PET scan jitters

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Katz77
Katz77 Member Posts: 598
in Breast Cancer #1
PET scan coming up. Why am I so spooky. I wrote all this down and somehow lost it. Grrrrrr. Guess I got it of my stupid chest without anyone seeing how vunerlable I am. I guess Im scared anout the "what if's". I have scoliosis, with 3 buldging discs and sciatic nerve impengment. Will that show a "hot" spot. Im laying flat on my back and have spasms with pain shooting down my leg. What will that show on the scan? I've been moving quitely and blindly down my little road of life for almost 2 yrs now, and last visit with onco,he says its time to reevaluate. geezzz. Im a jean, t-shirt girl. Ponytail and no make-up. Course probably should wear some. lol Cancer sooo sucks. Constant maintenace.
Have little tenderness on my rib. Did I strain it? Is it cancer? Im I being a hypochrondiac? Well thanks for letting me relieve some of the paranoria. Guess it's its for for God to handle. To big for me. Any thoughts or suggestions welcomed. I am a very positive person. Even before cancer. Husband says I live in a bubble. Again thank you my sister (brother) hood. Whats up Joe? Love and hugs to all Katz

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  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #2
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    Katz...
    I understand your fear completely, and I think everyone else here does too. Whenever I am facing a test, I get nervous and every "what if" ever thought of, goes through my head.
    I have not really found a solution to the worry, but talking about it does seem to help some.

    Only cancer cells should "light up" on the PET. Like my onco says ..if they are there, they should light up like a Christmas tree. That's why PET scans are so invaluable in finding more cancer, or in seeing if treatment is working.
    The other health issues that you mentioned should not show up.

    Sending you calming and positive thoughts,
    CR
  • Aortus
    Aortus Member Posts: 967
    #3
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    High Scanxiety
    You are NOT being a hypochondriac. Moopy and I always hated scans of any sort. The waiting for results was worse in its own way than just about anything else. With regard to what the PET scan will show, remember that a PET scan shows metabolic changes in organs or tissue. So I don't think the scoliosis (ouch! the women on my Mom's side of the family tend to have it) won't cause a hot spot, or if it does, it will be easily enough explained.

    As much hassle as this scan is going to cause you, just focus on how happy you will be when you find out you're still dancing with NED!

    Love,
    Joe
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #4
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    Aortus said:

    High Scanxiety
    You are NOT being a hypochondriac. Moopy and I always hated scans of any sort. The waiting for results was worse in its own way than just about anything else. With regard to what the PET scan will show, remember that a PET scan shows metabolic changes in organs or tissue. So I don't think the scoliosis (ouch! the women on my Mom's side of the family tend to have it) won't cause a hot spot, or if it does, it will be easily enough explained.

    As much hassle as this scan is going to cause you, just focus on how happy you will be when you find out you're still dancing with NED!

    Love,
    Joe

    Katz--we all can empathize with you
    What you're going through is so normal--this is scary stuff. For me, the hardest part of all of this is trying to learn to live in the moment and stop playing the "what if" game with myself.

    Sending all my positive energy and good thoughts your way for the best result on your PET scan. As you said--let your higher power take over and all will be well.

    Hugs, Renee
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #5
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    PET scan anxiety
    Hi Katz,

    I think that when we are being tested in any fashion to determine if we have cancer initially or if a cancer has recurred it is natural to be anxious. Cancer is, after all, a life changing diagnosis. We have to be hypervigilant about medical symptoms, also. You just cannot be sure that those abdominal pains, that lingering cough, etc do not signal a cancer. If something does not go away it is worth getting checked out.

    As Joe said, a PET scan shows changes in metabolic activity. A bulging disc and sciatic nerve impingement is unlikely to "light up." When I had my 1st PET/CT scan I had just had a cast removed from my right ankle. Broken ankle. That area lit up as the bone was still actively healing. Unfortunately those enlarged lymph nodes under my right arm lit up also and that was the beginning of my breast cancer journey.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #6
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    CR1954 said:

    Katz...
    I understand your fear completely, and I think everyone else here does too. Whenever I am facing a test, I get nervous and every "what if" ever thought of, goes through my head.
    I have not really found a solution to the worry, but talking about it does seem to help some.

    Only cancer cells should "light up" on the PET. Like my onco says ..if they are there, they should light up like a Christmas tree. That's why PET scans are so invaluable in finding more cancer, or in seeing if treatment is working.
    The other health issues that you mentioned should not show up.

    Sending you calming and positive thoughts,
    CR

    Having any test is scary and
    Having any test is scary and causes high anxiety. But, if your oncologist recommends a PET scan, please have it. What the others said is true. A PET scan will light up any cancer. But, I am praying that yours won't light up at all.


    Positive thoughts and prayers,


    Sue :)
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #7
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    Aortus said:

    High Scanxiety
    You are NOT being a hypochondriac. Moopy and I always hated scans of any sort. The waiting for results was worse in its own way than just about anything else. With regard to what the PET scan will show, remember that a PET scan shows metabolic changes in organs or tissue. So I don't think the scoliosis (ouch! the women on my Mom's side of the family tend to have it) won't cause a hot spot, or if it does, it will be easily enough explained.

    As much hassle as this scan is going to cause you, just focus on how happy you will be when you find out you're still dancing with NED!

    Love,
    Joe

    Scanxiety
    Scanxiety, Joe, I love it! Can I quote you the next time I see my onc? That describes it exactly. I think most of us have it. I always feel like one of Pavlov's dogs, freaking out and waiting for the next shock.

    You are also right about the PET. It looks at glucose uptake--meaning how fast a cell eats sugar. Cancer cells eat faster so the cells will measure increased glucose uptake. The CT scan that is done at the same time gives a precise location of where there is increased glucose uptake. This is a oversimplified explanation, but I hope it helps.

    The area with the increased uptake is also assigned an SUV (not your Ford Explorer ;-)An SUV is the Standardized Uptake Value which is "a measure of the concentration of a radiotracer in a defined region divided by the injected dose normalized for the patient's body weight at a fixed time after tracer injection." The number value lets your doctor know how active the area is and gives them something to compare at your next scan (response to treatment).

    PET Scan

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