Who of you got a second opinion?

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Charliestweetie
Charliestweetie Member Posts: 29
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi everyone!!!!

After the word was out through Facebook, a lot of my friends are urging me to get a second opinion. Their idea is that if I stay with a "local" hosptial that has National Accreditation in Breast Care it's not as good as if I would go to a famous cancer center like Fox Chase or Jefferson University.

Your thoughts on that one please?

Thanks a bunch!!!

Hugs

Charliestweetie 

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited September 2012

    I did have my pathology slides sent to Johns Hopkins Breast Center for a 2nd opinion. My insurance covered it and it was very easy to have done. Same results though.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2012

    Charliestweetie, the main Breastcancer.org site has a whole section on Getting a Second Opinion (just click the link to go there), including articles about the why, where and why of the process, and what to expect.

    Best wishes, whatever you decide.

    • The Mods

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  • Waitingforthenextstep
    Waitingforthenextstep Member Posts: 251
    edited September 2012

    I am newly diagnosed also.  I did go for a second opinion.  I live in NYC, I went to a local surgeon, he was fine but leaving for a two wk vacation. I being panic stricken was in no way going to wait for him to get back. We have the famous Sloan-Kettering hospital here, so after much pre-req that you need to get an appt, I did get treated by a breast surgeon there.  If I were you I would go for the 2nd. but truth be told I probably would have gone with the first had he been available to operate on me right away..hope it helps...

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited September 2012

    When I did online research on treatments for my stage, grade etc. of tumor, I found my local doctors were recommending exactly the same treatment as Mayo, John Hopkins etc. I also talked to my GP, whom I really trust. He said that unless you have something rare or unusual going on, you will get the 'standard of care' wherever you go. With that, I decided to stay local, I am really glad that I was able to do my treatment close to home without the added hassle, time, money and inconvenience of travel.

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  • owlwatcher
    owlwatcher Member Posts: 130
    edited September 2012

    I think i have to agree with ruthbru. I once had a rare cancer and was sent to stanford but  for my breast cancer local was just more convenient. do what you believe will give you peace of mind.

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited September 2012

    I had two opinions each from and NCI.  I also saw a MO at another local hospital.  I also saw two breast surgeons and two plastic surgeons. 

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  • New-girl
    New-girl Member Posts: 358
    edited September 2012

    I got three opinions and saw two plastic surgeons.  My mom was mad I didn't see more but I am very happy with the surgeons I choose.  I only saw one onc.  and am still considering getting another opinion.  Insurance paid everytime.

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  • curveball
    curveball Member Posts: 3,040
    edited September 2012

    I got a second opinion on reconstructive surgery, but didn't ask for any on my diagnosis or treatment so far.

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2012

    I would absolutely get a second opinion.  One of the problems is, we as newly dx'd patients don't always know what our doctors don't know. They may talk a good talk, but unless you compare them to doctors who do nothing but treat bc, so have probably seen it all, you have no way of knowing what they don't know or could be missing.

    With bc, you have basically one shot at eradicating it when first dx'd.  If that opportunity is in any way diminished, the fight can become a lot tougher.  

    If you get a second opinion and everything about it agrees with your first opinion tx recommendations, you can sleep easier.  If not, you can always take those recommendations back to your first doctors.  

    I live in a very affluent area with excellent doctors and two hospitals with "Breast Centers."  But take a minute to read my bio page and you will understand why I tell women again and again that getting a second opinion at an NCI-designated hospital (which I had resisted doing initially, in spite of urging from family involved in cancer research) is in their best interest.  http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/map-cancer-centers2.html        Deanna

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  • NatsFan
    NatsFan Member Posts: 3,745
    edited September 2012

    My friends tease me that I am the queen of second opinions.  I've gotten at least a second opinion every step of the way, and have gotten even third opinions on a couple of decisions.  Like you, I started locally, but at the urging of co-workers, I got a second opinion at an NCI-designated cancer center that has a specialized breast center (Hopkins).  It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion, and your case will be reviewed from top to bottom by people who deal with breast cancer all day every day.  You don't have to do your treatment there, but any additional info will help you make knowledgable decisions.

