CT Scans

D

Denise1952

Well-known Member
I've had one already in the last 4 months, and now they want me to come in tomorrow a.m. for another. I've also had about 4 xrays in the last 4 months, so call me paranoid but I don't know what else to do but let them give me another dose of radiation. They are supposed to be figuring out if I have a lung problem instead of a heart problem. This link freaked me, I admit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannon-brownlee/ct-scan-radiation-cancer_b_859176.html
 

In the past two years, I've had more than I care to calculate, my body is already damaged beyond repair, I'm not worried about cancer, actually at least two test had to do with cancer.

PS. Sorry nwlady if my response sounds flippant. The issue really is cause for concern and should be discussed sufficiently with one's doctor to make sure this sort of test is absolutely necessary.
 

Yes... there is a certain amount of radiation in a CT scan.. or any diagnostic radiological exam.. even a mammogram.. But on has to weight the benefits of finding a condition and having it treated against the risk of radiation exposure. Besides.. we are old.. most of the cancers radiation can cause develop over years with cell mutation. I figure I'll be dead of natural causes long before I get a radiation induced cancer.
 
AprilT said:
In the past two years, I've had more than I care to calculate, my body is already damaged beyond repair, I'm not worried about cancer, actually at least two test had to do with cancer.

PS. Sorry nwlady if my response sounds flippant. The issue really is cause for concern and should be discussed sufficiently with one's doctor to make sure this sort of test is absolutely necessary.
Click to expand...

No, I didn't take it as flippant April, I appreciate it, especially since I chose to cancel the appt. until I can research it further (find out if there is another way, discuss with my doc). Thank you much, denise
 
nwlady said:
I've had one already in the last 4 months, and now they want me to come in tomorrow a.m. for another. I've also had about 4 xrays in the last 4 months, so call me paranoid but I don't know what else to do but let them give me another dose of radiation. They are supposed to be figuring out if I have a lung problem instead of a heart problem. This link freaked me, I admit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannon-brownlee/ct-scan-radiation-cancer_b_859176.html
Click to expand...

You are not being Paranoid Nwlady , i have a Heart Valve problem as well as an Anuresum In the aortic vein leaving the heart .
i was having one looked at by CT scan and the other on Echocardiogram, after two CT scans my Cardiologist said he didn't want me having any more Ct Scans cause of the Radiation ,so now i have both problems looked at by Echocardiogram.
I would point out your worry to them .
 
Lady said:
You are not being Paranoid Nwlady , i have a Heart Valve problem as well as an Anuresum In the aortic vein leaving the heart .
i was having one looked at by CT scan and the other on Echocardiogram, after two CT scans my Cardiologist said he didn't want me having any more Ct Scans cause of the Radiation ,so now i have both problems looked at by Echocardiogram.
I would point out your worry to them .
Click to expand...

Thanks Lady,

I am sorry to hear of your health struggles but you have helped me by sharing your experience. I am hoping that my insurance will allow for me to avoid the radiation route, an opt for ultra-sound or MRI to start. Something tells me that their first choice was Ct scan because it may be all my insurance allows, or, it is the most thorough, I don't know. More will be revealed, hopefully, when I talk to the doc. They sure seem to get huffy when you ask more questions. I've had some try to put me off, even promise it's safe. I don't like those types of promises, never trust someone that promises because with ever changing circumstances, so those promises can't be full-filled.
 
AND, IMHO, sometimes nowdays doctors order every test in sight more to cover their own butt from malpractice suits than anything else. I'd ask the doc if the test was absolutely necessary for your health, instead of to rule out some very unlikely thing. In my sister's case, they ordered a bunch of cardiac tests that scared her, so we asked the doc point blank if this or that test was absolutely necessary -- turned out some of them were ordered to "complete the profile" and weren't expected to reveal anything they didn't know already. My sis said a big fat NO to those.
 
Butterfly said:
AND, IMHO, sometimes nowdays doctors order every test in sight more to cover their own butt from malpractice suits than anything else. I'd ask the doc if the test was absolutely necessary for your health, instead of to rule out some very unlikely thing. In my sister's case, they ordered a bunch of cardiac tests that scared her, so we asked the doc point blank if this or that test was absolutely necessary -- turned out some of them were ordered to "complete the profile" and weren't expected to reveal anything they didn't know already. My sis said a big fat NO to those.
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Actually these days many insurance companies aren't allowing for that, doctor's have to be pretty specific about why they are ordering these test especially these cardiology ones. There's much closer scrutiny when some of these test are ordered.
 
I just had a CT scan of the head, because of a sudden onset of eye floaters and flashes of light. I know it is bad to have them, but I sleep better when I get test results.
 

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