My first exposure to "scanxiety"

BLKJAK
BLKJAK Member Posts: 108
in Kidney Cancer #1

I must say that "scanxiety" surprised me in regards to severity. I was doing OK keeping my mind occupied, but I am having some interesting symptoms. For the past three nights I have had some pretty nasty nightmares that I cannot get away from. Normally I will have an occasional bad dream but I can force myself to wake up and end the dream. These recent dreams are very persistant and withstand waking up. I will wake up and remind myself that it was just a dream, but when I fall back asleep, there it is waiting for me where I left off. Crazy stuff. Last night I took my Lorazepam along with an OxyCodone and the dreams were a little less intense. No memories of something horriffic happening in my dreams.

I had my first scan after three months of votrient use this morning. I had to drink contrast at 7:30am and then again at 8:30am before going in for the scan. That has got to be one of the worst tasting liquids I ever put into my mouth. To me it tastes like a swimming pool cover smells like right out of the packaging. Bonus - I got to the hospital for the scan and learned I was getting more contrast via an IV. What the heck? Why didn't they just skip the personal torture and use the IV for all of it like they did the first time three months ago? My wife and I also noticed that they keep the contrast in a locked refridgerator. Is there some street value to contrast? Do the elderly perhaps like the warm feeling they get after injecting the contrast so they turn to the streets to get their fix? Anyway, I have one more night to get through and I will hear the results tomorrow at noon. I am praying for shrinkage of the tumors. I would settle for no growth. I don't know how I'll react if there is new growth. Regardless, it's out of my control. I can only pray for the best.

Thanks for letting me vent and to share my experiences with all of you.

BLKJAK

Comments

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #2
    All the best tomorrow

    It is so difficult controlling our stress levels when it comes to the scans. i will be praying for good results for you tomorrow,  and we will all be sending you positive vibes.

     

    Djinnie x

     

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #3
    Djinnie said:

    All the best tomorrow

    It is so difficult controlling our stress levels when it comes to the scans. i will be praying for good results for you tomorrow,  and we will all be sending you positive vibes.

     

    Djinnie x

     

    Welcome to the world...

    of being a survivor.  I won't say the scanxiety will ever go away completely; it just comes with knowing that you're still alive and they need to test to ensure that nothing has grown that shouldn't have.

    The lovely liquid is barium sulfate, which will outline your digestive tract and supporting organs.  If you don't want the report to say "you're full of s...", purge before you go in.  Ihe IV radioactive iodine will make you feel hot throughtout the blood vessels, ie., bladder, etc.   That checks your kidney(s), ureters to the urinary bladder and urethra. Quite a rush!

    The one drug that was been eliminated is the Acetelcystine or Mucomist.  Many Dr.s use to require it the day before and the morning of the CT.  It wasn't very expensive but smelled and tasted like rotten eggs.  Since there wasn't a great demand for it locally, they only stocked it in liquid form which had to be added to a beverage to mask the flavor.  About a year ago, my primary care doc said medical review board at the local hospital has ruled against it as not doing enough good to benefit the patient.  Finally, oncology caught up with them and said it wouldn't be prescribed for my Sept. test.

    Request a written copy of your report plus your labs.  Get on the good side of the oncology nurse assigned/working with your doc.  You can usually call her to get a preliminary of the results prior to your test follow up appointment.  My nurse has been extremely sympathetic to the "need to know," as her husband went through treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma a few years ago.

    For me, it's been 7 years, with 2 recurrences.  Not a day goes by that I'm not aware I've had kidney cancer.  But worrying about it is not how I choose to occupy my time and energy. 

    We are alive, We have had cancer.  And we are living our lives as best we can.

    Go for it.

    Donna

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #4

    BLKJAK, I hope everything went well today with your results:)

    All the best

     

    Djinnie x

  • mrs_blkjak
    mrs_blkjak Member Posts: 103
    #5

    The word is that many of BLKJAK's tumors have shrunk! And a couple look necrotic! So we are moving in the right direction. What an emotionally exhausting day. But a good one. 

