sick of 6 month check ups!

Stacey, I'm only 2 years out, and it's already crossed my mind!             Deanna

October will be the last of my six month visits and mammograms.  My surgery area will be officially declared benign and I will be able to go to once a year.  I will be at three years since Dx in August.

When I asked my doctor what to look for in terms of possible recurrance, he gave me some info and then said that 85% of recurrances are self-reported (patient notices something) but the other 15% are picked up at the followup visits. That's why they do them.

I just finished treatment and am on a three-month schedule at this point (which feels long to me since I've been used to seeing doctors so frequently). Perhaps after a while the whole experience of cancer fades into the background enough that you just don't feel like going back or see why its important.  But for me - the 15% chance that they could find something that I didn't find, and catch it early, as Brenda says in the comment above, - well, that's enough to keep me going back.

I still continue to go every 6 months after 5 1/2 yeras.  That gives me the opportunity to discuss whatever I might have on my mind as well as get the tumor marker checked and CBC done.  The CBC alone is beneficial in letting you know that your immune system is at top speed.  If your onc doesn't do these two tests, I might check into someone who does.

Its been 2 years since I was diagnosed. I go to the BS every six months and oncologist (I didn't need chemo) every six months, alternating. I also get a mammogram on the affected one only every six months and then both on the other six months. I also go to my GYN for internal every year. I will continue to go to all. I have never felt a breast lump and  they have. So when they give me an exam they know what to look for. I don't know why anyone would not want to go to their appointments. I have to leave work and make up my time or I don't get paid. And I travel 20 minutes to get there. It is more important to me to go then not.Better to be safe then sorry.

Laurie, there is a big difference between "knowing how important blood work is" and being at ease with the idea of constant doctor visits.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING CHEMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leah

I've had this same discussion with my docs lately.  I'm being treated at a university hospital/NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center; so I'm pretty sure they're following professional standards-of-care for BC treatment and follow-up here in the U.S.

I have a (digital) mammogram once a year, scheduled through the Breast Health Center at my cancer center.  An hour or so after the mammogram, I have an appt. to see my breast surgeon.  (I've already received a summary of the results from the radiologist.)  My breast surgeon (a surgical onco) co-directs the Breast Health Center, so she's more involved with routine aftercare than many breast surgeons are.  She goes over my mammo results (and ultrasound, if applicable), schedules any additional imaging or tests that might be warranted, and does a thorough clinical exam of my mast side, chest wall, under-arm (SNB site), and "good" side.  She also asks general questions and I'm free to bring up anything I want.  Last year, I asked her how long I would be able to see her for follow-up care, and she said typically once each year for 5 years after my diagnosis.  After that, I could continue to be followed through a "long-term survivors' clinic," if I wished.  I like my breast surgeon because she does the most thorough and careful breast exam of anyone I've seen.

I've been seeing my med onco twice a year, with the schedule tweaked a bit to work it around the breast surgeon visits.  So, it's been 4- or 5-month intervals with the med onco, and then the breast surgeon, etc.

My med onco and I talked about the follow-up issue last week, when I saw her for a regular follow-up 2 years after finishing chemo.  She said that after 2 years, she typically switches to a 6-month interval; but since I'm already seeing the breast surgeon at the same cancer center once a year, I could alternate between the two of them.  That meant I would only see my med onco once a year, though.  That worried me, because I'm on Arimidex and I'm already osteopenic (which we're monitoring through the center's Osteoporosis Clinic). 

My med onco does not do routine (screening) scans -- no CT, PET, or bone scans, except for DEXA -- or test for tumor markers, in patients with early-stage BC who are apparently healthy and symptom-free.  She did run a chem panel every 6 months or so at first, to be sure my liver was not wasted from chemo or the Arimidex I'm taking now.  But she told me last week that she won't be ordering any more routine (screening) blood work.  (And, no, I do not think she is "nuts".)

She said the best follow-up care for someone in my situation (early stage BC with no lingering problems) could be provided by "a good internist."  She said the medical issues that need to be monitored in my future are things like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, etc.  Those are things that a good intenal medicine specialist would be following in women in their 50's and 60's anyway.  She said a really good primary care/family practitioner could do the same thing.

For some of us, routine follow-up care from an oncologist provides a sense of comfort, even if the onco isn't really doing anything.  (There's something to be said for the "placebo effect.")  Yes, I get worried on the days leading up to each visit; and I joke with my dh about skipping the whole thing and going on vacation instead.  But I do like the fact that I have two cancer specialists (breast cancer specialists) watching over me, giving me thorough breast exams, and making sure everything else is going smoothly.  My PCP isn't involved with that part of my medical care; and the GYN I am seeing now (after I fired the one who ignored my marble-sized lump that turned out to be IDC) does a breast exam that's way too quick and haphazard.

My 1.8-cm tumor was detected by self-exam, verified by ultrasound and MRI, and diagnosed with US-guided biopsy.  It never was visible on a mammogram -- not even a "diagnostic" mammogram done with digital imaging by people who knew exactly where the tumor was, because we could all feel it.  My remaining breast is as dense as the one the surgeon removed > 2 years ago; so I strongly suspect the only way a new tumor will be detected is by self-exam or clinical breast exam.

That's why I continue to go to those 6-month checkups, as agonizing as they are.

otter

I hear you all with all of the doctor appointments and tests. I was just thinking its going to be 2 months between doctors appointments. The 1 appointment I have in June is with my opthomogist, which I've been doing since I was 3 years old, so it's old hat now. Then in August I start up again with my MRI/ultrasound/bloodwork.

I posted on this before, I love my BS, and I don't mind seeing her, but it's usually the same sort of visit that I have with my oncologist. I see both of them every 6 months, and there's usually about 2 months between each appointment, so it's constant follow ups. Once I hit the magical 5 year mark I'll be going to the BS once a year. I also find that I get totally stressed out going to the BS, and it's usually after work, and then have to deal with NY/Long Island rush hour traffic on top of it. It's close to 1/2 hour to get there, a 45 minute wait (well worth it), a 10 minute visit at the most, then another 45 minutes to an hour to get home.

Guess I shouldn't be complaining, since back in February, I had a bit of a scare with my mamo, where I needed to get a biopsy done, all b9 (I'm prone to fibrocystic tissue). So all of these follow ups payed off.

Forgot to add, my BS never wanted to see me again until I returned to him for the prophylactic mastectomy (about 3 months after I finished radiation treatments). Only then did he ask to put me on a follow-up schedule. I really like the guy, but he always keeps me waiting at least an hour, he's across town, and I don't feel that I'm getting any added benefit from seeing him.

It's been 3 years since first diagnosed. at the moment i am seeing my BS once a year and two oncologist, 1 just weeks after my mammogram then another six months later, they have got to sort it out I am so sick of all these hands on me.  By the way anyone out there still suffering chemo Brain? I am having so much trouble with it, I am trying to learn to drive and am failing miserably.