6 month pet scan tomorrow- been very ill- terrified

Reillypp

squamous cell carcinoma bot, 40 rounds radiation ended sept 28, 2014.  I have no one in my life, I've had cancer symptoms, night sweats, throats pain never stopped, migraines, bleeding from mouth and cough, taste buds getting worse. constant mouth sores.  I have absolute dread that tomorrow they will tell me C is back.  I literally can't cope, I called hotlines.  I need some kind of encouragement to just get through the night please.

AnotherSurvivor

Two years post... you're

Two years post... you're already a survivor, just hit'in a rough patch.  You'll get thru this one too. 

Reillypp

AnotherSurvivor said:

Two years post... you're

Two years post... you're already a survivor, just hit'in a rough patch.  You'll get thru this one too. 

I'm reading all the statistics- self torture.

what are my chances of ned!

 

 

Noellesmom

First of all

Is it safe to assume you have had each of these symptoms evaluated?

phrannie51

Here is my view...

I think there's a very good chance you will walk away with NED...and probably a prescription for thrush.  I am the poster child for what scanxiety can do to a person's body. If I've even heard of a symptom for HNC....years ago...my body will develop it within 7 days of an upcoming scan. Earaches, sore throat, balance problems, you name it...I've had the symptom...and weirdly, they magically disappear the day I get the results. 

Last year I did have a recurrence...but the Dr. caught it between scans....guess what?  I had NO symptoms, had no clue the cancer was back. So relax...do some deep breathing....have a little faith in your Drs. I'm putting my money on you getting a visit from Mr. NED. 

P

Captain Australia

Spend Energy on the things you can change

It's hard advice to take, but it's futile to twist yourself up over something that is completely outside your control.

I'm in the same boat, waiting for my PET scan and desperately wanting the NED outcome (three young kids).  If I don't get NED, with my type of cancer, I may be marginally screwed.  But fretting over it is just going to tear me to bits and spoil whatever life I have left.

At the end of the day, we're all going to die - it's the one thing that is completely common to the human experience.  As a cancer patient, we tend to see that in more concrete terms .. rather than a general acceptance of the fact "I will die one day" we start to see it as a more imminent threat and worry "how long do I have left?"

I think you need to defy the cancer, and worry more about getting the most from LIVING no matter how much time you're given, rather than invest that time in fretting over DYING.

I hope that makes sense ?  I know it'll be a rough night, but I'd say park it from your mind and try to do something that you enjoy .. whether that's a movie, time with a family member, dancing, whatever...

Captain Australia

PS: don't diagnose yourself!

You may just have a horrible flu or some other kind of condition (maybe exacerbated by your past treatments).  You don't know what it is until they tell you.  I'd suggest actively trying to push the anxiety to one side, concentrating on breathing, and just get through the next 24 hours .. until you have more info, you're just tormenting yourself.

rsp

Positive thoughts

You say you have no one... Is there a support group that meets every month at the hospital where you had your radiation/chemo treatments?  If so, maybe you should go.  It would give you the chance to meet people who have gone through tought times, too.  Maybe even make some new friends?

Good luck tomorrow!  I'll be keeping you in my prayers.  Please let us know how things go.

 

 

phrannie51

Captain Australia said:

Spend Energy on the things you can change

It's hard advice to take, but it's futile to twist yourself up over something that is completely outside your control.

I'm in the same boat, waiting for my PET scan and desperately wanting the NED outcome (three young kids).  If I don't get NED, with my type of cancer, I may be marginally screwed.  But fretting over it is just going to tear me to bits and spoil whatever life I have left.

At the end of the day, we're all going to die - it's the one thing that is completely common to the human experience.  As a cancer patient, we tend to see that in more concrete terms .. rather than a general acceptance of the fact "I will die one day" we start to see it as a more imminent threat and worry "how long do I have left?"

I think you need to defy the cancer, and worry more about getting the most from LIVING no matter how much time you're given, rather than invest that time in fretting over DYING.

I hope that makes sense ?  I know it'll be a rough night, but I'd say park it from your mind and try to do something that you enjoy .. whether that's a movie, time with a family member, dancing, whatever...

I agree with everything you said Captain

but for some of us there is a learning curve. The recurrence was the best thing to ever happen to me in terms of worry. The worst happened and here I am still enjoying life better than ever before. 

P

AnotherSurvivor

phrannie51 said:

Here is my view...

I think there's a very good chance you will walk away with NED...and probably a prescription for thrush.  I am the poster child for what scanxiety can do to a person's body. If I've even heard of a symptom for HNC....years ago...my body will develop it within 7 days of an upcoming scan. Earaches, sore throat, balance problems, you name it...I've had the symptom...and weirdly, they magically disappear the day I get the results. 

Last year I did have a recurrence...but the Dr. caught it between scans....guess what?  I had NO symptoms, had no clue the cancer was back. So relax...do some deep breathing....have a little faith in your Drs. I'm putting my money on you getting a visit from Mr. NED. 

P

"scanxiety"

"scanxiety"

I like it.  I'm going to use it.