How long did it take to schedule your surgery?

cinvee

Just curious.   How long did you wait to hear for a surgery date after meeting with the Surgeons?     Also,  how far away was the surgery scheduled?   

I am approved for a PMBX with immediate reconstruction and have met with my Surgeon and Plastics reconstruction team.   They have both given the all clear to schedule, and I met very briefly with the scheduler for the Plastic surgeon after my last appointment on Oct 23rd.   She said I may not get a surgery date until mid December, which I understand.   However,  I thought I would have heard from her by now.   It's been 10 days.   After 2 years of stress and tests, now that I have decided to move forward I am really wanting to get it over with.    

Am I being unreasonable?  Impatient?   I have called 2 times for updates (apologizing each time for being impatient!) 

How long did it take for you to hear your surgery date?  And how far away was it?

Thank you.

ALH/ADH bilateral, FEA left. In the last year: 4 core biopsies, 1 stereotactic biopsy, 2 lumpectomies, hysterectomy and right side oophorectomy. Tried tamoxifen, didn't go well.   Waiting for surgery date for PBMX.

Hopeful82014

I was able to schedule more or less immediately. If I were getting that kind of customer service I would think long and hard about using that practice.

alizbeth

I was diagnosed with DCIS on May 6th and had a bilat mastectomy on June 3rd.  My surgeon and plastic surgeon worked to find a date that would work for both of them, and they did the surgery together.  They both knew I was anxious and wanted it done as soon as possible.

exbrnxgrl

I don't remember the exact time frame, but it did take a bit of time to coordinate the breast surgeon and plastic surgeon's schedule. I was dx'ed in early July, met with both surgeons toward the end of July and by early August knew my early September surgery date. If I had chosen a different ps, it might have happened sooner, but my ps, who only did reconstructive surgery, was quite sought after. I felt so completely confident and comfortable with him, that it was worth the wait. However, if you're feeling anxious about a date, don't hesitate to call. 

Caryn

cinvee

I am sorry,  I should clarify that I am having a prophylactic BMX, and do NOT have active cancer.  

I am also adding my signature above for history.

Blessings2011

Got last biopsy results on September 28, 2011; surgery (BMX & Recon) scheduled for October 31st. Not my first choice - I didn't want to wake up to a bunch of nurses in witch and clown costumes.

Then that got cancelled and rescheduled for November 8th, but I got really sick and had to postpone.

Finally had my surgery on December 5th, 2011.

I was worried about the long wait, but my Radiologist told me the cancer had probably been in my body for 8 - 10 years. (According to Dr. Susan Love)

The hospital had to find a date that accommodated 1) the Breast Surgeon's schedule; 2) the Plastic Surgeon's schedule; and 3) the specific OR availability for the time frame they needed for my procedures.

Staple

It took about a week to get a date which was a month away.  They said the operating room was the cause for the month away - it takes a bit to get the five hour block they wanted when both surgeons could be there.  I think they get all the insurance approvals before they schedule the surgery so maybe your insurance is contributing to the hold up.

DiveCat

Since you are having a PBMX, you are not generally going to be as high of a priority as those who are needing MX as part of their treatment. I am in Canada so things differ a bit, but I also had a PBMX with immediate reconstruction. 

My BS and PS not only needed to co-ordinate their schedules with each other (which can be difficult as they not only have surgeries, but on-call times, conferences, and so on), but they also needed to arrange to find an open OR time (they wanted, as I recall, 5 hours of time). I consulted with two different BSs and PSs. The first ones took over a month to get me a date (and that date was something like 4-5 months ahead?). The other ones gave me a date within a few days after my consult with the PS, but in that case I had also waited almost 3 months to see the PS after the referral from the BS, and the BS was already on top of it and had his assistant look at dates ahead of time. Both he and the PS wanted to get me in as soon as they could because I had already done a lot of waiting! In that case, the surgery was scheduled for about 2 1/2 months from the date it was booked, which ended up being earlier than the date with the other surgeons. But, not only were these different surgeons, it was also a different hospital so availability of OR would have been different too.

cinvee

So I called again today, and have some news.   She said that they are trying to book Dec 19th.   Both surgeons are available, but they are trying to get an OR that day.   They have requests out, but she said 50/50 that they get an OR which I find surprising since I am at The University of Michigan Cancer Center.   We shall see I guess.

