Cody's Health Problems

[Cody Fousnaugh]

I'm continuing my "health" thing here:

I contacted my VA doctor yesterday concerning the Ultrasound that I got yesterday morning. She did say she ordered the wrong one, so she is doing another order for a Stomach Right Quadrant one. As for, what the problem is with my stomach, we only hope it's possibly a gallbladder infection and I can take antibiotics to solve that. currently I take a 650mg Tylenol 8 HR and that helps with the pain. If the pain returns during the day, I have to take another 650mg Tylenol. Every-other day, I take a 50mg Tramadol, along with either a 400mg Motrin (Ibuprofen) or a 650mg Tylenol and, basically, have no pain all day. Of course, Tramadol is a prescription pain killer/narcotic, but it sure does work for me for any pain.

Tomorrow at 1PM, I go for the PET Scan. In getting a Prostate Cancer PET Scan, a tech told me that I don't have to "fast", but should drink plenty of water before and after the scan. They don't use much radioactive liquid, but I have to get it out of my system, so that means drinking a lot of water after the scan going home and at home.

 

[Don Alaska]

Boy @Cody Fousnaugh it seems like you are having one health issue after another. Did you have the prostate biopsy? I think your doctor should have consulted with radiology if she didn't know what ultrasound to order. Gallbladder ultrasounds here are done routinely from the ER with no prep whatever. Since the PET scna has been ordered, I am guessing they found something on the biopsy. I wish you well in all your struggles.

 

[Faye 2.0]

@Cody Fousnaugh Have you got the results of yesterdays ultrasound? I am interested if it shows any aneurysms. I am surprised your doctor didn't order a full abdominal ultrasound. Hopefully the cancer hasn't spread and the PET scan will show that.

 

[Smithy]

@Cody Fousnaugh Please keep us updated on your health. I hope it all goes well for you tomorrow!

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Boy @Cody Fousnaugh it seems like you are having one health issue after another. Did you have the prostate biopsy? I think your doctor should have consulted with radiology if she didn't know what ultrasound to order. Gallbladder ultrasounds here are done routinely from the ER with no prep whatever. Since the PET scna has been ordered, I am guessing they found something on the biopsy. I wish you well in all your struggles.

Yes, Don, there were some cancer spots on the biopsy. That's why the PET Scan was ordered. Unfortunately, every time I read about that injection of radioactive fluid going into my arm, I get somewhat shaken. Then, the scan from the top of my skull and down. And, all of the water I have to drink after the scan to get that radioactive stuff out of my system............I'm not real happy about any of it, but it's got to happen.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

Yes, Don, there were some cancer spots on the biopsy. That's why the PET Scan was ordered. Unfortunately, every time I read about that injection of radioactive fluid going into my arm, I get somewhat shaken. Then, the scan from the top of my skull and down. And, all of the water I have to drink after the scan to get that radioactive stuff out of my system............I'm not real happy about any of it, but it's got to happen.

Are you able to look on your doctors/hospital Patient Portal for the information about what they found with what they already did for testing, @Cody Fousnaugh ? My doctors all worked together with the hospital here, and I can see results for any visits, tests, and lab work soon afterwards, and before the doctor checks back in with me.
Some results are on the portal the same day even, and most by the very next day.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

@Cody Fousnaugh Have you got the results of yesterdays ultrasound? I am interested if it shows any aneurysms. I am surprised your doctor didn't order a full abdominal ultrasound. Hopefully the cancer hasn't spread and the PET scan will show that.

The name of the ultrasound was an Aorta Ultrasound, not the one I wanted/needed. I think what happened was, when I told my VA doctor I was getting a pain in my stomach, I didn't say "upper-right side", which is where the liver and gallbladder is. So, she went with the Aorta one. Actually, I was wondering why the tech was holding the (whatever it is) in the middle of my belly and not moving it. Then I found out what the Order called for. My wife was pretty upset, but nothing we could do about it. I could only send a message to my VA doctor about what happened.

Hopefully the cancer hasn't spread, but wife and I have to be ready for either good (it hasn't) or bad (it has). My half-brother's prostate cancer ended up spreading to lymph nodes, so he had to start treatment fast.

 

[Don Alaska]

Yes, Don, there were some cancer spots on the biopsy. That's why the PET Scan was ordered. Unfortunately, every time I read about that injection of radioactive fluid going into my arm, I get somewhat shaken. Then, the scan from the top of my skull and down. And, all of the water I have to drink after the scan to get that radioactive stuff out of my system............I'm not real happy about any of it, but it's got to happen.

PET scans deal with positrons so it shouldn't be as dangerous as other radiation. It is basically measuring the rate of glucose consumption,. Fast-growing and replicating tumor cells consume glucose at a faster rate than normal, so thy show up with a different glow. The true radiation may come after a treatment plan is developed as it is the quickest and easiest way to treat prostate cancer, and has fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy since prostate tissue is not very accessible. The whole body thing is just to check for metastatic possibilities. I wish you the best and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Are you able to look on your doctors/hospital Patient Portal for the information about what they found with what they already did for testing, @Cody Fousnaugh ? My doctors all worked together with the hospital here, and I can see results for any visits, tests, and lab work soon afterwards, and before the doctor checks back in with me.
Some results are on the portal the same day even, and most by the very next day.