    Additionally, you don't have to do all your treatment at the same place.  For instance, I had all my surgeries at Hopkins, but did my chemo locally.  If I'd opted for rads, I'd have done them locally as well.  It was far more convenient and chemo and radiation are more "cook book medicine" than surgery.  But to maximize your chances for a good surgical outcome (medically and esthetically), you may want to consider a breast surgeon who does breast cancer surgery all day, rather than a general surgeon who may operate on a breast one day and fix a hernia the next.  Also, there's a big difference between strictly cosmetic breast surgery (breast enhancement and the like) and breast reconstruction after cancer.  You want someone who deals with the surgical challenges that come with breast cancer patients, not just the guy who does the best boob jobs in town on healthy, unaffected breasts. Large breast centers will also offer and explain your full range of surgical options, from lumpectomy to bilateral mastectomy, and will also offer the full range of reconstruction options, including no recon, implants, and flap recons such as DIEP.  There are many women who post here who were never told of any option other than implants, and have said that they may have made a different decision had they been fully informed.  

    You're smart to gather as much info as you can before making your decisions. You will have many many decisions to make along the way - for my own peace of mind, I wanted to get as much input and as much information as I possibly could before making my surgical and treatment decisions.

    Good luck!

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  • doubleAA
    doubleAA Member Posts: 37
    edited September 2012

    Okay, I actually got three opinions. :)

    The first doctor I hated but think I would have hated any first doctor I saw. He gave me three treatment options all including surgery, lumpectomy, UMX or BMX. The second doctor gave me the same three treatment options but explained in detail the outcomes and % of survival rates with each. The third doctor recommended lumpectomy and then if she couldn't get clean margins a UMX. I went with doctor number two as I "trusted" her the most.

    Three may have even overkill but each time I got more information and by the time of my surgery knew I had made the right choice for me. As a matter of fact I went for three opinions on my chemo as well. First doctor and second doctor had different treatment plans so I went to a third doctor as a tie breaker :). He agreed with doctor number two and explained in full detail as doctor number two did why I should be on the regime they were recommending. After lots of thought, I went with doctor number two. My general Rule is if someone is going to cut into me I want a second opinion! If something is going to be done to my body that can have permanent side effects, I want a second opinion. But that's what is right for me.

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2012

    Sometimes I wish we had a "Like" button!  So well said, doubleAA!

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  • patti3796
    patti3796 Member Posts: 79
    edited September 2012

    I decided not to get a second opinion. First I felt very comfortable with the doctor I picked. Second my cancer had no unusual characteristics so the recommended course of action was very standard. Lastly once discovered I was anxious to get the treatment plan started and a second opinion would have delayed things six weeks until I could see another doctor at a different facility.



    But I thi k for each of us wie have to listen to our gut and do what works best for us.

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  • madmot
    madmot Member Posts: 4
    edited November 2012

    I just joined the group and maybe it's too late for my story to help you, but someone else might find it useful. When my 79 year old mother was diagnosed, the first surgeon (a general surgeon) was ready to quickly go forward with MX on right breast for IDC & DCIS. I insisted on a 2nd opinion and found a surgical breast oncologist. Because of her extensive experience, she ordered an MRI before going forward with surgery.  The MRI found cancer in the left breast, close to the chest wall, that did not appear on the mammo.  If we had not gone to her, who knows when the cancer in the left breast would have been found. At best, my elderly mother would have needed two surgeries instead of one.  After being recently diagnosed  myself, I'm in in process of trying to get my HMO to authorize a referral to an NCI. I really believe that someone who does BC surgery everyday, will have the variety of experiences to handle ,whatever might come up better than a general surgeon.

    Best of luck.

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  • momto7
    momto7 Member Posts: 225
    edited November 2012

    Hi every one I too got a second opinion I went to the Siteman Cancer center in St Louis Mo. they have a woman  breast cancer floor there the Dr was good  and explained everything to me I like my surgeon she is really  good  I wanted a second opinion for myself and to make sure i was making the right decision good luck to everyone and if you feel uneasy and want to see someone else go for it!

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