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CT Scan - Any advice?

Posted , 9 users are following.

Marinab
Marinab

All -

My gastroenterology wants me to get a CT scan. I have lost weight and don't have an appetite. Off and on for 2 months.I have had blood tests an abdominal and GYN ultrasound. All negative. I am SO worried about the radiation exposure involved.Has anyone had this done?

Thanks,

Marina

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • jessica60993
    jessica60993 Marinab

    Posted

    hi Marinab ive had a few ct scans, xrays and mri. the radiaction is minimum. May i ask what is the ct scan that your dr ordered of? ive had one of my abdominal area, for mt liver, gallbladder and last week of my sinus cavity. its painless and doesnt take long depending on what the order is for. people that are claustrophobic the tube that you lay in may be uncomfortable for its not bad. try not to worry. its best to make sure everything is ok. positivethoughts and prayers your way. best wishes to you.

    • Marinab
      Marinab jessica60993

      Posted

      Hi Jessica - I have been losing weight with on and off appetite loss.I had one about 5 years ago and it was normal.Everything I have read states that CT scans have a great deal of radiation. Oh well. I will set what happens.

  • andrea00523
    andrea00523 Marinab

    Posted

    Hi Marina,

    Please try your best not to focus on the radiation exposure. Honestly, we’re blessed this tests exist, even though they can cause great alarm & fear.

    I went through the same exams a few years ago, lost a lot of weight & no appetite. Everything was normal. I am confident Peri, Menopause & Post Menopause caused the changes to my body. I was extremely anxious & didn’t understand the effects it had on me. I never did gain the weight back & my appetite is better then it was, but very different from years gone by. 

    Try to calm your thoughts and don’t forget to breathe, it truly helps.

    You’ll find your way through this uncharted territory.

    Here for you.XO

    • Marinab
      Marinab andrea00523

      Posted

      Thank you Andrea for your support. I am going to take your advice and will try to do some deep breathing.

  • rachel54558
    rachel54558 Marinab

    Posted

    hi

    i am work in radiation protection. CT scan are perfectly safe . your exposure to radiation every day with out knowing it .Hospital only recommended CT scan if really need to anyway to reduce radiation exposure. there is technically no safe level of radiation exposure but honestly the benefits of CT far out way the risk . in terms of cancer other things in your life will increase your risk more than a CT scan.

    hope this helps

    Rachel

  • Marinab
    Marinab

    Posted

    Thank you Rachel. Your comments give me comfort. I have to drink another bottle of contrast later and it has made me feel really ill.

  • Takingtime
    Takingtime Marinab

    Posted

    I totally understand your concerns. In fact I declined a CT scan years ago for this reason. i have had many xrays, and I get annual mammograms, and yearly dental exams, and everytime we are exposed to radiation it stays in the body and seeing cancer runs high in the family, I am cautious of Ct scans. I agree these tests are great for emergency purposes, but I personally felt if the ultra sound was clear, then why expose myself to a high dose of radiation, Ct scans can also show false positives which causes more unneccesary testing. It depends what the doctor is looking for, is it to look at the bowels? reproductive organs? upper abdomen? Also the contrast they use there is always a risk of allergic reaction,and you need to sign a consent these are all things to weigh out.A lot of us peri ladies have high health anxieties, so we want the tests for a peace of mind but really research and see if there are other types of tests you can do if you nervous about radiation exposure.

    • Marinab
      Marinab Takingtime

      Posted

      Well, my CT scan fortunately was negative and said everything is normal. I now really wish I had the endoscopy first rather than started off with CT scan. If I develop cancer someday,I will never forgive myself.

    • rachel54558
      rachel54558 Marinab

      Posted

      look i work with radiation every day . i dont worry about cancer and if your unlucky enough to get please dont blame yourself. yes every exposure has risk but is not better to know nothing is wrong. no radiation stays in your body .

      i have attached a picture of yearly radiation exposure for the uk to help you see medical exposure is not a huge amount of what your exposure to.

      image

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime rachel54558

      Posted

      Hi Rachel, With all do respect, if you work around radiation you would be protected from it. Technicians hide behind a barrier when running x-ray machines and CT scanners. If you work in a nuclear plant you are suited up. CT scans are usually only ordered if something appears on an ultra sound and they are looking for a closer image, OR in a medical emergency like acute appendicitis or looking for a blockage, or a stroke, or blood clot in the lung, they are not a test for just a random testing. Ultra sounds are the first choice. I knew a lady who had copd and had routine cat scans to check her lungs, and years later she developed lung cancer. This is not to scare anyone, but it is to make people aware to really not just assume they are not dangerous over time. A normal x-ray is lower radiation exposure and I was told it is equivalent as riding in an airplane. CT scans on the other hand are 10 times more radiation. I was given this information by the technician who confirmed that these types of tests should only be used in serious situations. Maybe the ones in the UK are different but in Canada they have a high radiation volume.

    • rachel54558
      rachel54558 Takingtime

      Posted

      look i am exposure to radiation every those shield do not stop all radiation and i work with open source beta emitter anyway so a totally different. As said there is no safe amount of radiation to be exposed to . though risk is relatively. Driving is far more likely to kill you than radiation exposure from one CT scan. the radiation does not stay in your body .

      in terms of radiation i be more worried about radon in your basement and the sun or flying too much than one or two medical exposures . yes it 10 times the amount but does not mean it 10 times more dangerous that's not how radiation works. i personally think if medical necessary than benefit out way the risk . this also the approach UK law takes. though if my doctor kept recommending it and i would not have more than 2 in year.

      also i don't see the benefit of getting dental x-rays every year i would ask your dentist to stop it unnecessary and its dosage over and over again to say place.

      yes radiation can be very dangerous in really large amounts but you will never be exposure to levels in your life time .

      hope this helps

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime rachel54558

      Posted

      I agree about the dental xrays, I actually get them every 2 years, and unless there is a concern that would be the only time I would get one in between. I think it is very interesting how different countries have different guidelines because CT scans here are not first line testings unless in an emergency situation here. I was told very different than you with regards to radiation and that was from a technician, they said CT scans are left for serious situations as there is higher risks due to high exposure of radiation. The do other testing first and then if there is something showing up that they need to look further into that is when this test might be ordered. The radiation is directed on the patient so a technician behind the barrier will not get much of anything if at all.And contrary to what you are saying that is not true about the radiation not staying in your body, every time you get a zap of radiation it changes the cells in your body so overtime this will have an impact. I am not suggesting by any means that people avoid this test as it can be life saving, I am just suggesting that if there are other testings that you can do first, like ultra sound or a regular x-ray or scopes, I would consider them first. Everyone is in charge of their own body, but researching everything is the most important. Unfortunately there have been situations where people just put full faith in a health care professional and it has backfired into a worse situation.

    • andrea00523
      andrea00523 Marinab

      Posted

      Hi Marinab,

      I'm so happy to hear your CT was normal.

      You must have piece of mind knowing all is well. The change is a very challenging time.

      Thinking about you with positive energy,

      Here for you, XO

  • staci88515
    staci88515 Marinab

    Posted

    I've had a CT, MRI, and MRA of the brain, A CT scan is similar to an x-ray. It only takes a a minute and is completely stress free. My mother has had numerous CT/PET scans during her cancer treatment. I would not be worried about a single CT scan. Good luck! xo

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