Just found my password for the ultrasound from yesterday. It says: IMPRESSION: No evidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Thank the Lord for that, but the ultrasound I needed was the Abdominal Ultrasound that covers the liver, gallbladder and surrounding organs. So, will have to go back to get that.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

PET scans deal with positrons so it shouldn't be as dangerous as other radiation. It is basically measuring the rate of glucose consumption,. Fast-growing and replicating tumor cells consume glucose at a faster rate than normal, so thy show up with a different glow. The true radiation may come after a treatment plan is developed as it is the quickest and easiest way to treat prostate cancer, and has fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy since prostate tissue is not very accessible. The whole body thing is just to check for metastatic possibilities. I wish you the best and keep us posted on your progress.

Don, I was told that fasting wasn't needed for this. Funny, but every time I read about something dealing with a medical procedure on the computer/internet I read conflicting things. This site says this, while another site says that. Having an egg or two tomorrow AM is ok, as well as my vitamins, but I also have to take my Metformin and Glipizide (Diabetic II meds), my 50mg Tramadol (shoulder pain) and a Tylenol 8 HR 650mg.

I read all kinds of concerning things about the biopsy, but the only thing that hurt was the strong antibiotic shot they gave me in the butt. That stopped hurting. The Urologist also gave me a couple of shots of Lidocaine in the prostate. I didn't feel a thing when he was getting the prostate samples. What he did, basically, wasn't anything like what I read online.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

So, Don, did you have a PET Scan for prostate? If so, how did it go. Drink a lot of water after the scan to get the radioactive stuff out of you? How long did that take? My wife will be with me (thank God).

 

[Faye 2.0]

So, Don, did you have a PET Scan for prostate? If so, how did it go. Drink a lot of water after the scan to get the radioactive stuff out of you? How long did that take? My wife will be with me (thank God).

The radioactive dye is no big thing Cody. It doesn't cause any problems. After, I always drank extra coffee along with water and it cleared out faster than predicted. The only part I hated was the lengthy saline cleansing thru the IV to prepare for the test. It made me dizzy with my vestibular problems. Stay well hydrated until they tell you not to. The peace of mind it will give you, knowing what you have to deal with, is worth any discomfort.

 

[BethG]

Don, I was told that fasting wasn't needed for this.

Cody--you DO NOT need to fast. You should just keep carbs to a minimum (sweets, bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) for 24 hours before the scan. As I said before, the PET is sensitive to glucose (sugar) and can give false readings if a lot of sugar/starch is consumed beforehand. I'm surprised that your doctor did not provide you with better instructions.

As for the radioactive dye; it is no big deal. You won't feel it and it will be flushed out of your body within a day or so... as long as you drink plenty of fluids.

 

[Don Alaska]

So, Don, did you have a PET Scan for prostate? If so, how did it go. Drink a lot of water after the scan to get the radioactive stuff out of you? How long did that take? My wife will be with me (thank God).

No. I have not had one myself, but I have known several guys who did. They didn't seem to think it was bad.

 

[Faye 2.0]

@Cody Fousnaugh Prostate PET is a bit like a breast cancer PET, since the cancers are somewhat related. Families with males with high rate of prostate cancer, also show females with high rate of breast cancer.

The PET procedure is very similar, requires no fasting and has some precautions on when to stop taking certain meds. Your doc or the imaging dept should have given you info on this. The main thing is the waiting while the saline IV does its thing, cleansing and preparing the veins for the dye.

The wait for my BC PET was about 80 minutes and for both the colon and the vaginal PET was about 90 minutes. All scans from the shoulders down is considered a full body. The head and neck is usually a separate and special scan that doesn't require but a brief saline flush, if any, but the scan last about 2 hours. I have had that one twice and I was only able to hold still because I could hypnotize myself.

They should only order a head and neck if the F18 PSMA shows spread or they have reason to believe the cancer has reached the brain due to sudden paralysis. Things like ones left side goes numb. suddenly.

Here is info on prostate PET. It has only an hour wait. It appears your total testing time is around 1 1/2 hours. The time in the scan will go fast and they let you recline and rest during the wait time. The wait time is so the dye can attach to all the targeted cancer cells.

F18 PSMA​

How it works: F18 PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) attaches to prostate tumor cells and flags their presence in the body.
What it's for: This test can be used for patients with known prostate cancer and a rising PSA level or for initial staging of prostate cancer. A PSMA PET scan is able to detect prostate cancer cells that can be missed by other imaging types.
Test preparation: There is no fasting requirement for this test. There is a one-hour rest period following the injection, followed by emptying the bladder. The imaging period is 20 to 30 minutes.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Cody--you DO NOT need to fast. You should just keep carbs to a minimum (sweets, bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) for 24 hours before the scan. As I said before, the PET is sensitive to glucose (sugar) and can give false readings if a lot of sugar/starch is consumed beforehand. I'm surprised that your doctor did not provide you with better instructions.

