CT Scan - Pleast tell me it will be ok

Hey there 😃

Firstly, you have the same name/spelling as my sister 😃))

Secondly, there is absolutely NOTHING to be concerned about with regards to an abdominal CT scan. I had an abdominal+pelvic CT scan just a few months ago and a neck/upper chest CT scan earlier in the year. It is painless, fast, is super easy. You literally just lay there for about a minute 😃

With regards to the contrast, you will likely have to drink some a few hours before the test. Choose the berry flavor 😃 The technician will also likely administer more contrast intravenously in your arm. This gives them an excellent look at your digestive track to see if there are any blockages or abnormalities.

Thirdly, the risk of actually getting cancer from a CT scan is so insanely low it is truly not worth thinking about. Millions upon millions of CT scans are performed every year. It is well worth the "risk" to get a better understanding of what is causing you discomfort.

Lastly, IBS is diagnosed through a process of elimination. The CT scan will not diagnose IBS, but it will prove that something else other than IBS is not causing your symptoms and that is very important to do. So you are on the right track. Your doctor sounds smart. Trust them and relax. You truly will be fine 😃

Hey Sarah, I completely agree with NC10...You should go for Ct scan with contrast, I also Had that 2 times ....Nothing to worry...DOn't worry about the side effects, It is not worth considering given the benefits.

Hi Sarah, I have had a few MRI/Dye scans, nothing to worry about, you will just get a little warn feeling when they pump the dye into you, it sometimes makes you feel like you have wet your pants. I also had the colonoscopy done. I remember how quick it was. I was talking to the doctor at 9:55am and was sitting up watching TV eating a sandwich and drinking a cup of tea at 10:17am. You will be fine these are very minor procedures.

I know it's been 3 months since you posted but I'll reply anyway in case other people come reading this with the same concerns. I've had many CT scans and no side effects. My appendix ruptured in 2009 and since I had just given birth by c-section only days before it took four CT scans over 2 days before they discovered the cause of the pain. I had a pulmonary embolism only 2 weeks after that, so another 2 CT scans then and one more about 6 months later to make sure the PE was clear. It's been almost 10 years and I haven't had any issues. I have brought it up with several of my doctors over the past 10 years and they say the risk of cancer is extraordinarily low even in someone who, like me, had a number of scans within a short period of time. The benefit considerably outweighs the risk.