What to do when the doctors don't agree?

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ovarian_support
ovarian_support Member Posts: 44
in Ovarian Cancer #1

So we are not sure who to trust with these doctors.  When my mother got her last CT scan it showed decreased overall mass in all of her tumors except one and what the radiologist described as a ‘significant reduction in plural nodularity and decrease in now small plural effusions’ this sounded promising even if her ca 125 levels had increased but she hadn’t yet started her 4th treatment of the Doxil. She was still having shortness of breath issues so they sent her to the pulmonologist who wanted to admit her to the hospital and have shunts put in for her large plural effusions.  We declined and she has been put on oxygen which helps only a little. 

 

So, do we trust the radiologist who said she has small plural effusions and a decrease in her tumors or the doctor who looked at the same CT scan and said she had large plural effusions?  Either the difference between small and large effusions is so small that the doctors simply had a difference of opinion or the pulmonologist was looking at the wrong scan.  I’m hoping for the last one.  The other option which worries us is that the radiologist misread the CT scan and she really does have large plural effusions, if so than there is the possibility that he misread how much her tumors have shrunk.  Has anyone else encountered a difference of opinion like this?  If so how did you solve it?  We are going to call the hospital back on Monday to see if we can get the two doctors to talk and resolve this difference.  So far the only people we have spoken to have not had an answer.

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  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #2
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    Go get second opinion

    Get a copy of the scans and take them to another facility to have them reviewed.

  • seatown
    seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
    #3
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    Tough issue

    So sorry to hear that you are having this troubling issue. Can't say I've ever experienced a difference of opinion to that extent. I would agree that if possible, you should see if you can get another opinion. Don't hesitate to be assertive.

    As to the lung problem--would the shunts be a temporary measure? If so, would surgery & hospitalization be worth it if temporary shunts help the problem? Just wondering; I really don't know the 1st thing about the issue.

    Stay strong! Best wishes to your mom & you.

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #4
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    seatown said:

    Tough issue

    So sorry to hear that you are having this troubling issue. Can't say I've ever experienced a difference of opinion to that extent. I would agree that if possible, you should see if you can get another opinion. Don't hesitate to be assertive.

    As to the lung problem--would the shunts be a temporary measure? If so, would surgery & hospitalization be worth it if temporary shunts help the problem? Just wondering; I really don't know the 1st thing about the issue.

    Stay strong! Best wishes to your mom & you.

    OK, maybe they are large, but

    OK, maybe they are large, but smaller than the prior scan.  The two scans need to be properly compared to each other.  Yes another opinion may be useful, but only if the prior scan was the comparison, and may be two prior scans.  You should have no problem getting copies of scans and the reports to go with them.

    Good Luck..

    Ron

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