CEA up after liver resection

I know nothing will pacify your mind until you get some good news. Liver resection is a big surgery the disturbed your entire system. The PET scan should give give you a objective status of your health. Just keep busy till Monday to keep your mind occupied and I wish you the best possible outcome.

Laz

Go to the scan facility and ask for the radiology report.  Since a week has passed, the report is definitely ready.  No need to go through all the anxiety waiting.  If it's good news, you'll have your weekend back.  If it's bad news, at least you'll have time to process the results before going in to see your doctor.  Then you can ask direct/cogent questions about your situation and planned treatment.  Nothing is worse than dealing with the shock of getting bad news at the doctor's office and then have to coherently discuss anything logically.

I'll be a broken record but I've said numerous times for most people scanxiety is an unnecessary stress to endure.  All it takes is the extra effort on your part to get the results early instead of waiting for the doctor to see you.  I've just passed 4 years since my initial diagnosis and I've never had to wait more than a day for my scan results.  If I remember correctly, only 2 of my follow up scans were the next day.  I did have my initial PET scan that took 2 days for me to find out the results but that was because Christmas was the day after.  Yes, I had the initial PET on Christmas Eve and the radiologist left the office early for th holidays despite a STAT order being placed.  Since then, I always schedule my scans in the morning and like clock work, I can get the report that afternoon.  This is for both CT with contrast and PET/CT (which I had one this past summer due to CEA spike.)

lostsolost said:

Thank you. Its hard to talk

Thank you. Its hard to talk to people about my fears because they don't know what its like. So i keep everything bottled up until i drive myself nuts. I'm just so scared

Come here as often as you like and we are here to listen.  We know your fear, and understand its effects. True, we all face it in our own ways, but just listening to others, can help a little.

I will note that I do pick up my blood work results, and when my CEA jumped, I kinda wished I hadn't. Waiting for my Oncologist appointment seemed like forever. I knew the Cancer was back, yet I had to wait to hear what was going to be done about it. So, picking up your own results is like a two edged sword. Its great when the news is good, but its terrible when the news isn't so good. You have to decide what is right for you.  

We will be waiting to hear what your news is; and don't worry, we don't expect you to rush to the forum and post. Take your time to celebrate or digest the news and come in your own good time. 

TRU

I've had two liver resections after the colectomy. My CEA just kept bumping up post surgery. IT does mess with your mind, I could lose myself in work and keeping busy for periods of time, but those 3am wakeups really sucked. I took Xanax to be able to get back to sleep, and for appointments with the docs. If I had nothing to occupy me[or nothing sounded good to do] I walked, anywhere, everywhere, until I was so tired I could not feel anxious.  If I can wear myself enough, I lose fear and anger, simply because they take more effort than I'm willing to give. Maybe it's just me, but you might try it if nothing else works. Good luck to you..............................................Dave

lostsolost said:

Scan results

So my liver came back clear which is great but they did find something in my lungs. One 1.7x1.9 area but that the Radiologist is reading it as infectious/inflammatory but he's recommending a ct scan. The 2 smaller ones 7mm each they will follow with later scans. Hoping clearer view with the new scan

Did you get a copy of the report?  What were the SUV values for the hot spots the Radiologist found?

Boy Dave........read your profile and the last part of it was very inspiring and i liked what you put down.....I am going to LA soon for a consult to see if anyone will resect the two metastases that showed up on the last pt scan. Apparently, no one is suggesting it and leave me to believe it's because of the lung spots...and like you, I want them out though I know there is no cure for what we have but going by reports they seem to think I believe surgery will cure me! Never said such a thing because I have read to much to know better. Then it's back to my onco and lonsurf which I don't really want to take unless she comes up with something else. But there is another doc at ucla that sounds good also and who i would like to get a consult with also. To late for this trip however. Hopefully this doctor I will be seeing can at least give me an explanation of something. Supposedly the hospital does over a thousand resections a year but how many of those are due to colon cancer gone to liver and probably lungs I have no clue. No one likes to doctor jump but one has to listen to their instincts I believe....prayers to all!

ps. I now have one lymph node that isnew in lower abdomen that came up with a over 5 suv rating. Near lumber3 of spine, which side i don't know for if it's on the left it could be coming from the area of where the colon mass was resected in the sigmoid area.   So do any of you push for surgery?