How many of you have had a bone scan?

[alicem]

My oncologist ordered a bone scan & a CAT scane for me as a baseline before I began my chemo in January. I don't know if this is standard procedure, or if my Dr. was just being cautious.

[DianaT]

Nope, never had one.

[Colleen007]

I had one at diagnosis and approx. one a year since then. They don't do them any more frequently than that because bones take a long time to heal so you wouldn't see any improvemnet if they ran one 3 months later. Since the initial diagnosis, I have also had arthritis show up (knees and ankles)...I know that comes with getting old, but I just can't wrap my head around age 42 being old. Good luck to you - the bone scan will be the easy part.

[Sandra in GA]

After my surgery, my onc ordered a bone scan and a CT scan of my body, in Sept of last year. In order to get into the clinical trial I am now completing (last dose of Tykerb tomorrow, last dose of Herceptin was this past Wed. "YEAH, YEAH"), I had to have no mets to bones or other organs. I had 21 of 21 lymph nodes test +, so when both of these came back negative, that put me stage III instead of IV!! I had another set of bone and CT scans ordered by my radiation onc in February before she began radiation. After seeing my onc in Dec and letting them draw the rest of the blood work for the study, I will see him every three months. They have not told me how often they will order scans then.

Chelee, it does seem strange that you have never had one. They give you a dye IV, but it has never been a problem. Like someone said, those scans just show them how old one is getting. On one of the CT scans, I learned that I have a small inguinal hernia filled with fat! How embarassing is that!!

[Brenda_D]

I had 2 in the last 3 years. First one was to correlate findings on pet/ct (which turned out to be false positives) and second was follow up.

[chrisy]

I've had 2 I think.

One upon my stage IV diagnosis, as part of the "let's see what we're up against" staging. Then another a couple years later.

[Bill]

Nikki had two, one at diagnosis and then another about a year later.

[Paty]

Chelee,

I have had two. One after diagnosis and one at the beginning of this year. Nothing to report.

Paty

[sassy]

Chelee,

I've had three. One at dx for baseline. One about a year later due to hip pain--bone spur on roof of hip socket. One last year following rib pain---fractured ribs.

[charlotte]

One bone scan was done last year.the background, I asked my Dr. what should I do? nothing .remarkable.on my scan. I have rib pain daily.. I also have had muscle jerking , ..
I have fallen twice in less than 2 months, and The X-rays that was taken show the fractured bone..(very painful!
Today I go in for a ct. scan of the heart.I am praying that my ejection rate is close to 50%..

ON another note, my feet are cracking,red, hard to walk on. . I am on tykerb and xeloda..thanks, Charlotte

[Karen Wheel]

I had one --- well, I think it is what you guys are talking about - but everything here I am dealing with "Italian" but it translates back to english as bone exam --- they gave me a contrast and then I waited for like an hour and half and drank a bunch of water --- and they did it in a tube and scanned the entire body ---....

Mine came back clear - and I think that they will do another the first of the year. As they said they would do one every 6 months, but I'm at the 6 month mark and no new bone scan on the horizon ....

At least one a year here - I think.
Karen

[Midwest Alice]

I had one bone scan at 9 months when I went to MDA. I had some 2 areas show up on my ribs.

[Chelee]

It seems everyone with the exception of one person here has had a bone scan so far. In the almost 4 yrs I've been dealing with this you would of thought I would of had at least one in all that time?

I had my 1st one Monday only because Dr. Femino from City of Hope ordered it or it would of never happened. I haven't seen the results yet? Hope they don't find any more mets. I have my femur surgery tomorrow as City of Hope so I pray everything goes ok? Thanks to all of you that replied? I'm going to ask my onc why I never had one in all this time once I get home.

For anyone else reading this that hasn't replied...feel free to say if you had one or not? I will check the board whenever I get home from the hospital...should be 3 days if all goes ok.

Chelee

[Barbara H.]

I had so many of them on the TDM1 trial that I have lost count. I also had to have CT and Muga scans every 6 weeks. Actually, I try to avoid scans as much as possible.
Good luck with your surgery.
Barbara H.

PS: I would reply more often, but I am just too busy with teaching which requires me to also put in a lot of work during the evening and weekends.

[Cannon]

Chelee,

Like you, stage IIIA and absolutely bone scan at diagnosis and every six months since! (nothing, thank God) Sadly, I'd say it's another example of your doctors' gross incompetence.

[Jackie07]

My oncologist reluctantly ordered one for me after I had requested for it when my recurrence was found in 2007. He did not think it was possible for me to have bone mets at the time - and he was right. But since they had missed my cancer for four years, I held him 'hostage' (while I was the true 'hostage' here) and demanded the test.

I only knew about the bone scan because it was listed on many members' signatures and postings.

By the way, we will be thinking of you tomorrow during the procedure. Prayers are sent from Central Texas and ...

[vlcarr]

I had one before I started the clinical trial. If the cancer had spread I would not have qualified to be in the trial. They came back and ask me about my leg and neck. Things showed up there I guess because I have metal due to surgery in both of these areas.

Not sure if/when I will have another. I haven't discussed that with my onc.

[tdonnelly]

I have had 2 Bone Scans
1 - Bone Density

5 1/2 weeks-Daily Radiation

Several chest xrays

Knee xrays-Lost count.........Car accident 2001

3 Tyroid Uptake Scans

*I can no longer use a Microwave in my kitchen either.