What Happens During Simulation Appt?

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macdebbie
macdebbie Member Posts: 171
edited November 2021 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I had my "Planning" appt. 2 weeks ago, and now am having my "Simulation" appt today. I was told this is when I can get the tattoos if I want them (they put stickers and Sharpie ink on me at the planning appt) and do a "dry run".

How long does the Simulation appt last?

How do they get the Sharpie ink off of you to do the tattoos without aggravating your skin?

Does the RO need to review things after the Simulation prior to the first radiation appt?

I ask because they messed up my Simulation appt. I was supposed to have it yesterday and they failed to get-pre-auth from my insurance, so they moved it to today. I was told that I was supposed to have a sit-down with the nurse educator after the Simulation to go over skin care and book out the rest of my appts.

But they are telling me now they want to do the Simulation AND the first radiation treatment the same day - today. I have a couple of concerns about that.

I don't want them rushing through reviewing the Simulation data if that's what usually happens after Simulation.

I don't want to not have a sit down with the nurse educator prior to my first radiation session

I was in some pain during the Planning appt due to not having full range of motion yet in my shoulder, and it seems having to do the Simulation and then the radiation treatment right after is just a LOT.

The tricky part is my last radiation appt was supposed to have been the day before Thanksgiving. If I don't have the radiation today, the I will have a 4 day lag in between my appt the day before Thanksgiving and Monday, the day they will do the last radiation appt. (They told me they don't do radiation appts on the Friday after Thanksgiving, they do other things).

Should I just have the Simulation today and ask that they accommodate me and do the last treatment the Friday after Thanksgiving because they messed up?

I'm SO stressed about this and not happy they dropped the ball on the admin side. Even less happy that if I had not thought to call my insurance and found out they didn't get pre-auth for the simulation appt I would have been stuck with the bill.

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  • RatherBeSailing
    RatherBeSailing Member Posts: 130
    edited November 2021

    Macdebbie -

    I also had the first simulation and first treatment on the same day, and it is not standard protocol. But an independent radiation oncologist told me that, unless I had gained a lot of weight in between or otherwise had significant changes, this was not a big deal and not to worry.

    And it is unlikely you would be stuck with the bill if the hospital neglected to get pre-authorization. The hospital would have almost certainly have taken the financial hit.

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