Crissy Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Recent x-rays showed some degeneration in the vertebra of my lower back (no wonder it hurts!), and my doctor has ordered a bone scan to 'look for hot spots'. I have a two-part appointment on Wednesday. First for an injection of a radioactive agent (EEEK!) and the second two and a half hours later for imaging. Is it painful? Will I be limited in what I am able to do between appointments? Will I be glowing? I have a date later that evening! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I can only speak from experience with bone scans and horses but I don't believe it is that painful although the drug they inject may cause a slight burning sensation depending on what they are using. The scan itself is non-invasive so therefore non-painful except you may have to keep one position for a time. The tricky part is any related "quarantine" afterward due to the radioactivity. For horses, again, I realize you are not one but some principles are the same, we isolated them for 72 hours before they could return to their home. There may be some restrictions about being around children again, depending on the radioactive compound they choose. I would ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 It didn't hurt. I think he was almost 4 at the time. It was on his lower back and legs. We went in, they gave him the radioactive stuff, and then we left the hospital and went to the grocery store and came home to show his brothers his IV (they gave him an IV because of his age--they thought they might need to sedate him since you have to hold still, but in the end that was unnecessary). He didn't glow, but if I remember right, they did give me a paper to explain his radioactiveness in case we had to go to the airport or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Will I be glowing? I have a date later that evening! :D You already glow, my dear!! I'm so sorry about your back. I hope they can find and fix the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I've had a bone scan of my entire body. They are very, very easy. First, the nurse injected the stuff into my arm. I don't remember it burning or anything. Then I just left the hospital for about 3 hours (I went shopping) while the stuff went to all the places in my body that it was supposed to. But I didn't feel it going there. During a cat scan, you can feel the dye moving through. I was totally unaware of the movement of this stuff. Finally, I went back and they had me lie down on a narrow bed while a scanner thingy passed over me. It didn't touch me, just kind of hovered over me and slowly passed over my whole body. It took awhile, but I was able to see a screen which outlined all my bones as it registered them. I don't know if it was my actual bones, or a monitor just showing generic progress. It is not a hard test. Really-the needle stick is the worst part! lol. You won't glow. I think they told me it would take an hour, or maybe a few hours for all the radioactive stuff to be excreted in my urine. No big dea. Feel free to ask me any questions. I don't remember having any limations whatsoever during the wait time. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 . I think they told me it would take an hour, or maybe a few hours for all the radioactive stuff to be excreted in my urine. Feel free to ask me any questions. Tracy Well - it the pee glow???? :D You knew someone was going to ask that, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Well - it the pee glow???? :D You knew someone was going to ask that, right? Lol. Nope. It is a very uneventful test. Very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thank you, everyone. I am feeling much better about my appointment! Tracy, I'm all for uneventful when it comes to hospital visits! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thank you, everyone. I am feeling much better about my appointment! Tracy, I'm all for uneventful when it comes to hospital visits! :D Me too! Don't worry about this one--you'll be fine. Now a gall bladder test--oh dear. That was rough:blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I had terrible pain in my ribs that couldn't be explained. The bone scan definitely explained the pain, I had two broken ribs on my right side. We never did figure out how the ribs broke, the only explanation even plausible was that I coughed or sneezed and they broke. Anyway, the radioactive stuff did burn somewhat going in, but not horribly. I had a couple hours in between getting the injection and doing the scan. I don't recall any special precautions afterwards, I just went home. No, I didnt' glow anymore than usual, at least not that I noticed! Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Well - it the pee glow???? :D You knew someone was going to ask that, right? This reminds me of when I had my scan for big snotball tumor a couple of years ago. (Y'all remember that right? I whined about it for months) Anyway they injected a dye into me to see the ovaries better. This dye they inject makes you feel as if you have peed your pants. I promise, it does. You don't feel like you are about to wet your pants, you feel like you already did. When the scan was over and I got up I was checking the back of my pants for a wet spot and trying to think how to back out of the room gracefully. Fortunately I was dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 This reminds me of when I had my scan for big snotball tumor a couple of years ago. (Y'all remember that right? I whined about it for months) I do remember that. It was a scary time. This dye they inject makes you feel as if you have peed your pants. My grandmother had something similar when they first discovered her cancer. She said she'd have preferred pain to the feeling of complete incontinence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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