what to expect on your first visit with onc

I wish I knew
I don't really know what to tell you. On my first visit, in my ignorance, I really expected him to say, "you don't need chemo. Have a good life".

Of course, he didn't. Just be prepared for whatever he says and know that he has your best interest at heart. Let us know how it turns out.

cindycflynn said:

Welcome grandmasueb
But sorry for the reason you are joining this group.

One thing I would recommend is taking somebody with you for your first visit. If that's not an option for you, take a notepad or tape recorder. There will be so much information to absorb, it's almost impossible to remember it all afterwards.

There are lists of things to ask your doctor, but right now I don't remember where I found them before. Perhaps someone else will post this, or you could do a search of previous discussions, because I'm sure I've seed the link here before. If you have questions in your mind now, write them down and take the list of questions with you.

Since your lymph nodes were positive, your doctor will probably be discussing chemo with you. There is also a lot of good information about that on the ACS website, and other websites as well. Do be cautious when searching the web for information. Stick to reputable websites and avoid those trying to sell something.

This discussion board is a great resource, with lots of women and some men who have already gone through this journey, or are going through it now. Feel free to come here and ask advice, share information, or just vent.

Take care,
Cindy

Prepare to be Overwhelmed
Welcome to the board - sorry you are here but there is so much info and great people who have been thru it all. The advice is good to take someone with you for your visit. You will be overwhelmed with info and you're probably still going to be in shock over the whole dx so it's even harder to take in all the info. A note pad is essential. I was refered for a CT scan and a bone scan and then my oncologist recommended that I do the OxcoType test to see how likely I was to have a recurrance. Then there was the clinical trial issue that she encouraged me to do in case my insurance didn't pay for the pricey test(the insurance did). So after the first visit I still had no idea about treatments and my head was spinning. Had to wait another 2-3 weeks for the next appointment - at that point she had the results from the tests I mentioned and since I had had a masectomy and a low recurrance, I started on Femara but am now on Tamox. Things may have changed somewhat in the two years since my dx. Good luck with your treatment.

My first visit
Things seem to have happened very fast for you...I'll bet your head is still spinning. Mine was. I took advantage of the book my surgeon gave me (a publication called "Straight Talk About Breast Cancer" provided by my state's Women's Cancer Network) to do some research while I was recuperating from surgery. Your doctor probably gave you at least one book, maybe the ACS "Breast Cancer Clear & Simple."

You didn't mention what type of oncologist you're going to see. I first visited a radiation oncologist (before my surgery, to see if I would be a candidate for accelerated internal radiation). All we did was talk about the procedure, in detail. I was told I didn't need to make a decision right away but I did anyway because I had enough information :-)

After surgery and radiation, I went to see a medical oncologist. Just before my appointment, I had some blood drawn for tests the oncologist needed. My appointment with the oncologist was scheduled for an hour, and the doctor took the entire time to explain things in detail and make sure I understood everything. We talked about chemo and long-term medication and my odds of recurrence. Again, I had enough information to make my decisions right away. Your mileage may vary :-)

grandmasueb said:

Thank you for all your
Thank you for all your responses the first visit is over. I have an awsome Onc, Now I have to get ct scan and bone scan next week. I have stage 2 breast cancer with one positive node which they remove several.The onc said i was cancer free but still have to do the scans to check for it eleswhere. I have to make a decision about doing the clinical trail chemo or not.I am a little confused on or what is the difference, Has anyone taken the clincal trial and if so what is the difference between clinical testing and just the chemp the onc prescribed.

Hi Grandmasue, Glad to hear
Hi Grandmasue, Glad to hear you have a great onc. I also have a great onc and she ran a lot of tests on me to find out what was going on. I tested low on the oncotype test and she decided not to put me on chemo, so I've been on Femara for the past several months to shrink the 3 tumors I have. I am stage 2, estrogen positive and lymph nodes involvement. Will be having a masectomy in April, then radiation. I was going to go into a clinical trial but when they found out I hadn't had surgery, I didn't fit the protocols. There are others here who may have been in the clinical trials that may be able to help you. Just be sure and have your onc explain it all to you so you will be well informed. Keep posting and let us know how you're doing.

What to expect on your first visit with onc
Hi,
I saw my Surgeon first then my Oncologist and we discussed different kinds of chemo treatments, what she recommended, how the chemo may react during the time frame that it was introduced to me, hair loss, wearing loose comfortable clothing, selecting a wig, nausea, fatigue and what to expect in the weeks to come. I think you may want to take someone with you for support. I found it hard to make decisions and felt like my head was in a spin. I was grateful my husband was with me for support. He took notes and thankfully did all of the driving back and forth during doctor visits. I know that you will get through this. We have to take one day at a time and make the best decisions we can. Thank God for such good doctors and treatments available today. All of my prayers are with you. Please keep in touch.
Gloria