I've had IT!

flower123

My history: Three surgical biopsies. One with atypia.

About a month or so ago I went to my breast surgeon for my check-up. I ended up going back because I felt a lump under my nipple. She had an ultrasound done which showed nothing. I was upset because the U/S was literally sixty seconds...very rushed. My appt. with her was about two minutes. She never explains anything to me and the appts. are always very fast, but I think that she has a good reputation as a surgeon.

I made an appt. with my gyn. I saw him yesterday. He was mad at his staff because he said that they should have gotten me an appt. for the next day for something like this, not two weeks. He did feel the lump. He said it is very close to the chest wall...very deep. He said that it may be hard to get an MRI approved, but that he would get it done! He wrote me a script for one. He also gave me the name of another breast surgeon. I did tell him that I do not want another surgery. He said that there are other options like a needle MRI biopsy.

His nurse tried to get the Breast MRI approved (I mean pre-authorization so my insurance will pay), but they would not approve it because they want to talk to the doctor first. Guess what? He couldn't talk to my insurance company b/c he was in the delivery room delivering a baby. He is going on vacation for the next week and a half so the nurse told me to go to either the breast specialist that he recommends or to my breast specialist who I am annoyed with right now.

I don't want to go to a new doctor. I don't want to go to my regular breast surgeon, because either A) she'll want to take it out, or, she'll think I'm worrying too much.

I've had it. I really just want to wait three months, see if the lump changes, and go to my usual BS. I figure that if she thought that it were serious, she would've told me. Ugh. I'm really just exhausted. I have other health problems, so this is just too much.  

Flower 

shannon56

Flower  --  If you feel something and your ob/gyn feels something then there is probably something.  You say you don't want surgery but if the alternative was to be in enormous amounts of pain or death I think the surgery might be the better option.  If there is a tumor the longer you wait for a diagnosis the larger it will get.  Any doctor that rushes through an appointment and doesn't explain things is not a very good doctor so find someone new.  Sometimes female doctors are less sympathetic and sometimes they are more sympathetic but any one who pooh-poohs your feelings shoud be fired.  Where do you live?  There maybe someone on this site who knows of a better doctor in your area.

You'll be in my prayers and I'll be praying that you receive peace and comfort until this matter is resolved.

mawhinney

II can understand your frustration with testing delays and quick doctor exams.  It is important to be comfortable with & have trust in your doctors. If I were in your situation I would go to the recommended doctor.  A second and even a 3rd opinion can be a valuable tool when dealing with health issues.  Thank heavens a 2nd radiologist took a look at my mammogram and MRI! The 2nd radiologist found  a cancerous spot that was missed by the 1st radiologist's review of my tests.  Thanks to the 2nd radiologist my cancer was discovered very early before it had spread.

Before I had surgery I met with 2 breast surgeons before deciding which one I would use.  I wanted someone that was experienced as well as a doctor that would take the time to patiently answer all my many questions.  If there is a cancer center near you, you might contact them.  I go to a cancer center that uses the team approach. The team is headed by a nurse oncology coodinator who arranged for and guided me through all my many appointments. My team -surgeon, oncologist, plastic surgeon- met once a week to discuss my case, review my tests, review my progress, and to make treatment recommendations. I like this appraoch as it is many eyes looking out for my welfare. Plus everyone at the cancer center - from the parking attendants to desk clerks to the department heads - are friendly and curteous and comforting which helps put patients at ease during difficult times..

flower123

Thank you. I'm still just frustrated. I made an appt. with my regular breast surgeon in one month. I talked to the nurse there for ten minutes on the phone. She said that when I come in for the appt., to make sure that I sit in the right position so that the doctor can really feel the lump and that she will tell the doc about the u/s that was too fast. She was nice. So my plan is to go one last time to this doctor, and to see what she says. Should I ask her about yearly mammos? I am in my early thirties. I think that I'll write down my questions too. She said that personally she trusts the doctor. I don't know. I'm still thinking about going to the recommended breast surgeon. I feel really let down by my gyn. --- that he went on vacation when he said that he'd get my MRI approved. He was my second opinion.

 Thanks,

Flower