0830 be at the local hospital for the latest bone scan, this will be my first since 09/2008, and will be a full skeleton scan, with an emphathis on my right hip area. My uro and I feel 99% sure it won't show up any signs of a met at the spot where I have been increasing in pain over the past 2 1/2 months. But, with my strange journey, anything is possible. Remember Sonny here, had a post SRT met with a low PSA number, one that shouldn't have been big enough to show a met, but he did, and he was later treated with spot radiation. I don't expect that to happen, but this has to be ruled out.
They said to come, and get the dye injected, and then I get to go home for 3-4 hours, then come back for the test. They said to allow a min. of an hour for the test itself. Fortunately, this is the local Easley hopsital, so the test center is all of 3 blocks from my house. I will just go home and chill while awaiting to have the test done.
I agree with most here, at PC dx time, I generally feel the Cat and Bone Scan is a waste of money for most, but in this case, there will be the previous scan to compare this one too. So if anything is different, it will be easy to spot by the Radiologist.
3 months ago, the inner right hip didn't hurt at all. No injury in that area. At first, just an annoyance most days, perhaps a pain level 1-2. Two weeks later, it would start earlier and last longer, pain was 3-4, and started taking advil every 6 hours, rest at night helped too, and keeping off my feet. about a month ago, hurts all the time, in fact the only time it doesnt hurt, is when I am on pain meds. Even wakes me up at night hurting while lying in bed. Pain level varies in the day from 4-6, sometimes more. about 2 hours after taking real pain med, I get about a 3 hour window where all the pain is gone, or greatly dimminished. Its way deep inside the hip, where it joins the pelvic bone. What concerns my uro/surgeon, it hurts in the same area that they could not get to freely during my open RP. Same side, same area where the positive margin was, and same area where they ended up leaving the right nerve bundle, they just couldn't access it.
I just need an all clear signal from the scan. Not looking for something new to worry about. Hoping for the best on this one too. But again, been a crazy journey from the very start. You would think something would go easy on it.
David in SC