Scary Day

tootsie1
tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well, I have a tendency to have days turn out way different than I thought they would, and today was one of those days. Last night I was in agony again with strong abdominal pains. I tried to "gut" it out, but ended up going to the ER early this morning. The ER doc gave me morphine and such for pain and nausea and said he wanted to do a CT scan. Well, I was more than shocked when he came back in and asked if I'd had a lung nodule before. NO, and WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I about fainted. I could see the whole picture changing in an ugly way. So he had an MRI done and finally came back and said that didn't show any lung or liver involvement. WHEW! Now, my question is this, since they saw something on the CT scan, but not the MRI, does that mean there was nothing there? Or is it there but small enough that he thinks it's nothing? I'm supposed to follow up with my regular doctor, but this all freaked me out quite a bit. Help!!!

*hugs*
Gail

Comments

  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #2
    Hi Gail,your question is
    Hi Gail,your question is really a good question,but I am not a doctor,so I really don't know.I only want to send my best wishes and good thoughts to you.Please follow up with the doctor as soon as possible and good luck with the results.Take care.
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #3
    Gail
    That's always a good
    Gail
    That's always a good question when one scan goes one way and another scan the other. I had one spot on pleura of the lung with a CT, but then did the P.E.T. and it now shows 2 spots. The other "knot" I've got coming out of my ribcage, neither scan showed up....and it only cost me $950 to find out nothing....so I understand your fear and concern.

    Since you ended up at the ER and are going to see your regular doctor - your oncologist? then a good plan of action would be to take your CT and MRI taken at the hospital and let your oncologist eyeball them both over. And you can always seek another opinion from there if something sounds wrong, or if he is non-commital.

    This is what is currently happening to me. I'm so sorry your day went bad but get your records and let your onc give you his opinion, I'd go with that over an ER doc.

    I'm having a difficult time as well since I paid all of that money and could not a straight answer, and hopefull in another week or so, the new onc and staff can tell me about my spots on the lung....I do understand and sympathize with you....to me it's the not knowing, rather than the knowing...once you know, you can go to work and get after it, but not knowing can be very trying....must be why they call it "practicing medicine."

    Have your onc look at today's scans and go from there...I'm thinking about ya'.

    Craig
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #4
    Sundanceh said:

    Gail
    That's always a good
    Gail
    That's always a good question when one scan goes one way and another scan the other. I had one spot on pleura of the lung with a CT, but then did the P.E.T. and it now shows 2 spots. The other "knot" I've got coming out of my ribcage, neither scan showed up....and it only cost me $950 to find out nothing....so I understand your fear and concern.

    Since you ended up at the ER and are going to see your regular doctor - your oncologist? then a good plan of action would be to take your CT and MRI taken at the hospital and let your oncologist eyeball them both over. And you can always seek another opinion from there if something sounds wrong, or if he is non-commital.

    This is what is currently happening to me. I'm so sorry your day went bad but get your records and let your onc give you his opinion, I'd go with that over an ER doc.

    I'm having a difficult time as well since I paid all of that money and could not a straight answer, and hopefull in another week or so, the new onc and staff can tell me about my spots on the lung....I do understand and sympathize with you....to me it's the not knowing, rather than the knowing...once you know, you can go to work and get after it, but not knowing can be very trying....must be why they call it "practicing medicine."

    Have your onc look at today's scans and go from there...I'm thinking about ya'.

    Craig

    Get checked in two to three weeks
    I had a two tiny spots appear in a CT scan on april the 18th. They were so small the doctor said we should wait and do a PET in six weeks to see where we stood. These spots were on the order of 1-2 mm. In fact, he said he felt like they were nothing since I hadn't had any lung involvement before, plus I had that infection for 5 months, he thought it was some residual infection. Six weeks later, I'm loaded up with Mets. I wanted to believe I was NED so much that I didn't even contemplate the alternative. In hindsight I should have pressed for a PET sooner or pressed for chemo sooner. This past six weeks has been the biggest blunder in my treatment and I let it happen. Now I'm in the same place I started with my back against the wall.
  • grandma2selena
    grandma2selena Member Posts: 199
    #5
    CT Scans
    Keep thinking positive, sometimes especially with the lungs, when they do a CT there can be a shadow that will look suspicous, the fact that they did the MRI and seen nothing is a good sign. Hang in there and I will keep you in my prayers, that this is all it was.

