3 Month Post Treatment

Hi Jaqui,

Great news on your results! Congratulations and no doubt a massive relief.

 I also had a chest/ abdomen/ thorax CT at a similar time to my 6 month MRI although I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t really discussed at my review so not sure if this is a routine part of monitoring. I was experiencing severe lower back pain and spinal MRI had shown some liver abnormalities so not sure if it was anything to do with that.

It might be worth calling the team to ask. It is really hard to take everything in at the appointments. 

xx

It sure is as you are anxious and a lot to take in. Thank you 

Yes, it’s hard to take anything in when you’re anxious, and also difficult to remember to ask the questions that you wanted to. 
I hope everything is ok with your stomach. I do think the treatment gives everything quite a battering. X

Thank you. I'm annoyed with myself for not asking questions

Great news on the all clear!

I have been monitored for a year now (surgery to remove tumour and clear margins, now having the chemoradiation as suspicious activity found on my biopsy’s)

I was told monitoring was MRI every three months and annual CT scan for two years then moves to MRI every six and annual CT scan until five years. 

my CTs were also chest, abdomen and pelvis. This sounds like routine monitoring for you. 

I found my colorectal nurse has always been really good if I missed anything - she was always in my appointments and was the one who rang me after every MDT and with biopsy results - I would just ring her and leave a message on the answer machine and she would ring me back when she was free. 

Hope this helps. 

Helen  x

Hi Jacqui,

I'm in the States, so our protocols are a little different than yours (I received a PET-CT scan at 3 months instead of an MRI). Like you, I was told I needed a regular CT scan of the chest afterward, in my case because they'd found a small 2-3 mm nodule in my lung. The oncologist said that this nodule was likely missed on an earlier CT because it was so small and CTs typically only image with 5 mm "slices". Whatever the case, I am going back in for the chest CT in three months. 

As for asking questions, I bring in a prepared list and take notes during the doctor visit (I always ask the doctor if this is okay first). I've found these notes have been invaluable through this whole process and refer to them multiple times in case I can't remember something. I've also found that some doctors are great at describing things and others not so great, so my notes help me look up any issues lacking clarity afterward.

Anyway, hope this helps. I'm sorry you're having stomach pains and hope they resolve soon. Xx

Thanks Helen. I was starting to get z bit concerned but it sounds like it is routine xx

Hi JG29 

Congratulations on getting the all clear, so happy for you. Ive had scans from the throat to my knees right from the start. I assumed this was normal as they said it was to check for spread. Xx

Thank you so much for your reply 

It is still worrying though isn't it?