Waiting for Scan Results

LeoS2323
LeoS2323 Member Posts: 160
edited April 2012 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Seeing my oncologist tomorrow for the results of my MRI. Very nervous!

This feels like quite an important scan - I had a clear PET scan around Xmas (which fooled my doctors into thinking I had a branchial cyst rather than a cancerous lymph node with unknown primary!), then waited a couple of months for it to be removed before the bombshell of it turning out MEC.

I guess everyone on here is well familiar with waiting for scan results! I think I feel a bit more nervous about this one as it will tell me if my misdiagnosis has altered what seemed a positive and manageable picture at the time of the PET scan.

So how do you all prepare for scan results? And do people have experience of MRI and what it can show? He has given me this scan as its the only one I haven't had yet, to try to find the primary, and also an important question is if any other nodes are infected - would they be able to tell this from an MRI do you think? He is taking them all out anyway but I guess that is a safety measure.

Just want today to be over so I can have a better idea of where I stand!

All the best

Leo

Comments

  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #2
    MRI
    I haven't had one of these, yet, in concerns to C. Only have had PS/CT, and singular CTs. Know the MRI is useful for soft tissue analysis, and will be most interested in your results, Leo, because I am also unknown Primary. Hope the best for you- that if it shows somewhere it is in a good location and confined. I've always wondered why my Drs didn't try an MRI on me.

    As for the waiting- best to just stay as busy as possible to take your mind off it. Nothing you can do about it, so why worry? That's what non-C people might say, but that's not the way it is for us. Find that between the time of a scan and getting the results I'm short-tempered, and it do cross the mind more often than I wanna admit.

    Hopes and Prayers

    kcass
  • LeoS2323
    LeoS2323 Member Posts: 160
    #3
    Kent Cass said:

    MRI
    I haven't had one of these, yet, in concerns to C. Only have had PS/CT, and singular CTs. Know the MRI is useful for soft tissue analysis, and will be most interested in your results, Leo, because I am also unknown Primary. Hope the best for you- that if it shows somewhere it is in a good location and confined. I've always wondered why my Drs didn't try an MRI on me.

    As for the waiting- best to just stay as busy as possible to take your mind off it. Nothing you can do about it, so why worry? That's what non-C people might say, but that's not the way it is for us. Find that between the time of a scan and getting the results I'm short-tempered, and it do cross the mind more often than I wanna admit.

    Hopes and Prayers

    kcass

    Will Let you know
    Hi Kent - thanks for the reply.

    I guess that with you being 3 years on now, the chances are your initial chemo blast has taken care of it. But if this turns mine up then it might be interesting to see if your docs would have a look just to make sure?

    I hope that if it shows it will be manageable due to my fairly recent clear PET scan; but I will let you know how I get on...

    All the best

    Leo
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #4
    LeoS2323 said:

    Will Let you know
    Hi Kent - thanks for the reply.

    I guess that with you being 3 years on now, the chances are your initial chemo blast has taken care of it. But if this turns mine up then it might be interesting to see if your docs would have a look just to make sure?

    I hope that if it shows it will be manageable due to my fairly recent clear PET scan; but I will let you know how I get on...

    All the best

    Leo

    I've never handled it well
    Hi Leo, in the search box here on the forumn type: "Choosing an imaging test" and two threads will pop up for you about these tests. As far as how to handle the anxiety I pretty much don't. It's a stressful time before and after. I've got my 3 year coming up in May and I'm already on edge. Perhaps it would be easier if I wasn't fighting constantly with the insurance companies to get approval. Anyway, read those threads and good luck with the upcoming tests.
  • LeoS2323
    LeoS2323 Member Posts: 160
    #5
    ratface said:

    I've never handled it well
    Hi Leo, in the search box here on the forumn type: "Choosing an imaging test" and two threads will pop up for you about these tests. As far as how to handle the anxiety I pretty much don't. It's a stressful time before and after. I've got my 3 year coming up in May and I'm already on edge. Perhaps it would be easier if I wasn't fighting constantly with the insurance companies to get approval. Anyway, read those threads and good luck with the upcoming tests.

    Feel OK
    Cheers ratface

    I don't feel too bad this evening - in some ways looking forward to things actually happening.

    6 months after the lump showed in my neck of knowing somewhere inside that something wasn't right with me but being told I just had a cyst and anything else was anxiety; test after test negative - then 'cyst' removal op, 3 weeks for results before the big shock it's MEC.

    Then another 3 weeks now waiting for scan results and another week till my operation. Feel like this thing has a head start on me - time to start making ground up. Just don't want there to be too much to make up and I should find out tomorrow...

    All the best

    Leo
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    Congrats
    WTG Leo....

    JG
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #7
    Skiffin16 said:

    Congrats
    WTG Leo....

    JG

    Clean MRI
    This is great news. You got yourself a best-case scenario dealt to you, Leo, and that's the kinda news all of us can get very happy about. Yes!

    kcass
  • LeoS2323
    LeoS2323 Member Posts: 160
    #8
    Kent Cass said:

    Clean MRI
    This is great news. You got yourself a best-case scenario dealt to you, Leo, and that's the kinda news all of us can get very happy about. Yes!

    kcass

    Thanks
    Seriously - thank you so much for the encouragement all.

    This 3 weeks has been the hardest of my life from diagnosis to anything actually happening. Along with my family you have all kept me sane during that time and I will never forget it.

    Long way to go yet, but I think I may look back on that first 3 weeks and say that was kind of the hardest part - certainly mentally if not physically. I hope to be a contributor on here for many years to come.

    It would be really nice to be able to give the same type of help to other newly diagnosed people that you have all given to me.

    All the best

    Leo
  • stayingpositive
    stayingpositive Member Posts: 89
    #9
    LeoS2323 said:

    Thanks
    Seriously - thank you so much for the encouragement all.

    This 3 weeks has been the hardest of my life from diagnosis to anything actually happening. Along with my family you have all kept me sane during that time and I will never forget it.

    Long way to go yet, but I think I may look back on that first 3 weeks and say that was kind of the hardest part - certainly mentally if not physically. I hope to be a contributor on here for many years to come.

    It would be really nice to be able to give the same type of help to other newly diagnosed people that you have all given to me.

    All the best

    Leo

    Jealous but Really happy
    Nice to here such a positive thing for you! It's a good day when you get results like those! Keep on keepin' on!

    Here's to stayin' positive

    Bill

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