Dropping a doctor

yensid683
yensid683 Member Posts: 349
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I've been seeing three doctors since my journey started in March of 2012 and wonder when or if I can drop one.  I see an ENT (who originally discovered, biopsied and confirmed the diagnosis) a medical oncologist who oversaw the chemo portion of my treatments and a radiation oncologist who sent me through the 'toaster' so many times.

I'm well recovered/recovering, treatments ended 15 months ago,  I've been back to work for almost a full year, saliva has gotten to around 70%, I'm almost back to full activities, I've been able to play golf again, walking the course and recently switched from pushing my clubs in a cart to carrying them for 18 holes.  (not bad for a 59 year old)

I see one of the 'gang' about every other month and with things going so well, I cannot help but wonder if I need to continue seeing all three or if I can drop one?

My revisits are now running about 6 months apart except for the ENT (just under 6 months out from the 2nd neck dissection) and while I love continuing to hear 'no evidence of disease' I wonder if it is really necessary to continue to see all three.

The question is, which one should I say goodbye to?

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    If things are going well

    You could actually say goodbye to  to youtwo of them.  The ENT is the key to follow up.  Neither of the others is expert at examination of the throat.  Radiation is long concluded, and you can be sent back to him if anything requires it.  I have only seen the Radiation Oncologist once since completion of rads, and I'm 18 months out.  If your blood counts are normal, the Medical Oncologist isn't doing anything special to follow you up, he's just going  through the motions.  No need to insult anyone, but its time to cut back the visits.  BTW, living a long way away from these guys, I have always maneuvered my time between visits with the various offices to where I could catch everyone in one visit.  Fudging a month here  and there doesn't hurt  anything.

    Best

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
    Hi Yensid

    For me all I see is my ENT no one else and I see her anywhere from 3 to 6 months apart. Always the same treatment, a full Scoping of the nasal area and throat then checking of all the nodes for swelling,  She is just making sure there is nothing to worry about each visit.

     

    Take care

    Hondo

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #4
    Doctors

    My husband stopped seeing the radiologist from his second round of radiation after a 6 month check up and that was almost a year ago.  Even the first time he underwent radiation, he stopped seeing the radiologist after she referred us back to the ENT asap.  He still sees the first oncologist who treated him but then he has been seeing him for about 10 years due to a rare blood cancer.  He stopped seeing the second oncologist after he finished his second round of chemo, about 6 months later (event though he is supposed to be very good, I found him to be not truthful and he did not check lab reports before seeing my husband).  He hasn't seen the H&N specialist in 6 months but is by my husband's choice to stop all treatment.  He will be seeing the first oncologist next week for blood work and I want a CT scan done to see how things are progressing.  Just have to talk my husband into it first.

    Sharon

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #5
    I haven't seen the RO for a long time....

    maybe last March?  I checked my calendar, and don't see any appointments in the future either.  I still have to go to the Onc because I get my port flushed every 6 weeks.....I'm hoping to get that out this fall....The Onc is who sets up all my scans tho, so I think I'll be seeing them for a while yet.

    I like going to the ENT every month and getting the "a-ok"....hearing that once a month is good for my....well.....my neurotic mind. Embarassed 

    p

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
    i only see my ent.  haven't

    i only see my ent.  haven't seen the other doctors since tx ended.

    dj

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #7
    out of the nest

    Yensid683,

    I was cut loose by my rad and chemo onc at 9 moths, left to travel the healing road with my ENT (every 4 months).

    Matt

  • Roar
    Roar Member Posts: 269 Member
    #8
    i cut chemo guy

    i just see my ENT and radiation oncologist - i didnt think the chemo doctor had anything to offer except excuses about the side effects - i try to alternate the two so that one month i see the ENT and 1 1/2 - 2 months later the radiation oncologist. i also see my General practioner once or twice a year. I feel the ENT is the quarterback - he will direct me where he feels i need to go and agreed with me on cutting the chemo doctor

  • ErthWlkr
    ErthWlkr Member Posts: 60
    #9
    Dropped 1 kept 2...

    Thru my 3rd year I was still seeing my radiation oncologist (RO), my chemotherapist, and the ENT doc who discovered the original sphenoid sinus based tumor. After the 3rd year, I dropped the chemotherapist - I only had two rounds of cisplatin - and felt he was only duplicating what the RO was doing. My regular doc was taking care of blood tests and knew my history.

    In the 4th year, my ENT saw what he felt was some scar tissue, sent me for a CAT scan, and reported to me that it was just some detritus from the treatment. Not to worry. I had a billing dispute with him a couple of months later, asked for his notes and copy of the last scan, and saw the phrase, "rapidly progressing osteolysis" at the tumor site. I immediately got in touch with my RO.

    When he read the scan report, he said we must stop the necrosis immediately and sent me for hyperbaric treatment. Did 50 treatments, the necrosis was stopped, and the area is now healing. I'm under the care of a new ENT who scopes me every three months and is keeping an eye on the area. I still see my RO every 6 months.
    Turns out the necrotic area was right next to one of my carotid arteries. The doc said if the bone collapsed, I would have had about ten minutes to write my will.

    So I'm quite happy I stayed in touch with my RO and plan to keep him on the map with semi-annual visits. November will be 6 years post treatment and at my next appointment, we may drop it to once a year. I have no plans to drop him completely. Especially not after he just backed me up on the original ENT's dangerous misjudgement.

    My opinion - after about 3 years, I'd say the ENT is the most important doc in the mix. The RO should be kept as backup especially when the ENT orders scans or does a scope. Each doc interprets differently. What is just "side effects" to one is life threatening necrosis to another.

    We all want these docs out of our lives. Enough already. But make your choices with informed intelligence and not just for a lack of patience...no pun intended...

    - Jeff

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #10
    Makes sense

    To drop my MO after 2 years but she's pretty hot so I may just keep her in the mix ;)~

    "T"

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #11
    Growing Old Togehter

    I dropped the Medical Onc at one year.  Still seeing the ENT once a year, but will be changing to a vocal cord specialist because that is where my side effect of radiation are now.

    I expected to drop the radiation oncologist at 5 years out, but he said I had to continue to see him - He said "We'll grow old together!"

    Now, with all the radiation side effect complications, I'm back to seeing him every 6 months  (That's okay - He's good looking!)

     

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