Any real reason to keep that RO appt for follow up?

bedo

It's been 6 months since I finished and the girls look fine according to my MO and me.  Any Real reason to follow up? It would take an act of congress to get a day off, and I have plenty of other appointments.

Thanks!

Cowgirl13

Personally, I wouldn't cut corners after this experience.  Prior to this it 'seemed' impossible to get away--i had had annual mammograms for years and then I didn't get one for 3 years.  And then I was diagnozed.

Mom2Tots

I would go.  I was referred to a wound care clinic and the first doctor I saw, thought I looked fine. He advised me to come back in one week.  I didnt want to but I went back.  Thankfully, when I went back, I saw a different doctor.  This doctor looked a little deeper (figuatively and literally).  Long story short, I ended upon a wound vac for 3.5 months.  Without the second look from the second doctor, who  knows what condition I would be in right now. 

coraleliz

I saw my RO 1 month after finishing RADs & he told me he didn't need to see me again but that I could call if I ever had any questions. I see my BS every 6 months, this will go to every year after my appt in Oct. I see my MO every 6 months, this will probably go to every year after my appt in July. I really like my RO & was bummed when I was cut lose. My RO always did a better job of checking for nodes than my MO. Maybe just postpone your appt?????? 6 months, why not make 7 months.

sheila888

Bedo....Did you mean RO or MO ?

doxie

bedo - I went to the RO one month after rads, next appointment 5 month.  His nurse measures for indications of LE, at baseline and followup appointments, maybe because it's more likely for me to get LE from rads than my surgery.  No one else on my team does this and I've not heard of this from anyone else here.  He also considers me still under his care because the breast is still healing from rads.  I was told if anyone insisted on palpating that breast or sending me for a mammo or US, to have them talk to him first. He has to clear me first and won't release me to my BS for mammos until I'm ready.   

itsjustme10

My RO discharged me after my 1 month follow up visit.  He said since I was seeing the MO and BS, and as long as I remembered that if I had any questions or concerns to call him, then I could drop 1 doctor from the mix.  It's a shame I couldn't choose which ones to keep, because I liked him better than my MO.

It sounds like each RO has his/her own rules - and based on some things he wa saying as he discharged me, my guess is that it would be tailored to the individual patient.

I've forced myself to keep every follow up appointment I've had.  Maybe when you see your RO, you can talk to him about the frequency of appointments?

proudtospin

My RO pretty much said the same thing to me, and I was very comfortable with him, still see the onco and the BS.  Although, BS told me last time that 4 years out it was up to me if I wanted to still see her

that was before last weeks call back on the screening mamo after one year, now need to redo the mamo as a diagnostic one, today!  They said last week my boob was "Misshapened"....like you took 3 chunks so of course it is misshapened

Fitz33

At my 1st 6 mo. appts. my BS and MO thought from the results of my MRI that I had a problem ut when I saw my RO after seeing them he disagreed & said what showed on the MRI was a skin thickening only from rads and that is oftentimes what happens and I needn't worry about it. I've now had my first year appts and the BS and MO agree on the same thing. I'll now see the RO for the one yr f/u to be sure he agrees with them. I never knew that rads would cause such thickening and along with LE it's hard for them to read the tests. One more pr of eyes and I'll feel much better. Infact, after that 6 mo appt I realize the RO is the specialist who is the only one who recognizes the side effects of rads. I wouldn't discount going to one at all from my experience.