Second opinion catch-22

BS. Every time I wanted the second opinion and one was in MD Anderson they were given it to me while on treatment. Butt.

Did they give you reasons? Are you doing mop up chemo? Or do you have mets that you are concerned about treating.i think there is more to it than you are being treated. I have a recurrence and got a second opinion after my first round. She even called my current doctor to discuss my treatment. She is testing me for possible treatments that will work for me down the road if "lifetime chemo" is my fate. She did agree with my doctor that systemic chemo is the correct first step to shrink my mets and hopefully kill any hidden of those pesky cells. I did have to submit my information and have the team decide if my case was a fit for them. They are inundated with requests I would imagine. 

I was on Folfox the 1st line. I had the second opinions in the beginning and toward the end of those cycles. Another one I had I was off Folfox but was getting chemo thru the HAI pump straight to my liver. So, I wa in active treatments. Butt.

To deal with.  An absolutely horrific experience that I finally gave up on since cancer was less stressful.

People will give a second opinion even with being on treatment

You can get remote opinions from https://www.grandrounds.com/

Cleveland Clinic has a option and so do others.

After my husband started Chemo for stage 4 We decided to contact MDA after his first cycle. We had zero issues. I called the number on the website, gave them info, insurance info & overview and the oncologist here in WV. They told us up front the would not see him until he completed the 4th cycle when scans would be completed. In the mean time they contact the insurance company, the oncologist and surgeon, etc and got us scheduled right after the 4 th cycle. We’ve been going to them since last year with no issues at all. i am sorry your experience with MDA was not positive as it has been for my Husband. We travel there around every 3-4 months, they have developed his plan of care and communicate with the oncologist and now the radiologist here in WV. If surgery is needed after the 7 weeks of radiatio, that will be done at MDA. Also we have the patient portal and are able to communicate with the team there and have received excellent care in that area as well. did you call the main office or one of the other locations? I hope their process hasn’t declined. 

Ask your oncologist for a referral.

progrocker said:

I called the main number.

I called the main number. Your story is encouraging... do you have any advice how to break through "the wall"? Did you tell them you wanted a second opinion? All the best to you and your husband

Yes we told them we needed a second opinion and had communicated that with the local dr.. I believe they sent the records in when we called. That may have been the difference. We did nothing else, but get in a plane and show up for the appointment. I will say that there are many other great cancer centers, so if MDA isn’t a fit try one that is. You should not be treated the way you were from any medical providers and I’m very disappointed to hear of your struggles. Maybe you could look online and find the number to report this. after Thinking about it, I remembered when my husband was getting a colonoscopy there, the Gastro department did not call in a prep and when I asked the office prior the MA told us just to take an OTC laxatibe. I knew this was wrong and called the dr. I was going to report her, but after the long 9 days we were there on that visit, I forgot. 

Butt said:

I was on Folfox the 1st line. I had the second opinions in the beginning and toward the end of those cycles. Another one I had I was off Folfox but was getting chemo thru the HAI pump straight to my liver. So, I wa in active treatments. Butt.

I have a consultation with a surgeon on Monday for HAI pump. How long have you had the HAI pump and did your oncologist refer you to a surgeon?