Bone Scan - February 4th

So this test was all set out really fast!  I saw my GP on Thursday afternoon, got a call Friday for an apt and was in for the test Monday morning.  I touched on this in my post about going to my GP, my rheumy had a handful of tests that he liked repeating on a consistant basis (bone scan, dexa scan, neck x-rays/MRI's and lots of different blood work).  Mainly his goal (which I loved!) was to look for problems before they started. This is how we found out about the osteoporosis so quickly.  He believed that we knew what was going to occur in the future (osteoporosis, auto-immune problems, disc changes in my neck) and it was better to have a base line test and keep a close watch to see if anything started to show changes.  At this point I had not had a bone scan* different test that I always make sure that for any type of scan I wear yoga pants & a sports bra so that there is absolutely nothing metallic that can interfere (I haven't had to put on a hospital gown in years :D). So I go into the room and already know that something is different this time as instead of just sitting in a chair she has me get up on the bed and get all comfy with pillows and supports and stuff. Once I am comfortable she then brings out the metal case with the dye in it. I give her the 'my veins are...' spiel so she says she will put in an IV start first and then put the dye through that.  She used the vein on the back of my right hand and got it in on the very first try!!  She then starts up the machine and explains to me that this first test will show if there is any blood pooling in areas of the body.  It was a short test maybe 15 minutes and then I was on my way for the next few hours.  Thankfully she told me that I was to be back at 1pm instead of the 4pm time slot I was initially given!

We did our normal thing, went out and got some breakfast at McD's (I love their hash browns and their egg McMuffins remind me of my times at university. I only get this 'meal' if I have early morning doctor's appointments / tests).  We did some shopping and just killing time, all the while I had a bottle of water with me and I had to have drank at least 1.5 liters before going back to the hospital! (They want you to drink lots so the dye gets circulated through your body)

We got back to the hospital and I was taken right into the scan room.  She got me up and comfy on the bed and we discussed that I had EDS and what areas I am having problems with (ugh, everything!!!) and which injuries I have had (dislocations / sprains etc).  I had been concerned as I figured my GP would have ordered just the normal scan where my old rheumy would always ask specifically for hand and wrist scans as well.  I had nothing to be concerned about!  All in all she did seven separate scans. 1) Full Body; 2) Ankles; 3) Feet; 4) Neck & Head - right view; 5) Neck & Head - left view; 6) Left Elbow & Wrist; 7) Right Elbow & Wrist.

We were all done and out of the hospital a little over an hour later with the 'warning' that I was not allowed to leave the country for 72 hours lol (That part always freaks me out a bit, but also is quite funny). I was quite achey for a few days afterwards but that could have been from the dye, the increased pain from lying still so long or a combination of the two but keeping on top of things definitely over ranks a few achey days!

* There are two types of bone scans, ones that just take pictures a few hours later or the three phase one that I had. According to Wikipedia the three phase test is for:

"If the physician wants to evaluate for osteomyelitis (bone infection) or fractures, then a Three Phase/Triphasic Bone Scan is performed where 20-30 minutes of images (1st and 2nd Phases) are taken during the initial injection. The patient then returns in 2-3 hours for additional images (3rd Phase)."