12 hours to make a decision!!! plz give me your input!

[eddarun]

ill try to keep it short and sum up

symtoms:  3 weeks of watery diarrhea w/undigested food and low grade fever, swollen lymph node on neck.
tests done:  coloscopy showed nothing, blood work looks fine (WBC a little bit high but had a sore throat at the time), US of lymph node looked normal. Waiting for results of stool sample.

My guess is IBS or Chrons, and Im kind of hoping thats it because what I´m really scared of is cancer.

The problem:  Im having a ct scan tomorrow and its a scan of the thorax/upp abdomen and lower abdomen.    How does ONE ct scan affect my life time odds of getting cancer?  Im not sure I should do it....   

how many of you have had a ct scan?

[LindaRK]

I've had CT scans ... I also have IBS.

I'm curious .... is your low-grade fever an ongoing issue?  As well as the swollen lymph node in your neck?

Why is the doctor recommending you have a CT scan when your colonoscopy was clear?  Has he given you any ideas of what might be going on?

[savannahgirl]

I had an MRI and CT Scan on the same day a few years back. My mom had Ovarian Cancer and had to have them 1/year for nearly 10 years. Nothing happened to either of us.    So I think you will be fine to have the test. MAybe if you had 1/day for year, there maybe a problem, but just the one time will be a-ok.

[Slangevar]

Sixpack has a great answer to this. Suffice it to say that we all know people who got cancer after never having a scan in their lives, and we know lots of people who are healthy after several scans. The actual increase in your odds of the scan causing cancer are very low, and they grow lower over time since your body heals from the radiation like it would from a sunburn.  That said, if you can avoid getting a scan, you should.

I'm not actually sure what they think a CT scan will show them. You don't have to worry about cancer... the only one that produces your symptoms has been ruled out (colon cancer).  I suppose they must be looking for Crohn's?  I suspect they won't find anything and it will be ruled as IBS. Then you'll relax and your watery diarrhea will go away. Happens all the time on this forum.

[eddarun]

Ive had low grade fever for 3 weeks now, Its very low grade.  It wouldnt count as a fever...its just higher than my normal bbt. 

I have no idea what my doctor is thinking, she doesnt say to much and I feel like I have to drag every word out of her.  I think she has no idea whats causing the diarrhea and she just wants to rule the most serious things out.... 

[mariea]

I think it is good to rule everything out.  I had stomach problems for 6 months from a stressful job.  I didn't feel anxious and thought I was managing fine.  My dr tried to tell me it was my job and I didn't believe her.  After 6 month I quit my job and surprise surprise no more stomach issues.  Hopefully once the tests rule everything out you can relax.  The next step would be an elimination diet to see if you are sensitive to anything you are eating.  Hope you feel better!

[LindaRK]

I understand your doc wanting to rule everything out, but on the other hand - why isn't she communicating with you on this?  I always get frustrated when the docs don't talk to us.  You pay her bills - I'd be asking questions and more questions before I had any testing done.

IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion - that's a fact.  It's also known to be caused by stress.  You might want to talk to your doc about that - and learning to manage stress.  See if it helps.

[marc]

I have never had CT scans, but a number of MRI's.

[hypomom]

Oh this sounds like me at 19 years old. I had watery diarhea that lasted for a year, undigested food in it and a low grade fever. I had endoscopy, sigmod colonoscopy and then a full colonoscopy done. Blood work galore and was put in the hospital for 5 days. I lost so much weight I looked like a skeleton.
I was convinced I was dying. It was stress All tests came back normal and once I was told I was fine and they sent a psycologist in to my hospital room I FINALLY believed it (it took my doctor a while to realize it too, hence all the tests and hosptial admittance) all those ugly symptoms went away and I put weight back on.
Not saying this is you, i'm not a doctor. BUT all your tests are normal so far and it COULD be.... stress.

[hypomom]

By the way, when all other things are ruled out the standard dx is IBS. I think most IBS is BS! lol. Stress is just not fancy enough term I guess.

[marc]

If the doctor recommends the test, I would get it, especially if you are having bothersome symptoms.

[eddarun]

I just read that the cancer-influence of one CT scan of the entire abdomen equals 30 years of intesive smoking.   I´m not sure I´m willing to take that risk!

[Slangevar]

You have got to stop Googling.  That said, if you don't need a CT scan, don't get it.

[sassparella]

I just read that the cancer-influence of one CT scan of the entire abdomen equals 30 years of intesive smoking.   I´m not sure I´m willing to take that risk!

I don't know where you read that but that seems very excessive. I read it's something like an extra 0.01% for an abdo CT. I had a head, chest, abdo pelvis CT and numerous X-rays and on a calculator that came out at about 0.09% increased chance which is tiny. People get CT scans all the time, some people have to have them regularly. If the doctor thinks you need the scan then you should get it, but if it's a 'put your mind at rest' scan then it's up to you to decide.