PET Scan and other stuff

Doc_Hawk
Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'll be going in for my quarterly PET Scan on Thursday morning. I really cannot wait to hear the results in light of some recent developments. Over the past six weeks, my CEA has jumped from 218 to 404 then dropped to 402 before jumping again to 444 last week. My alkaline phosphotates have also been pretty high above the maximum range and that's a measure of liver function. Then, on this past Saturday I started having a sharp pain in my right side, just about where the elbow touches the side. On Sunday, it was bad enough that I went to the ER where they did a CT scan and x-rays. The ER doc's opinion was "accelerated metastatic growth" and advised me to contact my onc, then sent me on home

Yesterday morning, I called the clinic and later the onc confirmed that there was some growth in the liver tumors of a few centimeters but not to be worried about it. Unfortunately, when they called back, I was pretty out of things and my sister took the message, so I'm not positive that it was "centimeters" of growth. If I'd spoken to them, I would have voiced m thought that "a few centimeters" is a pretty big deal and something to worry about, especially if it's causing pain. I've got a call in to talk directly with the onc and I'll let him know that I want a call as soon as he reads the report and not make me wait to see him on Tuesday.

So, for now I'm just loading up my metaphorical guns and getting ready to step out into the street at high noon for a showdown with this latest spurt of cancer growth. Good thing Ia fast draw and excellent shot!
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Comments

  • Maxiecat
    Maxiecat Member Posts: 544 Member
    #2
    I am so sorry to hear about
    I am so sorry to hear about your ER visit. I wish, hope, pray that the doctor has better news for you. I hope you are not in any pain today....Thursday is just 1 1/2 days away. Hopefully you will get answers from your dr and not have to wait till Tuesday's appointment.

    Alex
  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #3
    Doc
    Sorry to hear it may be on the rampage again. I have a few extra rounds if you need them or better yet, you be Doc and I'll be your pal Wyatt. Meet you at the corral.

    Luv Ya,

    Wolfen
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #4
    Showdown
    Go get 'em Doc.
    PS thanks for adding me as a friend.
    ~Cindy
  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #5
    I am sorry to hear you are
    I am sorry to hear you are in pain... i hope you get the answers you need.. it is horrible to live with an unknown..
    I hope and pray you feel better soon.
    Donna
  • janie1
    janie1 Member Posts: 753 Member
    #6
    cinreag said:

    Showdown
    Go get 'em Doc.
    PS thanks for adding me as a friend.
    ~Cindy

    Thanks for letting us know
    Thanks for letting us know this Doc. Sorry. It has been rough lately. Hope that turns around soon.
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #7
    Pain
    The pain in my side is still pretty constant but bearable. If I move wrong, belch, breath in deep or anything like that it's real bad. I'm hoping that I don't have to wait until Tuesday when I see the onc for the PET results. I did just (as I was writing the above) get a call back and the onc wanted to assure me that the liver tumors were not the cause of the pain. He has ordered a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis to see what all is going on.

    Wolfen, I'm a much better shot than Doc Holladay was. Even with a scatter gun at close range, he got lucky at the big shoot out.
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #8
    cinreag said:

    Showdown
    Go get 'em Doc.
    PS thanks for adding me as a friend.
    ~Cindy

    Friends
    Thanks, Cindy, I'll do just that. glad to have you as a friend.
  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    #9
    Doc
    Gosh I hope your pain gets better, seems like you have had enough crap lately. You need to do what I did when I had my CT last month, I wanted results that day and I just called and called, I guess they got sick of hearing from me and finally called me back with the results. I told onc I wasn't going to wait. I think these docs don't even understand a cancer pt. Luckily we Have each other that can relate. Good luck with your results.
    Sandy :)
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #10
    Doc_Hawk said:

    Pain
    The pain in my side is still pretty constant but bearable. If I move wrong, belch, breath in deep or anything like that it's real bad. I'm hoping that I don't have to wait until Tuesday when I see the onc for the PET results. I did just (as I was writing the above) get a call back and the onc wanted to assure me that the liver tumors were not the cause of the pain. He has ordered a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis to see what all is going on.

    Wolfen, I'm a much better shot than Doc Holladay was. Even with a scatter gun at close range, he got lucky at the big shoot out.

    Dear Doc
    Glad that you got that call, but sorry that you are still in pain.

    Will you be getting the CT scans instead of the PET you were expecting to get Thursday?

    Just out of curiosity...what did they scan at the ER if not the abdomen?

    You might also want them to check your gall bladder since it is in the same vacinity as the pain you mention. Just FYI is a site which lists some of the symptoms beyond the pain... http://www.gallbladderdetox.com/gall-bladder-symptoms

    Whatever it turns out to be, sure do hope they have a ready answer to help you past this and on to feeling better soonest.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #11
    Momof2plusteentwins said:

    Doc
    Gosh I hope your pain gets better, seems like you have had enough crap lately. You need to do what I did when I had my CT last month, I wanted results that day and I just called and called, I guess they got sick of hearing from me and finally called me back with the results. I told onc I wasn't going to wait. I think these docs don't even understand a cancer pt. Luckily we Have each other that can relate. Good luck with your results.
    Sandy :)

    Waiting is so hard....just
    Waiting is so hard....just curious if you got any answers from your onc. today. Is there nothing like RFA that could be done on your liver mets?
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #12
    Sorry
    Sorry you are going through all this and you are in so much pain. I'm hoping that they can find out what is causing the pain and you can get some relief. Glad you are a fast draw.

