Follow up's

Ali, Who is your appointment with?

I saw my medical oncologist a week post chemo and then a month post chemo. I had blood work drawn in the lab before the appointment and we went over the numbers there. At the one month one we talked about how radiation was going for me as it has just started, scheduling my port removal (didn't get it removed right away so I'm waiting until rads is over and all skin is calm), my tamoxifen prescription to start after rads, and follow-up care in the future (every 3 mos for at least a year). I also had my port flushed.



Met with my BS last week. It had been about 6 months. I did not have any tests or scans. She did a breast exam. We did talk at length about the future. I will have a 3D mammogram in November and see her then for an appointment and exam. and we talked a lot about the past. I wanted to review the different mammograms, ultrasound, breast MRI from before and during diagnosis. We talked about my dense tissue too. I'm going to have a breast MRI alternating with the 3D mammograms going forward.



I'm finding from reading on here that different docs have different protocols. Of course they also make decisions based on the patient.



Hugs!

With my BS I had a follow up after 3 months, then 2 more at 6 month intervals.  She cut me lose after that because I assured her my onc was doing a breast (chest, actually, since there aren't any breasts!) exam.

My radiologist did 3 6 month follow ups, again, looking at the chest for any sign of long term radiation effects but the next visit is a yearly.

My onc has me on 3 month visits.  Many women go to 6 month follow ups but my onc watches me closely due to the BRCA 2+, no chemo response, pleomorphic cancer cells. 

Since my onc has been following me so closely I really felt the other docs didn't need to see me.  Oh well.  He made it clear that he was taking care of me after I was done with surgery and rads.  He chooses to do blood work (including tumor markers) and physical exams.  Scans are performed only if I have a symptom that needs more investigation. 

So ask your doc what the plan is for follow ups.  How often, what is going to be done, what to do if your bothered by something (make appt. after 2 weeks or right away?), if there is any baseline scans that should be done, what is the post treatment therapy (hormonals such as Tamoxifen or Femara) and for how long.  Any other things that would help such as Zometa or daily baby aspirin.  Pick his/her brain and bring a notebook to write it all down.

I don't blame you for having the fears.  Matter of fact, that was exactly my fear.  The thought of doing chemo and rads again just made me sick to my stomach.   But it's a lot like giving birth -- not fun, but the end result is worth it.  And as time goes by you actually forget exactly what it was like.  Your first follow up is hard but they get easier as time goes by.