Brand New Here - The Waiting Game....
Brand new here. I am a 43 year old female that had an ultrasound last week for gallstones. Well, they did an entire abdomn ultrasound and found no gallstones (been having horrible abdominal problems like upper abdominal distention, acid reflux, pain, chronic diarrhea - sounds like gall bladder, right?) But, what they did find was a 1.8cm mass on my left kidney that needed further testing via CT w/contrast. So, one week later, yesterday to be exact, I had the CT with and without contrast done. And the imaging place said that it will take up to 3 days to get the result.
Seriously, the waiting is killing me. I barely slept last night. And so far, no word today.
In the meantime, they are working on a referral to a gastroenterologist for further gallbladder testing.
Just wanted to say hello. Been lurking here for a week now.
Comments
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So sorry you have to go
So sorry you have to go through all this. I agree; the waiting is awful. The one good thing is that even if it turns out to be malignant they found it early. At 1.8 cm it's very small and most likely a partial nephrectomy will be the end of it. The outlook for something that small is excellent. So it's really a good thing you had those abdominal issues because it may have led them to find this early. It's possible it's just cyst, or non-malignant so hope for the best. But as I said, even if worse came to worst, the outlook for something that small is very positive. And while no one looks forward to surgery, I did not find it as bad as I feared. Wishing you the very best!
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Thank you so much! IAPny said:So sorry you have to go
So sorry you have to go through all this. I agree; the waiting is awful. The one good thing is that even if it turns out to be malignant they found it early. At 1.8 cm it's very small and most likely a partial nephrectomy will be the end of it. The outlook for something that small is excellent. So it's really a good thing you had those abdominal issues because it may have led them to find this early. It's possible it's just cyst, or non-malignant so hope for the best. But as I said, even if worse came to worst, the outlook for something that small is very positive. And while no one looks forward to surgery, I did not find it as bad as I feared. Wishing you the very best!
Thank you so much! I appreciate the encouraging words. The waiting is the absolute worst. Cancer runs heavily in both sides of my family. Father died of Pancratic Cancer, all four grandparents died of cancer (lung, liver). The first thing in my mind was "Oh man, not again!'.
Has anyone had a measurement on an ultrasound be different than what it actually was in a CT scan?
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Hi Trease,itsmissyb said:Thank you so much! I
Thank you so much! I appreciate the encouraging words. The waiting is the absolute worst. Cancer runs heavily in both sides of my family. Father died of Pancratic Cancer, all four grandparents died of cancer (lung, liver). The first thing in my mind was "Oh man, not again!'.
Has anyone had a measurement on an ultrasound be different than what it actually was in a CT scan?
Welcome to ourHi Trease,
Welcome to our forum.
I am sorry for the scare you are going through right now. You and I share a similar story....my doctor also referred me to a nephrologist. But he was a new doctor, and he was nervous as it turns out I was the first patient he had to deliver that kind of news too. His mistake delayed me by a week or two, but it all turned out alright in the end.
Get as much information as you can and don't be afraid to get a second opionion.
We are here for you. Please keep us posted!
Hugs
Jojo
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That trusty gallbladder
Hello,
My kidney tumor was also found because I was having GB problems... One thing to bear in mind with regards to that... the GB itself can actually become calcified without having any gallstones in it. My GB was pretty bad once it was removed last March; it had become calcified and had one gallstone that wasn't actually blocking anything. So it doesn't necessarily have to have gallstones to cause issues. Although I did not have all of your symptoms... for me, it was mostly pain in the upper right quadrant that wouldn't go away for hours and hours. So I have a double honorary bachelors in RCC and GB problems haha.
My tumor was 2.8cm, yours is even smaller... although I know nothing can prepare you or soften the blow of learning you might have cancer, just know that the size of your tumor will mean your prognosis will be excellent. I was quoted a 2% chance of recurrence... meaning 98% that it will not return. And there are certainly other possibilities; cysts and benign tumors.
So stay positive and take it one step at a time. You will be ok, whatever happens.
- Jay
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We were all scaredjason.2835 said:That trusty gallbladder
Hello,
My kidney tumor was also found because I was having GB problems... One thing to bear in mind with regards to that... the GB itself can actually become calcified without having any gallstones in it. My GB was pretty bad once it was removed last March; it had become calcified and had one gallstone that wasn't actually blocking anything. So it doesn't necessarily have to have gallstones to cause issues. Although I did not have all of your symptoms... for me, it was mostly pain in the upper right quadrant that wouldn't go away for hours and hours. So I have a double honorary bachelors in RCC and GB problems haha.
My tumor was 2.8cm, yours is even smaller... although I know nothing can prepare you or soften the blow of learning you might have cancer, just know that the size of your tumor will mean your prognosis will be excellent. I was quoted a 2% chance of recurrence... meaning 98% that it will not return. And there are certainly other possibilities; cysts and benign tumors.
