Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hello all, I have been reading your stories and can see the wonderful support offered to each other. The kindness and community is incredible on here. I am humbled at what challenges many of you are facing and the dignity and grace you exhibit...and meanwhile are such a support to others on here. These are my concerns. I will welcome any insight or thoughts or opinions any of you have to spare: So I have been having some pretty scary symptoms all year but have gotten worse in the last couple of months. I have had a lot scans done in my abdomen because I had pain and bleeding coming from there. ER visits until I could actually get an colonoscopy which took forever and everything in the colonoscopy turned out fine. I have had a chronic high wbc for quite a few years that I am now just seeing a hematologist for. I get the results of those blood test on Monday which I am frightned about. Here is my concern as far as lung cancer goes: Chest muscle pain, upper back pain (unexplanible) and a cough going on over 6 weeks now. I also have some swelling going on which I am scared of. On top of all this, I have had some other crazy symptoms that I am just too tired to get into, but shortness of breath, dizzines, heart palpatations that were just so scary. Because I already had 3 ct scans this year of abdomen, and about 4 chest xrays I am very scared to get yet another CT scan (not to mention ct scans I've had over the years). I am afraid of all the radiation I had already had this year. I asked my doctor (actually a nurse practioner at my urgent care) for an MRI of the chest. She said ok. Now I called the MRI place to make sure that the MRI test that I was getting could detect any lung cancer and the MRI tech said no. It is not a good test to have to detect/diagnose lung cancer and that she was actually going to call my doctor because she was confused by the MRI script. It took a while for this MRI to get approved and I don't want to lose it but at the same time, if it is not going to diagnose lung cancer, then I guess I have no choice but to get the CT scan done. Please, if you could help me with this, I would be so grateful. Talking to different medical staff and I get different answers. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 I am so sorry you are going through all of these scans and no direction on what is happening to your body or how to help you heal. Prayers and soft hugs coming your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 20 minutes ago, Laurel said: I am so sorry you are going through all of these scans and no direction on what is happening to your body or how to help you heal. Prayers and soft hugs coming your way. Very kind. I appreciate the prayers and soft hugs. Lord knows I need them. Thank you so much Laurel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacchus Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 When was the last CT Scan you had done? 3 CT's and xrays all this year that are clear of Cancer? Seems to me i'd take the good news and run with it! Do you have heartburn by chance? Have you ever had an endoscopy of your stomach? I wonder if you could have a hiatal hernia. I have one and it does cause all those symptoms. I'm not a doctor so take that for what its worth lol. The best diagnostic tool for hiatal hernia is endoscopy. Mine didn't show up on CT or barium swallows. Hope you figure it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hi Bacchus, Thanks for replying. None of the CT scans were of my chest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 Any input or advice would be so helpful, even in the least. I am actually waiting for any answers here from this forum before I proceed on what to do. I know you all are not doctors, believe me I know this, but any communication on this would be wonderful. I really don't know what to do here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBinOregon Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hi Sunflower, After the biopsy to get the diagnosis, my first oncologist ordered PET scan of the body and MRI of the brain to see if it had spread elsewhere. So only thing I can suggest is why not PET scan of the chest? But do note that PET scan (no scan we currently have for that matter) won't show if the tumor is tiny or microscopic level, IF you have cancer, that is. MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hi and welcome, Sunflower, CT is the best way to get an idea of what's going on in your chest. Yes, all radiation has its risks, but CT is the best tool we have for this. It mighr reasure you or it could show up some issue other than cancer. Bridget O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Macaulay Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hi Sunflower If the four chest x-rays you had this year were clear there would be no need to call for a CT scan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 3 hours ago, MBinOregon said: Hi Sunflower, After the biopsy to get the diagnosis, my first oncologist ordered PET scan of the body and MRI of the brain to see if it had spread elsewhere. So only thing I can suggest is why not PET scan of the chest? But do note that PET scan (no scan we currently have for that matter) won't show if the tumor is tiny or microscopic level, IF you have cancer, that is. MB Hi MB! I would really like a PET scan but I doubt that they would do that for me. I think, and I could be absolutely wrong, that you only get a PET scan after a cancer diagnosis. And duly noted on the latter part of your response. Thank you so much. 3 hours ago, BridgetO said: Hi and welcome, Sunflower, CT is the best way to get an idea of what's going on in your chest. Yes, all radiation has its risks, but CT is the best tool we have for this. It mighr reasure you or it could show up some issue other than cancer. Bridget O Thank you so much Bridget! 2 hours ago, Robert Macaulay said: Hi Sunflower If the four chest x-rays you had this year were clear there would be no need to call for a CT scan. Oh how I wish that were so. First, I've seen so many times where an xray missed cancer in the lungs so I am not too reassured by the xray, especially since they were ER xrays. A clearer scan needs to be had because the pain in my chest, the pain in my upper back, I can stand no more and don't want to get worse. Plus, this cough is going on 6 weeks now. I cannot be reassured by those xrays, oh believe me how I would love to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Macaulay Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Hi Sunflower Was it the same radioligist that read all four? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 1 hour ago, Robert Macaulay said: Hi Sunflower Was it the same radioligist that read all four? It was the same hospital, but I do not think the same radiologist. But I see what you're saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Macaulay Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Sunflower Seeing that you have had four chest x-rays this year already and ordered by your doctor and viewed by a qualified radiologist , And yes cancer can be missed but the time frame from the first to the fourth x-ray is clue nothing was found.Once something is found your candidate for further testing and a referral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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