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Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:28 am
by dianetavegia
Tomorrow, March 28th is my every 6 month blood work for tumor markers. It was slightly elevated in the fall but was low enough that it could have been from a sinus infection or hypothyroid (just discovered). The next week is my CT/ MRI, on Tuesday April 3rd. I've been so blessed to have been cancer free for 6 years since my liver met and give God the glory. Anxiety is starting to flare over the blood work and 'what if's'. Please pray my test is back to normal and my scans show no cancer.

Dx'd Jan. 2009 Stage III. Surgery/ chemo. Small liver met found Feb. 20012. Liver Resection April 2012 but no follow up chemo. 2 weeks away from 6 years since liver met and praying the CEA bump was a false positive and all is back to normal.

Diane

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:31 am
by heiders33
I’m due to have post-chemo blood work done mid-April and then a scan sometime in May. I already have scanxiety - plus I just had a 6 month follow up Pap smear because of an abnormal one last summer. Follow up tests showed nothing, but I’m praying that this latest test shows all normal. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Lots of anxiety right now.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:48 am
by dianetavegia
People who've never gone through cancer cannot begin to understand how a number or scan can terrorize us!
Praying you get only awesome results.

As an aside, chemo can cause damage to the vaginal walls and cervix. REPLENS (OTC at Walmart) has been proven by some pretty impressive studies to be as effective as hormone replacement but with no harmful ingredients. You use it every few days or as needed. If you go to their website, you can usually get a coupon.

Diane

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:23 am
by Robino1
I have CEA test anxiety. I don't think about it until I go to bring up my blood test results on the computer. I hold my breath until I reach the very bottom. It's ALAYS listed at the bottom of the report.

I don't suffer from scanxiety since I already know the cancer is there. I can appreciate that feeling of anxiety because I feel the same each time I get blood done for the CEA marker. I try to limit it to when I go to check my patient portal.

I was really happy to see it go down a bit this last check. :)

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:41 am
by Deb m
Don't have any tests or scans coming up, but remember the horrible anxiety I would have with each follow up blood work and scan. It was almost to much to handle. You can't understand it until you've gone thru it!

I will be praying for everybody to receive good news and wishing you all a Holy, Happy Easter!

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:46 am
by lovelife789
Me! Did the scan yesterday, will see results tomorrow.
Scared is the least powerful word i use to describe my fear now....:I

It is gonna be my third scan since NED! Fingers and toes crossed!!!

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:03 pm
by susie0915
I understand. I have my 6 month check with my oncologist in May. Will have my CEA drawn, and I'm sure she'll schedule a scan. Starting to think about it, since I just got back from a 3 week vacation and this is my next event coming up. I hate feeling so anxious. Not so bad right now, but I'm sure it will begin in a couple weeks.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:27 pm
by Dlroadruck
I’m looking at my results right now. “A single, 1cm peripheral density which may be a stalked polyp in the area of resection. Correlation is advised” I have no clue what that might mean :(

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:45 pm
by dianetavegia
Dlroadruck wrote:I’m looking at my results right now. “A single, 1cm peripheral density which may be a stalked polyp in the area of resection. Correlation is advised” I have no clue what that might mean :(


That's big word speak for 'I think I see something so I'm covering my butt and putting it back on the gastro to prove or disprove.'

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:49 pm
by dianetavegia
I've been doing this for 9 years now. One would think I could relax and I was doing very well even had overcome 90% of my test anxiety until my CEA went up six months ago. I hate to even share my numbers because my onc says 'Maybe you're just one of those people who always have a high CEA' ... and it only got to 8.5 with my liver met! It was 5.8 six months ago but I'd been sick for 10 weeks with a sinus infection I'd been trying to cure naturally and finally gone for a shot and some antibiotics. The reading was about 10 days after I went in for the infection. At the same time, the onc did my thyroid because I'd read that hypothyroid causes elevated CEA's and when that came back, it was double high normal.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:02 pm
by susie0915
I am praying for good results for you Diane. Keep us posted.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:56 pm
by lpas
I’m with you, Diane! Am in the process of trying to get my annual scan scheduled for Friday or Monday. I know it needs to be done but boy am I not looking forward to it...
I guess ignorance is bliss.

You will be in my thoughts, for sure. Here’s hoping it’s a good outcome for all of us.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:52 pm
by thubler
Praying for you Diane. I have my 6 month scan on Monday. I'm usually fine prior, its the waiting after that gets to me. My last scan was on a Monday and I didn’t get the results until Friday. It sucked. The two scans prior I had the results within a couple hours both times. The waiting is horrible.

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:12 pm
by hawkowl
Yes next Tuesday. Hate it!

Re: Scanxiety: Anyone else having testing now?

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:37 am
by Shana
Praying for you Diane and everyone else with upcoming scans. I don't think anyone is immune from Scanxiety. Like Robin, I know I have cancer still so I'm focusing on the downward trend on CEA markers and shrinkage of existing tumors.

You will feel much better once you get the all clear!

(((Hugs!)))