[Lien]

Hi Dianne,

I think that what you are feeling is quite normal. Your whole world was shaken up twice. It takes time to start trusting your body again. Don't worry, it'll get better. I'm 5,5 years out from diagnosis and most of the fear has gone. It just rears its ugly head when I have a checkup or when I have any kind of unexplained symptom.

About tests: Tumor markers are notoriously unreliable. Here in the Netherlands nobody gets them tested on a regular basis. Mine were done before surgery, when I still had the tumor in my body, and they were normal! I know that they are sometimes tested when someone is having chemo or hormonal therapy, to see if the numbers go down with therapy. We do mammo's once a year, and other scans are only done when someone has symptoms.

I believe that in the US sometimes doctors perform tests because they want to cover their asses, or because they can charge for them. Perhaps that would explain why some people are tested for things others are not.

Ofcourse there are situations where testing is warranted: High risk situations, someone who had high markers at diagnosis, symptoms that persist for more than two weeks, etc.

I must admit that it was a relief when I needed a scan for abdominal problems and the radiologist took the time to have a look around with an ultrasound to see if he could find anything else that might have popped up. I was clear and it felt good to "know". Although, of course, there are no guarantees.

We have to learn to live with the fear of our cancer coming back or a new cancer developing. You will manage to do that. It just takes some time.

In the mean time, we are here to help you get through the tests, the fears, the worries and the doubts.

Hugs

Jacqueline