Follow up care

lovonna
lovonna Member Posts: 78
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have an oncologist and a radiation oncologist. The last time I saw my oncologist I asked him about a scan after treatment and his response was that I would have to discuss that with my radiation oncologist. The last time I saw my radiation oncolost (which was the last day of my radiation) I asked her about a scan and her response was to ask my oncologist if he wanted to order one.

So I guess my question is............Who orders follow up scans? Is this something I am going to have to request?

I have read on this board about many people getting scans after treatment and the popular time frame seems to be 3 to 4 months after treatment, but no one has ever mentioned which doc ordered it.

I want a scan at some point and time, do I just need to "pin my doc down on it" instead of letting them "pass the buck"?

Thanks in advance & God Bless, LoVonna

Comments

  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #2
    For me, I had a followup Mammogram about 3-4 months after my last radiation. As it turned out my surgeon order it. He seems to be the one ordering my Mammograms. But both my Onc & my Radiologist I believe would have ordered it if my surgeo had not beat them to the punch. I would be persistent. Ask your surgeon and if he don't order it... then play pin the tail on the Doctor...

    Take Care... God Bless....

    Susan
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    My REGULAR onc is the one handling this stuff now...both my breast and my rectal cancer stuff...she will order a mammo of my 'special' breast in January...what kind of scan are you speaking of?

    Hugs, Kathi
  • lovonna
    lovonna Member Posts: 78
    #4
    O.K. maybe I'm the one confused here. If a mammogram is all I need, heck I scheduled that last year right after my annual mammo prior to my cancer diagnosis.

    I guess I just thought it was standard procedure to do a ct scan or pet scan some time after treatment to check for spreading. I am hoping to eventually get released from at least one of these oncologist.
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #5
    I just had my 3rd BC surgery in Aug.'06 also I have had no more breasts to be mammo'ed since Aug. '04.
    I saw my bc surgeon following this last surgery and she said just to see her in 6 mos.
    I saw my oncologist after the surgery and she ordered a CT scan of my upper body just to see how everything was now after the surgery, but also, I had something on my lung from last CT scan that she wanted to see again. But, I know if I had wanted a CT scan myself she would have ordered it or said it was completely unnecessary and explained why. And or she would have ordered an MRI of my breast, if it was still there. They are much more informative than mammo's. The "buck" would have begun and ended w/her.
    If your oncologist doesn't do it for you or explain fully why it is completely unnecessary for you, I would tell her you want it in your chart that asked you for one and she refused it. And tell her you will go to an outside testing place for it. It will then become a "cover her ****" situation, where I'm sure she will order it for you.

    There should not be this kind of pin her to the wall issue, but yes I would do it.
    This is not her body, her life at issue , it's yours and I would make sure I was happy that I was being treated as fully as I felt was necessary.

    You can do this! You go girl!

    ((((((((hugs)))))))))) and prayers, Kathy
  • lovonna
    lovonna Member Posts: 78
    #6
    I think I may have rushed this post question. I saw my regular oncologist today and he is ordering a pet scan on me in Dec. He was the one who brought up the subject, I didn't have to request it. I reminded him that I had asked about a scan 2 months ago and he explained to me that he didn't want a pet scan done during radiation or too soon after, unless the radiation oncologist thought it necessary.

    I will post my results in Dec and pray for NED!

    God Bless, LoVonna

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