› Forums › General Melanoma Community › what are your techniques for waiting for scan results?
- This topic has 42 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 11 months ago by
democat.
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:46 am
Hi D-cat,
the way my scans work is as follows: my scan is generally scheduled at 10-11 a.m. At approximately 2 pm, I have bloods drawn. By the time my Dr. sees me at 2:30, he has the results for both the bloods and scans. Maybe it would be possible to have it done in the same day where you're treated? I get a little anxious the days before a scan. Having to wait more afterward I'm sure greatly adds to the anxiety.
good luck
Stan
IIIA NED since 11/11
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:46 am
Hi D-cat,
the way my scans work is as follows: my scan is generally scheduled at 10-11 a.m. At approximately 2 pm, I have bloods drawn. By the time my Dr. sees me at 2:30, he has the results for both the bloods and scans. Maybe it would be possible to have it done in the same day where you're treated? I get a little anxious the days before a scan. Having to wait more afterward I'm sure greatly adds to the anxiety.
good luck
Stan
IIIA NED since 11/11
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:46 am
Hi D-cat,
the way my scans work is as follows: my scan is generally scheduled at 10-11 a.m. At approximately 2 pm, I have bloods drawn. By the time my Dr. sees me at 2:30, he has the results for both the bloods and scans. Maybe it would be possible to have it done in the same day where you're treated? I get a little anxious the days before a scan. Having to wait more afterward I'm sure greatly adds to the anxiety.
good luck
Stan
IIIA NED since 11/11
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- January 6, 2015 at 4:31 am
I'm not sure there ARE any good ways to wait for scan results. It is just torture. Except to just stay as busy as you can. Work, read, do whatever it is you can do to keep your mind active and distracted. And to people who say, "I'm sure you'll be fine," at least we know that most of them mean well. Either they don't understand the possible severity of the situation, or they honestly don't know what to say and are hoping to help us stay positive. So I just say, "Thanks." Like with one of my relatives who tells me her "pendulum" tells her I will not have any further issues with melanoma and really don't need to bother with more doctor appointments… Good grief. What can I say to that? "I hope you're right." And of course I still have to follow up every 3-6 months with various doctors and do what I need to do, but she has limited me in what I can share with her. It's funny but I wonder if people realize how they cut off communication with us when they make blanket statements like that. But honestly, waiting for scan results is just so hard, and the only thing I know to do is stay busy.
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- January 6, 2015 at 4:31 am
I'm not sure there ARE any good ways to wait for scan results. It is just torture. Except to just stay as busy as you can. Work, read, do whatever it is you can do to keep your mind active and distracted. And to people who say, "I'm sure you'll be fine," at least we know that most of them mean well. Either they don't understand the possible severity of the situation, or they honestly don't know what to say and are hoping to help us stay positive. So I just say, "Thanks." Like with one of my relatives who tells me her "pendulum" tells her I will not have any further issues with melanoma and really don't need to bother with more doctor appointments… Good grief. What can I say to that? "I hope you're right." And of course I still have to follow up every 3-6 months with various doctors and do what I need to do, but she has limited me in what I can share with her. It's funny but I wonder if people realize how they cut off communication with us when they make blanket statements like that. But honestly, waiting for scan results is just so hard, and the only thing I know to do is stay busy.
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- January 6, 2015 at 4:31 am
I'm not sure there ARE any good ways to wait for scan results. It is just torture. Except to just stay as busy as you can. Work, read, do whatever it is you can do to keep your mind active and distracted. And to people who say, "I'm sure you'll be fine," at least we know that most of them mean well. Either they don't understand the possible severity of the situation, or they honestly don't know what to say and are hoping to help us stay positive. So I just say, "Thanks." Like with one of my relatives who tells me her "pendulum" tells her I will not have any further issues with melanoma and really don't need to bother with more doctor appointments… Good grief. What can I say to that? "I hope you're right." And of course I still have to follow up every 3-6 months with various doctors and do what I need to do, but she has limited me in what I can share with her. It's funny but I wonder if people realize how they cut off communication with us when they make blanket statements like that. But honestly, waiting for scan results is just so hard, and the only thing I know to do is stay busy.
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:16 pm
Thanks. Friends tell me to get therapy. I've seen a therapist, but I'm not sure there is any way to cope any better. I feel like I have to go through this every 6 months – confront my mortality, read about new treatment options (in case I need them), etc. If my scan is clear, I can relax for another 6 months. I agree with you about the information cut-off. My friends and family seem to think that once they tell me the "know" I will be fine, I should accept that, shut up, and listen to all their problems. I'm not allowed to say I'm scared.
