Get news over the PHONE

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disneyfan2008
disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I know this is now over 4 yrs...I LOVE LOVE LOVE my OB/GYN. I have been with him for over 20 yrs (reason I had my 2nd daughter-now 20) Just curious If anyone else was told over the phone about their BC? For simple BLOOD tests I must make an appt with all my drs to hear all ok...! With BC "I remember like yesterday word for word" Mrs Wrisley it's NOT bad BUT NOT GOOD..you have DCIS call a surgeon. I got off the phone and looked it up online and first word was Cancer!

HE is soft, mushy, great dr but surprised how he told me & OVER the phone...I was home alone! HE is still my Dr and did my hysterectomy last year. My daughter uses him as well and loves him.

Denise
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  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #2
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    Yes
    I got my news on the phone too! but it was my choice because i would have had to drive an hour to get the news but i was at home and like you the nurse said"unfortunately you have cancer cells" and im like whats that (duh)and she said its cancer well i was in shock and i almost freaked out but i thought about it and said God this is your battle you fight it and he did and he continues too. ~~MollyZ~~
  • rallendorfer
    rallendorfer Member Posts: 244
    #3
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    My first surgeon told me over the phone.
    She was rude and even seemed to be trying to prolong it. She called me on my cell while I was at work. My boss was standing right there handing me some papers; I had to excuse myself and go into the other office. She dragged it out like: "Well, we got the results. (pause) annnnndddddd the results are (pause) It is cancer." And she said it like she was enjoying herself! Like one of those game shows where they say, "annnnnnddd behind door #1...."

    I left that doctor and have a wonderful doctor now that I can trust my life to. I still can't believe that other doctor could be so inhuman. She is a person just like the rest of us and should have had some common decency. It left me cold and trembling and alone. May her karma do so to her and more.
  • peanutcat
    peanutcat Member Posts: 104
    #4
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    news
    I got my news in person. when he took a biopsy he said right there it doesn't look good that was wed. I had an appt Fri. for the results and he said it is cancer. He really looked sad to tell me He is such a sweetheart
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #5
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    peanutcat said:

    news
    I got my news in person. when he took a biopsy he said right there it doesn't look good that was wed. I had an appt Fri. for the results and he said it is cancer. He really looked sad to tell me He is such a sweetheart

    I ironically my daughter now
    I ironically my daughter now works in Imagining Ctr with many being told B.C.! She never talked about mine 4 yrs ago etc...but now she has strangers crying on her shoulder..

    Denise
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #6
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    when I got the call to go
    when I got the call to go back (after mammo) next day I said NO biggie...then next day I said NO biggie,,then I was told to make an appt for biopsy..still with great confidence NO biggie..then the call!

    Optimisic...dint' work too well at that point..

    Denise
  • KristieZ40
    KristieZ40 Member Posts: 9
    #7
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    Yup...over the phone here.
    Yup...over the phone here. It takes 3 days for a full biopsy report, at least here in Illinois. Had my biopsy on a Wednesday. On Thursday the nurse practitioner of my primary doctors office called. Said they have some results in and that it is cancer. But here is the kicker. On Monday when the full results came in while my doctor was away on vacation she said " good news. All your indicators are negative. It looks like you won't have aggressive treatment".
  • ksf56
    ksf56 Member Posts: 202
    #8
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    Yes!
    I was told over the phone at 3pm on a Friday. I really like my gyne but this really stumped me. She asked me if I have a surgeon (why would I have one?), I said no and she said she knows the best one - they set up the appt. for me and I had to wait a week. I liked him right away - he sat down and talked to us for about an hour. From there, everything went pretty fast. I saw him on a Thurs. and had surgery the following Tues. The rest is history. I do wish I would have gotten a face to face - I had so many questions and no one to ask. The shock helped me zone out a bit but...

    We are not alone when you see how many here have the same experience.

    Karen
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #9
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    Yes, I too was told over the
    Yes, I too was told over the phone and I was grateful. If my OB/GYN had told me to come in to discuss the results, I would have known anyway that the news was not good. And I wanted to see a breast surgeon asap.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #10
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    I was told over the phone.
    I was told over the phone. Am glad that I was rather than waiting for an appt. I saw my PA at 11 in the morning and was sent for a new mammo at 1, which was followed by a sono and biopsies. The next morning at 8 the radiologist called with the path report to tell me that what we all basically already knew - IBC. That was on Fri morn and on Mon I saw the surgeon, Wed the Rads Dr and Thurs the Chemo Dr. So I'm glad that I got the info as fast as possible so I could start fighting it ASAP.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #11
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    Phone
    The first time my oncologist told us in person, the second time around my surgeon told me on the phone and suggested I call my oncologist asap which we did. True to form my oncologist discussed it in person.

