Scanxiety

vermontgirl
vermontgirl Member Posts: 66
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi guys,

I still check in and read posts and send positive thoughts to you all.  My husband is so grateful when I can say....oh, that is totally normal....on the boards......  it makes him feel like he is not alone.

He finished treatments for scc stage 4 tonsils on 1/31/13.  His April PET and CT were clear with "extra junk from the landscape change from rads".... But no cancer.  His scopes since then...all clear.  He went through everything no PEG....not by choice...They had to abort surgery to place it bc it wasn't going to be a safe placement.  So....he endured swallowing all his nutrition.

His next contrast CT is in a week 8/20.  And....yep, you guessed it.....he is totally worried that cancer is back.  Last week he ate fish with panko breading which he aspirated.  He went into a coughing fit.  Since then, he feels like he has this tickle in his lungs....he can't cough it away.  It's only a once in a while cough.....but he is worried.  I keep telling him to not worry.....it is not cancer. It's just that back of the mind small voice that pipes up when things don't feel right......darn voice!

Kirsten

 

Comments

  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #2
    Hey Kirsten !

    Thoughts will be with you two on the 20th !  So far everything sounds like it's o.k.  Have you checked with your primary on the aspiration thoughts ?  Sometimes they would be able to pick this up with a simple x-ray.  I go in on the 29th....and am having similar thoughts floating through my mind.  Hate it.....pushing it away everytime it pops in there !  Keep us posted, and so good to hear from you !  Hugs sent !  Katie 

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Thoughts & Prayers...

    Congrats....

    I'm sure he'll do well.... It's common everything he is going through.... I use to never worry about things, now if something goes on more than a few days, the thoughts creep in...

    Looking forward to a favorable report back...

    Best,

    John

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Kirsten

    Being worried that the C has returned is something we all do especially right before a PET scan or when something changes for what normal is. The problem is that for most of us our bodies are still adjusting to our new normal sometimes for a year or so after treatment has stopped. On aspiration if he is having a lot of problems swallowing he needs to see his ENT more than likely they will set him up to see a speech therapy. Don’t wait too long as with me I got pneumonia from the aspiration.

     

    God bless and keep you both

    Hondo    

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #5
    I seem to have those coughing fits

    everytime I eat something semi-dry or dry....I inhale a crumb or something....and the fit seems to last forever...panko breading would be in the "dry" class.

    I'm kind of where hubby is....my scan is the 28th, and I'm already showing symptoms of the scanxiety....which include symptoms of reoccurance.....little throat hurts, small ear aches, pain in jaw, all things that magically disappear when the scan is over the NED is reported.  I keep telling that voice to buzz off, but it creeps in when I'm not looking.  He's going to be fine, but will tuck him in my pocket for safe keeping.

    p

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #6
    Secondary Scanxiety

    It's funny, I didn't get too nervous about my 1st post Tx scan... at least outwardly. But the night before, I laid down and my heart felt like it was coming out of my chest. I didn't sleep all that well. But other than that, I was pretty nonchalant about it. The day of the scan I fell asleep while I was getting prepped and dozed in the PET machine as well. I had prelim result by the time I saw my RO and it was good.

    What got me was reading the actual report today and not understanding all the jargon. I saw this:

    Mildly hypermetabolic 0.5 cm left axillary node (SUV 1.2), likely
    reactive.

    I was like... WHAT?! BUT... the summary was:

    No evidence of FDG-avid malignancy.

    So... positive thoughts and prayers concerning the scan. Try to stay as calm as you can. Looking forward to hearing about NED... tell him "T: says Hi!

    "T"

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #7
    Alls clear ahead

     

    Kirsten,

    Your husband sounds like he is doing fine and he did it without gaining an extra belly button (PEG).

    My swallowing works fine, but once in a while I screw up and get into a coughing fit.  No matter how much I may think my throat is back to “old normal”, it is not.  There isn’t as much saliva and my throat just isn’t as flexible.  Even drinking gobs of water with every meal, sometimes 10 or 15 minutes afterwards I cough up a chunk of food from the back of my throat, “where the heck did that come from”?  Anyway, be careful, have it checked (if worried) and keep getting use to the “new me”.

    As for scanxiety, good luck dodging that bullet.  Everything to date has been fine so chances are your next scan will be clear.

    Best,

    Matt

     

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #8
    Easy for us to say,

    Unfortunately that scan anxiety stays around. Praying for his peace and a positive outcome.

    Debbie

  • vermontgirl
    vermontgirl Member Posts: 66
    #9
    Thanks

    OK....will try to keep all those pesky nerves at bay.  I will keep yplastered.

    Kirsten

  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #10
    Stay strong

    Stay strong and keep pushin on. 

    Best

    Mike

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    #11
    scanxiety

    I am always crazy the week before scan...then fine for the next 4 months...He sounds like he is doing great!

     

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #12
    kirsten, i hope the scan went

    kirsten, i hope the scan went well.  let us know if he is dancing w/NED.  i'm sure he is.

    dj

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