Wow--Have to wait months for possible cancer to be checked

[Anonymous]

12 weeks from biopsy to surgery for thyroid cancer. I'm trying to find someone who can get me in sooner.

[Anonymous]

I guarantee those that are angry at OP for worrying about the wait, would be freaking the F out if they had a suspicious breast lump. Which would be a normal reaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guarantee those that are angry at OP for worrying about the wait, would be freaking the F out if they had a suspicious breast lump. Which would be a normal reaction.

Yeah absolutely but OP still needs to wait or find another provider.

[Anonymous]

I had breast cancer. They knew it was likely on the WRA Fairfax mammogram. Called me 2 weeks later and said you have to come NOW for an ultrasound at WRA Bethesda can you be here at 1? Yikes.
Radiologist said yes she thought it was and they booked me right there for the biopsy back at WRA Fairfax.
In between I contacted a Sibley surgeon my PCP recommended. Started forms, they wanted the biopsy results to stage for surgery.

So mammogram was July 1 2021, ultrasound July 16, biopsy July 23, result July 27. Surgery August 24 to let biopsy heal. In between got MRI to image the clip and prepare for wire guide for surgeon.

So under 2 months for whole thing. Including the biopsy area healing.

This was fast. I knew at ultrasound so could prepare. It was invasive ductal and I asked to see, you could see the bustout from the duct.

All this is to say I don't know what has changed to make it take so long to get follow up imaging.

[Anonymous]

My breast cancer was

Screening mammo
Call back a month later, said I needed a biopsy
Biopsy 2 days later, positive
MRI 3 days later
Meant with breast surgeon a week later
Surgery about a month after that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My breast cancer was

Screening mammo
Call back a month later, said I needed a biopsy
Biopsy 2 days later, positive
MRI 3 days later
Meant with breast surgeon a week later
Surgery about a month after that

PP here. Mine was fast too. Got a diagnostic mammo/ultrasound, and biopsy was the same week - 1-2 days later? (Radiologist was also pretty certain it was cancer). Surgery was a bit over a month later, because I had to get mri, meet with surgeons, get on the schedule at the hospital, etc. But I did not have to wait much for anything. This was a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a suspicious lump. The soonest I can get a second scan and biopsy is in September.

I called another radiology company. They said they can't use the film from the first company and they are scheduling 5-8 weeks out just for a diagnostic test.

Anyone else in a similar boat? This is nuts.

if its PET ask doc to put in stat order-they you get it done within a week or two

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a suspicious lump. The soonest I can get a second scan and biopsy is in September.

I called another radiology company. They said they can't use the film from the first company and they are scheduling 5-8 weeks out just for a diagnostic test.

Anyone else in a similar boat? This is nuts.

I go all the time to Fairfax radiology and always was able to get an appointment within a week in their several locations. I have numerous issues and I have been there many times, never any delays.

[Anonymous]

I know that is stressful.

If you have a compassionate doctor , they can mark the order “urgent.”

To be honest , though, I think that the fact that your order was not marked that way may be a good sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12 weeks from biopsy to surgery for thyroid cancer. I'm trying to find someone who can get me in sooner.

Having a good surgeon for your neck is important.

I know it is creepy to know you have cancer, but thyroid cancer is mostly highly curable.

Mine was 19 years ago. Good luck to you! 🤗

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12 weeks from biopsy to surgery for thyroid cancer. I'm trying to find someone who can get me in sooner.

That’s so long. Are you in Nova or Dc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12 weeks from biopsy to surgery for thyroid cancer. I'm trying to find someone who can get me in sooner.

I hope you can find someone. Sending you strength.

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a suspicious lump. The soonest I can get a second scan and biopsy is in September.

I called another radiology company. They said they can't use the film from the first company and they are scheduling 5-8 weeks out just for a diagnostic test.

Anyone else in a similar boat? This is nuts.

I go all the time to Fairfax radiology and always was able to get an appointment within a week in their several locations. I have numerous issues and I have been there many times, never any delays.

An appointment for an ultrasound-guided biopsy or for an xray/mammogram? I did not find one place that could get me in sooner for a biopsy, which requires a doctor.

Community Radiology does them only 12-4 or 12-5 each day so not even a full day. That's one reason there are not enough appts for those who need them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a suspicious lump. The soonest I can get a second scan and biopsy is in September.

I called another radiology company. They said they can't use the film from the first company and they are scheduling 5-8 weeks out just for a diagnostic test.

Anyone else in a similar boat? This is nuts.

Do you own a calendar? September is in 3 weeks.

I had to wait 4 weeks for my biopsy this is typical. I was not offered a second scan.

Is it really necessary to be derisive toward someone who is worried about her health? Why the snark? FFS, it takes so little to be kind. But you, and PPs, cannot manage it.

Not the person you are responding to, but it is harder to take someone seriously when the story keeps changing. The post title implies several months, but then OP says in the post it's next month. Many of us have been there. Then later on it comes out that there may be other options, but that would entail OP having to take time off and drive her CD to other places. Yet, she presumably wants overworked medical professionals to prioritize her care and somehow add a few hours to their sometimes 80 hour work week. There is an explosion in cancer and fewer health professionals. They prioritize based on severity and when you call. She then says this is just unacceptable. What is her solution exactly| Produce more health professionals out of thin air or bump her in front of people with more severe health issues? Then you have people saying this country is the worst? Do you know people in Canada and Europe? I do and it's not on common to have insane wait times-even years for some things. Also, saying this is worse than any other country is comical. Go try a 3rd world country.

Life is highly stressful. Many of us have been through terrible things, but we also have perspective. Waiting a few weeks and then quickly getting treatment if something is found is fortunate, not a broken system.

It's 41 days. You simply read a post from someone else with incorrect information saying that it would only be "three weeks." Last I checked, three weeks is 21 days and not 41.

Yes, the solution is for the AMA to allow the acceptance of more qualified people into medical school. They purposely curtail this in order to keep salaries high, which allows medical schools to be expensive, which is making some people a lot of money.

So, yes, I want a solution.

We all deserve good treatment.

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find OP frustrating and entitled.

It is not entitled to want to find out if you have cancer after a doctor determines something is suspicious. Maybe it isn’t possible for OP to speed up the wait, but there is nothing entitled about not wanting to wait 6 weeks for a biopsy. I can assure you it is not normal course to have to wait that long for a breast biopsy. And even if it were, a little empathy wouldn’t kill some of you. I hope it is just that you have never had to deal with a serious health issue and lack the understanding of how difficult it can be. Because if you have and you still act like this, man.

Empathy goes both ways. OP is showing none to health care workers who have no control over the system and getting the same from me. I am comfortable with that.

She doesn’t need to show empathy to health workers. Jesus. She hasn’t even said anything about health workers. Whose job this is.

+1

These people writing from their basements...

Troll city here.