So stay positive and take it one step at a time. You will be ok, whatever happens.
- Jay
itsmissyb,
The common denominator in our little group is that we were all scared sh..less when told we had or may have kidney cancer and that the first thing they want to do is yank all or part of our kidney out. The good thing is that yours is small and absent anything uneventful you will make a full and complete recovery. The scaryness will pass to. I would tell you that the surgery is painless, but I would be laughed off this board.
Icemantoo
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Being scared ***tless is anicemantoo said:We were all scared
itsmissyb,
The common denominator in our little group is that we were all scared sh..less when told we had or may have kidney cancer and that the first thing they want to do is yank all or part of our kidney out. The good thing is that yours is small and absent anything uneventful you will make a full and complete recovery. The scaryness will pass to. I would tell you that the surgery is painless, but I would be laughed off this board.
Icemantoo
Being scared ***tless is an understatment. Lol! Have anxiety issues I have had for years. Found my trusty Xanax is the back of the medicine cabinet when I got home from work and cut one in half. I figured if it was serious the doctor would call me vs sending me an email like he normally does. So today, I get a call from the same city my doctor is in, unknown number. Darn near throw up answering the phone and he it was a Wrong number!!!! I was like "come on!!! You're killing me!!!" Lol!
Back to my old question has anyone had an ultrasound first, given a size of the growth and went on to have a CT scan that showed the grown bigger or smaller?
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Change in size.itsmissyb said:Being scared ***tless is an
Being scared ***tless is an understatment. Lol! Have anxiety issues I have had for years. Found my trusty Xanax is the back of the medicine cabinet when I got home from work and cut one in half. I figured if it was serious the doctor would call me vs sending me an email like he normally does. So today, I get a call from the same city my doctor is in, unknown number. Darn near throw up answering the phone and he it was a Wrong number!!!! I was like "come on!!! You're killing me!!!" Lol!
Back to my old question has anyone had an ultrasound first, given a size of the growth and went on to have a CT scan that showed the grown bigger or smaller?
itsmissyb,
My tumor was larger on the path report after surgery than the initial CT. The CT measurement is the Radiologist's estimate of a 3D object. Do not be surprised by small variations on different tests.
Icemantoo
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Size changeitsmissyb said:Being scared ***tless is an
Being scared ***tless is an understatment. Lol! Have anxiety issues I have had for years. Found my trusty Xanax is the back of the medicine cabinet when I got home from work and cut one in half. I figured if it was serious the doctor would call me vs sending me an email like he normally does. So today, I get a call from the same city my doctor is in, unknown number. Darn near throw up answering the phone and he it was a Wrong number!!!! I was like "come on!!! You're killing me!!!" Lol!
Back to my old question has anyone had an ultrasound first, given a size of the growth and went on to have a CT scan that showed the grown bigger or smaller?
My tumor was described as 3.8 cm on the MRI but turned out to be 2.8. Probably because it was partially cystic And fluid filled.
- Jay
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I had a CT scan first, thenjason.2835 said:Size change
My tumor was described as 3.8 cm on the MRI but turned out to be 2.8. Probably because it was partially cystic And fluid filled.
- Jay
I had a CT scan first, then followed up with an US. Pretty much the same result on both and after surgery it was actually a little bit smaller but nothing significant. Still stage1 thank God.
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Waitingitsmissyb said:Being scared ***tless is an
Being scared ***tless is an understatment. Lol! Have anxiety issues I have had for years. Found my trusty Xanax is the back of the medicine cabinet when I got home from work and cut one in half. I figured if it was serious the doctor would call me vs sending me an email like he normally does. So today, I get a call from the same city my doctor is in, unknown number. Darn near throw up answering the phone and he it was a Wrong number!!!! I was like "come on!!! You're killing me!!!" Lol!
Back to my old question has anyone had an ultrasound first, given a size of the growth and went on to have a CT scan that showed the grown bigger or smaller?
Mine was described as a shadow on ultrasound, then examined on CT and MRI scans. I dont recall being given a size until the tumour was removed. I think the urologist described it as significant before telling me that dealing with it was beyond his ability.
Waiting is the worst. The constant dwelling on the problem. The circular thoughts that take over every waking minute obsessing about how bad the news could be. Here is the truth as far as I understand it.
The reality is never as bad as the waiting and worrying make it. It gets better it gets easier.
If you are having serious anxiety issues contact your GP (or PCP as they call it in the States) and get something for it. Better than scrabbling round in the back of medicine cabinets, and you get someone to talk to!
