2 nd CAT scan

DarrylPe
DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
in Kidney Cancer #1
Hi everyone and Happy New Year to all. Tomorrow I'm going to take my second CAT scan since my surgery eight months ago. I'm ususally very confident and try to look at things on the positive side but, in the last couple of hours I've caught a small case of the What , Ifs. I still get the back pains and I am now at stage 4 CKD chronic kidney disease so I still worry occassionally. Any how I'm hoping 2012 starts out better than 2011 .
Thanks for letting me vent . God bless all of you .
Darryl

Comments

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #2
    Scan
    Man, that is scary. First scan was easy. Second, not so much. 3rd, very worrisome. My next dual phase pet scan is next week. Then 10 days later a cat scan,bone scan and brain scan. No glow stick needed here when I go out at night. I'll light up like a x-mas tree. Will probably catch crap for still looking like Christmas and not Valentines day. Stay positive and Good Luck!!
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #3
    CKD
    Darryl,

    The second CT scan should be a piece of cake. More impotant is that you do anything and everything to get your CKD (GFR) numbers up as that is your immeadiate worry. You are way too young to have stage 4 CKD. While many of us are at stage 1 or 2 with CKD with only 1 Kidney the numbers get worse with age. I am at stage 3 at age 68 and 1/2 and I am trying to improve my numbers with diet, keeping my blood pressure low and weight loss. Neither you or I should ever have Kidney failure which follows stage 5 CKD. More importantly the worse the CKC numbers get the worse our chances for a heart incident.

    Best wishes for the new year and many more.

    Icemantoo
  • DarrylPe
    DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
    #4
    icemantoo said:

    CKD
    Darryl,

    The second CT scan should be a piece of cake. More impotant is that you do anything and everything to get your CKD (GFR) numbers up as that is your immeadiate worry. You are way too young to have stage 4 CKD. While many of us are at stage 1 or 2 with CKD with only 1 Kidney the numbers get worse with age. I am at stage 3 at age 68 and 1/2 and I am trying to improve my numbers with diet, keeping my blood pressure low and weight loss. Neither you or I should ever have Kidney failure which follows stage 5 CKD. More importantly the worse the CKC numbers get the worse our chances for a heart incident.

    Best wishes for the new year and many more.

    Icemantoo

    Many thanks
    Thanks Ice and fox for your encouraging words . Trying to wrap my thoughts around these health issues so your words go along way I'll be thinking about what you guys have said tomorrow. Thanks Darryl
  • Minnesota Girl
    Minnesota Girl Member Posts: 119
    #5
    I get it
    I've only had one follow-up. I'm hoping they get better with time. Even better, I am hoping you get to do the happy NED dance in a couple of days. Sending positive thoughts your way.
  • ripper
    ripper Member Posts: 28
    #6
    Happy New Year
    Darryl,

    One of many here waiting to hear the good news from your scan. Don't let that "Scanxiety" get you thinking too much! My thoughts and prayers from MT. Ripper
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #7
    ripper said:

    Happy New Year
    Darryl,

    One of many here waiting to hear the good news from your scan. Don't let that "Scanxiety" get you thinking too much! My thoughts and prayers from MT. Ripper

    Contrast...
    Darryl,

    Each scan seems to get a bit easier, at least it has for me. I'm sure you will get the NED and be able to get back to normal for awhile. I was curious though, do they avoid using contrast with your scans because of the CKD issue? They always test me prior to each scan before deciding on using contrast which I assume is related to kidney function.

    Good luck,

    Gary
  • MikeK703
    MikeK703 Member Posts: 235
    #8
    CT Scan and Kidney levels
    Good luck Darryl. I know what you're going through buddy. You'll recall that my GFR levels are also low, putting me in the Stage 3 category. But I've been told that these levels are due to the absence of 1 kidney and can be maintained as long as I am careful about my lifestyle, especially my blood pressure. So far they have been stable for the past year and a half and I fully expect them to remain stable for the remainder of my years. CKD is not normally reversible but we can control it.
    Regards.
    Mike
  • Katielynn
    Katielynn Member Posts: 61
    #9
    2nd CT
    Hi Darryl,
    Happy New Year! You always seem to have a good, positive outlook. I know exactly how the "what ifs" feel. That's just normal I think after everything we've all been through. I'm wishing you the very best, and pray your news is good. I will be looking for you Yipeee update. I still get some back pains also, and I worry about every little ache and pain these days. Hopefully these feelings will fade for us. Keep positive. God bless, Katie
  • Katielynn
    Katielynn Member Posts: 61
    #10
    MikeK703 said:

    CT Scan and Kidney levels
    Good luck Darryl. I know what you're going through buddy. You'll recall that my GFR levels are also low, putting me in the Stage 3 category. But I've been told that these levels are due to the absence of 1 kidney and can be maintained as long as I am careful about my lifestyle, especially my blood pressure. So far they have been stable for the past year and a half and I fully expect them to remain stable for the remainder of my years. CKD is not normally reversible but we can control it.
    Regards.
    Mike

