Scanxiety
Hi all, just searching for some positive vibes as I am having my 1st scans this Thursday. My surgery in July was a success with clear margins. Feeling so anxious, just trying to keep busy.
Forum Discussion
- As you head into your appointment try and think of a song that puts you in a happy space.
Take care and remember - oh @Smileyfrog, I so get that I am off to have my review next week at the Breast Cancer Institute and it is my last review as I am now over 5yrs out .... I so get it....
I clean like a whirlwind the week of appointments it helps me use up at nervous stressors.
It is normal to feel anxious when we are approaching each of these appointments. A good sign is that your surgery was a success with clear margins.
Hugs
Soldiercrab - Hi @Smileyfrog, as @Soldiercrab and @iserbrown have identified, you are not alone in feeling an increase in anxiety levels in the lead up to scans. Not sure if you have seen the videos on the BCNA website on this topic? Here is the link if you are interested https://www.bcna.org.au/news/2017/07/fear-of-breast-cancer-recurrence-and-fear-of-breast-cancer-progression-resources-available/
Best wishes, Rosie This is a very timely topic for me, it’s good to know it has a name and it’s not just me going though it. I had my first post treatment mammogram yesterday and was supposed to see the oncologist on Thursday for results. Much to my disappointment I received a call saying the scans weren’t clear enough and that I need to go back for another mammogram followed by an ultrasound.
I was looking to see if anyone else had to go back for further scans to ease my anxiety.
- Hi @Smileyfrog
It is a really nerve wracking time. You've just got to keep your mind busy with other things so it can't conjure up horrible stuff. Rest assured that you have done everything right, everything you could do and the surgery went well so all will be fine I am sure.
On that note I'm off for another MRI in the morning, yay!.....Like the saying goes...."one more MRI and I'm going to stick to the fridge". I had to have a bone scan repeated a couple of weeks ago @tanyal It nearly did my head in. Turns out that when I was telling the tech that she was shooting the contrast (or whatever they call the stuff for bone scans) into me she had missed the vein, she'd missed the vein and not enough of it got into circulation for them to get a proper scan. What would I know?
Mammograms are also vulnerable to all sorts of glitches, particularly if you have some surgical scar tissue or got dense boobs or tiny boobs or boobs like sandwich bags with half a cup of wet sand in them.... You get the idea.
Hope is all we have sometimes--operator error does happen and though maddening it's preferable to the alternative. Good luck. Marg xx
- Thank you all for your thoughtful comments. Hope all is ok @tanyal
- Hi there @Smileyfrog I had my routine 3 monthly blood test the other day and I still get nervous for that! And yes @tanyal I’ve had to repeat scans before too which is more of a pain in the arse than anything and adds to the anxiouslness as well. It just depends on the radiographer on the day too and that’s why they sometimes repeat them. Margie. Xx
@smileyfrog thank you all is ok. thank you @onemargie aand @Zoffiel. The ultrasound came back all clear :) glad the first scan is out of the way
- now you can breathe again @tanyal
