Petscan...Any advice would be appreciated

Hi Tattihead 

I’ve had a petscan before. A radioactive tracer liquid  is injected via cannula into your arm, and you then need to sit quietly in a room as the tracer works its way around your body. This took about an hour. The scan itself was much quicker-like having a CT scan. The scanner moves slowly over your body-I was fully dressed, but no metal etc on your body. Able to leave immediately afterwards. It was very straightforward. 

Sarah xx

Thank you so much,   Having read your experiences I am in awe of your courage

Hi Tattihead 

Thank you for saying such a nice thing. I’ve had a difficult day today, and your words have made the world of difference and made me smile. 

Sarah xx

Hello Sarah,  I am at the beginning of a journey and at  83, with multiple health issues , will go down the radiotherapy route if the petscan goes to plan.  The most difficult thing is being bright and positive for my daughters when I really want to curl up and hide.   So pleased I made you smile,,,,the best thing I did today!!

Tattihead xx

Never underestimate the power of some kind words, as you can’t imagine how much they can affect another person, as they did for me today. You did a really good thing! 

I hope that your petscan can proceed smoothly and allow your radiotherapy to go ahead. I’ve had many scans and different types of scans over the years, and the petscan was one of the easiest for me-the only thing was the boredom of sitting alone in a room waiting to be taken through to the scanner room!

I understand completely the feeling of wanting to curl up and hide, and in fact when I was first diagnosed I literally did just that and refused even to come downstairs to see my stepson. My daughters are not local so I had to give them the news over the phone, and did my best to be positive and keep it together.

Protecting our children is paramount to us, but one thing I came to realise is that we can’t always do that, and it’s ok not to be bright and positive and upbeat all of the time. My eldest daughter happened to be visiting for the weekend last month when I had a stroke-out of the blue. Obviously she then came to hospital to visit and for the first time saw me, not quite at my best! I couldn’t hide the fact that I couldn’t speak, and I think it gave her and her husband a shock. 

All was ok, thankfully, but she learned I maybe wasn’t as strong as I thought, and I learned that it was ok to tell her that. 

I wish you all the best going forward and hope that you will find this a lovely, friendly and supportive group.

Sarah xx

Hello again,   You will be my inspiration

Tattihead  xx

Sarah is mine too xx

Hello again,  I had the petscan and it went just as I was told.  Today I saw the Oncologist.  The scan showed up something to do with my bone marrow which is probably related to the blood disease I have.   Now set for five days a week radiotherapy for four weeks..

Hi Tattihead . I had six weeks of radiotherapy and didn't find it too bad. I believe the latest protocol is now 4 weeks with a slightly higher dose but similar results. Treatment is painless but the daily round trips can be tiring. Ask about hospital transport. I was transported daily by the volunteer ambulance car service which is a free service here in the NW. I hope it goes well. Best wishes.

Hi Tattihead 

Good to see you pop up again, and have the petscan over and done with. 

I don’t think I’d be alone is saying that radiotherapy made me very tired, as others report the same. The process itself can be tiring going every day for the treatment, and I know I definitely needed extra rest. 

However, the actual radiotherapy treatment is painless and doesn’t take long. It’s usual to have a CT scan in advance to plan the treatment accurately, and then it’s a matter of lying there while the machine moves round you. I liked to mark off the days on my schedule so I’d could see how far along I was and therefore how clos3 I was to finishing it! Have you got a start date?

Sarah xx