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Old 07-09-2009, 07:15 PM
 
Location: Yes
2,667 posts, read 6,750,792 times
Reputation: 908

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Not really I anything I can do now, but felt like getting opinions. I'm 29/m.

April 14th: My urologist had a CT scan done to check my kidneys. Everything was clear and good.

June 5th: I had what turned out to be an allergic reaction to something. But during the attack, the whole side of my face went numb. At the ER, they did a CT scan of my head to make sure I was not having a stroke.

June 19th: Was having severe heart palpitations, numbness, and chest pain. Go to a different ER and they run a CT scan of my chest. See a cardiologist the next day and my heart is fine. Turns out it was most likely heat + a severe anxiety attack (which I have never had in my life).

So that is three CT scans in the very recent past. Have I been exposed to too much radiation? Am I doomed to cancer 20-30 years from now? No use in worrying now, but am definitely up to discuss for minor calming purposes .

Hopefully I'm done with any other freak issues and will never have to have one done again. First time to a doctor or ER in a LONG time (years upon years) and it came in a quick shot of 3 crazy visits. I guess I can at least take comfort in that there is no cancer in my head, chest, or abdomen - thanks to CT scans for other issues lol. Oh yeh, I had laproscopic surgery 10 years ago in which radiation was used .
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Old 07-09-2009, 08:11 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, IN
914 posts, read 4,433,232 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oscottscotto View Post
So that is three CT scans in the very recent past. Have I been exposed to too much radiation? Am I doomed to cancer 20-30 years from now? No use in worrying now, but am definitely up to discuss for minor calming purposes .
You are most likely fine. When they talk about people who have problems because they are having too many CT scans, we are talking about many more than just 3, and over a period of time. If you kept this up, I would be worried, but right now it is very highly unlikely that these three CTs have done you any lasting harm.
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Old 07-10-2009, 12:59 PM
 
Location: New York
78 posts, read 227,086 times
Reputation: 83
Doctors have to weigh the risks vs the benefits before prescribing a CT and it sounds like the potential risks that needed to ruled out your case warranted the scans. Additionally, a lot of the CT radiation risk research (I'm not saying all of it) was done on cancer patients, because they receive ongoing follow-up scans to see whether their cancer is returning/progressing. The intent was to see whether more CT scans increased the risk of cancer returning - which it didn't always do - and the increase in risk of return varied in different studies from marginal to relevant. In other words, many of the studies on CT and cancer risk were done on people that already had cancer.

I don't know how true it is but I read once that the amount of radiation received during a CT scan is substantially less than what one receives on an average plane trip, yet people hop on planes left and right without giving it a second thought. You've probably received much more radiation in everyday life than from those scans but I understand your concern in terms of "why add to that"? I agree that it's advisable not to continue having them, but it sounds like they may have been necessary in your case. I wouldn't worry about it - especially because it doesn't help anyway. There are a lot of other areas that threaten health and well - being on an everyday basis that are much less obscure that CT scans; like food additives and preservatives, lifestyle, etc (Don't get me started...:-)

All the best to you.
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Old 07-10-2009, 01:08 PM
 
Location: New York
78 posts, read 227,086 times
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One more thing, don't forget the damage the stress of not knowing what your conditions were could have caused. With the scans you at least know that everything is okay and can have peace of mind. The Central Nervous System and the immune system have an inverse relationship. The more one is used, the less the other is so if you didn't have the scans and were stressing out over whether everything was okay, you'd depress your immune system.

Okay, I've belabored the point enough, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.
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Old 07-10-2009, 03:28 PM
 
48,505 posts, read 96,502,821 times
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They have to do the whole regiment in case you have something happen and sue;plian and simple. They have to have the every thing possible that is reasonable defense just in case. This is a trial lawyr society in many things ;especailly medicine.
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Old 11-06-2010, 06:18 PM
 
13 posts, read 78,945 times
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ive had 5 ctscans and is that bad please can some one help me
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Old 11-06-2010, 09:17 PM
 
Location: In the real world!
2,178 posts, read 9,550,479 times
Reputation: 2847
They had a thing on TV recently about CT scans, Mri's, and X-rays, they have discovered that it does raise the risk of thyroid cancer, I forget the percentage rate that it increases. But that can be avoided if you ask for a protective collar to wear that protects the thyroid. Most places that do them should have the collars if you ask for them.. I know with what I been going through recently I have had a MRI and a CT scan and have to have another MRI next month and on a regular schedule after that, I WILL be asking for that collar.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:29 PM
 
13 posts, read 78,945 times
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how many ct scans are safe to have
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Old 12-07-2010, 09:42 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, IN
914 posts, read 4,433,232 times
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Technically any exposure to radiation increases your risk of cancer, but we're also exposed to small amounts of radiation all the time. So yes, any CT scan is another exposure. But it also isn't something to get too concerned about unless you are having them on a regular basis over a period of time.

Jim, do you mean five over your lifetime? In that case, you are probably fine. Is this something that you are required to do on a regular basis?
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Old 12-08-2010, 04:16 PM
 
9,408 posts, read 13,694,606 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jillaceae View Post
Technically any exposure to radiation increases your risk of cancer, but we're also exposed to small amounts of radiation all the time. So yes, any CT scan is another exposure. But it also isn't something to get too concerned about unless you are having them on a regular basis over a period of time.

Jim, do you mean five over your lifetime? In that case, you are probably fine. Is this something that you are required to do on a regular basis?
Sorry, that is simply not true.

How Dangerous Are CT Scans? - TIME

New Focus on Dangers of CT Scans - CBS Evening News - CBS News

New Campaign to Curb Radiation From CT Scans

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/496297

Ample evidence to suggest the risk of CT scans is very real. Because of a lack of long term research it is unknown how many CTs one can have in their lifetime.
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