How long did you wait for surgery date?

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happyperidot
happyperidot Member Posts: 53

I'm going out of my mind waiting for a surgery date. On Thursday, May 23 the BS, PS, and I decided on the plan. (BMX, TEs, & bilat SNB) Here we are, 14 days (9 business days) later and I don't have a surgery date. Granted, the PS's scheduler was on vacation for 4 business days so I don't resent ALL of the delay.

But now we know the PS availability, the BS availability, and we're supposedly waiting on the operating room to give us their available dates. How long does this usually take? My contact at the BS office says she's at the mercy of the OR. Is this normal?

Comments

  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited June 2019

    The OR absolutely runs the show. For example, many surgeons only have certain days of the week when they can ever schedule surgery, and then there are several other surgeons who operate those days who are competing for the time slots. I'm sure having to coordinate with the PS adds a level of complexity. (I had much smaller surgeries and they were 1-3 weeks following dx.)

  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited June 2019

    hello I was diagnosed in September at 42 planning 2nd marriages near end of Sept then had biopsy beginning of October then 3 3mo chemo before Lmast then 3mo after then got married then 7wks rads and 5yrs on Tamoxifen

  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited June 2019

    We know you want to get the process started like now but unfortunately you are at the mercy of the OR and your surgeon’s schedule. Mine happened within a few weeks. I don’t wait well so it was fortunate that the schedule worked for me.

    Once the surgery is completed it should move rather quickly. Hang in there.

    Diane

  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited June 2019

    I got my diagnosis April 9, met with the care team on April 12 and the first date available for my lumpectomy was May 6--which every one of them said was remarkably fast.

  • happyperidot
    happyperidot Member Posts: 53
    edited June 2019

    Thank you all for your replies. I finally learned my surgery date 14 days after choosing my options. The overall timeline was:

    1. May 10: dx
    2. May 22: BS consult
    3. May 23: PS consult and official decisions
    4. June 6: Surgery date determined
    5. July 8: BMX with TE and bi-lat SNB


  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 447
    edited June 2019

    Hi Happyperidot,

    I had to really pressure the schedulers to get my surgery set up when I got it. Otherwise, due to vacations, it would have been 20 days later!

    DX: Apr 8

    Surgery: May 15

    My surgery date was not 100% set in stone until the week before.

  • mom2bunky
    mom2bunky Member Posts: 189
    edited June 2019

    I was diagnosed in late March and my surgery was May 10. I likely had to wait a little longer since I opted for plastics concurrent with the lumpectomy. The surgery was originally scheduled for May 20th. I started to get worried, and when I specifically asked if I could get in sooner if I split the surgeries up, they said that the time was medically insignificant and not to worry about it. Okay. Then next thing I know, the breast surgeon calls to say that my surgery (still concurrent with plastics) was moved up 10 days. Didn't ask why, but I was very grateful. In my case, the tumor was smaller than the imagery suggested and less aggressive than the preliminary biopsy indicated. So I believe them when they say that a few weeks isn't a big deal. But I also understand the feeling of just wanting to get it the hell out.

  • ipenelope
    ipenelope Member Posts: 301
    edited July 2019

    happy- the wait is the worst!! I was dx on Sept 12th and had all testing, including genetics testing, and plan done by end of Sept and my BXM didn't happen until November 15th! Part of my delay was there are no plastic surgeons in my town so i had to find a new BS and PS who both go the same hospital and then coordinate everything.

    Yay that you now have your plan in place!!!

    I hope everyone is doing good and continuing to kick cancer's ass!!🥊🥊🥊

    ~Katie💗

  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited July 2019

    Met with surgeon last June 12th, lumpectomy July 11th. But in between I met with oncologist, had an MRI, and a CT. I didn't want surgery on a holiday week since sometimes too many people are off at hospitals and it's second stringers staffing. But really, unless it's IBC or there's something really weird going on, it's not an urgent situation.

  • ucfknights
    ucfknights Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2019

    hi! How long did some of you girls wait for surgery after chemo?

  • ipenelope
    ipenelope Member Posts: 301
    edited July 2019

    ucfknights- while mine was the exchange surgery, I had to wait at least 4 weeks after last chemo. My surgery was 41 days pfc.

  • Tmh0921
    Tmh0921 Member Posts: 714
    edited July 2019

    My timeline:

    Suspicious mammogram & US: 4/29/19

    Suspicious MRI: 5/22/19

    Core Biopsy: 5/29/19

    Dx: 5/31/19

    Surgery: 8/5/19

    Chemo: TBD, probably end of September

    The original plan didn't include chemo, but my Oncotype score came back at 26 so now I'm having chemo. I asked the oncologist if I should reschedule surgery and do chemo first it she said no go ahead. I was relieved, I want this tumor GONE


    *** Edited to add: If I was just a lumpectomy or mastectomy, my surgery would be happening this week. Adding a plastic surgeon into the mix and coordinating the two surgeons schedules along with the OR is why there is such a gap

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