Bone Scan-Need Advice

Skeezie · July 2010

I am a Bone Scan "Virgin" and the world's biggest wimp. I have googled Mayo Clinic.com and gotten all the facts but I know many here have had bone scans and I have a couple of questions....

First, does this stuff they inject into you hurt like the stuff they injected (dye from nucluar medicine) into my boob for the Sentinel Node Biopsy?

Second, I have no veins in my left arm, will I be able to use my port (it's not a power port)? They say if you keep your arm warm on the way the veins will stand out more, I thought I could use a heating pad in the car on the way and that mite help. Anyone tried anything like that? Did it help?

My doc and I are sure it's arthritis (my right hip hurts when I stand a lot or walk a lot...but it did before too) but as we have all discussed, every pain becomes a monster now and I bless my doc for not doing a wait and see. I know I will feel so much better getting a good report or if not being able to jump on it immediately. I just can't believe these words are coming out of my mouth. In fact, just this moment it's sinking in...

Any info you guys can give me will be so appreciated, as I said I'm such a wimp!

Chicken Judy :-)

MyTurnNow · July 2010

Judy, I don't think anything
Judy, I don't think anything hurts/burns like the dye injected into the boob for the sentinel node biopsy. I've had several tests with injections and nothing has been painful like that one. I didn't have a port so I'm not sure about that. The bone scan will be one of the easiest tests you have. You really just lie on a table on your back and they prop up under your legs with a pillow. You lie still and the machine simply scans your body. Very simply and absolutely no pain involved. Good luck and I'll be hoping for a clean scan for you.

DebbyM · July 2010

MyTurnNow said:
Judy, I don't think anything
Judy, I don't think anything hurts/burns like the dye injected into the boob for the sentinel node biopsy. I've had several tests with injections and nothing has been painful like that one. I didn't have a port so I'm not sure about that. The bone scan will be one of the easiest tests you have. You really just lie on a table on your back and they prop up under your legs with a pillow. You lie still and the machine simply scans your body. Very simply and absolutely no pain involved. Good luck and I'll be hoping for a clean scan for you.

I had a bone scan and the
I had a bone scan and the dye didn't hurt at all. What My Turn Now wrote is right. It is painless and you keep your clothes on too! LOL After they inject you with the dye, you have to wait a few hours before they can do the scan. We just went to lunch and came back. And, drink lots of water so the dye gets through your body faster. You just lie down and the machine slowly goes over you. It is just above you, so, you aren't enclosed like with a MRI. Good luck Judy!

Hugs, Debby

seof · July 2010

ask your Dr.
As always, your Dr. is your best source of answers. I have no experience with bone scans, so I can't speak to that, but I can address the port. I asked my Drs. about using the port for things other than chemo. The Oncologist pointed out that it is not a good idea because only chemo nurses are trained in using the port. If an untrained person attempts to use the port there is a higher risk that the substance being injected may not go into the correct place and may cause complications.

that's what I know, for what it's worth, seof

roseann4 · July 2010

seof said:
ask your Dr.
As always, your Dr. is your best source of answers. I have no experience with bone scans, so I can't speak to that, but I can address the port. I asked my Drs. about using the port for things other than chemo. The Oncologist pointed out that it is not a good idea because only chemo nurses are trained in using the port. If an untrained person attempts to use the port there is a higher risk that the substance being injected may not go into the correct place and may cause complications.

that's what I know, for what it's worth, seof

I had one and it didn't hurt a bit.
Can't address the port issue, but the scan was not painful at all. I'm shocked that so many women had the sentinal node die injected while they were awake. Mine was done while I was in surgery and they kept me under while they waited for the results. I never felt a thing! Seem like a better way to do something that is so painful, don't you think?

Roseann

laurissa · July 2010

Question
How is the bone scan different from a pet scan? I've only had the petscan done and a spot on my hip was seen on that. Skeezie, my right hip joint has been bothering me too for the last few months. I hope mines arthritis too. But doctor is treating it as a bone met with Zometa.

sal314 · July 2010

Bone Scan
Don't worry Judy! It's one of the easiest and painless tests! You shouldn't have any reaction to the stuff they put in your veins (unless you have some rare allergic reaction?) then you just lay there and listen to music. Think of it as a little time to take a nap! LOL.

I know what you mean about any type of pain being a monster. About a year ago I started having bad back pain and hip pain as well. I started freakin' out and my doctor decided to do a bone scan. Turns out, I'm just getting old. Arthritis and some disc issues. And it may be aggrivated by the Tamoxifen I've been taking for so long. So...though it's easy to freak out with stuff like that, you just have to remind yourself not everything is related to cancer! Easier said than done!

