How important is the experience of a breast surgeon?

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  • rianne2580
    rianne2580 Member Posts: 191
    edited March 2011

    Thank you, Beesie. I respect your opinion totally. I have contacted Northwestern in Chicago. It would be a 2.5 hour drive for me, but I've decided it's worth it. My message to BS was that I wanted to talk to someone who knew more about this study and was it possible to only take the SN. I did not dictate her procedure. If she would have kindly said that is not her standard of care and she is not comfortable with the study results at this time, I would have been ok with that. Instead, her rant threw me into a state of blubber and I was so stunned that the rest of my day was in a fog, honestly. She's an egomaniac that has no time for a patients question and is offended by the mere asking. 

    Also, Johns Hopkins requested the rest of my biopsy tissue. I guess it's in a parrafin block that pathology keeps. They obviously have more questions about my biopsy path results for a second opinion. They called me at home and told me of this change. I would go to Johns Hopkins, but they are 10 hours away. That hospital and it's staff are first class, they return phone calls within 24 hours, you talk to a knowledgeable person and I have not had to leave a VM once. 

     Moving from Chicago to a small town is a cold slap in the face when it comes to medical professionalism. 

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited March 2011

    Rainee---that BS needs a slap in the face.no dr.should talk that way to any patient.YOU WE are paying their salary.I too had a top BS with a huge ego.guess what.he did all the wrong things.

    I went to 4 different Drs till i finally found the dr.who was gonna do what I wanted HER to do.I never regretted it.Follow your heart.I wish you all the best.hugggggggggggs K

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  • Sandy105
    Sandy105 Member Posts: 216
    edited March 2011

    I agree with others who have responded to your question. You have every right to feel at ease and completely comfortable with your BS. If you do not, I think it would be difficult to trust them all that much. It may be a bit of a drive to another facility but will be well worth it if you find the surgeon who is right for you located there!

    Hugs

    Sandy

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  • StillHere
    StillHere Member Posts: 67
    edited March 2011

    Run - don't walk - to get another breast surgeon. This one sounds like bad news start to finish. and, don't be too enamored of Johns Hopkins - they're good at the PR to get you in the door - but I was singularly unimpressed with my breast surgeon - an ego maniac for certain - rough, rushed and full of himself. Left the back of my upper arms numb because he's such a speed freak he didn't bother to avoid some nerves - and the scars, though hidden, are these puckered indented things - which is definitely not necessary. I've had 3 previous axillary biopsies - and the surgeons in those cases were perfectly capable of leaving a smooth discrete scar.

    The plastic surgeon was awesome, though - and I think Hopkins has other breast surgeons who are more compassionate than the one I had the misfortune to be assigned to.

      

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited March 2011

    Hi all,

    I completely agree with everyone that you need to see a doctor that you are most comfortable with. I am now very happy with Dr. Houlihan, and I just made the decision of doing a unilteral MX with immediate implant reconstruction. I don't have a surgery date yet but it should be sometime in April.

     I hope things work out for everyone!

    Take care,

    Bella 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited March 2011

    Bella, glad you are getting on with your treatment.  My I suggest that you be as particular with your plastic surgeon as you have been with your bs?  You will be joined at the hip with the plastic for many weeks/months to come, according to your choice of recon.  Make sure this doc is all you want him/her to be and MORE.  Complications with recon can and do occur and you want to make sure that you trust the plastic to address those without an artist's ego.  I had not evaluated my plastic and just took my bs's word and it was a major mistake for me.  Did find a good second plastic tho and am very happy with my redo.

    Just make sure, OK?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2011

    I will second the motion on Johns Hopkins.  I know 2 cancer patients that had terrible followup from Onc's there (one a close friend).  I consider myself the head of my cancer team and I watch my back at all times.

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited March 2011

    yes, in my experience the surgeon is very important

    do not be shy about asking for a dif surgeon, I ran screaming (well not screaming) from a radiation doc who took 3 phone calls while explaining the details of radiation to me

    you need confidence in all your docs 

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited March 2011

    Iodine and all,

     I am comfortable with my current PS, although he specializes in DIEP Flaps. I was originally thinking about doing DIEP, but now I will be doing the implants. He is seeing me tomorrow to see whether I am a good candidate for immediate one step implant reconstruction. 

     I like the fact that he is intelligent and also very calm. I was told that he has great bed-side manner.

    Bella 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited March 2011

    Just great!  So glad you are finding the docs for YOU.

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