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:16 pm
Thanks. Friends tell me to get therapy. I've seen a therapist, but I'm not sure there is any way to cope any better. I feel like I have to go through this every 6 months – confront my mortality, read about new treatment options (in case I need them), etc. If my scan is clear, I can relax for another 6 months. I agree with you about the information cut-off. My friends and family seem to think that once they tell me the "know" I will be fine, I should accept that, shut up, and listen to all their problems. I'm not allowed to say I'm scared.
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:16 pm
Thanks. Friends tell me to get therapy. I've seen a therapist, but I'm not sure there is any way to cope any better. I feel like I have to go through this every 6 months – confront my mortality, read about new treatment options (in case I need them), etc. If my scan is clear, I can relax for another 6 months. I agree with you about the information cut-off. My friends and family seem to think that once they tell me the "know" I will be fine, I should accept that, shut up, and listen to all their problems. I'm not allowed to say I'm scared.
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- January 8, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Roxanne, this may sound odd, but buying a lottery ticket can be distracting. It worked for me once about 8 months ago when I was worried about a particular scan.
Perhaps it gets easier over time, assuming results stay either clear (hopefully that's your situation) or stable enough. Mine have been stable lately so I seem to not be worrying around scan time so much.
I guess I've also had >50 scans of CTs, PET/CTs and MRIs. I know the results could always change, and I'm even a bit concerned about the most recent one. Maybe I should worry more, and perhaps I will. But lately, so far so good.
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- January 8, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Roxanne, this may sound odd, but buying a lottery ticket can be distracting. It worked for me once about 8 months ago when I was worried about a particular scan.
Perhaps it gets easier over time, assuming results stay either clear (hopefully that's your situation) or stable enough. Mine have been stable lately so I seem to not be worrying around scan time so much.
I guess I've also had >50 scans of CTs, PET/CTs and MRIs. I know the results could always change, and I'm even a bit concerned about the most recent one. Maybe I should worry more, and perhaps I will. But lately, so far so good.
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- January 8, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Roxanne, this may sound odd, but buying a lottery ticket can be distracting. It worked for me once about 8 months ago when I was worried about a particular scan.
Perhaps it gets easier over time, assuming results stay either clear (hopefully that's your situation) or stable enough. Mine have been stable lately so I seem to not be worrying around scan time so much.
I guess I've also had >50 scans of CTs, PET/CTs and MRIs. I know the results could always change, and I'm even a bit concerned about the most recent one. Maybe I should worry more, and perhaps I will. But lately, so far so good.
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- January 6, 2015 at 5:51 am
I don't do scans for melanoma, but have waited for test/biopsy and scans for other things many times. Honestly, it isn't ever easy but one thing I don't do is tell anyone else. I don't need their comments, I know a lot more about things than they do. I cope better when I don't have to discuss with anyone. That's my personal technique, some are helped by talking to others. I'd rather announce good news after the fact. And then if the news is less good, I can plan for who I want to tell what details. It's a control method still giving me some sense of control in a situation where we know we have no real control. You'll find a coping method. It is never easy.
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- January 6, 2015 at 5:51 am
I don't do scans for melanoma, but have waited for test/biopsy and scans for other things many times. Honestly, it isn't ever easy but one thing I don't do is tell anyone else. I don't need their comments, I know a lot more about things than they do. I cope better when I don't have to discuss with anyone. That's my personal technique, some are helped by talking to others. I'd rather announce good news after the fact. And then if the news is less good, I can plan for who I want to tell what details. It's a control method still giving me some sense of control in a situation where we know we have no real control. You'll find a coping method. It is never easy.
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- January 6, 2015 at 5:51 am
I don't do scans for melanoma, but have waited for test/biopsy and scans for other things many times. Honestly, it isn't ever easy but one thing I don't do is tell anyone else. I don't need their comments, I know a lot more about things than they do. I cope better when I don't have to discuss with anyone. That's my personal technique, some are helped by talking to others. I'd rather announce good news after the fact. And then if the news is less good, I can plan for who I want to tell what details. It's a control method still giving me some sense of control in a situation where we know we have no real control. You'll find a coping method. It is never easy.
