What happens if I cannot trust my Oncologist?
I went into the cancer centre I normally have my treatments for my 8th Paclitaxel on Tuesday, I told the receptionist that I wished to see my Oncologist before my treatment, she then told me that my Oncologist was taking a 4-week holiday now. I almost broke down and tried very hard to hold my tears in the waiting room. The reason I wanted to see her was because I have developed Neuropathy that my fingers and feet are quite numb and my tongue is a bit numb as well.
To give a bit of background, I was diagonised triple negative bc in July 2017, grade 3 stage 2a with no lymp nodes involved while I was in Brisbane. My surgeon suggested to have single mastectomy but I opted to have a bilateral matectomy, like all the other ladies in the similar situation on this forum, I did not want to deal with the possible recurrance on the other breast later. I did this surgery and 3 cycles of AC in Brisbane then transferred to NSW due to my husband‘s work. I have done 4 cycles of AC and 7/12 Paclitaxel so far (3x AC in Brisbane and the rest in Sydney).
I found the system in Sydney is very different from in Brisbane, or maybe just this cancer centre/or this Oncologist is different (?). I was able to see my Oncologist before each treatment while I was in Brisbane or if she was too busy at the time she would come to have a chat with me while I was having treatments. Nurses were great and her secretary was very helpful. After I was transferred to the current cancer centre in St. Leonards NSW I only saw my Oncologist twice because she is only there two afternoons a week and it is so hard to get an appointment to see her. When I saw her four weeks ago she booked herself in to come and see me in the following treatment but guess what? She did not turn up!
We all know how important it is to be able to trust our medical teams when we are dealing with breast cancer but at the moment I feel so insecure to be "looked after" by my Oncologist. I am more than half way to finish my treatments now so I don‘t think it would be a good idea to change Oncologist, but on the other hand I am also worried who is going to make a call to reduce my doseage or stop my treatments to avoid a permanent damage to my body?
To give a bit of background, I was diagonised triple negative bc in July 2017, grade 3 stage 2a with no lymp nodes involved while I was in Brisbane. My surgeon suggested to have single mastectomy but I opted to have a bilateral matectomy, like all the other ladies in the similar situation on this forum, I did not want to deal with the possible recurrance on the other breast later. I did this surgery and 3 cycles of AC in Brisbane then transferred to NSW due to my husband‘s work. I have done 4 cycles of AC and 7/12 Paclitaxel so far (3x AC in Brisbane and the rest in Sydney).
I found the system in Sydney is very different from in Brisbane, or maybe just this cancer centre/or this Oncologist is different (?). I was able to see my Oncologist before each treatment while I was in Brisbane or if she was too busy at the time she would come to have a chat with me while I was having treatments. Nurses were great and her secretary was very helpful. After I was transferred to the current cancer centre in St. Leonards NSW I only saw my Oncologist twice because she is only there two afternoons a week and it is so hard to get an appointment to see her. When I saw her four weeks ago she booked herself in to come and see me in the following treatment but guess what? She did not turn up!
We all know how important it is to be able to trust our medical teams when we are dealing with breast cancer but at the moment I feel so insecure to be "looked after" by my Oncologist. I am more than half way to finish my treatments now so I don‘t think it would be a good idea to change Oncologist, but on the other hand I am also worried who is going to make a call to reduce my doseage or stop my treatments to avoid a permanent damage to my body?
