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Difficulty seeing/communicating with oncologist
Cancer | Last Active: Oct 21 3:57am | Replies (14)Comment receiving replies
THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY, & getting an appointment within a week is an OUTSTANDING response.
Prostate cancer is VERY slow growing. After discussing the options with his oncologist, you & he may want to learn & study ALL his options before rushing into the first one that is available.
As far as test results, my oncologist waits until our next 12-week appointment to discuss them, because it is NOT URGENT. Of course I can view them on the portal, but there is no urgency.
In the one case recently, where there WAS some urgency, I got a call within six hours. My oncologist noticed that my pulse was very low (36) at the pre-visit screening, & ordered an EKG for the next day. I hadn't left the hospital grounds after the EKG when he had seen the results & called to take me off my medications temporarily (he had ALREADY ordered an echocardiogram & a heart monitor).
This is all normal medical practice. I give this as an example of when test results & visits are urgent AND WHEN THEY ARE NOT.
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@readandlearn I think your comments are useful to provide some balance and insight before switching oncologist
I know how busy my oncologist unfortunately is as there are so many of us. I do sometimes speak with his nurse practitioner if I need anything. A few months ago I was getting light headed and having headaches for no apparent reason and in addition to a suite of blood tests I don’t normally get my oncologist ordered a CT scan immediately to ensure there was nothing going on there as my periodic scans don’t include my head.
I wouldn’t change my oncologist lightly but I would if truly needed