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- January 6, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Roxanne,
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this lousy anxiety too. My husband gets scans regularly and I try my best to stay very busy. I tell myself that no matter how much I worry it won't make any impact on the results. We have been dealing with my husband being stage four for over two years so I've learned a lot in that time. When you get your scan afterwards you should get a copy of the scan. We had a thoracic surgeon show us what to look for in the scan. We are lucky because his disease is only in his lungs. If you don't have anyone to help you read the cd, don't look at it because it can be very confusing. The other thing I do is schedule his appointment for the earliest appointment and I ask when the written report will be done. I can usually pick up the report sometime in the afternoon. Make sure you are with a melanoma specialist that gets right back to you. If I can't get the report, she calls for me and tells me the results that day. Always be proactive for yourself. Good luck and I hope you get great results!!
Maureen
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Maureen
Thank you for the response. Kaiser is just soooo slow in getting results. I don't have access to a specialist at this point, but my oncologist will call me when she gets the result, but that usually takes days.
Best of luch to you and your husband. I know it is just as hard to be the spouse as the patient.
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Maureen
Thank you for the response. Kaiser is just soooo slow in getting results. I don't have access to a specialist at this point, but my oncologist will call me when she gets the result, but that usually takes days.
Best of luch to you and your husband. I know it is just as hard to be the spouse as the patient.
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- January 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Maureen
Thank you for the response. Kaiser is just soooo slow in getting results. I don't have access to a specialist at this point, but my oncologist will call me when she gets the result, but that usually takes days.
Best of luch to you and your husband. I know it is just as hard to be the spouse as the patient.
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- January 6, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Roxanne,
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this lousy anxiety too. My husband gets scans regularly and I try my best to stay very busy. I tell myself that no matter how much I worry it won't make any impact on the results. We have been dealing with my husband being stage four for over two years so I've learned a lot in that time. When you get your scan afterwards you should get a copy of the scan. We had a thoracic surgeon show us what to look for in the scan. We are lucky because his disease is only in his lungs. If you don't have anyone to help you read the cd, don't look at it because it can be very confusing. The other thing I do is schedule his appointment for the earliest appointment and I ask when the written report will be done. I can usually pick up the report sometime in the afternoon. Make sure you are with a melanoma specialist that gets right back to you. If I can't get the report, she calls for me and tells me the results that day. Always be proactive for yourself. Good luck and I hope you get great results!!
Maureen
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- January 6, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Roxanne,
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this lousy anxiety too. My husband gets scans regularly and I try my best to stay very busy. I tell myself that no matter how much I worry it won't make any impact on the results. We have been dealing with my husband being stage four for over two years so I've learned a lot in that time. When you get your scan afterwards you should get a copy of the scan. We had a thoracic surgeon show us what to look for in the scan. We are lucky because his disease is only in his lungs. If you don't have anyone to help you read the cd, don't look at it because it can be very confusing. The other thing I do is schedule his appointment for the earliest appointment and I ask when the written report will be done. I can usually pick up the report sometime in the afternoon. Make sure you are with a melanoma specialist that gets right back to you. If I can't get the report, she calls for me and tells me the results that day. Always be proactive for yourself. Good luck and I hope you get great results!!
Maureen
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm
I wish I had the discipline to keep my mouth shut when I'm waiting for a scan or results, but I get so strange and distracted that I end up telling people, so they'll back off. I have a hard time confirming plans with people (in my mind, I'm thnking that I don't want to press my luck, or that I'll be punished for assuming a good result – even though I'm not generally superstitious or prone to magical thinking). It's such a head trip.
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm
I wish I had the discipline to keep my mouth shut when I'm waiting for a scan or results, but I get so strange and distracted that I end up telling people, so they'll back off. I have a hard time confirming plans with people (in my mind, I'm thnking that I don't want to press my luck, or that I'll be punished for assuming a good result – even though I'm not generally superstitious or prone to magical thinking). It's such a head trip.
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm
I wish I had the discipline to keep my mouth shut when I'm waiting for a scan or results, but I get so strange and distracted that I end up telling people, so they'll back off. I have a hard time confirming plans with people (in my mind, I'm thnking that I don't want to press my luck, or that I'll be punished for assuming a good result – even though I'm not generally superstitious or prone to magical thinking). It's such a head trip.
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Hi Roxanne, I make lots of plans with the caveat that I reserve the right to be a complete flake (guilt-free) on those plans if my health changes or even if I just need to chill. My friends all know this and continue to invite me to stuff understanding my "right to flake out". They know to not take it personally and I'm thankful that they still invite me. If my plans included tickets, my friends have found other friends to take the tickets (and even pay for them!). Try it out on your friends and see if they're game. Its nice to have fun things to do when you find yourself in the mood to partake!
