Coping with anxiety please help

Hi suze99 

I can tell you about my experience of a petscan, and it was pretty straightforward. I was injected first with the radioactive substance, which needs time to go around your body. I had to sit in a room by myself not moving about or doing anything for 45mins to a hour while this happened. 

Then taken to the scanner, which is not an enclosed machine. You simply lie on the table as the scanner goes over you, and for me this took around 25 minutes I think. 

The planning scan is a CT scan so they can find the exact points to target the radiotherapy-I had 3 tiny tattoos so they can align the radiotherapy machine exactly each time you have treatment. 

The kidney function test was just a blood test for me, and they did this the day before each chemo too.

I think it’s very natural to be fearful of something like a petscan because we all worry something else will be found-I know I was scared about that. However my scan lit up only in the area of my tumour, so there was nothing else found. 

None of these scans or tests were painful-the worst thing is the waiting period where our minds can run a bit wild. I tried my best to take just one day at a time, one appointment at a time. If a day was too overwhelming, just an hour at a time. I tried to occupy my mind with other things, even just tv, and practised breathing deeply and slowly to try and keep calm. I found things got much easier once treatment was underway and I was focused on getting through it. And I never googled! 

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah

Thank you so much for your reply. I am really grateful for the information and advice. It really does help hearing from someone who has gone through it. It is all the waiting around that takes it's toil. All the mind chatter can make things overwhelming. I've not been too bad up until today but things just hit me this morning.

T️hank you again.

Sue xx

Hi Sue

The waiting for tests and results was the worst part for me. I tried to think along the lines of the fact I wasn’t able to change what any result would be, whatever was there was there and how I would deal with it was the important part-and I’ve had good and bad scans along the road from diagnosis. 

I try my very best to live in the day and the moment now because I have no control over what could happen in the future. I do have control over how I choose to live today however, and that is to make the most of things, look for something good in every day and try not to think ahead too far. I have learned not to think “what if?” because I know that’s not good for me. I deliberately make a conscious effort to block that thought if it tries to appear!

I’m not saying any of that is easy, because it’s not. It takes time, and conscious effort. But it does save unnecessary worry and being anxious. When my own cancer recurred, I was totally blindsided as I had no clues, no symptoms. It really shook me, though  I did get through it. But I had some very dark days along the way, so I do understand. 

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. It really is a matter of doing anything you can to distract yourself I think. Easier said than done of course. Thank you for your support. 

Sue xx