist in an hour to tell me that my scans and labs are all clear which makes me nauseous. The fact that one of us gets to be ok and the other does not is just not fair! We just did dual diagnosis with all of their accompanying strains 4 years ago. This was going to be such a good year with both of us hitting the magic 5 year mark. The loans we took out to pay off the medical bills were going to be falling away and all was going to be so nice.

    A number of people are telling me to have faith but I'm sorry, with all that has happened I'm finding it hard to believe we are on the big guys radar at all and it's more of a waste deposit directly above our house.

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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited February 2015

    Als, I wish I had a magic wand for you. I can't imagine your agony right now! It's not fair and it sucks, plain and simple! One positive will be your tests are clear. That is good news! Your wife will be thankful and you should be too! I know it's hard to trust faith right now. It's always tested. Just remember all of us here are with you in spirit. I wish there was a way to comfort you two. I will certainly pray for you and your wife! Come here anytime and vent. Never apologize for that! We are all here and we all need each other. We need you too. Trust me on that!!!XOXOXO!!

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited February 2015

    I am so happy that everything is ok for you but am still hoping for the best for your wife.

    I understand that the radiologist did say it could be mets but it appears that there is still some doubt as they are sending you for a bone scan.

    Again, I am hoping for the best for your wife. We are always here for you to offer support.

    Hugs.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    Als - I am so happy to hear your tests are clear. It sounds like you are feeling a little guilt because your scans were clear, but I know this will give your wife a tremendous sense of relief. Personally, it would be harder for me if my husband got bad news than it would be for myself. I am still holding out major hope that the MRI has picked up something that is not cancer. As you can see from this thread it is quite common for the findings to be wrong. I know it will be hard to function as normal until you have definitive answers. Whatever you need to do - lock yourself in your office, take a walk and cry, whatever - do it. I know that Stage 4 is very scary. Thankfully, there are many women on this forum with bone mets that are doing well and are living 5+ years past their diagnosis. I am sure they would be happy to talk to you and your wife *IF* by some chance the findings come back as mets.

    <hugs>

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