post op follow up

[rasor]

Hi Guys

I am 18 months post op ,had " Ivor Lewis " operation , does the hospital ever give you a ct scan to see how things are progressing, let me have your thoughts please

[MyBigC]

I'm 7 months post-op Ivor Lewis and have CT scans every three months, the norm at my hospital.

[gardner1]

Hi I am a year post op and I have a CT scan every three months. This was arranged with my consultant. I think this is normal in my hospital. I think you should speak to your consultant and find out why you haven't had one.

[kiddy]

Hi there I had a few after but I know from meetings a lot of Hospitals don’t scan, only if you have problems. I do have 3 monthly blood tests to check all my levels are ok.

Best Wishes

Debbie

[Hidden]

I am almost 3 years post op and at my hospital we don’t have routine scans or blood tests. Although we are offered one if there is a problem.

[Helenmick]

Hi, I think it’s a postcode lottery !!! My husband was under Heartlands hospital in Birmingham and he didn’t have any follow up scans his only follow up was 1 with the consultant to check his wound a 2 with the CNS who just asked how he was and weighed him. They said they would only scan him if there was a problem and if IT had come back there wouldn’t be anything they could do so it wasn’t worth scanning just as a precaution. My hubby was rediagnosed 23 months after surgery after being ill for 4 weeks it still took them 4 weeks to scan him and inform us that he was now on palliative care. He never got to have any paluative treatment as it was already too far spread, he passed away 4 weeks after rediagnosis. My argument has and always will be if they had scanned him they could have given us more time by treating him if only palliative and not robbing me of my darling husband and our children of the dad. It seems unfair that after all the time and money they invest in chemo surgery chemo that they can’t do a simple scan for reassurance. Push for a scan I wish we had but we believed them when they said there was no need. Good luck Helen

[AlanWare in reply to Helenmick]

I had my I.L. Done at heartlands too. I can confirm your experience. My follow up's were always with the nurses. It was only after 4 years and not getting any better, that my nurse ordered a ct. They found found a sump in my stomach (this was the reason why my stomach wasn't emptying. They also found out that part of my intestine had looped up between my lungs. I am now waiting to see if I am fit enough for another operation. I am so sorry to hear your story. I lost my brother just before Christmas for the same reason as you have experienced.

[Billings in reply to Helenmick]

Mine was at Heartlands 4.5 years ago. I had two follow up meetings and then discharged after 6 months with no scans and access to the nurses if needed. They also said we don't routinely scan as if it comes back we cant do anything anyway. A bit harsh, but true in the sense of a curative option. Perhaps it depends on the staging, I was very lucky and was T1a so no chemo pre or post op. Very sorry for your loss

[rasor]

Hi Helen,so sad to hear your news , your reply will set me in to motion to ask them if i can have a ct scan , stay strong , god bless

[Jeannie1]

I haven't had a scan since my operation in 2012. I have had an x-ray for something else, but not a scan. But there again I haven't had any issues...…………………..enough said.

[strangetimes]

No scans here ,Op 5 yrs ago .St Thomas's in London .Something about statistically not shown to be of benefit .

[rasor]

Hi

Thanks for your reply , perhaps i am just a worry guts ,

[silversands]

Hi, I had my op in Southampton where they do not do follow up scans as routine, I went to a meeting there a year after my op, the reason for the meeting was to try and form a support group. One of the surgeons who attended said nice to see so many of you a pity only 50 per cent of you will be with us in five years time!!! I asked why they did not do follow up scans and was told there was no point, this really changed my life to the extent that I then had a scan done privately, they found that it looked like my cancer had returned but it was to dangerous to do a biopsy, I then went to London privately and saw a top oncologist who recommended that I had a course of chemo and at the end if anything was left he would do cyberknife treatment to get rid of it, after the chemo I had my scan and no trace of it, am now waiting for my next scan in March to see if results are still clear, you must fight, I find it so sad that I had to pay privately to save my life, and so pleased that I found this site to share with you so that together we can fight that as with other cancers everyone has a scan for the first five years.

[rasor]

Hi

Thanks for your reply ,interesting reading ,i am going to have a chat with my consultant ,please keep me up to date ,I might even chase up my MP,

[slobjohnb]

Had my op at the end of January 2018, since then I have had two full body scans which were both clear. I was told that I would only be scanned in future if I felt there was a problem which seems fair enough to me. Brilliant op at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford Essex. Now trying to get a second throat enlargement to reduce the swallowing problem; hopefully, this will be done at my local Hospital in Ipswich. I am a very lucky man (72yrs)