allergic reation to CT contrast

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Hi, I just saw that i hadn't replied to this. I will email you tomorrow about some background information.

grace

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Terry HerbertSent: Friday, September 24, 2010 12:55 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: RE: Has anyone dealt with serious allergic reation to CT contrast

Why does your oncologist order so many CT scans for your husband?

Perhaps if you give us a bit more background information we might be able to make some suggestions.

All the best

Prostate men need enlightening, not frightening

Terry Herbert - diagnosed in 1996 and still going strong

Read A Strange Place for unbiased information at http://www.yananow.net/StrangePlace/index.html

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of GenieSent: Friday, 24 September 2010 4:57 PMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Has anyone dealt with serious allergic reation to CT contrast

I need help to understand what we can do in our particular situation.

My husband is allergic to the contrast dye in the CT scan. As he's done each CT scan he's getting more reaction to it. He's taking Prednisone the night before and the morning of plus another drug to combat the reaction. He does this only in a hospital setting because of the seriousness of his reaction. The Prednisone is not doing the job and we are very concerned. He is continuing to need monitoring after each CT scan as a doctor is called in because of his reaction to the contrast.

His oncologist will not allow an MRI instead. We didn't know how serious this could be until we consulted another oncologist who said he could actually die from the contrast at his level of reaction.

We are at a loss. We are at a facility where our medicare pays for the tests. His oncologist still will not allow any other method of testing.

Has anyone else dealt with this. I have to go back to our consultant and find out why he said he 'could' do an MRI instead and advised against another CT scan.

Is there something about an MRI that won't work? Why the insistance of the CT scan.

Any thoughts on this that I might take to our oncologist. I've had conversations with our doctor about this without any consideration of our concerns. I can not push this doctor more than I have, which is actually to explain how my husband feels and how the reactions are getting worse.

Is it money?

I do need information to bring to our doctor to see if we can budge the situation. It is the only time I've seen my husband emotional. He's very upbeat but knows this is detrimental to him in many ways...

thanks

grace