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Biopsy Needed For Lungs
I had a Pet Scan and my dr. said twice he thought it was Cancer and I need a lung biopsy and to call the next day to set up an appointment. I live in Schenectady, formerly down in GA. Well I called last wee, I called today and can't get a live person. All I hear is leave a message and we will get back to you in 5 to 7 days regarding your problem. I have no idea what to do now. Called my dr's office and the girl said she would see if she can get me into Albany Med Hospital for the test and someone would get back to me. How long should I wait. To me, I've not felt well since last May, they accidently found the nodules on my lungs in October, and here it is May a year later and I still don't know what is going on. Where can I go to get a biopsy. Are all hospitals that understaffed and lack of medical equipment as I'm told. I am very nervous about this. I thought when I moved to NYS I would get better health options but evidently not!
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I would suggest seeing if your doctor can get you a referral to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, NY it’s not to far and they have the equipment and doctors to complete a biopsy, If your doctor can refer you to a Pulmonologist there that would be where to start. I had a persistent cough and I got a referral to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, and they were able to complete a brocoscopy with biopsies.
Hope this helps,
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1 ReactionThanks! I'm callling back tomorrow and if I can't get any help will check out Mayo in Rochester or Jacksonville. It's going on a year since I felt well.
They need referrals now? I took my hubby to Jacksonville back in 2010 didn't need a referral but that was many years ago.
That was the route I took, it may not be a requirement.
You could either get a referral to Mayo clinic in Rochester or Mount Sinai in NYC. My niece works in Albany and they have some of the best oncologists there. There are a lot of good hospitals around in NY. However, as a doctor told me once, you are your best advocate. You need to speak up. If they don't get back to you the same day, call the next day. Don't stop calling until you get the appointment that you need. This is the time that you want to be like a little gnat (annoying). The more you speak up, the more results you will get. If you sit back and let others take the initiative, they won't see the urgency.
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1 Reaction@dablues82, I'm sorry to hear that you are having this issue. I always say, it shouldn't be this difficult. I think you did the right thing by reaching out to your doctor's office. If you haven't heard back from them, it may be worth another phone call. You need the biopsy so you can understand next steps and move into treatment if needed.
Overall, healthcare is struggling right now. There are more patients that need to be seen than most systems can handle. There are many good cancer centers around the country. I hope you can get into someplace that's close to home, especially when you still aren't sure what diagnosis you are working with.
Here's a link to a web site, with many of the top centers listed, but there are certainly others too: https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers
If you decide that you want to travel to a Mayo Clinic location, here is the link which includes information on requesting an appointment: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
Have you heard back from anyone yet?
I want to apologize, I Assumed that the Mayo Rochester was in NY, it is in fact in MN, I am truly sorry for any inconvenience this caused.
Great link! Also, it unfortunately depends on one's insurance, but I self-referred myself to Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota. After an abnormal chest x-ray, I couldn't get in to see a local Specialist for two weeks, so I looked around and also called Mayo. They told me to set up an account with my information and have my CT and PET scans (not reports) forwarded to Mayo. I was called by Mayo doctor the next morning after receipt of scans. But that was my situation. I had surgery weeks later. It was stage 1 lung cancer.
You can correct your original post - see the three dots lower right? Open them to edit
They always say that the patient must be his/her own Advocate. That means one cannot rely on others. Unfortunately, that is reality.
First check with your insurance to see where you are allowed to go and if you need pre-approvals for anything. Then get on the phone and Internet and contact places. No doubt you will need your actual scans forwarded to the institution.