I had a regular CT with dye scan done last week. I haven’t spoken with my Dr yet, but my results were posted to my patient portal and I’m trying not to panic. Basically to sum it up, something with the colon, multiple lesions on liver, something with lymphnodes, and Patient needs MRI. I’m instantly depressed, sad, defeated. I’m trying to stay positive but unfortunately my mental state is speeding through worst case scenarios.
What a bloody worry. Hang in there until you see the doctor and find out exactly what's going on. It's hard to believe that too much could have kicked off in such a short space of time. When do you see your doctor?
love t xx
Hi nm,
sometimes when we get a copy of reports it seems they are indicating worse case scenario. Medical dialect can be easily misunderstood to the untrained. The cells or lesions could just need further examination hence the request for an MRI. Scar tissue can sometimes appear as something else. My MRI report at 3 mths sounded bad to me but my dr explained that it was scar tissue because it didn't seem to be "globular" in appearance.
Do stay positive until you speak to your dr!!! I'm with tearesa on this one as I do NOT think that much would have kicked off this close to treatment finishing. If you cannot wait it wouldn't hurt to try to call or get an earlier appointment.
Sending positive vibes your way!
Big hugs
Tell me about it. My gallbladder is having an issue apparently (unrelated to anything), nodes, liver lesions, colon, and Im sure Im forgetting something, but shit. That's a lot in such a short time. My doc rang me today and told me not to worry that I'll get an MRI in 3 months time and not to panic. He's thinking some radiation complications and some liver cysts, but it's hard not to freak out. I'm scared. Thanks for replying ladies.
Sorry to hear this NM but hang onto the fact that the MRI is not for 3 months, so whatever it is can wait that long. Just wondering if you are feeling rough to go with it. Worry is almost worse than any treatment you ever get so do try to get some more I fo soon. Take it easy. X
Hi NM it does seem to be worrying. I am surprised that you could access that information on line. If you'd been with your Dr you could have had a lot of things explained. I wanted to reassure tou that if these things are a return of cc you atill have treatment options. I had cc recurrence throughout my pelvis nodes, vagina peritoneal wall and I am now NED after chemo and surgery.. It's too early to despair.besides if your Dr is waiting 3 months for MRI then these things may have different causes. It's not nice at all and hardly restful. Hopefully it's nothing
Hi NM it does seem to be worrying. I am surprised that you could access that information on line. If you'd been with your Dr you could have had a lot of things explained. I wanted to reassure tou that if these things are a return of cc you atill have treatment options. I had cc recurrence throughout my pelvis nodes, vagina peritoneal wall and I am now NED after chemo and surgery.. It's too early to despair.besides if your Dr is waiting 3 months for MRI then these things may have different causes. It's not nice at all and hardly restful. Hopefully it's nothing
Yup, I can see why you'd have the heebie jeebies reading that, I would too. I generally like the idea of having a patient portal for results and appointments and things, but when the results are full of technical language at such a sensitive time, it would be more helpful to have a person with expertise actually call/speak with you to translate the damn thing before you see it.
I don't know what that all means, but I do know that my team made it clear they wouldn't scan me for at least three months after the last brachytherapy because the post-treatment inflammation & scar tissue would confuse the picture terribly. They even stated that interpreting scar tissue from other stuff remains tricky for months and months after the treatment is over. I know you are at five months, but that's still relatively early in terms of scar tissue formation.
I'm interested that your GP sounds very 'relaxed' And in your position (still worried after the conversation) I think I would call back to explain that I'm very worried and that if they are asking for an MRI, then waiting another three months seems like a long time. Alternatively, do you have any contact with a CNS/Macmillan Nurse in your original Oncology team, that you could talk this through with? I was told that although this phase of my treatment was over, I could still contact them at any time. They would have a direct route to your Oncology team to clarify on your behalf and push the MRI if they felt that was needed - or they could just put your mind at rest.
Hang on in there, thinking of you.
Hi NM :-)
For my first several post-treatment CT scans I would get scary results and be referred to other consultants. It's terrifying! However, every single thing turned out to be a storm in a teacup. The trouble with a CT scan is that it's really incredibly thorough and the trouble with the human body is that it can function perfectly well with a whole host of minor 'imperfections'. So yes I have had liver lesions checked out and thickening of the bladder wall and all sorts of scary-sounding things that turned out to be insignificant. The fact that your doctor is leaving your MRI for three months should be a huge source of comfort.
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
Hi nm. I'm in a similar boat. I wanted a pet ct scan to be more thorough, but my post treatment one has shown up unusual activity, so I'm now waiting for an MRI. My consultant and nurse both say it's common, because the dye is picked up by cells that are being unusually active - which can be cancerous, but may well be healing tissue in our case after all the treatment and the chemorads which keep working and niggling for ages afterwards. It's impossible not to panic, but I'm trying to focus on the fact that my consultant isn't panicking.
Anne xx
Hi NM:
I do think that the most encouraging thing is that your doc has scheduled you for an MRI in 3 months. With your history,if he had any worries at all,he would have whisked you in for tests before you had time to finish your cup of tea. The fact that he's very laid back means that he's not concerned. As Tiv said, CT scans pick up so much, most of which is totally fine. I had a liver lesion show on my CT scan too and it proved to be some benign little dude that tons of people have. Ditto the colon thing. You're not old enough, but if you were over 50 and living in the US, you would have a colonoscopy which checks out your colon for cancer and stuff. There are little polyps that hang out in your colon which are also usually benign: I had one of those too.
I would get more info from your doc: there's no point in worrying for the next three months.
take care,
t xx
