Frustrated, Awaiting CT and MRI results

amyboston
amyboston Member Posts: 91
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well,
I called my surgeon's office once yesterday and twice today...still no word on my CT and MRI results.

I am sooo frustrated!!!!
I just want to know the results. I felt the same way on the biopsy after my colonoscopy, I had to wait a week for that.

I can't seem to do anything that requires any amount of concentration, just short of becoming a basketcase.

The nurse at my surgeon's office didn't call me back. I told her to call when they had the results. No one called today. Everything in my life seems on hold.

I even missed going to church today. (It has been a miserable day, rain, rain and rain)...

I just had to vent a bit of my frustration...thanks.

blessings,

Amy

Comments

  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #2
    So sorry you are dealing
    So sorry you are dealing with the frustrations of waiting. Sometimes that is the hardest part. Hang in there - you'll have answers soon.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
    some advice
    Hi Amy,

    I can definitely identify with hating to wait for results!
    In the 2+ years I've now been doing this, I've become much more vocal and proactive in researching and also in getting my test results right away. I've discovered that it's easiest to bypass the doctor (who wants you to wait for them to review the results first, sometimes making you wait for your next appt. to hear the news,etc.)
    I have discovered that you have the right to go straight to radiology dept/file room of where they keep scans and such records and ask for a copy of the report and for a CD of the scan. In spite of what you might be told I've discovered, at least at my facility, that they have the scan and radiologist's report there in their hospital records later that same day or by the next morning at the latest. In spite of knowing this, the technicians when I get my scans done always tell me results will be to my doctor within 4-5 days. I found out that's definitely not true.
    Usually you would just need to call that dept and make your request (my hospital does it for free and either by later that same day or for sure by the next day). Funny thing one time, after I went and did this and then sat down in the hospital lobby to read my results, I ran into my oncologist in the parking lot. I felt kind of funny, but I told him that I just got the results of my PET/CT scan. He replied that he hadn't even seen the results yet & he asked, "Well?" I informed HIM of my results! I wasn't sure or not if he was upset that I'd gone around him to get my results, but I really didn't care. It turned out, at my next appointment a few days later, that he just chuckled at me and said he knows I don't like to wait. Of course I did still have a few questions, but I now know most of the language and terms used on these scan reports now, so I was very, very glad I got the results ahead of time on my own. I'm pretty sure that all hospitals or facilities that keep such records have to provide this if you ask- it's within your patient rights.

    Hope you can find something out tomorrow.

    Hugs,
    Lisa

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