Hello, My name is Jen, 29, married, no kids. On Friday 21st April I had scans for a lump in the right breast. On Monday 24th April, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the right breast, left breast and right armpit lymph nodes. I saw the surgeon specialist on Wednesday 26th who has recommended a double mastectomy to take as much breast tissue as possible. I had CT scan and bone scan today which thankfully has found no further spreading. I met with the Oncologist today. Recommendation to start Chemo asap.I'm sure I will have many questions, a lot of which will be answered by going through previous posts but I wanted to know about your experiences with specialists in the beginning. My meeting with the Oncologist today was 25 minutes with a rush to commit to Chemo on Thursday. The oncologist wants me to attend an information session on Chemo at the hospital tomorrow to get familiar with things. Did anyway else have a similar experience with their first meeting?I just got the feeling the bedside manner if you will could be improved. I don't want to commit to working with an oncologist that seems to lack something so vital throughout this experience.Thanks for sharing,Jen.

Not all Drs are warm and fuzzy. I guess if he wants you to start chemo Thursday they feel it is very important it is started sooner rather than later. The info session will give you a lot more info and the chemo nurses are the ones giving it to you. We all feel it is just happening too quickly but it is such a relief to start treatment knowing that it will hopefully be stopping that cancer progressing. It also gives you a bit if time to plan surgery and possible reconstruction whilst still under treatment. You could seek a second opinion but it may delay the start of your treatment. Hope all goes well. Kath x

Mrs H, welcome. My first experience was the same. Rush rush rush. No time to digest things. I did the chemo education on a weekend. It's still always rushed . It's your body and your decision what treatment you decide. I'm not sure I even like my oncologist but that's just me. Good luck with everything.Lisa.

Hi @Mrs_H, I too had a whirlwind of a 1st appointment with my Oncologist but 4 months on am really glad that my treatment was started so quickly and is progressing well and also that my cancer is doing the right thing and shrinking away! I was diagnosed with stage 3 locally advanced BC just prior to Xmas last year, my appointment with my Oncologist was scheduled for 9am on the 3rd Jan. During this appointment I was told what would be the best course of treatment for me and also the importance of starting as quickly as possible, this was Tuesday and she wanted to start Chemo ( AC ) on the Thursday. My head was spinning as I needed to get into a Dentist, have a heart echo cardiograph and also have surgery to have a portacath inserted ( something she organised for that afternoon ). So my Tuesday turned into a 12hr day of appointments etc, Wednesday was the dentist where I had a tooth pulled and then Thursday we started treatment. My chemo information appointment was done over the phone in amongst everything else. I was given the opportunity to take a week or so to digest everything but as my cancer was aggressive we just wanted to get things moving and get on the road to being well. Looking back it was tough emotionally at the time but I am really glad that I took her advice and started when I did, I have complete trust in my treating Drs and know that they are doing what is best to help me beat this. I did 'click' with my oncologist right from the start though and love her ' let's get it done ' attitude.Wishing you all the best Kat x

@Mrs_H Hey there!! Welcome!!! My Surgeon is a little that way, not personable, very matter of fact, to the point and clinical. It stands to reason these professionals are that way, you see it everywhere. I love my Oncologist he's lovely, but my initial visit wasn't warm and fuzzy, it was confronting, shocking, to the point probably tough too as I went alone as I have done the past 6yrs really, very rare I take anyone. My Oncologist said at that meeting, I give you 48hrs to email me and give me an answer on Chemo, he said if I still didnt know at 48hrs then I absolutely shouldnt do it. He was right about that, I emailed within 12hrs, I didnt want to do it but felt I had to. Unfortunately they do need to get it happening and organised asap once you have diagnosis. Certainly didnt have any information session though I met with the Nurse in Charge like an appointment prior who stepped through everything. I agree you want someone compassionate and caring, but most professionals aren't. xx Melinda

@Mrs_H welcome and sorry to hear. We have all been through this whirlwind but in myriad different ways.Its great that your bone scan and CT are clear.I had surgery first (mastectomy) and then chemo very soon after.I think I was lucky that my GP had a network of specialists she studied and worked with and the breast surgeon she referred me to was warm and engaging, also Plastic Surgeon and Onco.I was concerned about Oncologists as I'd heard many are cold and impersonal. I understand how you'd have to be in this specialty though..Thankfully, I felt a rapport and trust very early on. Not sure that I could continue for the extended time this process takes with a specialist I didn't warm to.But, my main priority was to get started, and if there were any issues I figured re-evaluation could follow down the track.Good luck and best wishes..A.

Meeting with Specialists Initially

14 Replies

melclarity
Member
9 years ago
@Mrs_H Hey there!! Welcome!!!

My Surgeon is a little that way, not personable, very matter of fact, to the point and clinical. It stands to reason these professionals are that way, you see it everywhere. I love my Oncologist he's lovely, but my initial visit wasn't warm and fuzzy, it was confronting, shocking, to the point probably tough too as I went alone as I have done the past 6yrs really, very rare I take anyone. My Oncologist said at that meeting, I give you 48hrs to email me and give me an answer on Chemo, he said if I still didnt know at 48hrs then I absolutely shouldnt do it. He was right about that, I emailed within 12hrs, I didnt want to do it but felt I had to. Unfortunately they do need to get it happening and organised asap once you have diagnosis. Certainly didnt have any information session though I met with the Nurse in Charge like an appointment prior who stepped through everything. I agree you want someone compassionate and caring, but most professionals aren't. xx Melinda
Kat09
Member
9 years ago
Hi @Mrs_H, I too had a whirlwind of a 1st appointment with my Oncologist but 4 months on am really glad that my treatment was started so quickly and is progressing well and also that my cancer is doing the right thing and shrinking away! I was diagnosed with stage 3 locally advanced BC just prior to Xmas last year, my appointment with my Oncologist was scheduled for 9am on the 3rd Jan. During this appointment I was told what would be the best course of treatment for me and also the importance of starting as quickly as possible, this was Tuesday and she wanted to start Chemo ( AC ) on the Thursday. My head was spinning as I needed to get into a Dentist, have a heart echo cardiograph and also have surgery to have a portacath inserted ( something she organised for that afternoon ). So my Tuesday turned into a 12hr day of appointments etc, Wednesday was the dentist where I had a tooth pulled and then Thursday we started treatment. My chemo information appointment was done over the phone in amongst everything else. I was given the opportunity to take a week or so to digest everything but as my cancer was aggressive we just wanted to get things moving and get on the road to being well. Looking back it was tough emotionally at the time but I am really glad that I took her advice and started when I did, I have complete trust in my treating Drs and know that they are doing what is best to help me beat this. I did 'click' with my oncologist right from the start though and love her ' let's get it done ' attitude.
Wishing you all the best
Kat x
LMK74
Member
9 years ago
Mrs H, welcome. My first experience was the same. Rush rush rush. No time to digest things. I did the chemo education on a weekend. It's still always rushed . It's your body and your decision what treatment you decide. I'm not sure I even like my oncologist but that's just me. Good luck with everything.
Lisa.
primek
Member
9 years ago
Not all Drs are warm and fuzzy. I guess if he wants you to start chemo Thursday they feel it is very important it is started sooner rather than later. The info session will give you a lot more info and the chemo nurses are the ones giving it to you. We all feel it is just happening too quickly but it is such a relief to start treatment knowing that it will hopefully be stopping that cancer progressing. It also gives you a bit if time to plan surgery and possible reconstruction whilst still under treatment.

You could seek a second opinion but it may delay the start of your treatment. Hope all goes well. Kath x

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Meeting with Specialists Initially

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