10 replies to this topic

[Judy2]

Hi Everyone. Do you think an onc. resents it if you get a 2nd opinion and then go back to him? I know everybody says if he's a good doctor he won't but I wonder if he would carry an inner resentment. I think I'm just having a bad day, I'm even beginning to sound crazy to myself.

Judy

[pamsouth]

I often ask myself that question and presently am in that situation.  I am definitely going to a leading hospital to have my FISH AND PCR done, about 15 miles from my home, because they do the FISH, PCR, and whatever in house and they also interpret them.

My present ONC sends the blood labs from Indiana to New Jersey.  I asked her if there were labs here in Indiana that did in house PCR / FISH, she said no.  the PCR already have a lot of room for error, but they really need to be done quickly and in house is better then sending them off.  Blood can become tainted very quickly.  I think Trey posted some good articles on this whole subject.  So catch up with him.  I put him on my friend list to make sure I got his post!

So I was surprise (after calling LLS and they told me IU Simon Cancer Center, was the #1 premier of Indiana for CML).   The doctor at IU told me they do all their labs right there at the hospital and interpret  them.  He said my present onc probably meant there was none in Indiana that she was contracted to (or had rights).  I am not sure if she did not know IU did their own labs, or just left that part out.  However, I must say she has a great reputation as a great ONC for breast cancer.  You usually have to wait 1 1/2 to 2 hours in her office to see her.  I am just not sure that CML is her specialty. Remember there are only 4,000 to 5,000 dx each year with CML so it is rare.

My chiropractor had me go get a lab for the phosphates, (I recently did some labs and found out I was very low in vit D)  so I went ahead and had them do a CBC and send it to my old/present ONC.  She does know I went for a second opinion as she was sent a report from IU Simon Cancer.  Also I did cancel my appointment with her, as it would have been the 3rd appointment in 3 weeks, to go over the same ground we all ready discussed and I was really getting stressed, blood pressure up.  So that is what sent me to get a second opinion.  I called the lab in New Jersey and found out that they had changed their Metric scale or calculations to an international scale, plus by labs that were sent to N.J. obviously were very erroneous/questionable. Plus I called LLS to make sure I was understanding/reading my labs correctly. Plus I called my prescription company Medco to get some info on the different drugs.  So, If I am going to change drugs has brought me to the discussion board.  So I have been carefully doing my home work before I do something stupid.  I certainly don't have all the answers for myself nor do I have a crystal ball, but I do believe you are your own best advocate!!!

I must say my confidence is building back up where if she has an issue with my second opinion.  Well it is my life.  I do think she probably is steaming, but I will probably be changing down the road anyhow and I am not sure I will be seeing her at my next appointment in January.  I don't think she would like me getting my labs somewhere else. 

Actually I am praying about it and give my head time to catch up with the situation and giving it a bit of a rest. 

Enjoyed our Christmas cantata practice at church tonight and got a lot of fun stuff coming up.  It helps to get away from thinking about it 24/7.

[CallMeLucky]

This may sound harsh, but I think very often the doctor would not know your name without your chart right in front of them, let alone whether or not you are getting second opinions.  I think any professional may resent being questioned on their advice, depending on how it is presented.  If the doctor says do something and you respond that you talked to another doctor who said to do something else, it would seem reasonable that their response would be for you to work with the other doctor.  I think it comes down to the doctor and if they are willing to work with guidance from a specialist.  Some doctors are happy to, others feel they know better and don't need advice.  This is how I wound up with my doctor, she is a specialist and I went to her for a second opinion.  She said I could continue to see the local doctor and she would advise, but she said there was nothing obligating him to follow her recommendations and if he disagreed, I would be following his guidelines instead of hers.  In this case, I think the local was more than willing to take direction from her but that didn't sit so easy with me either.  I didn't have a lot of confidence in him.  I would be going to him for convenience and relying on him to relay my information back and forth to the specialist for guidance.  This seemed like a less then optimal situation.  The specialist was under no obligation to get invested in my case so on crucial decisions where he could not reach her I would be relying on him to make the decision.  Ultimately I decided to go to the specialist instead.

[Trey]

It is not a friendship.  You should not care what the Onc thinks about it.  The Onc works for you as the patient.

[pamsouth]

Trey, you hit the nail on the head.  Very short and to the point. 

"It is not a friendship.  You should not care what the Onc thinks about it.  The Onc works for you as the patient"

There you go in a nut shell, ha, ONC getting paid good paid, "WORKS FOR ME"!! I REALLY LIKE THAT THOUGHT!!

[Skittles]

Judy, Mark Mendonca sees an onc at Mass General and called Dana Farber when he was questioning his doctor. He was reassured the DF onc would have done the same thing but was also given the option of going to the onc at DF if he wanted to.  He was having liver issues on Tasigna and due for lab work at the time.  Remember you do have options and also I wanted to add..read Scuba's new post...good news on his counts on Sprycel!!!   Very Encouraging!   Hugs, Skittles

[Judy2]

Thanks you guys, for all your input. I am going to get a 2nd opinion. I think my concern was if I thought the 2nd onc. wasn't as good as the first and I went back to the first my medical care with him wouldn't be as good because he would be angry that I questioned him. I guess it really doesn't matter, though, I am too uneasy about my care. Thanks again, everyone.

Judy

[Judy2]

Hi Billie. Melanoma and cml!!! Yikes!!! Does it ever end? I'm calling Monday to set up my appointment for 2nd opinion. Thanks for all your help.

Judy

[pammartin]

Excellent Trey, I could not have said it any better (and definately not shorter).