Worried about my wife

Hi

i guess like many this is a difficult thing to write, but I’m very worried about my wife. She has been having hip pain for a quite a few months and recently the Doctors decieded to do a X-ray to look for arthritis. However the X-ray  came back with a shadow on it so they wanted to repeat the X-ray. The second one also came back with a shadow so they called her in to the GPS on Monday just gone. They told her that they wanted a bone isotope scan to rule out bone cancer on her pelvis. Anyway they rang today and she is going for the scan tomorrow. She is otherwise well, no lumps, or other worrying symptoms but they are obviously moving quickly so this is adding to my worry. Adding to our concerns is we are supposed to going on a trip of a lifetime to Orlando and a weeks Caribbean cruise in a months time.

i can’t help but be worried for my wife and don’t know how to handle the situation.

 

 

  • hi

    sorry to hear this, and it is not a nice thing to have to go through. However - The NHS are so cautious and are always looking to rule cancer out. In my experience many people go down this urgent route and it turns out to be something and nothing. (From experience ) literally weeks of waiting and tests and more tests to be told oh it’s a cyst and it’s begnin

    The shadow may literally be inflammation on her bone because of a type of bone disease totally unrelated to cancer . It could be a cyst and I’m sure a lot of other things . Cancer develops slowly and it’s a positive sign your wife has no other symptoms . Try not to worry and accept that 9 out of 10 people who have had suspected cancer referrals do not have cancer .  

    X

    H

  • Thank you for your very kind words. Intellectually my brain knows that the odds are in our favour.....however emotionally the same cannot be said. I just wish I could be as calm as my wife seems to be. I’m supposed to be strong for her, not the other way around.

  • Hi Gemmaj106 - I found this answer to Mondas42 to be very reassuring and helpful to me - thank you.  Although my symptoms are totally different - I have had a swollen lymph node in my neck for about 6 weeks & a scan showed 'cause for concern'.  Now waiting for ENT + biopsy on Monday.  Your choice of words here have raised my spirits a little as I'm sure they will have done for others reading your comments.  Thank you again.  I am finding this site a place I can go to during the waiting for reults.very comforting & supportive.  Thank you again. x

  • hi there 

     

    oh I’m glad that’s made you feel a little better. I had to respond because you mentioned the swollen lymph nodes. This is what happened in my experience! The alarm bells were ringing for the doctors and they ordered every test under the sun on an urgent pathway. We were so shocked. Anyway cut a long story short .........it was nothing .... literally nothing. Swollen lymph nodes and that’s that ! Been there months and continue to do so. Did you know that you can just have swollen lymph nodes ? Please don’t worry 

  • Oh thank you once again for your comforting reply.  I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate this.  I coudn't take everything in the GP said on the day but it is 'swollen in the lymph node area' so I am taking it as swollen lymph nodes/glands.  It is showing as a considerablly sized lump on my neck.  It was the fact she said 'it gives cause for concern' that worries me.  Those words.  I have the ENT on Monday plus a biopsy.  I feel absolutley fine - with no symptoms.  Thank you so much again - your words will see me through to Monday.  I've had such comfort from this site in just a few days.

  • Hello again Gemma - sorry to be a nuisance.  Can I ask was the lump on your neck prominent?  Mine is.  Was yours painful?  Mine isn't.  Did you say you still have it.  Sorry to be asking - but it's just that I am feeling quite heartened by your reply.  Thank you x

  • hi

     

    no problem. Lumps in neck and swollen lymph nodes. Turned out all to be swollen lymph nodes and when the specialist assessed he took one look and said yep definitely not cancerous and they will be there for a long tine. No biopsy even needed. All the scans clear and other tests. NHS is a panic system and too much worrying ! Enjoy yourself and be assured x

     

    no pain but weight loss and was all put down to stress. 

  • Thank you Gemma - I appreciate you answering.  Unfortunatley my scan showed up as 'cause for concern'.  Also since my last post earlier today my GP has just phoned with more alarm bells ringing with what he said.  I think I'll create a new post Gemma so as perhaps my mood can be lifted a little again.  I have been uplifted by some of the comments on here only for them to sink so low again after the GP's call.  Thank you again x

  • Hi 

     

    I have another question if you don’t mind. As mentioned in the first post my wife is been checked over for bone cancer. She had her bone isotope scan on Friday just gone and we are nervously awaiting the results. However I’ve read online (yes I know) that a bone isotope scan is not used for diagnosing but for grading the cancer. Does that mean she definitely has cancer and they are looking for the extent? This in not what we were told by our GP, but now confused. 

     

    Also, I know most bone cancers tend to be secondary. Does this also mean she has cancer elsewhere? She is otherwise fit and healthy.

     

    thanks

     

    M

     

  • Hello

     

    All what u say above is pretty standard ... yup that’s what they usually do. They do every test under the sun that would be able to ‘diagnose and grade’ possible unknown things. The multi disciplinary team use all the sources of information from the various tests to diagnose and grade. However only 1 in 10 of these people put through this come out with the diagnosis and grading. If no cancer is found on all these tests (even the diagnostic and grading test) they just interpret the results as ‘all clear’ again this is the NHS’ way of ensuring no one is missed and that the diagnosis of cancer is quick as possible which unfortunately means people without cancer and sent for all these different tests.  The 9 people who turn out not to have cancer are then back to square one of other less serious things this issue could be and usually the docs have a diagnosis. For example- cyst / arthritis etc and I breather a sigh of relief and take this as a health scare. So please be assured that it’s standard and normal. Again speaking from experience. So no it doesn’t mean your wife has cancer , it means the nhs are following procedures and guidelines set out to them . Bone cancer isn’t always secondary and if they suspected a bone cancer that was secondary they would be sending wife for MRI scans, variety of blood tests  and ultrasounds to pinpoint the initial cancer  from what I read I’d say that it’s unlikely! Also a friend of mine was diagnosed with blood cancer and once a blood test was done (in hospital there and then) 2 hours later a doctor came to her door to deliver the news and rang the ambulance to take her to hospital to being treatment  no news is good news but I suppose different NHS folk and branches so to speak have different ways of delivering news  

    update us when you have all results in. Don’t panic and it may be an uplifting thing for you to have a look at the video case studies on here where people have been diagnosed with cancer but with treatments given the all clear. :)