Bone scan anxiety

I wouldn’t get to worked over this, it does seem to me that once they have detected something with MRI a bone scan is pretty much standard to hopefully discount any progression as it is with many of us. That and the biopsy seem to come along just as soon as they can get them done so don’t worry about any order they come in or which is first, I also had a CT scan following those so could well be next but it doesn’t mean things are necessarily worse. I Know it can be worrying but hang in there you are in good hands.

Thank you. 

Thank you for your reply.

Thanks for your reply. I hope your husband gets his appointment for a bone scan soon so you can move forward with any treatment.

Like you, I was worried about the bone scan. I queried the need with a PSA of 10 and staging T3a. I just felt that we could not take in yet another dollop of bad news at the time! We were also told that a bone scan takes about 15-30 minutes if nothing worrying foun. They told us that a radiologist looks at the results and finds anything worrying then he/she will require more scans and so it would take longer? Imagine my anxiety when they told me they were going to have to do more scans!!!!  However, the bone scan results were all clear!! I cried tears of relief! I questioned why I had been told to expect the worst if more scans were required. They just shrugged their shoulders.

As I have been saying on here - throughout the whole process, there is no consideration of partners. The further away we get from the diagnosis and treatment, the more I read from partners here, the angrier I feel! 

The important thing to remind yourself every single day:

Prostate cancer is notoriously slow growing

many men die with it rather than of it

If it can’t be cured it’s is eminently manageable/ treatable for a long while

there are many different tools in the box for treating it nowadays

research is ongoing and who knows what treatments might be coming down the line?

life alters, yes, but it still goes on! This is a life jokt but it sure does focus the mind on the fact that we should make the most of what we’ve got NOW!

I would advise your hospital that you are willing to take late cancelled appointments, drop everything and get to the hospital asap. Also, keep a diary - who said what and when, names, contact details etc. as you go through this journey it all becomes a blur of misery! But - there is light at the end of this tunnel and, if you are like many of us, you will come out the other side a lot closer in your relationship and much more appreciative of each other!

I wish you and your husband all the very best of outcomes

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I am finding all of this very overwhelming. All that we have been told is there are some areas of suspicion around the left side of the prostate and around lymph nodes, so then to be told that he needs a bone scan has made my anxiety worse. 

From others responses, it does seem that bone scans are part of the diagnosis pathway and this has helped me a bit.

Not sure if anybody would know the answer to this, but I would an MRI show spread to the bones in the pelvic area? I have googled this (I know I should stay off google!!), but can’t seem to find a definitive answer. 

Thanks. 

Hello Worried wifey 

I can't give you the answer to that question, but if you read my journey notes (click on my user name or avatar) you will see I had a dark image on my pelvis. My oncologist wasn't sure what it was but "zapped" my pelvic lymph nodes during my radiotherapy just to be sure.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes - Brian.

It appears to be normal in my area to have a bone scan and a CT scan as soon as the MRI indicates that cancer is present. 

In my own case I had the results of both at the biopsy.

So, by the time I got to the Oncologist I had already started HT  and knew where it was, what it was, that it was high risk and, thanks to this forum, pretty much knew what my treatment options were. It took a little less that 2 minutes to agree the course of action, and the rest of the time filling in consent forms.

You know from this group that there are many treatments, so take some confidence in the routine, because it works.

Hello Worried wifey 

I’m in much the same position as you at the moment and this is what I’ve learnt.

A routine prostate MRI can sometimes reveal bone cancer but it isn’t designed for that purpose.  A bone scan will cover a bigger area than just the pelvis. 

My husband (PSA 33) has been specifically told that his MRI doesn’t show any signs of bone cancer.  They still want him to have the scan, simply because of the PSA and because they want to ensure that his treatment plan is the most appropriate. 

We’re keeping positive on the basis that while his PSA level is relatively high it isn’t at the heights that would make bone cancer likely.  Also, by far the majority of people going for a bone scan are negative. And your husband, like mine, doesn’t have any bone cancer symptoms. 
So here are three reasons to be positive. 

I do hope your mind can be put at rest very soon 

Thank you for your reply.