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Who's Had The Most Ct Scans?


Maxine

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First CT was an abdominal one when I was around 23 or so----can't rmemeber specifically. Early 80s

Then I had another Brain CT when I first had POTs symptoms. early 2001

The next one was when I went to Chicago, and had a spine and brain CT. (Testing done by Dr. Heffez) 2002

Fourth one was in NY-----3-d c-scan of the brain and spine. 2004

Fifth was abdominal CT to check the large diverticuli in small bowel. late 2006

Sixth was when I had the heart CT to measure calcium in arteries. early 2007

Seventh was chest and cervical spine CT. Not even a month ago

I've also had the upper and lower GI in 2007------2008.

I've also had several chest x-rays in the last 10 years. Maybe 6 of them.

My Doc wants to do a virtual colonoscopy due to the many problems I have. The traditional requires some kind of sedation, and if I had a problem and need assistance breathing they can't bend my neck pack for intubation. My PCP is also concerned about me being moved around on the table under sedation with my neck and spine instability. Then we have the issues with low BP, and POTS.

Another problem is that we have a family history of colon cancer, as my brother just passed away from it in Feb. If they find a polyp, then I need a colonoscopy anyway. My Doc thought the chances of finding a polyp is pretty high.

I hate to keep pushing the patients of the surgeon who is scheduling all this for me. I have already cancelled two colonoscopies----one virtual, and one traditional. The traditional one was because I had a virus, and coudln't take the chance. Then I went to my new PCP, and he said I wasn't stable enough for having the regular colonoscopy. He discussed it with the surgeon, and they both decided virtual would be the best choice right now, and they can do them locally now.

I wanted to see what your thoughts were?

Do you think it's too much radiation?

Especially if I may need a regular colonoscopy anyway.

Maxine :0)

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You got me beat i have had 4

My test totals

4 CTS

1 colonoscopy

1 Endoscope

1 Scope up the nose

10 EKGS approx

24 Heart Monitor

2 X rays

Countless Blood Tests

thats alll i can think of right now.

All within 1 year.

Edited by flop
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colon cancer is preventable, you need the colonoscopy. I have had 4.

I'm 52, had my first at the age of 39 and had precancerous very large polyp removed. Since then 5 more small,

"safe" ones. Had that first one early because of family history . Very possibly saved my life. Most certainly saved me from major surgery.

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Guest tearose

Too many to recall...Knees three times, foot once, head and sinus three times, picc line and arm-elbow four times, spine views four times, pelvis four times...I think sadly, they became as common as blood tests. MRI count is also high...Cardiac, brain, gut..at least 15 MRI's and many with contrast.

Maybe this is one of the reasons I want to stop looking for answers...all that looking is potentially going to make me sick with something else.

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Hi Maxine,

I have only had 3 CT scans, but at least 15 MRI's, and too many x-rays to count, along with several barium studies. I am 27 and have been affected since age 20, and I feel as though I have been exposed to so much that if I wasn't high risk to develop cancer, then I certainely am now. Plus, I've been on various hormone replacement therapies for the past 5 years as well. That's the ironic part about being unhealthy... it sets you up for more problems!

That being said, I have only had 2 regular colonoscopies and am not that familiar with the virtual option. I would definately suggest that you have some type of colonoscopy though, as it is a very important screening. Maybe you could talk to the doctor that manages your spinal instability and get his take or ask what expereince he has had with their other patient with problems similar to yours needing more invasive procedures completed. Have you had any past expereinces with conscious sedation or other similar procedures?

Best wishes with your decision and screening.

~ Broken_Shell :)

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Wow, you guys seem to get a lot more scans in the US than we do over here in the UK.

Investigations I've had for POTS are:

ECG x lots!

24 hour Holter ECG x 6

Chest X-ray x1

24 hour BP x1

Tilt test x3

Peripheral nerve testing x1

Investigations for arrhythmia (before I got POTS)

Exercise test x1

EP study

Reveal device x2

Flop

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Thanks your your replies and help--- :)

Broken_Shell, I had conscious sedation in 2001 for endoscopy. It was versed, and I did not have a good experience with this. It made me feel so disconnected from my body, and I didn't need this on top of crashing from my POTS. I was just crashing then, and still didn't know what was going on. My guts were frozen, and I had trouble eating anything. I still pecked away little by little at food, but lost over 25 pounds in 6-8 weeks.

I was weak, but there wasn't any diagnosis yet, so I had to just deal with the dismissal of the reaction as "no big deal". I had an easier time with general anesthesia when I had my cervical spine surgery. I had a very rough 18 hours after surgery, but once I vomited, I felt like I could take a walk. I did have some mild POTS flares for about a month after. I was told I felt really bad from the high dose of steroids that was given to me also. However, in the long run I think the steroids helped me, as I felt fairly decent the rest of the summer. I would say I had mild POTS symptom, ands compared to what I had the previous year. I'm worse now, but I have other problems from the EDS, cervicl spine instability, other spine instability, and pretty bad OI lately.

Today was a bad day with cervical/cranial pain ect.

I talked with the radiology dept. today, and she said the radiation dose isn't as bad as it used to be, as the newer Ct machines have less exposure. It's also only scanning the colon, but along with that it views other parts of the abdomen. they are going to try to get a good view of the large 5cm diverticulum in small intestine also.

I pray they find nothing serious. My brother has coloncancer, and passed away in Feb. My mother had terminal cancer, and it wasn't found until 48 hours before she died. The idiot docs thought it was limited to her bladder---"a small tumor". Her brother died of colon cancer two weeks after she died. Two aunts had brain tumors, one Aunt had a concerous tumor, and the other Aunt's was benign. She is still living. The other aunt died in early 2003 after a 10 year battle with a slower growing cancer in her brain. Both aunts are my mother's sisters. I have another aunt (another one of my mom's sisters) living who has not had a cancer diagnosis. My mother was 73 years old, and her brother was 71 I think.

SCARY STUFF.

Maxine :0)

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