  • Suekub
    Suekub Member Posts: 137
    #6
    mrs_blkjak said:

    The word is that many of BLKJAK's tumors have shrunk! And a couple look necrotic! So we are moving in the right direction. What an emotionally exhausting day. But a good one. 

    Wonderful news

    I am so pleased to hear your news. I can't wait until I am able to start treatment which I believe will be Votrient. Still waiting to have MRI this coming Saturday to check my spine met which I hope will not need surgery as it will delay drug treatment even longer.

    Sue 

     

  • BLKJAK
    BLKJAK Member Posts: 108
    #7
    mrs_blkjak said:

    The word is that many of BLKJAK's tumors have shrunk! And a couple look necrotic! So we are moving in the right direction. What an emotionally exhausting day. But a good one. 

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

  • Darron
    Darron Member Posts: 310 Member
    #8
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    Congrats to a Pair of JAK's

    Congrats on the scan, didn't comment last night, but you have both been in my prayers for peace.

    I don't have nightmares, but I get night sweats pretty good the night before. I think the 1st scan on new treatment always makes it a little worse.

    Glad all went well!

    Keep kicking it's a$$!!

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #9
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    Congratulations!!

    That is such great news!! Congratulations!! I can imagine you must both be feeling emotionally drained, waiting for results always seem like an eternity. But what a good result! No bad dreams for you tonight:)

     

    Djinnie x

  • I am alive
    I am alive Member Posts: 315
    #10
    Djinnie said:

    Congratulations!!

    That is such great news!! Congratulations!! I can imagine you must both be feeling emotionally drained, waiting for results always seem like an eternity. But what a good result! No bad dreams for you tonight:)

     

    Djinnie x

    Sweet!

    Ahhhhhh relief is so sweet! Congratulations!

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #11
    I am alive said:

    Sweet!

    Ahhhhhh relief is so sweet! Congratulations!

    WINNER, WINNER...

    CHICKEN DINNER!!!  Kickong the big C's ****...ain't it great!!!

  • Eims
    Eims Member Posts: 423
    #12
    mrs_blkjak said:

    The word is that many of BLKJAK's tumors have shrunk! And a couple look necrotic! So we are moving in the right direction. What an emotionally exhausting day. But a good one. 

    fabulous, fabulous,

    fabulous, fabulous, fabulous....well done you xxxxxx

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #13
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    OUTSTANDING!

    I am very very pleased and excited for your news! 

    You are showing the rest of us just how to kick Cancer in the a55! Laughing

    Keep it up!

    Michael

  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    #14
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    Fantastic!!!!!!

    YES YES YES YES YES!!!!

     

    Awards ceremony it is -- time to celebrate!

     

    Congratulations on a well deserved WIN.

  • TillieSOK
    TillieSOK Member Posts: 252
    #15
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    (No subject)

    image

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #16
    TillieSOK said:

    (No subject)

    image

    (No subject)

    Tillie, it seems there's (No subject ) you don't want to talk about!Laughing

  • TillieSOK
    TillieSOK Member Posts: 252
    #17
    Texas_wedge said:

    (No subject)

    Tillie, it seems there's (No subject ) you don't want to talk about!Laughing

    There WAS a picture there!  I

    There WAS a picture there!  I swear there was! image

  • angec
    angec Member Posts: 924 Member
    #18
    BLKJAK said:

    No mets either!

    While the shrinkage is small, it is there. There were also no mets found! I want to thank everyone for the support and information shared over the past few months. This site has helped to keep my thoughts realistic and has given me courage. This is sounding like an awards ceremony speech, lol. I guess in some ways it is. 

    Keep fighting and kicking cancer's a$$!

    AWESOME!  The first few times

    AWESOME!  The first few times of scans there is anxiety, but i am told you get used to it after awhile!  I don't know how but some do! So glad the results are looking good.  Give wifey a big hug and sit back and enjoy some quiet time!  A big sigh of relief!  Keep up the fight and show cancer who is boss!

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