    GFR
    Hi Mike,
    I was recently told by my nephrologist that my 47 GFR isn't all that abnormal having just one kidney. (I am also considered Stage 3) She wants me to keep track of my BP , it was a little elevated, but I think it was due to the stress of the apt. I'm avoiding salt, and hydrating a lot more...Hope my next set of tests show a little improvement...Good luck to you....keep up that healthier lifestyle... Katie
  • MikeK703
    MikeK703 Member Posts: 235
    #11
    Katielynn said:

    GFR
    Hi Mike,
    I was recently told by my nephrologist that my 47 GFR isn't all that abnormal having just one kidney. (I am also considered Stage 3) She wants me to keep track of my BP , it was a little elevated, but I think it was due to the stress of the apt. I'm avoiding salt, and hydrating a lot more...Hope my next set of tests show a little improvement...Good luck to you....keep up that healthier lifestyle... Katie

    GFR
    Hi Katie,
    My GFR was 98 before surgery and 51 immediately afterwards so I knew I didn't really have a kidney "disease." Yet they call it chronic kidney disease even though the low GFR readings were caused by having my kidney removed. The neprhologist said they do that so the medical record will always warn doctors about prescribing the wrong medications that could hurt the kidney. Since my surgery in Aug 2010 my GFR has been fluctuating between 47 and 56 (my most recent blood work once again showed 51). That 47 is the number that scared my primary physician into referring me to a nephrologist. At my age, the creatinine level has only to go up or down by .1 or .2 in order to make those kinds of fluctuations. I asked my nephrologist if he thought there would ever be any big improvement and he said, no, he didn't believe so. But he was confident that I could maintain those levels, even though they may fluctuate somewhat. My urologist told me that only very young people, perhaps in their teens, can be expected to greatly improve their creatinine/GFR levels after a kidney has been removed. So my old base was 98 and my new base is in the 50s. I am working hard to keep it there.
    Regards,
    Mike
  • DarrylPe
    DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
    #12
    garym said:

    Contrast...
    Darryl,

    Each scan seems to get a bit easier, at least it has for me. I'm sure you will get the NED and be able to get back to normal for awhile. I was curious though, do they avoid using contrast with your scans because of the CKD issue? They always test me prior to each scan before deciding on using contrast which I assume is related to kidney function.

    Good luck,

    Gary

    avioding Contrast
    Hi Gary sorry haven't been on line. It s been a busy New Year. To answer your question yes they never give me contrast when I have a CAT scan . When they found the mass on my kidney during my first CAT scan they didnot use contrast because of my CKD condition. My doctor decided that he need a better picture of my kidney so I was given an MRI and contrast was used. Apparently the contrast used for the MRI will not harm your kidney . Thanks for the kind words.

    Darryl
  • DarrylPe
    DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
    #13
    Katielynn said:

    2nd CT
    Hi Darryl,
    Happy New Year! You always seem to have a good, positive outlook. I know exactly how the "what ifs" feel. That's just normal I think after everything we've all been through. I'm wishing you the very best, and pray your news is good. I will be looking for you Yipeee update. I still get some back pains also, and I worry about every little ache and pain these days. Hopefully these feelings will fade for us. Keep positive. God bless, Katie

    Good News
    Hi everyone and thanks for the kind words and prayers. It's been abusy New Year so far but , first the good news . I went to my urologist on January eleventh and he declared that I am still cancer free. Now the bad news I went to my Nephrologist on the tenth of January and he told me that it was time to apply for a place on the transplant list because my GFR is at 19. Wow what a week . Still trying to stay positive though . Getting on the list is a precaution apparently it's firsts come first served . The doctor says there's no time table for when I'll reach that point. As always thanks for letting me vent your all in my prayers

    Darryl
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    #14
    DarrylPe said:

    Good News
    Hi everyone and thanks for the kind words and prayers. It's been abusy New Year so far but , first the good news . I went to my urologist on January eleventh and he declared that I am still cancer free. Now the bad news I went to my Nephrologist on the tenth of January and he told me that it was time to apply for a place on the transplant list because my GFR is at 19. Wow what a week . Still trying to stay positive though . Getting on the list is a precaution apparently it's firsts come first served . The doctor says there's no time table for when I'll reach that point. As always thanks for letting me vent your all in my prayers

    Darryl

    power of positivity
    I'm not familiar with GFRs, so I can't be much help there. But you're not new to this game, so you know the power of your positive outlook! It really does make a difference. It will get sorted out. Kidneys are easier to come by than other transplant organs--if it even comes to that. We're here for you, as always.
  • DarrylPe
    DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
    #15
    Jamie1.3cm said:

    power of positivity
    I'm not familiar with GFRs, so I can't be much help there. But you're not new to this game, so you know the power of your positive outlook! It really does make a difference. It will get sorted out. Kidneys are easier to come by than other transplant organs--if it even comes to that. We're here for you, as always.

    So true
    Hi Jamie long time how are you? Your so right about the positive outlook like you said I been around the block before. I'm going to try and put my best foot foward and keep busy while my kidney is still functioning on it's own ability . I guess it's not what your going through but what you do while your going through it. Thanks again for being here God bless.

    Darryl

Discussion Boards