2 seperate oncologist-different practices

Options
disneyfan2008
disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
When I was done with radiation they referred me to an Oncologist-I starte going every 3-6 mths then got call from Radiation Ctr saying time for you to come back. I said I THOUGHT I was done with you-just Dr R. I was told OH no...you see us too. Does anyone know why or anyone else have 2? Mine are in same building-but different practices-I manage to book most appts the same day to say taking more time off! They both send me for blooe, breast exam, BP etc. only differnce I can notice is one measures my arms (for swelling) I am not getting weaned back and can go annually..(Nice break)

Comments

  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #2
    Options
    Two different ones
    I see a med Onc. I saw him before I even saw the surgeon. I also have a rad. Onc. My med. Onc did all my chemo planning and labs and such before and after surgery. I finished chemo in July saw him 6 weeks after that and see him again this month. This will be 3 months since last visit. If I remember right you did not do chemo. I will see my rad. Onc. in Dec. that will be 3 months after rads were finished, I hope that is my last visit with him, not a fan. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #3
    Options
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    Two different ones
    I see a med Onc. I saw him before I even saw the surgeon. I also have a rad. Onc. My med. Onc did all my chemo planning and labs and such before and after surgery. I finished chemo in July saw him 6 weeks after that and see him again this month. This will be 3 months since last visit. If I remember right you did not do chemo. I will see my rad. Onc. in Dec. that will be 3 months after rads were finished, I hope that is my last visit with him, not a fan. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    doctors, doctors everywhere
    Well ... I've had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. I still see my oncologist, surgeon, radiation oncologist and internist on sort of a regular basis ... working around my mammograms. I see each of them about every 4-5 months ... but a different doctor each month so I'm really getting "felt up" alot ... but it doesn't bother me one bit. Better safe than sorry.

    hugs.
    teena
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #4
    Options
    tgf said:

    doctors, doctors everywhere
    Well ... I've had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. I still see my oncologist, surgeon, radiation oncologist and internist on sort of a regular basis ... working around my mammograms. I see each of them about every 4-5 months ... but a different doctor each month so I'm really getting "felt up" alot ... but it doesn't bother me one bit. Better safe than sorry.

    hugs.
    teena

    My doctors say should continue with 2 doctors after 1st year
    I had bilateral lumpectomies, chemo and radiation, and am almost a year out of treatment. I see my surgeon every 6 months (mammogram and breast exam), my medical oncologist every 3 months (tumor marker blood tests, breast exam, and monitoring how I'm doing on Tamoxifen), and my radiation oncologist every 6 months (another breast exam).

    However, my radiation oncologist has told me that my next visit, which will be right about 1 year after finishing radiation, will probably be my last visit with him. All my doctors agree that, after the 1-year mark, I need to continue to see 2 of them, but not 3.

    I haven't asked yet how long that will continue -- I totally get needing to see my oncologist often, to monitor me on Tamoxifen and my tumor markers, but I'm starting to wonder why my surgeon is still necessary.

    Traci
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #5
    Options
    TraciInLA said:

    My doctors say should continue with 2 doctors after 1st year
    I had bilateral lumpectomies, chemo and radiation, and am almost a year out of treatment. I see my surgeon every 6 months (mammogram and breast exam), my medical oncologist every 3 months (tumor marker blood tests, breast exam, and monitoring how I'm doing on Tamoxifen), and my radiation oncologist every 6 months (another breast exam).

    However, my radiation oncologist has told me that my next visit, which will be right about 1 year after finishing radiation, will probably be my last visit with him. All my doctors agree that, after the 1-year mark, I need to continue to see 2 of them, but not 3.

    I haven't asked yet how long that will continue -- I totally get needing to see my oncologist often, to monitor me on Tamoxifen and my tumor markers, but I'm starting to wonder why my surgeon is still necessary.

    Traci

    I still see my rads
    I still see my rads oncologist, my oncologist and my plastic surgeon. No one has indicated when the visits will stop. I am just thankful they all are keeping tabs on me.

    ♥ Tinker Lex
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #6
    Options
    It's common
    It's common for bc survivors to see many Drs. , but if you are not sure why your Doc. wants to see you, be sure to ask. If they cannot explain it to you to your satisfaction, ask again until you are confident that you know what they are doing and why it is necessary. You are the one paying the bill and you are the one who has to live with the consequences of whatever treatment they prescribe.

    seof
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    Options
    We're all different as are our DRS.

    When I saw my Rad Dr for 6 mth check up - he told me that he didn't need to see me anymore - UNLESS I felt that I needed to. So I won't be seing him anymore - unless soething 'shows it's ugle head' but then my other Drs will have found it first anyway. I saw my Chemo Dr 6 mths post DX (which was at the end of active chemo) and again at 1 yr post DX and am scheduled to see him at 18 mths post DX. My Surgeon was the first Dr I saw post DX (4 days). I saw him several times after surgery (had large seroma), saw him at 6 mths, just saw his PA at 1 yr and will see him at 18 mths. Cannot forget my PA who is my "ace in the hole". She is always 'there' and so accessible - as good as all my other Drs are/have been, knowing that she's there has made it so much easier.

    Susan
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #8
    Options
    Alexis F said:

    I still see my rads
    I still see my rads oncologist, my oncologist and my plastic surgeon. No one has indicated when the visits will stop. I am just thankful they all are keeping tabs on me.

    ♥ Tinker Lex

    I was just given the ok...to start seeing them once a year now
    after my last of many post surgery mammograms-I got the green light to only do annually now...yipppeeee
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #9
    Options
    You Can Have 3 Separate Oncologists
    You can have a surgeon oncologist.
    You can have a hematologist/oncologist (medical - handles the chemo and hormone replacement).
    You can have a radiation oncologist.

    All 3 doctors are independent of one another, meaning no one is the boss of the other two.

    You need to see your radiation oncologist for at least 5 years. Make sure you do this.
    You need to see your hematologist/oncologist for a minimum of 5 years (could be more).
    My surgeon oncologist sees all his patients twice in the first year of surgery and then once a year for the next 4 years.

    MAKE SURE YOU SEE YOUR DOCTORS AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY WANT TO SEE YOU AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR CONCERN, CALL THEM RIGHT AWAY. DON'T WAIT.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #10
    Options
    Different Ballgame said:

    You Can Have 3 Separate Oncologists
    You can have a surgeon oncologist.
    You can have a hematologist/oncologist (medical - handles the chemo and hormone replacement).
    You can have a radiation oncologist.

    All 3 doctors are independent of one another, meaning no one is the boss of the other two.

    You need to see your radiation oncologist for at least 5 years. Make sure you do this.
    You need to see your hematologist/oncologist for a minimum of 5 years (could be more).
    My surgeon oncologist sees all his patients twice in the first year of surgery and then once a year for the next 4 years.

    MAKE SURE YOU SEE YOUR DOCTORS AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY WANT TO SEE YOU AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR CONCERN, CALL THEM RIGHT AWAY. DON'T WAIT.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle

    thanks for info
    Now I see more that see more then one on going for years..I have coworker-surgery, radation etc same time as me..but not same follow up..I know we are all different...but I really though done with cancer ctr my last treatment. Dont' get me wrong..THEY are great...just now that i know others do the same...makes sense

Discussion Boards