Looks like I'm joining the club no one wants to join

Options
finallyoverit
finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
edited May 2017 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

MRI this week showed a lesion on T10. PET scan next week. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited May 2017

    Oh dear, I read on another thread you were having numbness. I imagine that, if it were a herniated disc, a PET scan would not be required. Your original diagnosis was just half a year after mine. Not sure what treatment you might have had then but be strong - many ladies in our support group have doing well for a long time!

    It will be good to zero in on a cause and then develop a plan. Let us know how things go.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2017

    Yes, both of my legs are numb and my feet are all tingly. Years ago, I had it all.. chemo.. lumpectomy.. radiation and have been on tamoxifen for 5 years next month. I asked my MO if the numbness could be causes by the tamoxifen. He told me to stay off it for a week and when that didn't help, he ordered the MRI. They found a lesion on my T10 that is pushing on the nerve, causing the numbness. The only thing we don't know is if it's breast cancer mets or something like lymphoma or myeloma.

    Next up is a PET and brain MRI.. then biopsy to see exactly what we are dealing with. There is also talk of an ooph since a lot of the drugs are for post meno ladies.

    I'm still in a state of surrealness.. is this really happening? Ugh.. just dammit




    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 605
    edited May 2017

    "Lesion" can mean a lot of different things, though.

    Late last year when I had my recurrence, I had a CT done that showed a "lesion" on T2 and on the left lobe of my liver. I had a follow up bone scan that showed the lesion on T2 was a hemangioma and a follow up MRI of the abdomen that showed the lesion on my liver is a cyst. Lesion is a non-specific term for something that's visible that *shouldn't* be there, not necessarily just mets. And both areas for me (T2 and liver) said, "could be metastatic disease, need more tests." So a bone scan would be next for you, I would imagine.

    All this to say, don't get too ahead of yourself, because it could be totally benign. Keep us posted!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NancyHB
    NancyHB Member Posts: 1,512
    edited May 2017

    I had a similar experience to Emily2008. A CT in preparation for my DIEP revealed lytic lesions on my L2 and L3 that were "indicative of metastatic disease". My MO was fairly convinced but wanted a rescan a couple months later. Lesions still there. I got a bone scan and MRI - and nothing showed up on my spine (incidentally found what turned out to be mets on my ribs though). I've had a couple more scans since then, including another bone scan, and my spine is fine. No one can explain why the CT showed those lesions or what they were. Bone scans are really the gold standard for detecting mets; let's hope yours can be explained as something else. Let us know what you find out.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2017

    Thanks, ladies. You're right, we really don't know what it is at this point. Could be anything.. my gut is telling me bone mets but we won't know until next week. They have me scheduled for a PET scan and a brain MRI. They are even talking about an ooph. To say I'm scared is an understatement. Just trying to take it one day at a time.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 605
    edited May 2017

    Okay, I'm a little confused. Something showed up on your spine, and they haven't ordered a bone scan yet? Why are they jumping to a brain MRI?

    Have they explained their reasoning about their imaging decisions?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2017

    My MO explained that if it is Mets, we are doing rads. The RO will want the brain MRI before they will treat so we are doing it along with the PET just to get it done. He's trying to speed this along for me so I can get feeling back in my legs. Kinda scary not being able to feel them or feel stable walking.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Brightsky
    Brightsky Member Posts: 45
    edited May 2017

    I'm very sorry you are going through this. It does sound like you have very good doctors and they are being very thorough. I know this is all very frightening. I have found much comfort in this forum and I hope you can as well. I will be thinking about you and hoping for a good outcome. Please keep us posted.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2017

    Thank you. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. It's definitely nerve wracking though. I know you ladies understand that feeling all too well. I'm eternally grateful for your support.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 605
    edited May 2017

    It is SO nerve wracking, and yet so important to stay in the moment and not let our fears and emotions make us crazy! And it's a huge blessing that we can reach out at anytime and get support from those who truly get it. I think my husband would've definitely lost his mind by now if I didn't have the women and men on this site to talk with. A spouse can only handle so much, right?!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pink_is_my_colour
    pink_is_my_colour Member Posts: 308
    edited May 2017

    I'm reluctantly joining the club.

    Two days before my surgery I had an MRI April 24, that showed a small nonspecific enhancing 6 x 6 x 8 mm bone lesion to the right of mid sternun. The recommendation was a bone scan but I've yet to see an oncologist. Apparently, the Cancer Clinic has been waiting for the pathology report which was out on May 11. Then they have a meeting to discuss what treatment I would be getting before they make any recommendations. All seems a bit backwards to me.

    No one seems terribly worried about this lesion except me. But it does make me feel a bit better to see that it could be nothing. Although so far, every time the medical professionals have said "it's probably nothing, the followup news hasn't been good news at all."

    I want to know but I don't want to know. I'm okay, then I'm not okay. I feel positive then it's doom and gloom. I'm smiling thinking I can beat this then I'm crying uncontrollably thinking it's a death sentence. I want off this roller coaster ride. I don't like it!!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2017

    @pinkis - I totally understand that. I thought the same thing: I don't want to be on this rollercoaster. I'm hanging by a thread as well.. but I'm doing my best to stay in the moment and just take it day by day. My MO and I are still in the process of testing, so we really don't have definite answers yet. I'm doing my best to not get ahead of myself until we know more.. but it's very difficult. Hang in there.. sending positive vibes your way. Keep us posted.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pink_is_my_colour
    pink_is_my_colour Member Posts: 308
    edited May 2017

    I love the support I get from this website. Thanks so much.

    I talked to my nurse navigator yesterday to get some things cleared up. Basically, it's hurry up and wait! It'll be at least two weeks before I see an oncologist. She tracks my file to make sure they do what they're suppose to do. Once I see him or her then I will get a CAT scan and a bone scan to see if it's spread. Fingers crossed that it hasn't.

    I guess the difficulty is in having IDC in the left and DCIS in the right and that most people only have one tumour and not three separate ones in the same breast and two different types going on at the same time. Ah, to be normal!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VL22
    VL22 Member Posts: 851
    edited May 2017

    Hi pink - I'm so glad I found your posts. I was having pre surgery testing today for a lumpectomy tomorrow when the BS calls and says no go for surgery, the MRI shows something. I tell him I am physically in the hospital, so he walks down to tell me face to face that there a two small spots on my breast bone, which he says are probably blood vessels, but could be the cancer having spread. Needless to say I lost my sh*t! This roller coaster ride can be unbearable and infuriatiating! Bone scan scheduled for 5/26. It helps to know others are going through it and I'm not alone. Best of luck and hugs to you

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pink_is_my_colour
    pink_is_my_colour Member Posts: 308
    edited May 2017

    Got a call from the Cancer Institute. My CAT is scheduled for June 1 and first meeting with oncologist is June 6. No mention of a bone scan. I'll just keep nagging

    Went to a Healing Connections today. About 20 women in the room all with recent diagnosis of breast cancer. Some very sad stories. One woman actually got told by her physician that it was all in her head.

    As much as I don't want bi-lateral cancer I feel lucky that both were caught at the same time. I can't imagine going through surgery, treatments, etc on one side then later being told it was on the other side.

    Hang in there ladies and gents.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited May 2017

    Sorry for all of these scary situations and imaging Ang symptom concerns. Hoping further imaging and biopsies have good news

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories