Scanxiety On My Mind
5 Ways to Manage Scanxiety
It is one of the most basic parts of treatment but can be the most anxiety-inducing element. Pey has her MRI this week and I couldn't be more freaked out as my "Scanxiety" rises. The interesting thing about what is often referred to as "Scanxiety" is not so much the stress of before, during, or after scans but the anxiety surrounding the results. The lead-up to Pey's scans are always the worst for me. I don't stress about the actual MRI but what the results will be. Over the past year with several MRIs under our belt, the stress hasn't let up. In the past, I've struggled with controlling my anxiety starting weeks prior. Now I've gotten to the point where the anxiety increases the week before. I wonder whether the news will be good or bad? Will our treatment plan have to change? If it's not good, will we have to get inpatient treatment again? Or will we be sent off somewhere for some exclusive treatment protocol? I notice the crazy in those worries. I recognize that I am getting way way way ahead of myself, but I can't stop. Sometimes the anxiety is so bad my hands tremor, I can barely eat, and I hardly sleep. So I consciously make an effort to manage my anxiety.
As scanxiety has been on my mind and intending to write about it, I was interested in looking for published studies on the topic. There have been many studies on scanxiety in different cancer realms. One article I found, tried to consolidate the data to see what the research on scanxiety was showing. However, there was little research available on proven interventions to manage it. They focused on meditation, distraction, education, and massage. Not surprisingly, massage was one of the only interventions mentioned that demonstrated an improvement. What was also nice to see, at least for me, was the fact that age, gender, and ethnicity did not correlate with perceived scanxiety.
Since it is so important to manage our scanxiety, I've listed my top 5 ways to manage it. May it be giving yourself some leeway on what you usually accomplish in a day, sharing your feelings, or preparing for it.
1. Make Small Goals
When my anxiety is hard to handle everything seems overwhelming. So I try to set myself small reasonable goals of what I need to accomplish for the day. It may be that besides the basics of caring for my kids and house, I'll start laundry or wash dishes. The house may not be perfect and that's ok. If I complete these small goals then the day is a win.
2. Talk It Out
Talk to someone you trust. Your partner, friend, family member, or therapist. Sometimes just airing out those feelings can help relieve some of the built-up anxiety you may be feeling. For me sometimes just crying out my fears or even getting a hug makes me feel better.
3. Plan Your Result Follow-up
When you know when your child's scan is figure out a day with their Oncologist to get the results. The doctor will have a better idea of when to expect to see the final report. Also, some doctors are more comfortable looking at the scans and having an idea of the results than others. Our Oncologist usually tells us what he sees with the caveat that the radiologists will be doing a more thorough look. He does this whether it is good news or bad. We usually decide to speak with him the following day. Most of the time, like the saying, says "No news is good news." Although it doesn't make us feel better as well as discussing the results would.
4. Distract Yourself
I like mindless activities to busy myself when my anxiety is out of hand. My mind is already working a mile a minute so focusing on something that I don't have to make real decisions about. I bake a treat, go through my children's clothes to catch things they've outgrown, color, or play games with Big Sis. If I'm being totally honest I have found myself obsessively cleaning my kitchen to the point that I'm not ok with anyone touching anything in there. A glass of wine might be involved in that process too. Find something that works for you to release some of the pent-up energy. Go for a walk, meditate, listen to a podcast, whatever floats your boat.
5. Educate Yourself and Your Child
If your scanxiety stems from the unknown of the scan, what it will involve for your child, or your child is worried, find out more about it. There is plenty of information on children's hospital websites that will explain the scans. Websites like the Imaginary Friend Society have child-appropriate videos on each of the major scans. Also, reach out to the Child Life Specialist so they can talk it over with your child and prep them. Hopefully, seeing your child more relaxed will help ease some of your stress and anxiety as well.
I hope you recognize that scanxiety is normal. We have all suffered from it at one time or another. It will always be a part of our journey with cancer because our children will need scans, probably, for the rest of their lives. I have had parents tell me that even 5 to 10 years later when new evidence of disease would be rare and their children are considered "cured," they still worry about the results of the scans. All we can do is get ourselves through it and manage the best we can. Then repeat next time. Leave comments below on how you manage your scanxiety.
“Scanxiety: a scoping review about scan-associated anxiety”-Article can be found by clicking here.
