Scan frequency

Hi Beyondterrified I had my first scan 17 weeks after my treatment finished. My next appointment with my oncologist is in the end of January just for a check up. If they have concerns I am assuming they will send me for a scan. The next scan which will be a full body scan and will be nine months from January so will not be scanned until October 2022!  So I think different oncologist do different things. At the moment for some reason I am experiencing incredible pain in my right side on top of my hip. Last week it was on the left. Then you start to worry don’t you. We would probably want scans once a month to ease our worries about the cancer coming back. 

Hi Jaycee12

Sorry to hear about the pain.  I wonder if this is the long term side affects?  My oncologist told me I would have permanent damage to my hips, and the effects would start to be felt about 6 months after treatment.  When did your treatment end? I do get some hip pain, stiffness, and sometimes my movements are limited.  I am under physio now for the ongoing problem with my left hip and thigh that started at the end of treatment.  It limits my walking at times, but has been better this week than the previous 3.  Physio has told me not to do breast stroke legs until my review with her in January, but I haven't been swimming recently due to the cold weather.

I don't see my oncologist again.  I last saw him in July, 3 months after my treatment ended, and now I am back to the surgeons to monitor me.  I would very much rather have continued follow up under the oncologist, and had expected to for the first few years.  I think different hospitals do different things, but that;s not helpful.  All hospitals should be following the same best practice, whatever that is.  

Hi Beyondterrified thank you for your reply. I am six and a half months post treatment come Wednesday. I had no problems with my hips or back until three weeks ago. I decided to extend my walking length and it seems that when I did a long walk it has caused some inflammation around the muscles. It doesn’t feel like the bones as I can press on them and that isn’t painful but is around the soft tissue. I am now taking nurofen and hot baths. It hurts if I sit too long. I was thinking of trying swimming so interesting to hear what you were advised about leg stroke. I suppose in the water you don’t feel the extent of the stretch you are making. Hopefully I can get on top of the pain with the medication which I don’t want long term. Thinking of acupuncture as a alternative so hopefully someone here may have had experience with this. When I go in January (if it goes ahead with this pandemic) I will ask for a DEXTA scan as I am osteoporotic but have had treatment years ago with the bone drugs. 

Hi Jaycee 

Yes, soft tissue it will be.  I was told adhesions form because of the treatment, which can limit movement.  i have been doing physio since as soon as I could after my skin healed, in the hope that it would help me keep my movement.  Physio recommended flutter kick like in front crawl for me, but breast stroke arms, as I also had a breast cancer treated this year, and breast stroke really helped with the movement there.