Just wondering if it’s common practice to meet your surgeon for the first time on the ward when he/she comes to mark you up for theatre?
I’m at a big London hospital which is a centre of excellence for BC. I discussed my surgery yesterday with a member of the surgery team and my BC nurse. Am “only” having a lumpectomy, but since I’ve been doing neoadjuvant chemo to help give me a better chance of a good cosmetic result, surely the surgeon would want to see me before the day of the op?
Have I got this out of proportion? I’d really like to know what people think. Surgery is just a week away…. Feeling very resentful & let down.
Hi Lomalinda,
much to my surprise on the day of my limpectomy a completely different surgeon came to deal with me that the guy I was seeing previously, I had assumed it would be the same man. I was so freaked out tho, I didnt really coment on it. In retrospect I should have queried it, and had I known it would be the case I think I would have asked to meet them first.
I had to go back for a mastectomy a month later and the same thing happened, if I hadn’t brought up the fact that I was liely to want a reconstruction in due course, he wouldn’t have left me with as much skin as possible!
So I would contact the BC nurse and ask to meet the surgeon, if only because on the day you may not be in a fit sate to ask all you want to?
I don’t think they realise how momentus this is for us all sometimes
Best of luck and i’m sure you will be Ok either way!
Gillian
My hospital is a teaching hospital - it has a dedicated breast care unit which includes the fast track diagnostics.
I met with my surgeon on the day I was dx and she has been “with me” never since. I have never had to deal with one of a team - only her. My hospital has 5 specialist breast surgeons and treatment is very personalised. At subsequent appts I see only her and when I had a recent scare with the other boob she saw me immediately.
I know this is very rare and I am extremely lucky - I think unfortunately that the bigger hospitals just can’t function logistically with such “intimacy”.
As Gillian says, why don’t you have a word with your BCN - explain that you would like to meet your surgeon.
Good luck.
Hi Lomalinda
Really sorry to hear of your anxieties and would echo what others have said on here regarding contacting your BCN. Judging by what others have said, i think i was very fortunate as i met with my consultant (who performed my WLE) upon my doctors referral to the hospital when i found the lump. This was, i think, an excellent way of dealing with things as he not only initially examined me, he also gave me the results of the mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy, performed the surgery, came on the ward to inform me of what happened during surgery (how many lymph nodes etc) and i met with him again last week when he ran through my subsequent treatment and referral to the oncologist. At the same time, he has made sure that i will be seeing him again in approx. 8 months time when my chemo and rads have ended. I believe that this has allowed a ‘relationship’ to build up and enabled me to speak to/with him perhaps in more depth than i might have with a ‘stranger’. I can understand why you might be feeling the way that you do, after all, as curtainqueen quite rightly says, i’m not sure whether it is understood how difficult it can be to undergo this/these process/es.
Get in touch with your BCN asap and see what you can do - it really can’t hurt anything to find out.
All the very best
Jane
I also met my surgeon at referral…he did FNA, ultrasound, physical check…he was the one who told me I had breast cancer and he booked me in there and then for WLE the following week…he saw me previous to op’ and performed op’ also came onto ward after and the net day to see me…he was also the one who told me of my results and the treatment i would be having before passing me over to oncology team…I saw him at check ups…but unfortunately he retired last month so have a new consultant surgeon now…a woman…which I’m not particularly pleased about for some reason I prefer male doctors…in saying that though my oncologist is female and very good.
I would definetly request a meeting with your surgeon.
Hi
I met my surgeon when i went for the results of biopsy, he was no nice and chatted to me and OH and explained everything, but as he couldn’t get me in for masectomy for a month he said i could try and get in a different hospital, my BCN did manage to get me an appointment for 1 wek earlier at another hospital, but i decided to wait the extra week to stay with my surgeon, He came to see me before op on the ward, then he came in as i was waiting to go to theatre, he visited me several times on the ward, one of the other patients asked if i was having private treatment, I wasn’t,
He saw me 10 days later to tell me the sentinel node was infected and that he would operate again in about ten days, He again came to see me on the ward, and he came into the pre theatre room to let me know he was there, and it would be him operating on me. He again came to see me a couple of times on the ward, I saw him 2 weeks later when he gave me the good news that the seciond op had shown no spread into the other nodes, and he handed me over to my oncologist, but said he will see me in about 6 to 8 month to discuss my reconstruction if i want to have it,
I feel very lucky to have had such a good surgeon and he was good on the eyes, I dont think anyone should have to go to theatre without meeting the person who is going to operate,
I start my chemo next Friday, Tact 2 trial arm 4, so geting more nervous as everyday passes.
good luck to everyone
I really want to thank all of you for your replies & comments. I have managed to calm down a bit now… I’m going to ring my BC nurse first thing tomorrow. If I can’t have a meeting, I’ll at least ask her to pass on my feelings to the team.
I think that what everyone has said here just proves that a bit of courtesy shown to patients goes a long way. I did meet with the surgeon who did my SNB earlier this year before the day of the op; not for long, and it was quite formal, but that was fine by me. Just made me feel a bit more confident about going into theatre.
The silly thing is that I lost sight of the fact that I have made good progress with my chemo and that my surgery will hopefully be a lost less extreme than it might have been!