    Debbie
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #6
    CT better for lungs than MRI
    Hi Gail,

    Sorry to hear you had pain to deal with and such a rough day with the pain and hearing possibly scary news.
    I have been told on more than one occasion that an MRI is best to show things in the liver, but a CT scan is best for showing things in the lungs. So, the CT may be the better indicator than the MRI for things such as lung nodules.
    If I were you, I'd go get the CT scan report from the hospital records room. Bypass your doctor's office and just get the scan report yourself. They won't give you a hard time, like your dr's office may. Hopefully it doesn't say anything is there. If it does though, then follow up and make an appt. w/ your doctor.

    I'm praying for you!
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #7
    lisa42 said:

    CT better for lungs than MRI
    Hi Gail,

    Sorry to hear you had pain to deal with and such a rough day with the pain and hearing possibly scary news.
    I have been told on more than one occasion that an MRI is best to show things in the liver, but a CT scan is best for showing things in the lungs. So, the CT may be the better indicator than the MRI for things such as lung nodules.
    If I were you, I'd go get the CT scan report from the hospital records room. Bypass your doctor's office and just get the scan report yourself. They won't give you a hard time, like your dr's office may. Hopefully it doesn't say anything is there. If it does though, then follow up and make an appt. w/ your doctor.

    I'm praying for you!

    CT or MRI
    Lisa

    That's very interesting. This new onc I've just seen tells me that an MRI will better tell me about the spots on the pleura of my lung. The pleura is the outside lining of the lung.

    We did a CT and can see the spots prominently, but the new guys said an MRI is better for the pleura...maybe it is somewhat different than in the acutal lung, but who knows.

    Wish there was an "Absolute Answer" book we could all refer to.

    Once we get it figured out, I'll share my report.

    It's like anything if you get 10 opinions from your doctor, lawyer, plumber or car mechanic, you will get 10 different answers. The trick is who do you believe? I wish I knew the answer to that one.

    Thanks for the insight.

    -Craig
  • grandma2selena
    grandma2selena Member Posts: 199
    #8
    Sundanceh said:

    CT or MRI
    Lisa

    That's very interesting. This new onc I've just seen tells me that an MRI will better tell me about the spots on the pleura of my lung. The pleura is the outside lining of the lung.

    We did a CT and can see the spots prominently, but the new guys said an MRI is better for the pleura...maybe it is somewhat different than in the acutal lung, but who knows.

    Wish there was an "Absolute Answer" book we could all refer to.

    Once we get it figured out, I'll share my report.

    It's like anything if you get 10 opinions from your doctor, lawyer, plumber or car mechanic, you will get 10 different answers. The trick is who do you believe? I wish I knew the answer to that one.

    Thanks for the insight.

    -Craig

    CT or MRI
    I have always heard the same thing as Craig. I know that with many in my family, the Onc always said just because something showed up in or on the lung in the CT that they needed the MRI to make sure it wasn't a shadow.

    I know with my Sis the CT showed a tumor in her lung, when the pulmonary Dr went in to do a biopsy he couldn't find a tumor or trace of any cancer in her lung. They never ordered a MRI as per my request to compare the two.

    I guess there are just so many different oppinions.

    Debbie
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #9
    Thanks!
    Thanks for all the replies. Gives me lots to think about! I have an appointment on Tuesday with my primary care doctor, whom I trust VERY much. I will then decide if I should see the oncologist. Just don't want to get crazy with it all, but don't want to find out later that I SHOULD have.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • polarprincess
    polarprincess Member Posts: 202 Member
    #10
    hi
    for scary indeed!! Just keep in mind that if it is in fact a nodule, it doesn't necessarily mean it is cancer. people have nodules for many other reasons as well. Will be keeping my fingers crossed fo you!!

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