Can I drive home (3 hours) after a PET scan? What to expect?

PET scan doesn’t require sedation. You will get a dye injection, but that shouldn’t make you sick. If you are well enough to drive in general, you will be fine driving home from your appointment.

Agree with "alive". If you're at all claustrophobic keep your eyes closed during the scan. It helps me alot. If you're a little emotional after the scan for whatever reason just hang out in the waiting area a little while, get a coffee or tea and relax. Oh, it's not uncomfortable.

@randman Ok sounds good. Just for my own information, what does the Pet scan tell the doctors? Where the MDS is at? How bad the MDS is? Life expectancy? Which bones have the MDS? or?? Sorry there are so many questions, but this is all new to me. Can't help but be concerned.

I have had several. You should be fine driving home. I typically plan to nap as much as possible:) If ordered with contrast, they will start an IV, then midway thru, they will inject a substance and then continue with scan. If anything- you might feel a little tired from laying so long. Get something to drink and maybe a snack before you drive home. PET scans are good, they show what's going on with your bones. My last one showed compression fxs in my back so they are going to"concrete'those to hopefully help with my pain. Also showed broken ribs but I don't think they are going to do anything about that. My cancer is in remission, so no hot? Spots showed up this time. I hope all goes smoothly for you!

twitt1949, I have had several and am always in awe when I see the results. This type of imaging shows so much. If you are anxious, as I think most of us are before the first one, ask if there is something they can give you to relax. You can ask to play your favorite genre of music during the scan. Keep your eyes closed if close spaces are a problem. There is sufficient air around you so there is no need to feel like you are suffocating. It doesn't take long. Some 15 or 20 minutes. Mine took about 45 minutes. They are in constant communication with you. Driving afterwards is no problem. It definitely does not hurt. I asked for a pillow for under my neck, which they readily obliged. You will be strapped in to make sure you remain still but not so restrictive that you feel like you can't move. For mine, I was supposed to keep my arms above my head. I have a pinched nerve in my neck that makes it very difficult for me to keep my arms up. They allowed me to keep my arms at my side as long as I did not move them. The bottom line is that it is very normal to feel a bit anxious about having one of these done but there is nothing to worry about. It will be worth it when your doctor and you can see the results. Best of luck to you.

Tomorrows the day for my pet scan. I have to say, it is so good talking to people that know first hand about something. I love it here. Thanks all!

@twitt1949 I’m so glad you are able to talk to our group members. There are some fine ones who are so helpful. Good luck!
Patty

@twitt1949

By the way, I've never been strapped in and I've had over a half dozen Petscans.

@twitt1949 Good luck tomorrow! I've not had a PET scan, but I have been in many "tubes" for plenty of spine MRI's or abdominal/pelvic CTs. I almost love the experience. I go into a Zen-ish state and get totally relaxed. This is not because I practice meditation or am trained to do this. Not at all! It's more like there is-nothing-to-do and no-place-to-go.
Oddly, I am now finding bone marrow biopsies to be similar. (I hesitate to say this because so many people hate them. So I apologize in advance.) Maybe I have lucked out with a really talented doctor: no pain (too numb). So I lie down and I quite relax. Weird, I suspect.
But I have a question. I have AML. And probably had undiagnosed MDS for a long time (low RBCs, chronic dyspnea, severe altitude problems with NO ability to adjust over time). Why have most of you gotten PET scans? How standard is that? I have severe spine problems (F; 78 y.o.) and untreated osteopenia (or osteoporosis?). Plus constant back pain and occas. new rib pain. My bone "demineralization" gets mentioned on Xrays and CTs. But no one has requested a PET scan. (BTW, NSAIDs, Tylenol, and even ASA are now forbidden rx due to neutropenia form AML. Thus no pain meds....)
Any thoughts?

Well I had my pet scan today and it was a piece of cake. No problems, I didn't feel anything but the needle prick but it wasn't bad, not worse than getting a shot. The nuclear solution was nothing at all. Couldn't even feel it. They did let me put my arms by my side while in the scaner machine. No results yet.