Hi I a 47 (just )TNBC with 31cm grade 3 ,5 Weeks post left breasts masectomy DIEP reconstruction.refered for chemo (3x FEC then 3 x TAC) at Southend Hospital. I have decided to go to Broomfield instead I am desperately hoping Broomfield will accept me as a patient . I had my surgery there the team were fantastic.
Any one with similar experience?
Bumping this up for you.
Ann x
I haven’t but a friend did so she could be treated at my hospital. It’s pretty easy in theory - your GP has to write a letter of referral and I’m fairly sure you don’t need to give a reason.
To speed things up, I’d suggest going to your GP with the name of the oncologist that you want to be treated by and the fax number of their secretary. My friend’s GP did the letter during the appointment. Do you have a BCN at Broomfield? If so, I’d enlist them - sometimes polite persistence pays off - you might need to ring the oncology department to make sure the letter has reached them and so forth.
Hi Poddle, Thanks thats brilliant I will chase everyone up.
HI there
it shouldn’t be any problem with patient choice. I have had all my surgery and chemo at one hospital but as it was difficult for me to get to where the radiotherapy unit was I asked to have that elsewhere. It was no problem at all.
I think there are various ways to go about this and agree your breast care nurse would be best or your surgeon or your GP. I think it would have been the surgeon that would have referred you to the Oncologist (that’s how it worked for mine). The main thing is how to get this arranged quickly. If you have a good relationship with your surgeon I’d go down that route hopefully with the help of the breast care nurse.
Good luck
Elinda x
Hi
I changed hospital just over a year ago. I went from my local hospital to the Marsden.
I found the move to be straightforward. I spoke to my GP and he wrote an immediate referral and sent to them all the paperwork he had in order to speed things up. I was seen within two weeks by the Marsden and everything went very smoothly.
There have been a few difficulties when info is needed and only my local hospital have it. For example, mammogram images etc. However, although there have been one or two delays in getting the images, mostly things have worked out.
A year on and all is well.
Good luck Alicat.
Gill
Hi An04/Poddle/Elinda45/Gillian G ,
I have been offered a consult at Broomfield tomorrow ,yipee! I just wanted to get started so I can get on with my life ,It’ll be interesting to see if my treatment plan is the same.
Thanks
Alicat
That’s good news. Best of luck!
Ann x
That’s great Alicat! Good luck with the appointment!
Chemo chat next week ,1st FEC appointment 15th December I have visions of my husband shaving my head on Christmas day !!! I’m glad to get started .
Thanks for your positive support.
X Alicat
Hi alicat,
I am at Broomfield too and we get great care there. Check ups every 12 weeks after treatment finishes and scans, tumour markers, etc are routine for all patients. The Prof keeps you waiting hours sometimes but he has an amazing success rate. My BCN says he follows all the trials across the world and really knows his stuff. I recommend having a big cooked breakfast in the canteen before chemo, lines your tummy and gives you something nice to focus on as you drive there.
Wishing you lots of luck
Lily x
Hi Lily200,
I am so glad I am going to Broomfield,I am already looking forward to a fry up!!
x Alicat
Hi,
I have a fry up on every check up. Car parking is expensive there but the chemo ward have their own free parking if you get a sticker for the window and directions to get to it.
Anything else just shout
Lily x
Hi Lily200
Thanks for the insider info.My manager is coming tomorrow to discuss my return to full time work in January ,I have think i go back and play it by ear. Having 8 weeks off following mastectomy and reconstruction is the most time I have ever had off, it’s been lovely.
Ali x
Hi,
I had 10 months off as I am a teacher and they wouldn’t let me go into a big secondary school while on chemo and all those bugs. I went back a month after rads finished, which is what Colchester advised. I know people go back to work but couldn’t do it myself, teaching is too stressful and the school said they would rather I was completely off than in and out. On the Essex girls thread there are 2 other ladies who have just started chemo at Broomfield and you might catch the same day in the unit.I really found my buddies on here and local BC friends I made too a great support.
Lily