Hi all,

Anybody know whether a patient should stop taking Salagen before a PET scan? My husband is due for PET next Tuesday and I can't get any of his providers on the phone right now to ask this question. Seems that since pilocarpine "stimulates" the salivary glands, it might not be a good thing to take before the scan. Any thoughts out there? Thanks!

What advice have they given you before the scan? There are a number of things you are not supposed to eat within 24 hours before scan -- e.g. foods high in carbohydrates and sugar, caffeine and other things -- and you are also not supposed to exercise strenously. No food of any sort within 6 hours of the scan, only water. If you take meds, they must be taken with water. The idea is to be glucose-depleted the mornng of the scan so that the cancer cells take up the radioactively-labeled glucose and thus show up during the scan.

We were given a list of things to do (and not do) -- however that did NOT excluse his taking his Evoxac (newer but similar type of drug as Salagen). My husband took his Evoxac before both his scans. (Which came out fine.)

Gail

Thanks so much for the quick reply, Gail. Yes, we got a list of things to do and not do just as you described, but we hadn't thought about the Salagen until after leaving the appointment and by the time I thought to call the office and ask, it was too late. I just knew I could turn to the boards and find some good advice for knowledgeable people like you! It's good to know your husband took Evoxac before his scans without any problems - that is reassuring that Mike is probably just fine taking his Salagen over the weekend.

By the way - what does your husband think of the Evoxac? I hadn't heard of that particular drug before.

-Tricica