Questions Between Appointments

I recently finished radiation after a lumpectomy. I was happy with my decision until I read in Dr Love's and Judy Kneece's books that sentinel node biopsy is not an option after radiation. With a 15% chance of recurrence requiring mastectomy (low, I know, but 3% higher than my chance of getting BC in the first place) and tremendous fear of lymphedema, I did what every reference says, "Check with your own doctor." My BS was on vacation and her nurse said that she had done SLNB on mastectomies after lumpectomies but wasn't sure whether those patients had had radiation or not. She told me to ask at my followup appointment with my BS in May. (This was in March.)

I had a followup with my RO scheduled for next Tuesday, but they called and asked me to reschedule for a week later because my RO was going on vacation. I asked if the receptionist could ask my RO about SLNB after radiation and call me back. She said she would. Instead, I got a three-minute lecture from the RO's nurse on my answering machine. She told me to make an appointment with my BS to ask her the question. Um - hello? My insurance won't cover that diagnostic code so that would cost me $160 to hear "Yes, it's true." or "No, I can do it successfully X% of the time." or "It depends and I wouldn't be able to tell until I got in there." Why can't someone just ask the dang BS and call me back with an answer? I'm a veterinarian. My staff and I call clients back many times every day when they have questions.

How do your doctors handle questions like this?