Waiting times

Oh I’m similar in that only the right has the tumour but I’m taking the left off too as a preventative because if brac1. I’m about 60% through chemo now (ac by 4 and now weekly taxol carboplatin) then I’m having 5 weeks radiation then surgery. If I go private I can have the double mastectomy and reconstruction in one surgery. It sounds like then I’d be the same as you where they would only do the diseased side and then I’d be waiting for the other one. One surgery wound be so much easier - we have already gone through enough ! I need to have ovaries etc as well so I really don’t want three different ops! They need to do something about the health system

Yes that’s right @Jen79x you will need a referal to the public. I should of been more specific I’ve had a double mastectomy and chemo last year and im waiting for my recon. If you are able to have an immediate double and recon you won’t have to wait that long. It will depend on if you are having chemo or rads or both first or can you have the surgery first then treatment or perhaps you don’t need chemo?? I could of had an immediate recon on my left boob but had no idea the,wait for recon would be that long. I can only have implants as I don’t have enough skin for the diep flap apparently I decided I wanted to take the other boob off too my choice but because that boob had no diseas they would only do the left then I would have to wait on the wait list for the right anyway and that would mean more surgery I wanted them both done together. What is your treatment plan that will depend which way you can go. Margie. 

That waiting time is huge!!!! That’s awful for you :( I’ve seen a private surgeon and his quote 20-25k is what has made me question how long the waiting time would be if we went public. So I would have to go back and get another referral for the public system (rpa) if I wanted to find out how long it would be ? 
I hope you get seen earlier than that - that is just crazy :( 

Hi there @Jen79x have you had your referal done yet ? And if so which hospital ? Once you have this done they will send you a letter with your catergory. You will then be able to contact the surgical outpatients of the facility and they can give you an estimate. I’m category 2 in qld which is supposed to mean I’m supposed to be seen within 90 days but that’s so far off the mark I’ve been waiting 18 months just to see the surgeon at the royal Brisbane and will be waiting at least another year to see one. There is over 100 other women waiting before me and then there is at least 18 months after that to wait to have the surgery. I hope it isn’t that long for you in NSW.  I was quoted $15k to go in as a private patient in a public hospital and around $25k to have the surgery privately. Definately not an option for us financially. There are some ladies on here who have private health insurance but are still out of pocket between $5 to $10k and more sometimes. I’ve been proactive with writing to my local mp who has bought up my concerns to Canberra and I also had my 5 minutes of fame on the channel 10 Brisbane news last month with the support of BCNA. Hope this helps and good luck. Keep us posted as everyone would be interested how long you will have to wait or there will be ladies on here who have been or are on the NSW wait list. Margie.