CT Scan Dilemma

[Vivi]

I'm due to have an abdominal/pelvic CT scan tomorrow for months of pain and discomfort. :eek: All other tests have come back indicative of nothing, yet I still have pain. This is something of a last resort.

With no exaggeration, I've had a LOT of radiation this year already...and a CT scan packs the equivalent of several hundred x-rays.

But what if I don't have it done and miss something? Ugh. Dammed if I do, and dammed if I don't.

[Jack1231]

Actually your heavily exaggerating any risk either way! Your not damned if you don't and not damned if you do.

CT scans only cause a very slight increase in the risk of cancer or other conditions.

However, abdominal pain can be caused by a massive range of things. If everything has come back negative, then I don't see why you are still worried. If you had something serious like a tumour it would have shown up by now. These tests are made to effectively find these serious problems.

So where to go from here?

1. Don't have the CT Scan, there's no way you have anything seriously wrong with you and it's been missed so many times.

OR

2. If your compulsiveness is forcing you to go on with the scan, do it, then when it shows your all-clear, your done with this issue.

PS. Abdominal pain is one of the major symptoms of anxiety.

Good luck for the future

[Humly]

Well if it was me, I'd go ahead and have it done and then when it comes back normal, you can put this all behind you and move on. Otherwise, you will torment yourself wondering. Good luck.

[kah]

Hi,

I understand your dilemma as I was in a similar position a while ago.
I had a chest CT scan after all other tests came back clear, of course the CT scan did too!!! In hindsight I wished I never had it and had just been happy that all the other tests were clear but then it's easy to say that now!
I think if you know your mind won't rest until you've had it you should go ahead and have it done. If deep down you know you there is nothing seriously wrong, then maybe give it a miss.

K xx

[macc noodle]

It is what will help you overcome this anxiety over the pain - will the CT scan do it when it comes back negative or will you still worry that something has been missed?

Only you can decide this one -personally having suffered immmensely with HA, I know that I still worry about things being wrong with me despite having tests that have proved to the contrary :shrug: so there would be no point for me :wacko:

good luck with your decision

Macc Noodle
xx

[countrygirl]

Can you not ask for an mri scan instead as these are actually superior to CT anyway for most things.

I am not suggesting you google medical radiation exposure but having a son who works in the industry and also having had alot of plain old x rays in the past I did investigate it fully and although I can do nothing about my past exposure, having got accurate information regarding the radiation dosage of CT scans I would not have one unless there was absolutely no alternative test available.

The nhs will always do CT first as it is about half the price of mri. This is nothing to do with safety or otherwisse it is purely financial consideration.

I always ask if there is another test that does not use radiation available and if so have that instead and only once did a consultant admit he could not send me for mri because of the cost factor and I paid for ths can myself instead. This was not an unecessary test either I have a neurofibroma on my spine and he wanted a more detailed scan and admitted that mri with contrast was best one but nhs would not fund it and that was when I paid myself and very glad I did.

I admit this is a bit of a hobby horse for me because there are so few Drs who ever consider the long term effects of radiation exposure.
For example a friend today told me he had a Ct renal scan yesteday which is quite a dose ( he had an injection for it that left him radioactive overnight) and then next week a different consultant is sending him for the thallium heartstress test that is the highest radiation dose there is in medical tests so in two weeks he will have had an unimaginable dose and not one Dr has even told him about this or the doses because neither one knows the other is ordering the tests!!!!!


MIld rant over!

Personally I would find out if there is an non radiation alternative and if necesary pay yourself if you can. I don't think not having a further test will help you mentally if you are like the rest of us.

[Jack1231]

I agree with countrygirl, an MRI is a completely safe alternative. This should be a good enough reason to request one