Hi all. I had a full spine MRI and CT Scan last week Oncologist wanted me to have thMRI because she said it show’s all lymph nodes and other things, I have a face to face appointment with her on Wednesday and I am petrified about what she is going to say I have all sorts going in my mind is she going to say there is something wrong or the treatment Isn’ working. I have bone cancer diagnosed in 2021 it’s Seventeen months I have been on Chemo tablet, palciblib, injection in my arm every month all my scans have been stable so far but I am very concerned that they might stop treatment I am so scared.
Hi Lesley
This is a sh*tty condition, guaranteed to send our emotions every which way. I have a CT scan every 3 months routinely and an MRI whenever my oncologist thinks it’s necessary (my bc tumour is in a odd place behind my nose!). Were your scans something out of the ordinary? Had you reported some new symptoms? Are your scans overdue? If you haven’t reported any change, then surely these are routine, to keep your oncologist in the picture (sorry). If that’s the case, there’s no need to assume your treatment has stopped working.
I quickly realised this is something we can do nothing about so there really are only two options - worry yourself sick about what might or might not be or accept this is something you have no control over and work on ways to reduce that anxiety. You can’t second guess the outcome, only terrify yourself with your thoughts. You’ve been stable so far and you haven’t mentioned here that you feel worse - I get the impression that people know when their treatment has stopped working because their symptoms get much worse. If this is so, there is no way your oncologist would stop your treatment. She’d move you onto the next line of treatment wouldn’t she?
Like you I was diagnosed in 2021 and I’m still on my first line of treatment. Like you, I understand that it’s going to stop working at some stage but I don’t think that far ahead. One day at a time is hard enough. I do know that, even though I have TNBC, there are still quite a few alternative treatments that will keep me going. If you aren’t TN, there’s a whole menu of different treatments and new trials all the time. Reading back, this doesn’t sound as sympathetic as I feel because I know your fears are normal and to be expected. I think I’m trying to say it’s possible to change your mindset so you don’t have to go through this fear every time you have a scan.
Your oncologist may have your results when you meet on Wednesday but people are complaining more frequently that they have to wait several weeks for the results so be prepared. I hope your reports are ready and you get the reassurance you need. Fingers crossed?
Jan xx