How soon does your doctor contact you after you send a message?

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abatract
abatract Member Posts: 18
edited October 2017 in Just Diagnosed

So, I just got diagnosed, have the last of my tests today, am starting chemo soon...

My oncologist is at MGH, I met him the day I got the call, so I was really overwhelmed. I liked him enough. He was a referral from my PCP, but I've never been totally set on having him specifically, I might change.


Anyway, I wanted to know how long it usually takes your doctors to get message you back, and if it's the doctor directly or their nurse that handles it. Also, how often do you send messages? What's normal for that?

I sent over a few questions on Saturday, and didn't hear anything until Tuesday around five, when a nurse called me back. I was about to go into another appointment, but we talked about the most pressing issue (see below) and she said she'd call back the next day. It's now halfway through Thursday, and nothing.

One of the questions I had asked (that works have been really good to know the answer to earlier) was about a tooth that needed to be pulled. I wasn't sure about starting chemo with a wound, but also didn't want an infection during. Anyway, it didn't seem like she had checked with the doctor at all (she asked *me* when I was supposed to start chemo), and I'm just really frustrated. If this is normal, I guess I'll live, but none of it really seems good.

Ugh. Feedback? And any doctor rec's for Boston?


Thanks!

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited October 2017

    Hi abatract,

    I am at MGH too and use their patient portal all the time. Based on my experience, they will answer quickly if the question is urgent. If it is not it might take a day or two. I have never had any issues with their response time to urgent questions or anything else. In any case, if you are frustrated with how quickly a nurse responded or didn't respond I would just call their cancer center and leave a message for the nurse.

    Keep in mind that Monday was Columbus Day, so I think they had reduced coverage on Monday.

    Good luck with your treatments!

    You can PM me if you have more questions.

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited October 2017

    Hi, sorry to hear this. Navigating can be frustrating. :( First, go get your tooth taken care of BEFORE chemo. It is very difficult for anything to heal once you start chemo.

    As for getting messages back, depends on a lof of stuff. Several of my doctors are sergens, so I know their surgry days and don't expect anything on those days. lol Sometimes a nurse calls and sometimes its my doctor. Depends on what the issue/question is to be honest. Keep in mind, they have a ton of people they see. I wouldn't count the nurse asking when you start chemo as a bad thing. Where I am, scheduling for that is not aways on the doctors paper work or easily to see.

    If you are not happy or at peace with your doctor, get a 2nd opinion. There is no reason to not be 100% with your doctor, your life is at stake. That does not mean they are a bad doctor, they just might not be the right fit for you. Good luck!

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited October 2017

    I'm at MDA and use the patient portal. Emails to my MO are answered through nursing staff the following day typically. I did send a few emails and left phone messages for a heart doc to get my echocardiogram results, I finally heard back more than a week later with excuses of I was sick and my nurse was out to have her AC fixed. A week is absolutely too long, I dropped him andrequested someone who was capable of showing more respect for my health.

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