As for the radioactive dye; it is no big deal. You won't feel it and it will be flushed out of your body within a day or so... as long as you drink plenty of fluids.

My VA doctor has provided me with no instructions. She leaves that up to where ever I go.

I'm using the VA Community Care Program, which means that my VA doctor does the Order, sends it to Community Care Program and they have to approve it. They then let me know where I can go for the procedure. The only doctor I've seen is the Urologist for my biopsy. The MRI and the PET Scan are done by trained Technicians and the report/results are done by radiologists. My ultrasound was done by a trained technician as well. Those results are then sent to my VA doctor. She will then decide what I should do.

With the VA and Community Care Program, I have a co-pay, but it's not nearly as much as the Deductible with Medicare. However, the VA/Community Care Program aren't nearly as fast as using Medicare. I have to wait for my VA doctor to do the Order for what I need, send it to Community Care Program and then wait for them or the medical office where the procedure will be done, to contact me.

I don't know of any other way to explain.

Post automatically merged: Today at 3:07 PM

Cody--you DO NOT need to fast. You should just keep carbs to a minimum (sweets, bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) for 24 hours before the scan. As I said before, the PET is sensitive to glucose (sugar) and can give false readings if a lot of sugar/starch is consumed beforehand. I'm surprised that your doctor did not provide you with better instructions.

As for the radioactive dye; it is no big deal. You won't feel it and it will be flushed out of your body within a day or so... as long as you drink plenty of fluids.

I read, online that is, that after the scan, I shouldn't get around young children/babies or pregnant women for a couple of hours. Perhaps from anxiety, my left shoulder was somewhat painful, and it was my scheduled day for taking my 50mg Tramadol, so I did along with a 650mg Tylenol 8Hr Arthritis tablet. Again, one internet website stated NOT to take any prescription pain killer, while another one said it is fine. What to believe????? Anyway, I took both. All I was told by the PET Dept. where I'm going is that I didn't have to fast. I will have a couple of scrambled eggs for breakfast, but that's it.

Obviously, be glad when this is done/over.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

@Cody Fousnaugh Prostate PET is a bit like a breast cancer PET, since the cancers are somewhat related. Families with males with high rate of prostate cancer, also show females with high rate of breast cancer.

The PET procedure is very similar, requires no fasting and has some precautions on when to stop taking certain meds. Your doc or the imaging dept should have given you info on this. The main thing is the waiting while the saline IV does its thing, cleansing and preparing the veins for the dye.

The wait for my BC PET was about 80 minutes and for both the colon and the vaginal PET was about 90 minutes. All scans from the shoulders down is considered a full body. The head and neck is usually a separate and special scan that doesn't require but a brief saline flush, if any, but the scan last about 2 hours. I have had that one twice and I was only able to hold still because I could hypnotize myself.

They should only order a head and neck if the F18 PSMA shows spread or they have reason to believe the cancer has reached the brain due to sudden paralysis. Things like ones left side goes numb. suddenly.

Here is info on prostate PET. It has only an hour wait. It appears your total testing time is around 1 1/2 hours. The time in the scan will go fast and they let you recline and rest during the wait time. The wait time is so the dye can attach to all the targeted cancer cells.

F18 PSMA​

How it works: F18 PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) attaches to prostate tumor cells and flags their presence in the body.
What it's for: This test can be used for patients with known prostate cancer and a rising PSA level or for initial staging of prostate cancer. A PSMA PET scan is able to detect prostate cancer cells that can be missed by other imaging types.
Test preparation: There is no fasting requirement for this test. There is a one-hour rest period following the injection, followed by emptying the bladder. The imaging period is 20 to 30 minutes.

Ok, here is what the Order says:
Diagnosis: Carcinoma of prostate| ICD-10: C61: Malignant neoplasm of prostate
Order Name: 1219 |PT-PET/CT tumor imaging, skull base to mid-thigh
NOTE TO IMAGING FACILITY: PSMA PET Scan Gallim 68 (IIIuccix)
Then it states my height and weight.

 

[BethG]

Cody--I know how confusing it all is. If you look up medical stuff online, be sure to look at reputable sources such as the Mayo Clinic or other major facilities. Although we are well-meaning, you should not put stock in any advice from forums, friends, family, etc. For one thing, each person's experience can be different from others. It's too bad that your doctor did not provide you with prep instructions for the procedure but I'm sure you'll do fine.

Hope all goes well for you!

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Cody--I know how confusing it all is. If you look up medical stuff online, be sure to look at reputable sources such as the Mayo Clinic or other major facilities. Although we are well-meaning, you should not put stock in any advice from forums, friends, family, etc. For one thing, each person's experience can be different from others. It's too bad that your doctor did not provide you with prep instructions for the procedure but I'm sure you'll do fine.

Hope all goes well for you!

THANK YOU so much, Beth!! We really appreciate all of the support I'm getting here.

 

[Marie Mallory]

Cody I replied to you on this yesterday, but I must have forgot to hit 'post reply', whoops.

Hope your healing is soon and complete.