I am frustrated,   I realize I can wait, and feel lucky to be in that position, but now that I am ready,,,, I am ready!    We were originally looking for a date in October.   Now December.   I have once again hit my max out of pocket this year of $6k,  3 years in a row now, so I obviously will not have it all done this year.   Looks like another $6k next year too.   

At least I feel like there may finally be an end in sight.  I hope.  Thank you so much for your replies.

exbrnxgrl

cinvee,

Thanks for the clarification. I know that you are ready and want to get going, but since yours is a prophylactic surgery, they may have given priority to those with active bc. Be patient (not easy, I know) and it will happen. 

nursiellp

I am now playing the hurry up and wait game too.  The BS wanted the PS to see me faster than my appointment 2 weeks away.  That was a no go.  When I go to the PS he tells me that the surgery will be done next week or the following week at the latest.  I know people who had to wait months and I was ecstatic.  Then the office calls me yesterday and tells me Dec. 10th.  URRGH! 

wrenn

I don't think it is helpful to compare surgery wait times for someone with cancer to someone without. It would be a totally different scheduling criteria.

BurntToes

My 2 cents. Wait til next year. Tell them you can't do it in December. It can costs you lots more money, it can mess up your holidays. They started my chemo on December 17, so it wouldn't mess up my holidays ( their idea). I couldn't reach my MD Anderson doctors a week before Christmas, when I started having problems, and had to go to the ER on 12/23, locally, cause I was dying. Spent Christmas in the local hospital, Never heard from my MD ANDERSON Dr. Until after Christmas. It was the last Christmas my mom was alive. I was in isolation. It was awful.

BurntToes

My 2 cents. Wait til next year. Tell them you can't do it in December.  It can costs you lots more money, it can mess up your holidays. They started my chemo on a certain day in November,  so it wouldn't mess up my holidays ( their idea). I couldn't reach my MD Anderson doctors a week before Christmas,  when I started having problems, and had to go to the ER on 12/23, locally, cause I was dying. Spent Christmas in the local hospital,  Never heard from my MD ANDERSON Dr. Until after Christmas. It was the last Christmas my mom was alive. I was in isolation.  It was awful.

sunny8

It took one week to schedule my surgery. They were very accommodating but my cancer was grade 3 so it was a priority. However, the second side I did was not cancerous and so it took two weeks. If I were you, I definitely would put it off until after the holidays. If they are pre-occupied and busy with other stuff, you will not get the attention that you need during and after. Even if the surgeons are great, the nurses and other staff might be pre-occupied and it will not be as easy for you. Especially you are already in the lower priority list.

cinvee

Thank you all again for your replies. I have still not received confirmation that surgery will be the 19th of December, but they explained that the rooms aren't "given up" by surgeons that have them reserved over a month out. If it's over a month, they all think they can still book something in "their" OR. Once it's under a month out, they are no longer allowed to hold the OR so hopefully I will hear something by next week.

As far as scheduling so near the holidays, the only reason I have agreed is because my family and friends are all off during the holidays so I can have a lot of help if needed. My husband only has 5 days PTO left, but because of the timing of holidays, it stretches to over 2 weeks where he can be with me.

I am sorry if I offended anyone with asking this. I should have been more clear in my original post that it is a preventative BMX. I fully expect to be a lower priority and will gladly wait so women with cancer can have their surgery, and will also keep all women fighting cancer in my prayers. I have friends that are survivors and they all agreed that had they had the opportunity for a preventative action, they would have jumped at it. It took me a year to make the decision, after another full year of biopsies and surgeries, so now that the difficult decision is made, I am ready.

Prayers and strength you you women in your fight. I am truly grateful for the support and knowledge on this board.

C

farmerlucy

Hi cinvee - I know it is very frustrating. I found out about my ALH/ADH and decided on the PBM in mid-November. I had to literally bug my BS's nurse every week to get me an appointment with a PS since they weren't as convinced about the PBM as the genetic counselor was. Finally I got a PS appointment for Feb 1, and they had an opening come up for surgery on Feb 21. The BS could have done the mx in Dec with no recon, it was the PS who was booked out. Good luck with your surgery. I may have mentioned this to you in another post, but the best feeling is when you wake up from surgery knowing you outran the beast.

Unbreakable01

The scheduling for my tests for the MRI and Genetics testing took awhile. Getting the surgery scheduled was quick. I met with my plastic surgeon the 2nd to the last week of July, and they had already coordinated my surgery for 1 week later. Everything was slow, but then that was quick.