Good luck with your test. You will be just fine! It's a piece of cake:)

Sally

Rague · July 2010

Doesn't hurt -
other than the needle stick. I've had 2. The first one was at a local Radiology Clinic and they injected and 10 - 15 minutes went on in for the test. The second one was at Ft. Meade VA and they injected and then I came back in 1 1/2 hr. for the test. i didn't thnk to ask why the difference in time - but i'm thinking that maybe had to do with the age of the machine.

The first was the first scan I had done and the second was after done with chemo, rds and burn healed because my back (across shoulder area) was hurting and my PA wanted to sure that it was just the arthritis that's been there for years but never (well very seldon) ever hurt. It was.

I didn't have sentinal node biopsy - had a needle biopsy right after the mammogram and songram and they used numbing shot so only felt the needle with the numbing.

Dn't know about your port being used - I know mine can be as it was used once for a CT scan at the hospital. It's a power port = don't know the difference.

sal314 · July 2010

laurissa said:
Question
How is the bone scan different from a pet scan? I've only had the petscan done and a spot on my hip was seen on that. Skeezie, my right hip joint has been bothering me too for the last few months. I hope mines arthritis too. But doctor is treating it as a bone met with Zometa.

Question about bone scan....
Laurissa,

Good question! Didn't know the answer, so I looked it up. A PET scan uses glucose to show areas of rapid growth where as a BONE scan show bone damage.

I do know that PET scans are more sensitive and read clearer than a CT scan.

Hope this helps.

Sally

Marcia527 · July 2010

I've had two bone scans and
I've had two bone scans and the only pain is whatever the needle causes with the shot. I had a really good tech and the shot didn't hurt at all. I'm a wimp too. We should start a Wimpy Club. Anybody want to join?

waffle8 · July 2010

Marcia527 said:
I've had two bone scans and
I've had two bone scans and the only pain is whatever the needle causes with the shot. I had a really good tech and the shot didn't hurt at all. I'm a wimp too. We should start a Wimpy Club. Anybody want to join?

wimpy club
I am all in for that club...I went to the doctor today for my sprained ankle and he wanted to give me a shot for the pain..I said "no thanks" I am so sick of needles[no port for my chemo].....I had a bone scan when I first had my bc dx....No pain with that but wondering if anyone else got their legs gumbanded together for scan..Who thinks up this stuff?

Marcia527 · July 2010

waffle8 said:
wimpy club
I am all in for that club...I went to the doctor today for my sprained ankle and he wanted to give me a shot for the pain..I said "no thanks" I am so sick of needles[no port for my chemo].....I had a bone scan when I first had my bc dx....No pain with that but wondering if anyone else got their legs gumbanded together for scan..Who thinks up this stuff?

gumbanded? What's that? I
gumbanded? What's that? I don't remember anything with the legs. But it's been a long time. Maybe if you explain I'll remember more.

Lighthouse_7 · July 2010

Easy test but
Easy test but it does move slowly over your body just so you know. Took about an hour or so.
My only issue is that it's close to your body which I was fine with except for my face. I am clostrophobic though.
I asked for a blindfold and my daughter came in with me and talked to be and we "went" to the beach in my mind until it cleared my face.
After that, piece of cake.
Good luck and no pain at all.

jnl · July 2010

Lighthouse_7 said:
Easy test but
Easy test but it does move slowly over your body just so you know. Took about an hour or so.
My only issue is that it's close to your body which I was fine with except for my face. I am clostrophobic though.
I asked for a blindfold and my daughter came in with me and talked to be and we "went" to the beach in my mind until it cleared my face.
After that, piece of cake.
Good luck and no pain at all.

It is the easiest test we go
It is the easiest test we go through. The injection just was like a prick. The girl putting it in me did a great job. Then, we came back in about 1 1/2 for the bone scan. I just laid there, fully clothed, while the machine went slowly overhead. I think it took about 45 minutes or maybe closer to an hour. The techs were right there in the room with me. Good luck!

Hugs, Leeza

Lighthouse_7 · July 2010

MyTurnNow said:
Judy, I don't think anything
Judy, I don't think anything hurts/burns like the dye injected into the boob for the sentinel node biopsy. I've had several tests with injections and nothing has been painful like that one. I didn't have a port so I'm not sure about that. The bone scan will be one of the easiest tests you have. You really just lie on a table on your back and they prop up under your legs with a pillow. You lie still and the machine simply scans your body. Very simply and absolutely no pain involved. Good luck and I'll be hoping for a clean scan for you.