8 Tips to Help with Scanxiety, from a Cancer Survivor

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Key Takeaways

• Share with your friends!69SHARESFacebook69PinterestMessengerWhatsAppEmailShareFlipboardRedditSMSX This is a refreshed post from a couple yea...
• I was introduced to a new term recently - scanxiety.
•  Though not a new concept, the word was new to me.

Share with your friends!69SHARESFacebook69PinterestMessengerWhatsAppEmailShareFlipboardRedditSMSX

This is a refreshed post from a couple years ago.

I was introduced to a new term recently - scanxiety.  Though not a new concept, the word was new to me.  The term was brought up at a cancer support group.

Scanxiety refers to anxiety before, during, and after medical scans.  

Technically, it could apply to anyone with health issues.  But, as cancer survivors, we know firsthand the anxiety that comes with awaiting text results.

Luckily, I have some tips to cope with scanxiety.

In this post, I will explain what scanxiety is and offer some simple approaches to reducing the anxiety surrounding medical tests.

Table of Contents

• What is Scanxiety?
• Now that you know what scanxiety is, what can you do about it?
• 8 Simple Tips to Cope with Scanxiety by a Cancer Survivor
• 8 Tips to Cope with Scanxiety by a Cancer Survivor
• Next Up From ChaChingQueen

What is Scanxiety?

Still, almost seven years after my cancer diagnosis, I get scanxiety.  I get scans every six months.  Scanxiety starts rearing its ugly head as I get closer to the scan date.

By the day of the scan, I am jittery, irritable, crabby, and restless.  

I was so jittery during an MRI, the tech suggested I take a sedative the next time I need an MRI.  The MRI was blurry and they were barely able to read it.

Until I receive the final scan results, the symptoms continue.  Before I get my test results, my scanxiety is horrible every time the phone rings.

Before I see the caller ID, my heart starts beating quickly.  If it happens to be the doctor’s office, forget about it.  

It can take hours to come down from that scanxiety high.  I have a whole post about Phone Call Stress - Awaiting Test Results After a Cancer Diagnosis.

This picture was taken a few months after finishing chemo for breast cancer.

Now that you know what scanxiety is, what can you do about it?

I spend a lot of time with other breast cancer survivors.  Although it is a club no one ever wants to belong to, once you are in, the breast cancer sisterhood can be a wonderful, supportive, group.

We commiserate, encourage, celebrate, and share tips and suggestions with each other.  

After a group discussion, I decided to write a post on tips to cope with scanxiety to help other cancer survivors with anxiety before, during, and after scans.

We’ve turned our best tips into quick-read books, and we’re publishing new ones every week. See the full collection here: amazon.com/author/chachingqueen.

8 Simple Tips to Cope with Scanxiety by a Cancer Survivor

8 Tips to Cope with Scanxiety by a Cancer Survivor

Scanxiety is the anxiety surrounding medical tests and scans. There are practical some tips to help you cope scanxiety. Print Recipe Pin Recipe 30 minutes minsTotal Time 30 minutes mins

Equipment

• items to help you relax
• medication

Ingredients  

• Relaxation tools

Instructions 

• Go to your Happy Place: literally or figuratively
• Learn: Knowing is half the battle
• Exercise
• Relax
• Accept
• Be Prepared
• Help Others
• Medicate

1. Go to your Happy Place - literally or figuratively

Take your mind off your scanxiety by doing something you love or going to your happy place.   Listen to music, treat yourself to a drink (coffee, wine, beer, whatever), visit with friends, or whatever else makes you happy.

For me, I love being outside.  I find walking around the lake or taking a hike gets my mind off of things.

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  Final Thoughts

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  Originally published at chachingqueen.com.