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Good news!Footstomper said:Waiting
Mine was described as a shadow on ultrasound, then examined on CT and MRI scans. I dont recall being given a size until the tumour was removed. I think the urologist described it as significant before telling me that dealing with it was beyond his ability.
Waiting is the worst. The constant dwelling on the problem. The circular thoughts that take over every waking minute obsessing about how bad the news could be. Here is the truth as far as I understand it.
The reality is never as bad as the waiting and worrying make it. It gets better it gets easier.
If you are having serious anxiety issues contact your GP (or PCP as they call it in the States) and get something for it. Better than scrabbling round in the back of medicine cabinets, and you get someone to talk to!
I just received the results from the doctor.
He said:
Good morning again. The scan did not show any masses. Good. It did show a fatty liver which is not new. Need to always watch and limit the fats in the diet. It also showed incidental renal cyst and colon diverticula seen with age. Management is to maintain a good fiber diet at all times. As you know, a GI consult is pending. Take care.
A. CT ABDOMEN AND PELVIS 10-21-2015--IMPRESSION:
1. Ongoing diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver and hepatomegaly.
2. No suspicious renal lesion. Particularly, no abnormality is present in the left upper
pole to correspond to the possible hypoechoic lesion described on recent
ultrasound. No evidence for soft tissue renal mass.
3. Enlarged portacaval lymph node of 2.3 x 1.7 cm is likely reactive.
4. A 3 mm hypoattenuating left upper pole renal lesion is too small to accurately
characterize, but suggestive of a simple cyst.
5. Mild colonic diverticulosis without evidence of acute diverticulitis.0 -
Membership Denieditsmissyb said:Good news!
I just received the results from the doctor.
He said:
Good morning again. The scan did not show any masses. Good. It did show a fatty liver which is not new. Need to always watch and limit the fats in the diet. It also showed incidental renal cyst and colon diverticula seen with age. Management is to maintain a good fiber diet at all times. As you know, a GI consult is pending. Take care.
A. CT ABDOMEN AND PELVIS 10-21-2015--IMPRESSION:
1. Ongoing diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver and hepatomegaly.
2. No suspicious renal lesion. Particularly, no abnormality is present in the left upper
pole to correspond to the possible hypoechoic lesion described on recent
ultrasound. No evidence for soft tissue renal mass.
3. Enlarged portacaval lymph node of 2.3 x 1.7 cm is likely reactive.
4. A 3 mm hypoattenuating left upper pole renal lesion is too small to accurately
characterize, but suggestive of a simple cyst.
5. Mild colonic diverticulosis without evidence of acute diverticulitis.itsmissyb,
That is a good thing. If you need us in the future we are here, but hopefully you will not need us.
Icemantoo
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Great news! CTs are much moreicemantoo said:Membership Denied
itsmissyb,
That is a good thing. If you need us in the future we are here, but hopefully you will not need us.
Icemantoo
Great news! CTs are much more precise than ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are also notoriously operator-dependant, so can't be trusted as much as CTs. So if your CT scan says - no mass, than really no mass, congrats!
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That's great news! Good forAllochka said:Great news! CTs are much more
Great news! CTs are much more precise than ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are also notoriously operator-dependant, so can't be trusted as much as CTs. So if your CT scan says - no mass, than really no mass, congrats!
That's great news! Good for you
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Great Newsitsmissyb said:Good news!
I just received the results from the doctor.
He said:
Good morning again. The scan did not show any masses. Good. It did show a fatty liver which is not new. Need to always watch and limit the fats in the diet. It also showed incidental renal cyst and colon diverticula seen with age. Management is to maintain a good fiber diet at all times. As you know, a GI consult is pending. Take care.
A. CT ABDOMEN AND PELVIS 10-21-2015--IMPRESSION:
1. Ongoing diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver and hepatomegaly.
2. No suspicious renal lesion. Particularly, no abnormality is present in the left upper
pole to correspond to the possible hypoechoic lesion described on recent
ultrasound. No evidence for soft tissue renal mass.
3. Enlarged portacaval lymph node of 2.3 x 1.7 cm is likely reactive.
4. A 3 mm hypoattenuating left upper pole renal lesion is too small to accurately
characterize, but suggestive of a simple cyst.
5. Mild colonic diverticulosis without evidence of acute diverticulitis.So happy to hear your news!
Gentle hugs and healthy wishes to all and goodnight!
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I'm so sorry you had toI'm so sorry you had to join but happy we can help you. Unfortunately most of kidney masses aren't benign, but fortunately they are very easy to deal with when they are still small. Even if yours is malignant, you don't have to worry. The procedure is partial nephrectomy, open or laparoscopic. It takes few weeks to back on track and then nothing but following up. More than 90% you'll hear nothing about this disease in your life. It's too small so it is confined to the kidney which means it hasn't metastasized and the surgery is the only treatment you need.
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