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kezmusc's avatar
kezmusc
Member
7 years ago

Costs of follow up scans and how many is too many?

I had my 18 month post surgical review yesterday.  I still find these appointments rather depressing.  Each time you see a different doctor (my surgeon is on long service leave) they have to trudge back over things that  I have mostly tucked away at the back of my mind. 

Quote.  "18months with the invasive cancer you had and no recurrence.  You've done well." unquote.  WTF.  That was inspirational. Seriously what goes through some doctors heads?
Isn't that why we get chopped, poisoned, nuked and hormone manipulated???????????  There needs to be a class at med school on "how to not be an unsympathetic dick"

Anyhoo.  The point is back for another mammo, u/s and MRI. I haven't rung up for this years prices yet but last years costs were: Mammo  gap between $180 and $220 depending if there is any need for biopsy. U/s  gap $125  MRI  $575  no medicare rebate. 

Seems I am no longer in the high risk group...hahahahaha so nothing is bulk billed.    So if you think you might have cancer or a strong family history you can get bulk billed, if you have had cancer you no longer fit the  "high risk" check boxes so you get to pay 

I also wonder how many tests is it safe to have?  I counted up in the last 18 months I have had 7 mammograms, 6 u/sounds I think, that could be more and 3 breast MRI's, 2 brain MRI's, 2 CT's and 2 bone scans and 1 bone density test.  Whack the radiation on top of that and am I nuking myself into more problems??????  
  • Re that doctor... what the actual f**k? Moronic, insensitive... how could he think that was a comforting thing to say?? I am SO sorry this happened to you.

    The unrebated MRI gets my goat. I didn't 'qualify' for the rebate, despite being the third member of my immediate family to be diagnosed with BC before menopause. My surgeon says there's a points system. Having a sister killed by this disease doesn't get me enough points?? More what the actual f**k??? Makes my blood effing boil.
  • Hi Kuzmus I had a MRI this week  at no cost  and my mammogram and ultrasound  were the same. My grandmother had  BC hers was hormone  sensitive  but mine  was TNBC  I don't know if that makes a difference. All my scans etc were in the public system  at the hospital. I don't know why  there is such a difference between states  i must be lucky in SA. 
  • Thanks @kmakm.  Yeah I was pretty upset.  That's the first time the waterworks came on for a long while.  Didn't think I had any more tears left for BC.

    I really don't get the "you're not high risk"  for the follow up scans it just doesn't make sense.  Who on earth is more high risk than someone who has already had BC.

    @smokie08  I am through the public system.  The initial MRI (when we were looking for the bugger) was paid for by the hospital.  However, they don't do any of the breast scanning there, it's all done by private companies.  On a good note, funding has just been granted to get and MRI machine. I doubt though it will be used for follow up scans, only inpatients I would imagine as they are spending a fortune outsourcing this.  Plus there is only one company in my area that will actually do the breast MRI. So no competition I guess.   Glad to hear you got yours done for free though.

    It  makes me wonder what happens if you cant possibly scrape together the $900 odd dollars to get these scans done.  Do you just have to wait around until its too late or  spend your life wondering and worrying.  I could ditch the MRI as that is at my request.  But I had so much hassle finding the breast tumour that I just don't trust the mammogram alone.  It missed it several times as did the ultra sound.  It was only with the exact location provided by the MRI that they could locate it properly.  
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  • Hey @Aggie,

    Yeah a lot of it just depends on who you end up seeing I suppose.  I've had some really good ones as well.  But some need a personality reboot.
    My reply was "Why the f**k did I just go through all that treatment t to be lucky it hasn't come back. I thought that was the whole point"  That kind of took him by surprise and he apologized.  No excuses though.
  • Oh I'm glad you called him on it. Might make him think twice in the future.
  • Hi Kez sorry that you became upset....you are lucky.....yes  is is true that certain types of bc are more likely to reoccur nomatter the type of therapy we are bombarded with ...cancer sucks  
    Perhaps check with medio onc as per high cost of scans not being free..as you did have invasive type..all the best bright in hope