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PET Scan - nothing but water & protein for 24 hours?


Guest bean_si (Not Active)

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

This is my second PET scan. The first one was before treatment began, ordered by a pulmonary doctor and I was given no instructions except not to eat for 6 hours before

This time, the onc's office told me nothing to drink but (lots of) water for 24 hours prior to exam and no sugar, fruits, or other carbs except for a little asparagus or broccoli and eat lots of high protein (eggs, steak, salmon) to help uptake. Dessert can be cheese. Wouldn't you know I'm a vegetarian and don't have any eggs, cheese, steak, chicken, etc. in the house.

Has anyone else been told stuff like this?

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)
Cat,

Hope the pet scan comes out very dark, that nothing lights up. Can you eat nuts?

I don't know but I am nuts. :lol:

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My instructions weren't like that--I was not to drink or eat anything after dinner till my test was over. Chewed some gum on the way over there (I didn't know) and they said that it shouldn't be a problem but they don't like patients to do that because it can cause an uptake in the jaw area, but as long as they know, it was ok.

Sounds like they only want you to eat stuff low on the glycemic index prior to the test. Maybe that is for the most possible accuracy?

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

The written instructions say high protein, low carb will increase the quality of PET images.

???

I did check out nuts and the protein to carb ratio is not as good as meats and eggs. I guess I'll be visiting my grocer tomorrow. I want this darn test to work.

And wouldn't you know - today I went to local farmer's market and purchased oodles of perishable fruits and veggies. :roll:

Cat

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Cat...

Jen (jcawork) told me that she was told high protein, NO carbs for her PET scan too. It has to do with metabolism, I think...and the fact that what they give you before the scan is radioactive glucose or sugar. They want you otherwise DEPLETED of sugars so that any cancer cells will pick up the radioactive stuff and light up.

Of course, we are pulling for you to be UNlit....very dark...no uptakes!! But at least that is the theory behind not eating any carbs or sugars...as I understand it.

I have not had a PET....so pardon my layman's explanation....as I'm just paraphrasing what I recall Jen telling me. It makes sense though....as she explained it to me. She said LOTS of veggies and lots of protein. If you're vegetarian...I'd call and ask the doc whether you can just load up on veggies....and see how important the protein is for that 24 hours.

As you say...if you want it to work...perhaps there is some form of protein that you could tolerate eating for that 24 hrs.

Then again, easy for me to say that, not being a vegetarian. It's like - if they told me I'd have to eat liver and onions with brussels sprouts and pineapple for 24 hours to have a scan :shock: ....I'd.....well, I'd fast. :? I couldn't do it....not for any reason! :(

Call your doc. Negotiate! But stay away from the fruits and other carbs if that's how your doc wants it! Good luck....sending prayers for darkness....lots of blessed darkness on that scan!

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In addition to the low carb/high protein diet with lots of water, you should avoid strenuous physical activity the day before PET Scans. The day of PET scan and once they inject the radioactive glucose try not to move your head/body, try not to speak, and try to keep your eyes closed and still. Movement/speaking/open eyes show increased uptake of radioactive tracer that can be misleading.

Good luck...

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

Thanks for all the advice. I'm waiting for the store to open to get eggs, maybe cheese, maybe bacon (all recommended).

I wish I could stop thinking. My daughter called last night and I broke down and told her what was going on. I wish I hadn't. I wish I could keep it to myself and not make others worry. I've been awake since 2 a.m. I'm out of sleeping pills.

Oh yeah, I was told no strenuous exercise. As to the veggies, they were definite in restricting it to a small amount of grilled or steamed broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms or green vegetable salad.

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Cat,

Good luck with the PET scan, (never had one)

so it is easy for me to say; try to get down what is

recommended, but if it can help, do you best.

My husband had many and even a bit of milk he had in his tea,

was wrong........and he had to wait 4 more hours before they

could start it, the other times he only had water.

Keeping everything I can, crossed for good results.

J.C.

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I just recently had a PET scan . My instructions were a light meal for dinner the day before and nothing after midnight with the exception of enough water to take any necessary medication . No specific food type was ever mentioned to me at all. I too was instructed to not do any strenuous activity the day before. The day of the PET scan ,after the injection ,I was told to stay quietly in a recliner chair and the room was actually somewhat dark, no talking and no brain stimulation such as reading. Then during the test I was told to stay as still as possible. Being strapped down with velcro fasteners to restrict movement helped but the test will give more accurate results they said if one doesn't move their feet and head back and forth. I don't think I even moved my eyeballs during that test!!!

Good luck on the results.

Kate

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