Scanxiety

[Karen2235]

I met with my oncologist this afternoon after having CT, bone scans and blood tests yesterday. It was my first review after starting treatment and was very anxious and convinced the medication regime I am on was not working. I am on Kisqali, Fulvestrant injections and Denosab. My oncologist calls it the Maserati treatment and she is right. The bone tumours have reduced in size and spots on my liver have also shrunk. I still hope for NED one day but I am happy with my progress to date. I have a complex health profile because I also have a spinal cord injury and scoliosis and have to manage a range of other challenges. But I have a supportive partner, an amazing network of friends and a great health team. And a friend of mine with MBC told me about this incredibly supportive group. I feel very lucky and now just need to learn to manage my scanxiety!

[Teddielottie]

That’s great news and especially considering you are still very early on in your treatment programme . I wish you well ! x

[Karen2235]

Thank you for your words of wisdom. It is such unknown territory and a steep learning curve. I so appreciate the support l get from others on this website.

[ChathamLady]

KarenThese drugs are amazing and you’re off to a good start. My first scans are in 2 weeks and as much as I hate the phrase It is What it is - it is. Girlsptz is right. Breathe. Wishing you all the best.

[mariootsi]

I'm with you! I'm still trying to manage scanxiety!

[Hidden]

Scanxiety is real. I have my scans next week and my nerves are starting to spike. It’s a rough stretch. Like you, we hope for stairs quo or better.

Hang in there. We are here for you.

[Karen2235 in reply to Hidden]

How long have you been diagnosed with MBC?

[Hidden in reply to Karen2235]

Jun 2018. First diagnosis 2004. Recurrence 2013. MBC is latest

[Karen2235 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. That is so good to know. I wish you luck for your next scan results.

[Red71]

I manage my scan anxiety by looking at it as just another test like my blood tests and cancer markers. It is easier for me to stick my head in the sand and wait for my beloved oncologist to spell out what was seen. I’m not very good at reading the reports so I tend to make them worse than they are! It’s just another part of being a breast cancer patient.

[Timtam56]

Karen. My friend. I think I feel scanxiety every time I'm due. Every 3 months sobbed 2018. And I have been okay. Every time. No more growth. I learn from this each time. It's early days for you.

Go well my friend.❤️

[SoulJourney]

Hi Karen

Great news on being so responsive to treatment!! As you see everyone here is so supportive. I have been at this almost 8 years now, the anxiety was overwhelming in the begin.

I have overcoming that with thinking (sometimes outload), "you can not fix what you do not know." Even bad results are good results because we can work on whatever is happening with my tumors. I have had my scans stretch out and then bunch up depending on symptoms and what they are looking for.

Trust that your doctors can make the best decisions for treatment when they have the best information available.

The hard thing for me now is when I need bloodwork, CT's (yes plural) and MRI's all in a week or two. I don't have enough good veins for that! They are trying to schedule CT's and MRI's same day to share the line. That helps.

It does get easier as you move past the fear.

Hugs

Tammie

[kduck in reply to SoulJourney]

What treatments are you on?

[SoulJourney in reply to kduck]

Hi - I am currently taking Ibrance 75mg 5 days on 2 days off and Fulvestrant monthly injections.

I haven’t missed a cycle since last September when we switched up the schedule. Neutrophils are behaving, regularly at 1.2 - 1.6 when checked.

Tammie

[kduck in reply to SoulJourney]

How are your scans

[SoulJourney in reply to kduck]

Hello againI had a lumbar MRI 2 months ago. Stable. Looking for source of pain right leg and hip. I have some arthritis in my spine. Seems I am getting old!!! Crazy to be excited about getting old. Just did a full nuclear bone scan today, plus extra 3D imaging and X-ray. We were talking about me being due for a soft tissue CT - it’s been almost 6 months. They run the full gambit - brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis soon. Everything has been stable so I am up to 6 months to a year between testing.

I have been on Ibrance and Fulvestrant over 2 years and am considered pretty stable. My bloodwork bounces around a bit, I fluctuate up and down. Biotin messed up some of it and I have all but stopped taking it for that reason.

Hope the information helps!

[Karen2235 in reply to SoulJourney]

Finding good veins will be an ongoing problem for me too. I just hope for enough recovery time between CTs and blood tests. Thanks for sharing your experience.