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Hi Roxanne, I make lots of plans with the caveat that I reserve the right to be a complete flake (guilt-free) on those plans if my health changes or even if I just need to chill. My friends all know this and continue to invite me to stuff understanding my "right to flake out". They know to not take it personally and I'm thankful that they still invite me. If my plans included tickets, my friends have found other friends to take the tickets (and even pay for them!). Try it out on your friends and see if they're game. Its nice to have fun things to do when you find yourself in the mood to partake!
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- January 8, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Hi Roxanne, I make lots of plans with the caveat that I reserve the right to be a complete flake (guilt-free) on those plans if my health changes or even if I just need to chill. My friends all know this and continue to invite me to stuff understanding my "right to flake out". They know to not take it personally and I'm thankful that they still invite me. If my plans included tickets, my friends have found other friends to take the tickets (and even pay for them!). Try it out on your friends and see if they're game. Its nice to have fun things to do when you find yourself in the mood to partake!
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:56 pm
Hi Roxanne. The best advice I can give is that worrying over something you have no control over is not only pointless, but it may be detrimental, since stress is hard on your immune system. BUT, having said that I would be a big fat liar if I said I was somehow able to enter a state of Zen-like tranquility before a scan. I did talk to a fellow melanoma patient last year and he gave me good advice about the waiting game. He said that he had come to look on the waiting as the good times, because nothing bad was going on. For some reason that really resonated with me and that's what I try to remember when I start obsessing about an upcoming scan.
As for the "I'm sure you'll be fine" I agree with the other posters. Many times the person saying such a seemingly careless thing has no coping skills for talking to one of us. I try to recognize that, and thank them for their concern. It does piss me off a little though, since I am the sick one and when I do this I am essentially trying to be gentle with their feelings. But then again, I don't want to get caught up in self-pity.
Take care – Paul.
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:56 pm
Hi Roxanne. The best advice I can give is that worrying over something you have no control over is not only pointless, but it may be detrimental, since stress is hard on your immune system. BUT, having said that I would be a big fat liar if I said I was somehow able to enter a state of Zen-like tranquility before a scan. I did talk to a fellow melanoma patient last year and he gave me good advice about the waiting game. He said that he had come to look on the waiting as the good times, because nothing bad was going on. For some reason that really resonated with me and that's what I try to remember when I start obsessing about an upcoming scan.
As for the "I'm sure you'll be fine" I agree with the other posters. Many times the person saying such a seemingly careless thing has no coping skills for talking to one of us. I try to recognize that, and thank them for their concern. It does piss me off a little though, since I am the sick one and when I do this I am essentially trying to be gentle with their feelings. But then again, I don't want to get caught up in self-pity.
Take care – Paul.
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- January 6, 2015 at 3:56 pm
Hi Roxanne. The best advice I can give is that worrying over something you have no control over is not only pointless, but it may be detrimental, since stress is hard on your immune system. BUT, having said that I would be a big fat liar if I said I was somehow able to enter a state of Zen-like tranquility before a scan. I did talk to a fellow melanoma patient last year and he gave me good advice about the waiting game. He said that he had come to look on the waiting as the good times, because nothing bad was going on. For some reason that really resonated with me and that's what I try to remember when I start obsessing about an upcoming scan.
As for the "I'm sure you'll be fine" I agree with the other posters. Many times the person saying such a seemingly careless thing has no coping skills for talking to one of us. I try to recognize that, and thank them for their concern. It does piss me off a little though, since I am the sick one and when I do this I am essentially trying to be gentle with their feelings. But then again, I don't want to get caught up in self-pity.
Take care – Paul.
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- January 8, 2015 at 3:09 am
I'm Stage IV and have been NED for five years this month. I'm lucky that I have scan and blood work results within 2 1/2 to 3 hours after the scan. I do suffer from anxiety in the days before a scan and have a prescription for Xanax if I need it. I don't use it often, but it does take the edge off.
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- January 8, 2015 at 3:09 am
I'm Stage IV and have been NED for five years this month. I'm lucky that I have scan and blood work results within 2 1/2 to 3 hours after the scan. I do suffer from anxiety in the days before a scan and have a prescription for Xanax if I need it. I don't use it often, but it does take the edge off.
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- January 8, 2015 at 3:09 am
I'm Stage IV and have been NED for five years this month. I'm lucky that I have scan and blood work results within 2 1/2 to 3 hours after the scan. I do suffer from anxiety in the days before a scan and have a prescription for Xanax if I need it. I don't use it often, but it does take the edge off.
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