    Hugs,

    RE
  • Frankie Shannon
    Frankie Shannon Member Posts: 457
    #12
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    Yes over the phone but i had
    Yes over the phone but i had asked my Dr.to call me with results as i didn't want to wait.
    Hugs Frankie
  • MsGebby
    MsGebby Member Posts: 659
    #13
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    I didn't hear over the phone
    The doctor of radiology who looked at my mammo and performed the ultrasound told me... She said "It's cancer." My husband asked if there was any chance it wasn't. She said "I am 99.9% sure this is cancer. If this isn't, I'd be surprised." She then gave me names for breast surgeons and my journey started. The BS confirmed what the radiologist doctor said.

    I don't know that I would want to hear about it over the phone. To me, it is very impersonal. But that's me.

    I had my latest CT scan yesterday and plan on picking up the report tomorrow. (I have to return to the center anyway for an MRI of my shoulder). I think my doctor should call me before my visit if there are new changes in my lungs rather than have me wait a month to see her. (which is what the case is at the moment) I wonder why some doctors don't bother to tell us what's on the report until we are face to face. My last oncologist was good about calling however.

    Anyway...One step at a time. RIght?
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #14
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    The radiologist told me.
    It was my family doctor who I asked to feel the lump, he said it was not a cyst and set me up for the next morning for a mammo, radiology called the radiologist from the University Hosp in, told me right away that he was 99.9% sure it was bc. Then said to find a breast surgeon. I had to ask him twice for names. Went home and called my family doctor gave me 2 names he would send his wife to. The first one was a 6 week wait, as were the 2 that the radiologist suggested. Then I called the female breast surgeon, they said 4 weeks and I started crying, just then she walked by and the gal at the desk asked her if she knew of any cancellations and she said if I could be there within a half hour she could see me then, a meeting was canceled. I was there, and loved her. She had a pathologist come in and they tried to do a needle biopsy. Had a lumpectomy/biopsy the following Tuesday (the first was on Thursday). She woke me during surgery and said I needed a mastectomy as it had spread out of the tumor, so the following Tuesday I had a mastectomy. She was wonderful.
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #15
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    yep
    On the phone, both times.

    Maureen
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #16
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    ksf56 said:

    Yes!
    I was told over the phone at 3pm on a Friday. I really like my gyne but this really stumped me. She asked me if I have a surgeon (why would I have one?), I said no and she said she knows the best one - they set up the appt. for me and I had to wait a week. I liked him right away - he sat down and talked to us for about an hour. From there, everything went pretty fast. I saw him on a Thurs. and had surgery the following Tues. The rest is history. I do wish I would have gotten a face to face - I had so many questions and no one to ask. The shock helped me zone out a bit but...

    We are not alone when you see how many here have the same experience.

    Karen

    wow..do you have a surgeon?
    wow..do you have a surgeon? My surgeon (I wish I had known) left the practice (area) after he did my first post surgery check up.

    Denise
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #17
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    wow after reading all these
    wow after reading all these comments I am shocked how many of us were TOLD OVER THE PHONE...
    I must go in for results from routine blood work or even results from my annual colonscopy..

    very interesting...i must say

    thanks for replies..


    Denise
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #18
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    wow after reading all these
    wow after reading all these comments I am shocked how many of us were TOLD OVER THE PHONE...
    I must go in for results from routine blood work or even results from my annual colonscopy..

    very interesting...i must say

    thanks for replies..


    Denise
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #19
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    Yes, my surgeon went on
    Yes, my surgeon went on vacation to Mexico right after my biopsy and she called me to tell me over the phone. xoxoxo Lynn
  • RozHopkins
    RozHopkins Member Posts: 578 Member
    #20
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    Phone
    Well firstly I think they should ask if you want possible bad news given over the phone or good/bad news by appointment. You should be asked beforehand. I personally would want to know ASAP but for most this would not be a good idea. I was told by the specialist straight after ultrasound (the first time) and though he had given this news to hundreds of people he was very sorry for the news he had to give me and said he had seen this so many times there was no doubt. I appreciated the quickness and honesty. Second time breast surgeon informed me and he is just the nicest guy you could wish for. I was lucky and to be fare the plastic surgeon was also amazing, don't think others have been so lucky, if thats the right word. Funny enough my oncologist on the other hand on my first three visits didn't read my notes correctly and each time thought I had just had one lumpectomy not bilateral............ Yes I know should have got someone else guess I thought the worst was over and just got on with it. Good luck
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #21
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    RozHopkins said:

    Phone
    Well firstly I think they should ask if you want possible bad news given over the phone or good/bad news by appointment. You should be asked beforehand. I personally would want to know ASAP but for most this would not be a good idea. I was told by the specialist straight after ultrasound (the first time) and though he had given this news to hundreds of people he was very sorry for the news he had to give me and said he had seen this so many times there was no doubt. I appreciated the quickness and honesty. Second time breast surgeon informed me and he is just the nicest guy you could wish for. I was lucky and to be fare the plastic surgeon was also amazing, don't think others have been so lucky, if thats the right word. Funny enough my oncologist on the other hand on my first three visits didn't read my notes correctly and each time thought I had just had one lumpectomy not bilateral............ Yes I know should have got someone else guess I thought the worst was over and just got on with it. Good luck

    Yup, on the phone
    Kinds knew the results anyway but my doc was on maternity leave and her covering felt awful to give me the news.

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