@nannybb
Hi,' I have a lot more experience with open heart surgery and heart disease than NETS. I do believe it is important to get a cardiac catheterization before having open heart surgery depending on your situation. . Depending on your issue, perhaps you can avoid it and just get a stent put in during the cardac cath if the issue is blocked arteries. Having 2 major chest surgeries is concerning to me. The more they open your chest the more probability of complications after eg nerve pain, etc. INMHO . I think both the cardiologist and the medical oncologist really don't know if my symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue are caused by my heart or the NET.
I do have the following questions: is it important to have a NET cardiothoracic surgeon that is part of a team at an academic center , Does it matter.? I actually preferred the cardiothoracic surgeon who has done a lot of NET removals but is not part of a NET team. He was not pushing me to do the surgery immediately . Has anyone used ablation or criotherapy instead of surgery? Other alternatives?
Do people feel generally feel better after the NET is removed? I am not having that much flushing or diarrhea ( only comes on sporadically). Just watched fireworks outside of my highrise building. . Was grateful that I was healthy enough to do this Wishing you all a Happy 4th.