What's the point.......?

I've only had to see the oncologist a few times, but my experience is that I usually see the trainee doctors.  One that I get checks me thoroughly, but the others just tell me to go and see my gp if I mention a problem!  The two times I saw the boss oncologist, at the end of a consult with the trainee, she barely spoke to me (though I didn't have a lot of questions or problems either).   I timed it one time, and I was in and out in under 7 mins.  That included a walk up a long corridor to their office, a quick chat with the trainee, then she went to get the oncologist and was away for about 3 mins, oncologist came in, and then a walk back down the corridor to the waiting room.

I had the same thing with the surgeon, only saw him for the surgery and the bad news I needed more surgery and then that surgery. All others were trainee doctors which I was a bit worried about until I mentioned a swelling under my arm. Bang! Surgeon was there. They may not see you all of the time but when something is amiss, the good ones arent far away, just a bit busy sometimes. :)

Isnt it amazing all of us with different experiences .well for me 5 years down the track l still see my radioligist  my surgeon and my ongoligist all over the year. I love and trust them immensly

I've sacked 3 oncologists, @ Bravo. Sadly, at the time, I was restricted to practitioners within the one business.

Their attitude was absolutely appalling. I was out of pocket $120 per visit and there was never, ever, any indication that their interest extended past my ability to pay. When I told the last one how unhappy I was with their service and that I wouldn't ever give them another cent, this arrogant bitch just shrugged her shoulders and said 'When your cancer comes back, so will you'

That was 11 years ago and when I had a recurrence last year I was determined to find an alternative. I can be really difficult when I'm pissed off and I don't like how that makes me feel when I have other things to concentrate on. Like not dying, for example.

With a bit of help from Peter Mac I managed to link with a public service in a neighbouring health district and I can't believe how well I have been treated and how different the experience has been. Bulk billed and bulk happy with the whole performance.

The message? Don't take any shit from them that you wouldn't tolerate from your butcher, baker or candlestick maker. Take your money elsewhere if you can find any sort of alternative. I don't know where you are but if you are metro you will have a choice in the public system and a veritable smorgasbord if you are able to pay. Marg xxcx

Really bad @bravo that you have had such a bad experience. My mum and I were diagnosed a week apart and had same treating teams and the level of care at Cabrini was wonderful. Mum initially decided she wanted to see an onco near her home in public hospital. She saw one registrar and one onco same day neither had read mums medical history and the onco questioned mum (82 )' who advised you to have a mastectomy why did you do that, ' it was horrid. We never went back and mum has gone back to the same onco as me. Is there some way you can change med teams or hospitals. 

Good morning,

So sorry to hear that your medical team was not very helpful. 

I have to admit that my breast nurse, oncologist and surgeon were fantastic.  AND I had to go to Gympie public hospital since I am on old age pension.  It opened my eyes to just how great some public hospitals can be.  First time ever I didn't attend "private" hospitals and doctors.  I was offered chemo, but declined and the oncologist said that is ok.  Have to have radiation at the Sunshine University Hospital, and the oncologist there was great.  Explained everything to me in great detail.  Will start hormone blockers after radiation.  There I have a problem, not sure how I will react to all the side effects, but will take it for at least 6 months and then make a decision. 

I certainly hope that the support/advice I will receive when taking the tablets will be better than what you have experience.  I will be very unhappy if I am told to wait for my next mammogram especially since mine was not detected by either mammogram or unltrasound.  Took me 3 years and may scans before I could find a GP that would take the painful, swollen, inflamed left nipple seriously!  My regard for GP's have taken a nose dive over the last 3 years.  None could tell me what was wrong and most said they couldn't see anything wrong, despite crusty bits on it and severe pain.

Take care and push for help if your medical team doesn't play ball.

Goodness - mine are very informative, have two, medical and gynaecology oncologist. However some days I go for appointments with the medical oncologist and I feel like a fraudster as the waiting room is full of people obviously much sicker than me and he is extremely busy.  He calls me in and sits and reads the file before asking me anything so at least I know he has me at the forefront when we go through the regime.  I always have a physical examination, as he checks my lungs, breasts, neck and underarms for any new lumps that I haven't noticed.  Yes I am very pleased with the appointment process.  Panadol Osteo is what he usually recommends if I complain about my aching bones!
Recently I have accumulated some new aches and I go to see the GP on Tuesday for review.  I am tired of always being in pain and this is the giving part of it all that we don't understand until we are in it...............it just keeps giving!

Take care x

I feel this.

Honestly, I walk into their office and ask about how to cope with the constant pain that started a few weeks after taking Tamoxifen and it's "Panadol". Next session, still in pain, what do I do? "Panadol". Reported that throbbing pain in my breast had started, "Panadol" and wait for the next time I have a mammogram to "worry" about it. I come out of the office every time wondering why the heck I bothered, and it's exactly as you say. Waiting up to hours of time out of the day just to be told to take Panadol or have a bath. I think it just annoys me that there aren't any answers around this aftercare stuff, the research is only really now being investigated and the doctors just don't know what to recommend.

My team all worked together, except over radiotherapy - totally out of the loop, asking when my surgery was and if I'd started hormone therapy they just had no clue and there I was assuming it would be on the screen in front of them (I mean, it was the same hospital...) 

On a more constructive note: They generally need you to verbally deliver name and date of birth as procedure, but there shouldn't be a problem if you decide you're sick of the conversation and just write the answers down in advance to hand each new doctor :lol: 

It sucks this mess kept happening to you, hopefully the worst of that nonsense is over.

I'm sorry you've had that experience with oncologists. My oncologist, surgeon and radiotherapy oncologist worked as a team, out of the same hospital and emailed documents to each other so I didn't need to take paperwork with me. My surgeon is at the heart of my treatment. I've almost finished surgery and my GP seems to be playing a larger role in my ongoing care. My oncologist has now retired. It's important to get a team you can trust and relate to. I couldn't have wished for better care.  All the best. Recently, I applied to have documents sent to a specialist at another hospital which was pretty easy to do. x

You are very blessed @Afraser having found such great medical communicators . Probably also I was somewhat dazed during the earlier stage of treatment so I did not pursue a discussion with the medical oncologist however the surgeon recognised my emotional state and did ensure I understood clearly what was happening.