CT scans and anticoagulants: Warfarin and aspirin. Scanxiety.

Options
Barbed
Barbed Member Posts: 33
edited December 2016 in Waiting for Test Results

Hi all,

I went for some CTs this morning (neck,chest,abdo& pelvis) and after the radiographer came and asked me if I was on Warfarin and/or Aspirin. I'm not. I thought this a bit odd as from what I can see - you are supposed to stop them before havign CT scans but I don't know why.

Does anyone know why you need to stop these medications and if/how they affect the scan?

It's one thing to have scanxiety but having this random factor thrown in - makes it worse.

Only a week to wait.

Hang in there - those waiting too.

Barbed.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • cive
    cive Member Posts: 709
    edited December 2016

    I take warfarin and have had CT scans with dye contrast every 6 months for over a year. They may ask you when they inject the dye just to know how long to hold the cotton after they take the needle out. Warfarin and aspirin to a lesser degree are blood thinners.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited December 2016

    I've had scans for 8 years sometimes on Warfarin and all the time on aspirin and never been asked about it - of course I am always hopeful that someone somewhere is reading my rather comprehensive medical file.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cherylking2005
    cherylking2005 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2016

    I am of Xarelto and 81 mg aspirin and had a Pet-CT with contrast yesterday. I guess I should have read the preinstructions to see if I should have stopped them prior to the test. But, I did not and took both of them at 8 p.m. The night before. I did have a fair amount of bleeding of the finger poke to check my glucose. I gas serious diarrhea about an hour late that lasted for about six hours but ok now.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Barbed
    Barbed Member Posts: 33
    edited December 2016

    Thanks all,


    I think cive might be right. There are instructions to stop them beforehand as cherylking says. Like 208sandy I've had lots of scans and they've never mentioned it before.

    I have an "upper limit of normal" (slightly enlarged) heart and I know that can cause blood clots as well as it being a post-chemo complication so I was just worried that there was something else wrong now - other than the potential metastatic cancer.

    I'm in denial atm though and convinced I have imagined everything (chronic swallowing problem) and shouldn't have made a fuss. I'm obviously over-concerned about my health and my rising tumour markers aren't really anything to worry about.

    Fortunately, I have found ways to distract myself - I have some repairs and a small bit of decorating to finish.

    Roll on results.

    Have a good weekend all. (Grey and damp in London.)

    Barbed.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sharonpmm
    sharonpmm Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2017

    Good luck barbed I am going for tests myself so fingers crossed !x well got results I have Invasive Ductal cancernoma and am triple negative great!! I will be having the works now!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories