Sugergy 12/2017, haven't had bloodwork since & they won't let me
I "only" had DCIS and don't have an oncologist, nobody cares about. my health, I'm "good to go" (except needing a biopsy again)... 35 at time of diagnosis, 36 now. I had a doctors appointment 8 months after my surgery and requested bloodwork. He said because I already had it within the calendar year that it was unnecessary. I told him "but that was before my surgery..." he told me to come back in 6 months. It's now about 7 months, I have an appointment friday with primary care. Usually you do bloodwork in advance so you can discuss anything irregular. I called and they said they'd put in an order for it but when I went to the lab no order was there. So I walked over to the doctor's office side and asked.... they said "well, you're fairly young and healthy so the doctor said it's not necessary." I had fucking cancer.... that's not healthy.
It's fucked up they've done no bloodwork since then ? Nobody is checking on my health at all except breast surgeons seeing how I'm healing, and ultrasounds of my axilla.
I have issues on the left side of my body (cancer side) where my skin doesn't heal on that side as well as that about 1.5 years before my diagnosis I have some kidney pain that had been looked into but we gave up on once the DCIS showed up.
It shouldn't be so insane to just get some baseline checkups? I've never had a nutrition panel. I'd like to make sure my kidney and liver are functioning properly. But I also think of my friend whose mom died, of either ovarian cancer or uterine cancer. She had bloodwork done and they called her back due to some concern and she blew it off and then when she finally did go back she was Stage IV and died. I don't want that to happen to me... There's really no way to know I'm ok. I'm not looking for "cancer tests" I just want to make sure I don't have any infections or numbers out of common range. What should I tell them so they are not so dismissive?
It's easier to just go to urgent care with a problem...... No wonder why people hate western medicine. It doens't care at all about health.
Comments
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You should be able to get blood work at a yearly well check. Maybe try a different PCP?
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Are you in the U.S.? Get a different doctor. And did your oncologist dismiss you completely? The only reason my PCP didn't do blood work when I saw her in January was because my MO had done it a few weeks earlier. I'd fire that doctor if I were you.
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Or, as you said, go to an urgent care clinic, and get them to requisition the test.
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I don't have an oncologist....... since I had DCIS and mastectomy I have nobody checking up on my general health. It is stressful.
Hopefully I can request blood work AT my appointment. But it's frustrating and idiotic to have people tell me I'm fine. I'm low income and on medicaid. I can get assigned a different person but the nurse on staff who they spoke to today and whoever denied the order earlier in the month when I called - it's multiple people saying no.... so strange. -
Standard of care for breast cancer does not automatically include blood work, they can do it if they choose but many many don't. They do it if you are on chemo, but if they are just monitoring you, there's really no reason for them to check a panel of anything unless a symptom pops up. No one has drawn blood on me and I was diagnosed in 2016. Well, no, my primary care did and urgent care did for non cancer related things. But yeah, oncology and surgery are really only going to monitor for recurrence. I honestly don't think lack of blood work means the oncologist isn't any good. I was surprised by it myself, then looked up standard of care and saw that she was well within official guidelines.
Another thing to consider is that if a doctor orders a test, they are then responsible for treating it (or sending you on to someone else). An oncologist (or surgeon) isn't going to be too keen on ordering a nutrition panel that they aren't equipped to handle. I work with doctors and see this all the time. A specialist would rather you see primary care for things like that. Urgent care probably wouldn't want to do that either...it's not really their thing.
So I would recommend if you want routine blood work, go find a primary care doctor. Routine is what they do best. And since you don't have an oncologist, probably having a primary care that you trust would be a good idea.
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Ive read here the cancer blood tests aren’t reliable. In January I asked my pcp for the tests. Along with the routine stuff. Cancer markers came back in range. Great!! Or so I thought. But there was a lump. Told my MO, who ordered a PET/ct. I lit up on the non cancer side. My appointment is tomorrow with the surgeon.
I guess what I’m saying is don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The drs won’t do anything unless They think or can feel a problem. Fire that dr. Build your team with those you can trust. And are comfortable with.
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I'm in the US. My primary care doctor orders blood work as part of my annual physical. This year, I think she did add liver enzymes. I asked her about calcium, cancer markers, etc. and she said there wasn't anything additional she would recommend at this point. My doctor orders them after the appointment, and then sends me an email to let me know if all is normal or if there's anything else to look into. My breast surgeon, who I think also has experience with hematology, does not recommend any different blood work for me - just the mammogram and MRI every year. The MO also did not recommend any additional blood work.
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I can't tell if you're talking about blood work for cancer markers or just a normal blood panel done at yearly checkups.
If you aren't getting normal blood work done you should definitely go to a different doctor or try a health fair.
Cancer marker blood panels aren't used by many doctors as they are unreliable. I've never had blood work for cancer markers.
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blah333, I don't blame you for being irritated that your PCP does not seem to be taking your health seriously. Cancer or not. "Only DCIS" or not. I think you should be able to see a PCP who will take care of your overall "non-cancer" health, preferably one who will listen to you! I hope you can find that person. I had "only DCIS" too (that phrase really rankles after a double mastectomy), but like you, I'm trying to do what I can to avoid a recurrence, or if it happens, to find it as early as possible. Plus, after this, I'm determined to address any other issues I may have. Please keep us posted.
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Like I said, I don't have an oncologist and Im on medicare, I could request to see a different person but I kind of want another appt with this guy who I saw last time so I can confront him about some misinformation he put into the system..... but ANYWAY
As I mentioned, I just want general bloodwork done, NONE has been done since before my mastectomy. I know they can't just "check your blood for cancer" I'm just trying to get back to regular health and just having mastectomy/biopsies is not convincing enough for me to know the rest of my body is functioning properly. I'm just surprised I'm now rejected 3 times for this request. It's quite reasonable. I only mention urgent care becuase I have a weird scenario where rather than menstruating, I urinate my period and there is blood in my urine, which started about 2 years before my diagnosis. I have already gotten ultrasounds and CT scans on kidneys and a scope up my bladder! but nobody has figured out why this happens. Of course now Im worried about my other lady parts. I just want a referral to check out my uterus/ovaries etc and get blood work done WTF....... not to get too personal but whatever -
blah: is there a Planned Parenthood in your area, where you could get that checked out? That sounds concerning and I would feel upset being ignored if I were in your place.
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Planned Parenthood doesn't do bloodwork.......
I'm sure they'll let me get a pap smear etc at my PCP. Maybe I shouldn't care. Assume I'm healthy until I get another diagnosis or disaster.
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