What's the normal way of things?

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Hi to all

I was diagnosed 1 yr ago, WLE, sentinel nodes and rads, also the delightful tamoxifen…yuk!
I went for my yearly grope and poke 2 weeks ago, to oncologist. She said she was discharging me and that I would be back on my surgeons list, as the way they do things has changed? So I presumed that after the MRI and mammogram booked for later this month (results will take up to 3 weeks!!!) I thought that I would get an app for surgeon in 6 months or even 1 year. I was horrified when an app for surgeon dropped through box on saturday, for next week… brain went into meltdown… How often should we see these people?

Anyone know…I’m in northeast…at RVI

Thanks
Claire

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Hi Claire,

I suspect that procedures vary from one hospital to another. Like you, my initial diagnosis was about a year ago… late April '07 and I finally finished treatment in late January (after surgery, 6 months chemo and 29 radiotherapy zaps!). My first follow-up appointment with my breast surgeon was to be a year after initial surgery, i.e. early May, but it was brought forward a month, as I’d been having some discomfort and wanted reassurance - all OK… phew! Re the follow-ups with the oncologist, the first was about 6 weeks after the end of radiotherapy, then the next is about 12 weeks after that (towards the end of May). As I was on a clinical trial, I’ll be getting 6-monthly check-ups with the oncologist… can’t remember for how long?! So many dates, etc to remember. I’m having a mammogram also a year after surgery…
Hope this helps… Just when you’re trying to put all this on the back-burner, something else comes up to get you back thinking about bc… I think it’s only to be expected, to be worrying about everything, as you don’t know what’s normal and what’s not!

All the best for now,

AliS

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Hi Claire,
I,m in North east too, had surgery and chemo at Durham Uni hosp and rads at Newcastle Gen. Is your Onc Dr Taylor ? I also had my check up 2 weeks ago in Durham. She said she would see me again in 3 months and I would have a mammo in June (1 year after Dx) , never mentioned seeing my Surgeon.
Looks like i had similar DX as you but I have not been booked an MRI scan either. Weird isnt it.
Love Andrea x