Petscan is good! yay!

CathyHorner
CathyHorner Member Posts: 29
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Had my follow up petscan last week, 3 months after my last chemo/rad treatments. Yay, came back negative for anything! Doctor says I'm in remission, they won't call it a cure until after a few years of good check ups. He doesn't need to see me for 3-4 months.

 

The biggest discomfort I have right now is the temporary trache I've had for 6 months is driving me crazy. Also swelling under the chin (lymphnodes) that is hard and painful especially in the morning. I'm doing the massage and exercises. Plus the trach has rubbed sores on my skin.

 

I haven't had a voice for 6 months but it's coming through just a tiny bit, very very quiet and raspy. Congestion isn't bad anymore, it was awful! ENT won't take out the trache until he is sure the swelling is gone around my larynx.

Question for you guys. My blood pressure readings are all over the place. For weeks I kept a chart of readings at home and they were great. I go to the doctor's office and it is scary dangerous high. I think I have white coat syndrome.  Just wondering if you think your treatments had an effect on your blood pressure. I know this trache stresses me out. 

 

However..have something to be very thankful for this Thanksgiving! yay!

 

 

Comments

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #2
    Congrats to you!

    Great news!...thanks for sharing with us.

    No experience with the high blood pressure...be sure to follow up with your doctor with that...could be something completely separate from treatment.

    Hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving. You (We All) have so much to be thankful for.

     

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    It is a Thanksgiving NED

    CH,

    Good news travels fast along the H&N highway, congratulations!

    While my edema is ongoing it is not painful, just a reminder. 

    Leading up to my first loading of Erbitux I never had high blood pressure, but since then I do.  Somewhere along the road I changed.

    While my treatment was different (BOT) I also went through a period of virtually not much voice, I never knew what would come out when answering the phone.

    Keep getting better,

    Matt

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
    Congrats on your NED ....

    that's a huge relief! 

    My blood pressure was very low during treatment, got higher after treatment.....and when I go to the Rad Onc, it gets higher, still.....however, I think all the time spent in Oncology keeps my BP normal when I'm there.  Ask them if they'd be kind enough to take your BP after the appointment is over.....mine always goes down when they do that.

    p

  • Ruben and Jude
    Ruben and Jude Member Posts: 155
    #5
    Congrats

    Congratulations on NED. That's such a wonderful relief to know there is NO cancer in your body. Amen!

    Ruben's blood pressure in low low low! It used to be high (200's/100's), but has gone down since treatment. (As has his weight, 50 lbs..... which tells me why his b/p is down.) The b/p's being all over the place could coincide with the amount of fluids you where able to ingest. If not enough, low b/p and high heart rate; if moderate amount, your normal b/p; if too much (which is not usually the case with H&N people), then high b/p. And, as mentioned, could be white coat syndrome! I'm a nurse and my b/p goes up when I go see my MD... go figure! Height and weight determine what is the average or normal b/p for an individual, typically.

    Again, congrats on the results.

    Jude

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
    cathy, CONGRATS  on NED!!!  i

    cathy, CONGRATS  on NED!!!  i hope u did a happy dance.  ned is 1 more thing 2 b thxful 4.  Happy Thanksgiving!

    God bless you,

    dj

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #7
    debbiejeanne said:

    cathy, CONGRATS  on NED!!!  i

    cathy, CONGRATS  on NED!!!  i hope u did a happy dance.  ned is 1 more thing 2 b thxful 4.  Happy Thanksgiving!

    God bless you,

    dj

    Cathy

    Congrats on meeting NED! Celebrate with a Happy Thanksgiving

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #8
    ThanksGiving...

    Congrats....., and many years ahead for you...

    JG

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #9
    Congrats Cathy

    Smile today and carry it over through tomorrow. My treatment actually resulted in me dumping my high blood pressure meds but it wasn't all over the chart during treatment. All your other issues seem normal. I know I know.........John will correct me with abi normal (just trying to raise his blood pressure a bit)

    Keep traveling the road of recovery.

          Jeff

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #10
    Now THAT

    is something to be thankful for!  Congrats on NED and many, many more!!

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #11
    Duggie88 said:

    Congrats Cathy

    Smile today and carry it over through tomorrow. My treatment actually resulted in me dumping my high blood pressure meds but it wasn't all over the chart during treatment. All your other issues seem normal. I know I know.........John will correct me with abi normal (just trying to raise his blood pressure a bit)

    Keep traveling the road of recovery.

          Jeff

    Abi-Normal...

    Yep...., that is weesus....

     

    d

    JG

  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570 Member
    #12
    NED & BP

    Hey Cathy, Big Congratulations on the NED, that's the news we love to hear!  In regard to the BP, my wife's BP goes up every time that she sees her PCP, so she takes it a few times before she goes in to see him and gives it to him, which is the agreement that they came up with.  Of course the out of office BP is always normal, so her doc agrees that she has the WCS, and is not concerned about the office spikes.  So you might, if you haven't, chat with your doc about the possibility that your speculation may be on the money.

    PATRICK

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