Anyone have advice for me on options for surgery? Newly arrived in Australia

Hi @Janie304  I went public with the Mater hospital and have no complaints at all.  I only had a lumpectomy, radiation and now am on Tamoxifen.  I was lucky and other than a stitch that didn't dissolve had no problems at all.  The people at the breast clinic at the Mater are super nice!

Hi @Janie304,

I went all public.  Had a brilliant surgeon that works both private and public.

I was also accepted at a  private hospital as a public patient for chemo so I could use their cold cap (our hospital doesn't have them) and did my radiation there as well.,  Zero costs. 
 I have some friends who have gone all private and have been out of pocket a fortune as they didn't realise their health fund treated theses as outpatient appointments and don't cover them. I also know some that have gone private for the surgery and public for the rest.  Seems this is a pretty good option. You get the surgeon you want and don't have to fork out thousands of dollars for chemo and rads if they are needed.
The public system for breast cancer in Australia is a pretty well oiled machine.  We are very lucky. 

The only annoying thing with the public system I find is that as you get further down the track with follow up reviews you don't really see your surgeon for those appointments.  Just the Reg's. I am thinking about just paying for my next follow up apt privately so I get to see the consultant to answer some questions.

I work in the surgical ward of my local public hospital.  All our breast surgery patients are given private rooms. Our Nurse manager is very particular about this.
 It's a question to ask depending on where you go and how you feel about it.  The RBH does have an excellent reputation as well. Fingers crossed for your appointment.


xoxoxox

Hi Janie, Im in Qld. I had no private cover, and went all public, there were a few hiccups, I found I had to advocate for myself a bit, but in the end am very pleased (under the circumstances) with my reconstruction that was all covered by medicare. I had the same Plastic surgeonall the way through and was treated with dignity. I had a few costs with travel into Brisbane for about 20 appointments at RBWH so far and parking etc  Apparently there is a scheme where I could have claimed some of this travel cost  but didnt bother  For some reason the nipple tattoo was the only actual medical bill  I had to pay for as the hospital gave me a referral to take to a private cosmetic tattooist. I dont think I wouldve had a better result under the private system, I didnt need any chemo or rads so that side of it I cant comment. All the best, I hope the news is good at your appointment. xxx

Hi @Janie304 , welcome and sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  This is a great place to be for friendly advice and to let off steam and make friends. 
My story is I live in the UK and Australia (outside Melbourne) . I came over here this time for 6 months last November and should have flown back to the UK onTuesday. Due to ongoing treatment I can't fly back until later in the year. 
I was diagnosed in February with early breast cancer, grade 3 and had a lumpectomy two weeks later. Presently I am undergoing chemo. I have radiation to look forward to and then 10years of hormone inhibitors. 
First, you've been diagnosed in the right place. When I wrote and told one of my uk friends I had been operated on by an oncoplastic breast surgeon (she is a nurse and her husband is an obstetrician) she said the NHS doesnt use the word oncoplastic ( not sure how correct she is here) and the poor old NHS would have been a struggle.
As we are retired and self funded (we had full private health insurance all of our working lives), I elected to have the operation privately and have moved over to the public system for chemo and will now continue in the public system. For me it was very important to have my op done privately. My surgeon told me what I planned to do was quite common.  I didn't see any need for my chemo and radiation to be private. 
I lived in Brisbane for many years in my younger years and know the RBH. I'm sure you will be well looked after. Don't worry about being diagnosed here. You didn't ask for any of this, it's just one of those unlucky things to be diagnosed wherever you are. 
I seem to have rambled on a bit , any questions please ask. Where are you from in the UK? I love Queensland and love Brisbane,  Are you enjoying the endless sunshine. Winter in Brisbane is perfect. Take care and hugs xxxx

Not the welcome to Australia you wanted @Janie304,so sorry to hear . I'm in Melbourne and I went public but still used my private health as I'd been paying it for the past 25 years and only ever used it for childbirth.My hospital covered the excess and all out of pocket fees and uses the money they get from the health fund for research etc. I got a private room in a public hospital which was great and other public hospitals might give you a newspaper and discounted parking :D ;)
Good luck with everything x

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Hi @Janie304, I've had all my treatment as a public patient at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and cannot complain about anything. Nursing staff excellent, my oncologist is great and my surgeon was ok too . I did six months of chemo then surgery followed by six weeks of radiation. I had a mastectomy. I hope this helps.
XO

@Vallerina have you any suggestions too ?

@LMK74 @Mira may be able to help too @Janie304

There are Brisbane people on here and am sure they’ll come forward to help.