    Kim
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #13
    Shoot...
    I'm really sorry to hear this, Doc. I hope they can get on top of this and knock it back down. I don't think I'd be thrilled with a few centimeters of growth, either, but since they said not to be worried, maybe that wasn't an accurate translation. Hope that's the case. I'll be thinking of you on Thursday, sending a little strength your way. Hugs~Ann Alexandria
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #14
    Lovekitties said:

    Dear Doc
    Glad that you got that call, but sorry that you are still in pain.

    Will you be getting the CT scans instead of the PET you were expecting to get Thursday?

    Just out of curiosity...what did they scan at the ER if not the abdomen?

    You might also want them to check your gall bladder since it is in the same vacinity as the pain you mention. Just FYI is a site which lists some of the symptoms beyond the pain... http://www.gallbladderdetox.com/gall-bladder-symptoms

    Whatever it turns out to be, sure do hope they have a ready answer to help you past this and on to feeling better soonest.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties

    Dear Miss Kitty
    One thing that I had to learn a long time ago was how to live with pain. Knowing what aggravates it makes it easier to reduce how much you have to experience. I'll still be getting the PET scan on Thursday and then the CT on Friday. The worst of that will be the NPO period prior to the scans. At the ER I'm thinking there were focused more on the lower thorax. The gall bladder and even possibility of kidney stones were discussed, then ruled out.

    I will keep all y'all updated on what the doc has to say.
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #15
    Momof2plusteentwins said:

    Doc
    Gosh I hope your pain gets better, seems like you have had enough crap lately. You need to do what I did when I had my CT last month, I wanted results that day and I just called and called, I guess they got sick of hearing from me and finally called me back with the results. I told onc I wasn't going to wait. I think these docs don't even understand a cancer pt. Luckily we Have each other that can relate. Good luck with your results.
    Sandy :)

    Doc talk
    Thanks, Sandy. My onc is going to call me when he gets the reports and they have images of the CT scan from Sunday for me and will provide more images from both scans when I go in next Tuesday.

    No, unless a doc has experienced what we go through they just can't understand us. As I pointed out to my onc, I have a doctorate in astrophysics and can talk for hours on the distance between stars but lightyears means nothing because I've never experienced it. Our oncs can talk intellectually about cancer but not at the gut level unless they've been there. Having people on this board allows us to relate to people who know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night, rushing for the bathroom to throw up and not making it on time. Those of us who have never met each other can still understand each other.
  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
    #16
    Hey Doc,
    So sorry you are
    Hey Doc,
    So sorry you are in pain, neat to hear you're a better shot than Doc Holiday. How'd know that?
    Prayers being sent for you.
    Judy
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #17
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Sorry
    Sorry you are going through all this and you are in so much pain. I'm hoping that they can find out what is causing the pain and you can get some relief. Glad you are a fast draw.

    Kim

    Thanks Kim
    I was very relieved today when the onc said that it wasn't the liver causing it. Of course, not knowing the source creates it's own worries. But, I know I can't change it and have learned how to live with pain so will just make do until we know. Just as an aside, the thought had occurred to me that I may have injured myself during a nightmare. I put that aside considering it came on suddenly during the middle of the day.
  • fatbob2010
    fatbob2010 Member Posts: 467 Member
    #18
    Couple of centimeters ??
    Doc,

    I read your post about the Onc's belief that the tumors were not the problem. If my Onc told me that a couple of centimeters (a little over 2 centimeters is an inch) is not a problem all my "Spidey senses" would be on high alert. Good luck with your metaphorical hunting trip!!!

    Hang in there Doc...we are sending prayers, hugs and swinging chickens!!!
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #19
    annalexandria said:

    Shoot...
    I'm really sorry to hear this, Doc. I hope they can get on top of this and knock it back down. I don't think I'd be thrilled with a few centimeters of growth, either, but since they said not to be worried, maybe that wasn't an accurate translation. Hope that's the case. I'll be thinking of you on Thursday, sending a little strength your way. Hugs~Ann Alexandria

    centimeters
    After talking with the nurse today, it wasn't centimeters at all. That's what happens when you get info fourth hand! The growth, if any, was extremely minor. Thanks for the strength!
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #20
    jjaj133 said:

    Hey Doc,
    So sorry you are
    Hey Doc,
    So sorry you are in pain, neat to hear you're a better shot than Doc Holiday. How'd know that?
    Prayers being sent for you.
    Judy

    Sharp shooter
    History shows that Doc Holladay was a pretty poor shot. When I was in the Air Force I earned marksman medals in both small arms and the M-16. In the early 80s, my base put in one of those ranges where you shoot blanks at a movie screen. After finished qualifying (every six months), the range master would let us do quick draws. I was always able to draw and fire two shoots in about 0.5 seconds with the second on being a killing shot. For some reason, the first one always hit my "victim" in the groin.
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #21
    fatbob2010 said:

    Couple of centimeters ??
    Doc,

    I read your post about the Onc's belief that the tumors were not the problem. If my Onc told me that a couple of centimeters (a little over 2 centimeters is an inch) is not a problem all my "Spidey senses" would be on high alert. Good luck with your metaphorical hunting trip!!!

    Hang in there Doc...we are sending prayers, hugs and swinging chickens!!!

    Thanks
    I was pretty agitated when my sis said it had only grown by centimeters. That's what prompted me to call the onc today.

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