Choosing a surgeon (Melb) -New diagnosis overwhelm

Hi @melsev, I’m so sorry to hear. I live in Sydney so can’t give you recommendations about the surgeons you mention, but I can say that I went through the same dilemma as to what surgeon to go with. I ended up seeing two surgeons, listening to their advice and then went with the one I felt more comfortable with. 

So sorry to see you joining our select little group @melsev .... you are not alone in not remembering much after hearing 'You've got breast cancer' .....  Make sure you take a trusted friend or relative with you to your meetings from now & consider recording them too, on your phone xx. It is almost impossible to remember everything & this way you can go back over it in the quiet of your home & take notes. xx

My GP suggested 2 breast surgeons to me & I did a 'Dr search' on them & one had glowing references & the other didn't, so I went with the glowing references & I had the most fantastic, caring surgeon who (if you were in NSW) I would recommend to anyone. 

It wouldn't hurt to see both surgeons - they may well have different fee structures too, so don't forget to ask about that as well (even get it in writing) and how much rebate you'll get back from medicare/Health Insurance if going private for surgery. (BTW, are you considering going private or public for your surgery?  I went private for surgery, then public for radiation & Oncology.)  You may well feel more comfy with one than the other, just from that first appointment.   Do they both have a breast care nurse that you can chat with between appointments?  My surgeon had a gel (called Kelocote - that I applied to my scar to lessen the scarring - and provided it 'at cost' to his patients, which was a great $ saver) .... they may do the same.

If you add your general location to your profile, members may be able to suggest other services available to your area too ...  

It is highly stressful & upsetting in the early days of diagnosis - so if you feel a bit overwhelmed by it all, give our Helpline a bell on 1800 500 258 for a calming chat xx.

Also, consider listening to Charlotte Tottman's Podcasts on her own experience with BC - she is a specialist breast cancer Counsellor - and was surprised at her own reaction to the news, when she'd been counseling others for many years & thought she 'knew it'!  She has done 2 'seasons' ... check out the 1st season, right from her diagnosis onwards and how she coped. She is very easy to listen to & you'll probably recognise your own reactions in many of the podcasts. 
http://www.drcharlottetottman.com.au/my-podcast.html

Check out this thread too - there is a lot of info on the forum & what to take with you to hospital - even 'tick sheets' that you can fill in to take with you to your appointments on your mental & physical health .... this info has been gleaned from many of our members over the years ... I hope it helps you xx
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-new-online-network-members#latest

take care & all the best

Hi @melsev,
it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. I was diagnosed in July 2023 ( age 58).  I have zero knowledge of BC, and none in my family or my hubby’s has cancer. Like you, it came as a shock. 

My only advice is don’t feel rushed to make a decision and seriously weigh up the pros and cons about public versus private treatment.
I only met with one surgeon who said all the right things and delivered a sub-optimal outcome. In hindsight I wish I’d taken the time to meet more surgeons and get recommendations from people with the same type of cancer I have. Like all of us I heard ‘cancer’ and ‘aggressive’ and wanted to act instantly. You have time to make this decision and if your cancer treatment starts with surgery it’s important you really trust the surgeon you are with.
Best of luck! xx

So sorry you are feeling so overwhelmed but it's completely normal. Not to confuse you more but myself, friend and SIL all saw Dr Michael Law. He works at Mitcham private as well as publically through Maroondah breast centre at Maroondah hospital. He was amazing and understanding and so caring. He gave us so much time to answer questions and didn't make us feel rushed or silly. 

I don't know about the 2 surgeons you mention but like the others I would recommend seeing both especially if you were not 100% sure about the first one. Feeling comfortable with your team can make a world of difference to your experience and anxiety. 

Work and finances are definitely a different story but depending on your treatment and your workplace you will experience different levels of interruptions. Hopefully they are understanding and allow you whatever time you need to get through everything and are pleasant about it all. Finances I recommend once you have more of an idea around treatment plan to check your superannuation and what cover you have. If fortunate you might have income protection which will help until you are back on your feet 

Good luck with everything and please reach out here with any other concerns or questions we may not have every answer but we will definitely try to help or at least be ready to listen and share our own experiences. And most if all remember no question is too small or silly to ask. And if you rather have the bare minimum information because it's overwhelming then that is also ok. Sending so much love

Hi. Sorry to hear what you are going through.  It is a big decision to choose your surgeon. I was diagnosed last year 4 days before Christmas with early stage of Triple Negative Breast cancer in my right breast. I was lucky enough to know someone who works at Peter Mac and she provided me the name of a surgeon that was highly recommended. I went with Professor Bruce Mann. His office is at the Royal Womens Hospital and he is fantastic. He was the one that referred me to my oncologist Dr Richard De Boer. His office is in Parkville, but he also works at St. Vincent Private in East Melbourne. They work together. The oncologist has his own Nurse Practitioner at St. Vincent Private and she is my go to person if i need anything and they are all fantastic. 

I worked for a while until my income protection came through and then I was on LWOP for work. It's only now that I am slowly getting back to work, working only 2 days a week. I am currently taking Chemo medications which has its own side effects.  

My advice is to just listen to your body. If it tells you to rest please do.  I found while I was on chemo and Immunotherapy that by 2pm I was exhausted and slept until 630pm.  It took me a while to listen to my body. 

Trust me you will get through it, it's hard at the beginning, but with family and friends support we do make it through. It is a tough journey I won't lie. 

All the best and sending you hugs and love.