What to ask at your first appointment with the surgeon?

what Ingerp said + do not let them push you to make a decision that day. You have some time to decide what’s best for you. Come back here and let us know how it went🍀

This sounds similar to me. The wait was so hard! The meeting with the surgeon was a huge relief.

I had a friend come with me to the appointment, and another friend with medical background listen in on phone. She took tons of notes and that was helpful. But my surgeon's office was also really outstanding with being available for follow up questions and communication. So maybe that would be a question - how can you ask what you remember later.

Also, I wish I'd asked how I would find out about the MRI results (I got the test done later that day). Because the doctor called and my heart almost stopped before I realized she was just calling to tell me the results. Related, I guess, whether there's any other diagnostics they want you to do before moving forward.

Salamandra, What a great idea to have someone listen in on the phone! That is definitely a piece of advice I wish I would have taken from here for that first appointment. There is so much information they give. I did take the advice on here to make a binder to keep everything organized. I had my calander, a place for notes and questions for each doctor I was going to be seeing. Also folders for Medical records, insurance statements, bills and reciepts. I also added a mileage tracker and out of pocket expense tracker for tax purposes. I also went to hobby lobby and found some cheerful papers and stickers they have for planners. I found it nice to be able to open it an jot down questions as they came to me. All the best to you Conroyungerecht , let us know how it all goes. You will feel better as a plan of treatment comes together.

My dx is similar to yours, Conroy. I think if your tumor is larger, they’d have you do chemo before surgery, and if it’s small, chemo after surgery, like me. Best to you during this fraught time.

I’m a year out from chemo, had recon surgery 4 mos. ago, and life is getting close to normal again. You can do this.

L.

Glad to hear that you feel you're in good hands. Having a good team will make completing your treatment plan easier. Yes, I remember my first meetings with my doctors and how it feels to learn that things are worse than expected. My tumor was originally supposed to be 3.9 cm, but after my MRI, my surgeon told me that it was 5 cm. with a possible satellite nearby. Then a node tested positive.... I thought the news would never get better! ((Hugs))

As a fellow HER2+ BC patient, I'll just say that treatment is a marathon and not a sprint. Don't think about the fact that it may last 1.5 years. Just take a step at a time and the next thing you know, you'll be done.

I'd for sure ask your surgeon how many surgeries of this type they've done, and what the outcomes were.