CT scan, now received appointment with breast surgeon - terrified!

[Worridoncemore]

Apologies, I posted about this on women's health bit no reply and am spiralling!

I had a CT scan 5 weeks ago and have been chasing up the results. Finally told by GP receptionist a couple of days ago that hospital were emailing report to GP and that I should wait a couple of days for them to receive it before making an appointment to discuss results. Then, this morning, I receive an appointment for a "follow up" with a doctor in the breast clinic so now I'm panicking.

Ironically, I was at the breast clinic just 8 weeks ago, 3 weeks before the ct scan, and told my breasts were normal (mammogram & ultrasound). There was no talk of needing a follow up appointment so can only think related to the ct scan. Surely something couldn't have changed in just 3 weeks! I'm aware I have a cyst and a few hormonal lumps. Could that be what the ct saw but can't differentiate them like a mammogram can? That's what I'm hoping.

I will phone GP/ hospital on Monday to find out what's going on but any words of reassurance to get me though the weekend appreciated. I have crippling health anxiety hence these investigations which is now through the roof!

I'm also really upset about the poor communication that has added to my anxiety. It wasn't even clear why I needed the ct (tried finding out but no one knew!). The appointment was sent to me unexpectedly after a trip to A&E for sudden, unexplained bruising. This was almost certainly caused by the Sertraline I was taking for my health anxiety but ended up making it MUCH worse!

Thanks in advance x

I would add the appointment is next week, so the urgency worries me.

If there was anything serious on the CT scan you'd have been called back in within days not 5 weeks.
Breast cancer (I assume that's what you are worried about?) is diagnosed by mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. Not CT scan.

They have obviously forgotten to give you the standard six week follow up appointment. Nothing to worry about, it's standard. If however there was cancer, you'd have known within days of CT.

@Katya213 thanks, but why is it with the breast clinic? That wasn't why I had the scan (in fact I'm not sure what the scan was looking for but certainly nothing to do with breasts!).

First thing is first. If there was cancer on that CT, you would've heard a couple of days after, informing you to come on, you would've had surgery by now with radio or chemo therapy. So get this out of your head. A and e would not request a CT for you as an outpatient especially not for bruising. Did you attend any other GP or hospital appointment?

@Katya213 No , I've not been anywhere or had anything that would necessitate a ct scan. The appointment came through two days after being discharged from a&e so assumed it was them. They did find a trace of blood in urine but said it was probably because period was due (started next day). They said if it didn't start soon to get gp to re-check urine, certainly no mention of ct scan! I assumed a different doctor reviewed my case after I left as doctor I saw seemed quite junior. and ordered it. GP definitely didn't request it they had no idea either. As I said I was at breast clinic 8 weeks ago but mammogram & ultrasound all normal so no need for follow up appointment for that. It's a mystery, a very stressful one!

Don't stress, I think there's a mix up.x

@Katya213 very poor if there has been, the stress it's causing me. Either way, I do think I have cause to complain about their communication. I jump everytime my phone beeps in case it's another unexpected appointment. I'm due to go on holiday soon and don't feel I can go with this hanging over me so want answers before I do.

First things first. Phone the breast clinic, ask them why they want to see you, is it to do with a CT you had? Second, phone a and e, explain you were there on such a date and why you were referred for a CT, they will have it on computer. Also phone GP on Monday and ask for the report on CT scan.

Thanks will be doing all that. They have ruined my weekend and I will have take time out of work to make the calls - it takes an age to get through to the GP. I find calling them so stressful.

@Katya213 you were right - it was a mistake!!!

Spoke to breast clinic. Turns out it was the breast doctor I saw who gave me the all clear who ordered the ct. It wasn't meant for me at all, but the lady after me to find out if her cancer had spread😪The "follow up" appointment was for him to explain & apologise. Nothing was found on the scan at all.

As I ended up in a&e next day I assumed it was them. My GP (who was visibly shocked when I told her) said a&e would never order a ct scan (as you rightly said) and certainly not for that. She wants me to do another urine sample to be sure as a ct wouldn't necessarily show bladder issues apparently, so just one more little hurdle to get over.

While I'm hugely relieved, I'm also angry that his mistake has cost me the best part of 2 months of stress and anxiety and exposed me to unnecessary radiation. Plus the scan took place on my birthday! A friend suggested I complain to PALS but I'm torn as anyone can make a mistake and he clearly feels bad about it....

Yes Anybody can make a mistake. I work with doctors every day and I guarantee that when a report came back for you and he realised what he'd done that he will have felt utterly stricken. They always do. I've never, in twenty plus years, seen a doctor make a mistake and shrug it off.
Obvs the extra radiation isn't ideal but it won't impact your life. You could suggest they could do a preemptive call to allay worry before just giving you an appointment but then I'd try and let it go. You are ok. They've got more of an issue with the poor soul who hasn't had her cancer situation checked for two months.

@Northernlurker I know. Hopefully, the lady was at least told she was getting a scan and chased it up when the appointment didn't arrive. I remember the lady as I was chatting to her, we were the last 2 left in the waiting room at the end of a long day. I hope she's ok x

Thank god you got to the bottom of this mess but you are right, it’s human error and they should learn from that.

I have had a chance to think about this and now it all makes sense. Breast doctor wouldn't have known I'd been to a&e or anywhere else so would've assumed I knew it was him who ordered the scan and perhaps thought it was routine so would've been expecting a follow up appointment to get the results. Had it not been for the a&e trip I would've absolutely been querying the need for the scan as I know that's not routine especially after a clear mammogram & ultrasound, but maybe he thought I was a bit dim!

While it's not great he made the error, my health anxiety is more than partly responsible for this unfortunate chain of events as if it weren't for that I would never have been on Sertraline so wouldn't have got the bad reaction and ended up in a&e and I wouldn't have been at the breast clinic either (that was a reassurance trip as deep down I knew there was nothing wrong with my breasts).

While I'm still traumatised by the whole experience, I need to learn from it and maybe cbt will help me. Therefore, I won't be complaining.

Just the urine test to get through now - again something I would never have known about if it weren't for damn health anxiety!

Afraid this should be reported to the radiology department who can, and will investigate it further.

IMER regulations are fastidious for a reason, there needs to be a process to ensure this doesn't happen again - not only have you had a radiation dose you didn't need (the risk to you individually is actually very low), but somebody else will have had a time critical scan delayed.

Had breast cancer 6 years ago: never had a CT. Think there’s been some sort of mistake.

I've now spoken to the doctor concerned, he was very apologetic, actually felt a bit sorry for him. He assured me the lady concerned got her scan. While I'm still upset that I had to go through all that at least I got a full MOT which is reassuring I guess.