Andrea Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 I CANNOT complain b/c so far my scares have all turn out ok, but I am tired of the scares. It seems when I go in for one test, I always seem to come out with something else. By way of fast example: years ago had abdominal CT scan for stones, came out with lung infiltrate which led to 6 months of chest ct-scans; recently went in for back tingling came out with swollen lymph nodes on MRI; go in for blood work for metabolic syndrome, come out with high calcium and then had a cancer blood test; etc, etc. Ok, so I went to the ER today due to bad back pain. I thought it was a bad muscle strain till I had blood in my urine. Had a CT scan and two small stones, who cares, they just hurt, not serious. ER does not mention anything else, I call hospital and get report faxed to myself. It reads (in pertinent part): "There is a 4cm fat density mass in the region of the hepatic flexure which appears to be intrinsic to the colon suggesting a lipoma". I know it sounds like nothing, lipomas are not malignant, and it probably is nothing, but doing some med mal work and knowing what I know, "suggesting" makes me wonder; and my boss agrees from her med mal experience, a "mass" should be reviewed. So I called my mom's oncologist's office (they are so good to me), they are ordering the CD of the scan from the hospital, and on Monday when Dr. Barth does his radiology review board, he will look at my films to make sure it is ok. Is there ever a dull moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 It's ok, Andrea, it's ok. This is definitely the kind of thing you need to follow through on. ANY mass of ANY type, size, location, shape, smell (ha!), would get my attention, too, and a second opinion, and a follow-up. I don't care if the report did say "fat density", a 4 cm mass needs another opinion. The two cysts that I had removed from my breast to be biopsied were described as some kind of density, too, and the doc said "I think they're benign." The word "benign" I liked. It was the words "I think" that made me uncomfortable. In your case, the words "appears to be" jumped out at me. You did the right thing, honey. It probably is nothing to worry about, but you and me and everyone else would like to delete the word probably so it says, "It is nothing!" Love and hugs, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 Thanks Peggy. You always know what to say. I was kind of embarassed to send it to Dr. Barth's office. Ironically I took my mom there yest for her pre-visit blood work and the physician assistant joked around that she has not heard from us lately, no crisies I told her today I jinxed myself by saying all was fine yesterday They are really nice about it, so it makes me feel beter and really what I have "bothered" them with weren't "imaginary" symptoms, it was just what stupid scans show. It juse seems silly that I am having one of the most respected oncologists in California "waste" his precious time on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Andrea, November 2002 I had pneumonia. I had a dry cough for two weeks and had started to cough up blood on the second week (LOTS of irritation going on). My doctor did a TB test with controls (THREE needle tracks on my arm) and ordered a chest x-ray to rule out TB. The chest x-ray ruled in pneumonia. My follow-up had a cloudy area in the lung that could have been just the pneumonia clearing up, but there was a line by the x-ray tech that suggested a CT to "rule out possible Carcinoma". CT showed a mass, my doctor sent me to the best thoracic surgeon in the area for a consult, over just a cloudy area that was slightly suspect. HIS words were "if it's identified as benign, it can stay, if it's identified as malignant or unknown, it will come out"...and the rest is what brought me here. NEVER allow a "mass" to stay if it cannot be identified as peaceful and fun-loving. You will be fine, you've danced this dance before, BUT, JUST IN CASE - listen to your gut! xxoo, Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Andrea, Oh my! Every time I read your posts, I find myself making a mental up and down of my body to see what I am missing! You are an amazing gal! Best of luck to you! I am sure you are just fine! Keep us in the loop! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda661 Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Andrea: I'd say the same sort of thing Becky Snowflake said -- only thing I'll add is, while you might feel silly, the oncologist is not wasting his precious time on you -- you are precious too and this is worth getting that "it's nothing" diagnosis made. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted June 30, 2006 Author Share Posted June 30, 2006 Dr. Barth's PA just called me, she got the CD of my film, went over it with their own radiologist, it is just a lipoma as the report says, nothing to worry about it, but in the future it could cause me problems b/c it is on the bowel and very large. I just told the PA that if I have a daugther, she needs to take after her (the PA is one year younger than me). It was incredibly kind to get back to me on Fri before the weekend. Also kind of them to even do this for me. I guess my dad's constant bringing food to them pays off Just kidding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyCW Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Andrea, I'm glad to see this before I take off for Montana tomorrow. I'm breathing a sigh of relief... and glad you're being careful to take care of this! Hugs, BeckyCW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 NEVER a dull moment. I have a huge lipoma removed from my groin two years ago ( ), and they called it a 'mass' too. only reason they took it out was that it was adjacent to some major blood vessel...try not to worry, and keep us posted. I think some of us just "grow stuff". me: lipoma, dermoid cyst, uterine polyp, cervical carcinoma in situ, etc. etc. thank god, like you, it always turns out to be a big worry about nothing. let me know how it all goes. xoxo amie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Glad to see the good news, Andrea. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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