Hi Lpmalinda
good luck with your meeting, we all lose track at some point, but try and stay positive and remember we are all here for you and with you,
Thank you! Every time I have a bad patch I want to believe that it will be the last one, but I guess it doesn’t work that way!
I hope all goes well with your chemo. Sorry, but I don’t know anything about Tact 2; not EC or docetaxel I’m guessing, so can’t give you any specifics, but try not to get too worked up. Have you been to see the ward? That helped me a lot.
If there’s anything in particular you want to know, let me know, maybe I can help!
Just want to say ıt ıs the consultant surgeon who gıves the dx at my hospıtal.After that I saw hım just before op,ımmediately afterwards then a week after that for path results.The bcn was wıth hım at dx and gave me her number to call and I can,and do,go on usıng it now 2 years later.I see the same surgeon after my annual mammograms and am very satısfıed and grateful.Vx
I had taxotere chemo and there ıs a lot about ıt on the sıte,I thınk ıt ıs the same as docetaxol
thanks lomalinda
I didnt see where they take you to give that special cocktail (Red Killer), I didnt think to ask at the time, it’a as if my mind goes blank when they start telling me things thats why i take OH with me, he remembers what they say.
I have bought thermometer, mouth wash, cream, liquorice, lots of flavoured water, and ginger biscuits all in readiness,
The thing about being on the trial i will be monitored more closely and have epidueicin every 2 weeks instead of 3, for 4 cycles then go onto xeolda tablets, this will only take 5 month instead of 7.
I just want 3am to dissapear because this is the time i keep waking up and there is nothing on telly and everywhere is so quiet, i think we should have a nightowl chat room,
O.K., now I know that Tact 2 includes Epirubicin! I had that as EC. For me it was much easier than the Docetaxel I had afterwards. I had no nausea at all with the “Red Devil” which is my name for it! I had an anti-sickness as a drip first and then one of the nurses administered the Epi by hand. This was nice as they have to sit with you, so you don’t feel so alone.
Sorry you are currently doing the 3 AM nightshift. I have been there. I’d happily keep you company, but I have to get up & get to the hospital for my pre op assessment…oh and it looks like I might be seeing my surgeon!
Hi Lomalinda
How did you get on and did you see your surgeon, not long to go now before your surgery is it, I hope you got all the info you were after,
I missed the 3am shift last night, i overslept and made the 4am one instead.Just been out for a fantastic meal with OH, my sister and our daughter at a lovely french restaurant 2 courses and a bottle of wine for £15, our daughter who is only 13 was even given a bottle, i was surprised they didnt even ask her age, I was driving so i asked for 2 corks and we re-corked 2 full bottles, then OH and sis couldnt manage a bottle each so we got 2 more corks and they brought their half bottles home with them, the steaks were wonderful, the red cabbage with apple was so sweet and the deserts were heavenly, I wish this place was within walking distance of our house instead of 10 mile away.
hope you manage to get out somewhere nice before your op, we all need spoiling
Good luck with the surgery…have you met your surgeon yet?
Like horace, the consultant surgeon at the hospital where I’m being sorted is the one who hands out the diagnosis. So I feel like I’ve known him for ages. And he’s great.
Hope all the pre-op stuff goes ok, also. I was handed a map of the hospital and an itinerary (all the usual blood pressure stuff, chest Xray, blood, ECG etc etc) and set off on my very own hospital tour adventure, which included counselling a (male) nurse who had lost his confidence re cannula insertion, marching through a crowded waiting room wearing nothing but hospital gown and motorbike boots (I know, I turned up on a motorbike) and modesty-preserving denim shirt…small daft adventures. And the MRI a couple of days later was an even dafter adventure.
But all easily manageable, nothing painful or awful.
Well, I DID meet my surgeon! I gave my BC nurse a call and she managed to work it into my pre op assessment yesterday.
I’m glad I met him because in my previous meeting, the subject of how my breast might look after the op had been glossed over a bit. He actually told me that he won’t know just how much he will be taking away until he goes in, but I think I am better off knowing this beforehand and now feel more prepared. He also gave me HIS odds of the chance of a re-exicision, which seem low.
Also, he is currently training in Lipofil recon procedures, which might be of interest to me in the future. My BC nurse had told me this, but I wanted to hear from HIM if I might be a candidate.
Shirl: So glad to hear that you managed to get out & live it up a bit before you start your chemo. I hope you manage to get a whole night’s sleep between now & Friday!
& I hope that all goes well for you on the day. Yes, I’m hoping for some time over the weekend. Good luck and when you feel up to it, let me know how you got on….
Lanterna: Hi! I was going to post on your thread… Looks like my surgery will be somewhat similar to yours, but no moving the nipple. Sounds like the same tissue manipulation & internal stitching, with just a curved incision over the nipple. What I don’t yet know is how much smaller I will be on that side.
Love the image of biker boots with a gown at your pre op! It IS like a mini adventure. Got mine all done in a few hours & now just have to report on the ward @ 7:00 AM Monday morning!
Once again, thanks to you ALL for giving me the encouragement to ask for & get something I really needed! Sounds like many of you have a great rapport with your surgeons; it’s interesting to see how different hospitals work.
I feel much better prepared for the day. It’s been a long wait since my SNB & 6 months of chemo, and I guess they (the hospital) just don’t realise how much anticipation builds up in that time! Anyway, I’m trying to remain calm & positive; will let you know how I get on. All the best to you all,