How many CatScans do we have??

pokismom
pokismom Member Posts: 153
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi All,
Well today I had another CatScan and I'm thinking how many can my body really take? I just had one in october and one in July boy I think I'm hitting my limit? Had a mammogram last week and had to follow up today with another, I think I must be glowing from all this radiation! I just thought i'd ask how many CatScans did everyone have?
Much love to you all, and Hapoy New Year!
Donna

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #2
    Lots...
    Hey Donna

    I was getting lots of them - 4 CT and 4 PETS regularly there for a couple of years. And I remember adding another CT for something and an MRI that year too. Not to mention, I was getting regular x-rays too - so I was lit up like a Xmas tree.

    Just coming out of lung surgery, they popped me for another CT and I've done 4 xrays.

    So, too many :)

    -Craig
  • pokismom
    pokismom Member Posts: 153
    #3
    Sundanceh said:

    Lots...
    Hey Donna

    I was getting lots of them - 4 CT and 4 PETS regularly there for a couple of years. And I remember adding another CT for something and an MRI that year too. Not to mention, I was getting regular x-rays too - so I was lit up like a Xmas tree.

    Just coming out of lung surgery, they popped me for another CT and I've done 4 xrays.

    So, too many :)

    -Craig

    Next year!
    Hey Craig maybe a bunch of us can go light up the trees at Christmas! Lol
    Donna
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #4
    Six.
    Probably around six, typically, for a routine case. One before surgery, and a yearly follow-up for five years. I've had five now, after four years NED, and I expect to get one more on the yearly schedule.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #6
    I had
    I had CT before dx (dx'd wrong). After dx and surgery, I had a lot of exposure within a few weeks - mammogram, dental x-rays, 5 chest x-rays (port, infected port, new port), PET scan (uncertain what was seen on CT), MRI (to follow up on PET issues).

    Then afer I started chemo, another CT (I had a PE), and another PET/CT (follow up after 4 cycles on prior spots lit up on previous PET).

    I also had an ultrasound of my legs (after they found the PE). I was so happy to have a procedure that has no side effects to worry about!

    I had all of these in under 5 months.
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #7
    Already had two
    I had one pre surgery and one a few months later because I was being tested for the Erbitux trial and Mayo insisted on a larger area .... I'll have one in late March/ early April and then yearly. Guess that would work out to 7, total over 5 years.

    A guy from the UK on Colon Club said they do not scan after the second year of disease free survival on Stage III's.
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #8
    dianetavegia said:

    Already had two
    I had one pre surgery and one a few months later because I was being tested for the Erbitux trial and Mayo insisted on a larger area .... I'll have one in late March/ early April and then yearly. Guess that would work out to 7, total over 5 years.

    A guy from the UK on Colon Club said they do not scan after the second year of disease free survival on Stage III's.

    I been
    Getting them every 3rd month or so! I get my next one on Jan 14, and am afraid that I have progressed, but we shall see!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • ann2008
    ann2008 Member Posts: 118
    #9
    CT scans
    I had first CT right after my colonoscopy, then 1mo post chemo(June) then plan is for everry 3 mo 1st yr. then every 4 mo 2nd yr then yearly. So far have had 4. This time next year will have had 7 (all clear I hope). I don't know if I have ever heard of a certain number limit. How would they know if it is too much? Use a gieger (sp?) counter, lol.
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #10
    Previous thread.
    Here is a previous thread on the radiation risks of Xrays and CT scans: How safe are CT scans? I tried the calculator at www.xrayrisk.com to check the safety of the chest+abdomen+pelvis CT scans I get. It came out around 0.05% risk of causing another cancer, as I recall, for my specific case. (Being 67, I have somewhat lower risk of getting a CT scan induced cancer than a younger person would, because it's more likely I'll die of something else first.)

    --Greg
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #11
    Well a Cat has 9 Lives
    I've had one every 2 months for about 6 years so that's about....36. I'm not NED or DEAD so I will keep having them every 2 months until the cancer is gone or very stable. Then I imagine it will be every 3-4 months, then every 6 months, then once a year...

    Do they increase the chaces of more cancer? Probably yes. If I didn't get them and assumed I was OK? I'd be on a Ouija board now...
  • pokismom
    pokismom Member Posts: 153
    #12
    PhillieG said:

    Well a Cat has 9 Lives
    I've had one every 2 months for about 6 years so that's about....36. I'm not NED or DEAD so I will keep having them every 2 months until the cancer is gone or very stable. Then I imagine it will be every 3-4 months, then every 6 months, then once a year...

    Do they increase the chaces of more cancer? Probably yes. If I didn't get them and assumed I was OK? I'd be on a Ouija board now...

    Hi Phil
    Okay, so you can be on top of the Christmas Trees next year, we' ll be the lights around it! Thanks Phil.
    Donna
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #13
    every 6-8 wks
    My first oncologist was scan-happy and had me get a scan every 6 weeks during treatment & the oncologist I have nowhas me get scanned every 8 weeks. The first six months of chemo (Folfox/Avastin), I was getting scanned every 6 weeks to check on progress. In 2-1/2 yrs since diagnosis, I have completely lost count of how many scans I've had- a LOT! I've also had several MRI's on top of the scans, but MRI's don't give off any radiation like the CT and PET scans do. I would say probably at least 2 dozen by now. That does worry me some, but on the other hand, getting a scan is the only true way to know what's going on inside me & a lot seems to change from scan to scan for me, so I'd be worried if I had to go longer between scans, not knowing what's going on.
    I do worry, though, that if I live long enough, that I'll be getting more problems down the road from the radiation of all the scans I've had.

    Lisa

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