Too many appointments

[Anonymous]

Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. It is too important to miss so health appointments take a priority. I’m single with sole custody of two teens, one with chronic health issues. I’ve got skin cancer (at least 4 appointments a year) and in chemo treatments soon to be followed by radiation (uterine cancer found by regular gyn appointment/biopsy of possible polyp.) I’m managing a lot of appointments on top of teen activities and my job.

I write everything in a paper calendar and block my work calendar. To the greatest extent possible, I get the earliest appointment of the day to limit the impact on my work. For annual or 6-month appointments, I schedule in March and September so they are predictable and kids are in school.

How did the gyn appointment find the cancer? i wonder about this because I never get ultrasounds other than when I get a new IUD inserted and that's obviously not often.

I had light spotting between jan/feb periods. No other symptoms. First an ultrasound and everything pointed to polyps (no family history of cancer of anything other than skin cancer, no additional risk factors, no other physical symptoms). A biopsy determined cancer. Surgery determined one lymph node involved. Suddenly I was a stage 3 cancer patient.

Do not skip regular appointments. And check out any odd changes sooner rather than later.

The most important thing in your life is your health.

I'm really sorry. I don't skip gyn ever, but I sometimes wonder if I could miss something bc I don't get an ultrasound for this. I don't spot ever as I have a Mirena IUD. Maybe I should ask for an ultrasound?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. It is too important to miss so health appointments take a priority. I’m single with sole custody of two teens, one with chronic health issues. I’ve got skin cancer (at least 4 appointments a year) and in chemo treatments soon to be followed by radiation (uterine cancer found by regular gyn appointment/biopsy of possible polyp.) I’m managing a lot of appointments on top of teen activities and my job.

I write everything in a paper calendar and block my work calendar. To the greatest extent possible, I get the earliest appointment of the day to limit the impact on my work. For annual or 6-month appointments, I schedule in March and September so they are predictable and kids are in school.

How did the gyn appointment find the cancer? i wonder about this because I never get ultrasounds other than when I get a new IUD inserted and that's obviously not often.

I had light spotting between jan/feb periods. No other symptoms. First an ultrasound and everything pointed to polyps (no family history of cancer of anything other than skin cancer, no additional risk factors, no other physical symptoms). A biopsy determined cancer. Surgery determined one lymph node involved. Suddenly I was a stage 3 cancer patient.

Do not skip regular appointments. And check out any odd changes sooner rather than later.

The most important thing in your life is your health.

I'm really sorry. I don't skip gyn ever, but I sometimes wonder if I could miss something bc I don't get an ultrasound for this. I don't spot ever as I have a Mirena IUD. Maybe I should ask for an ultrasound?

^^and I should add that stories like yours are what really scare me: you had a tiny symptom most people would overlook or maybe not even notice. Thankfully you asked about it, and your doctor listened, but what about all the things we experience like maybe a bad headache one day, a pain here and there, one tiny change...It feels like you can be on top of everything in a "good health check routine" sort of way and still miss THE thing that could be a life or death issue. It's incredibly scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

Impossible to do where we are: With unpredictable and often lengthy wait times (and the medical system asking for check in 15 mins prior to the appointment), you need to leave at least 2.5 hrs open for a single appointment.

[Anonymous]

It’s like a full time job when you add your kids’ appts to the mix…the checkins, confirmations, paying any outstanding bills, filling out medical history 20x, on and on and on…but we have to push through and do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

I'm going to do this too. It's a great idea. Just get it all over with in one day. This stuff can take over your days off easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

I can guarantee that if I did this I would get sick that day and have to reschedule them all. 😬

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

How do you do that when they're all running late?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do what I do! Schedule an annual doctor day!

GP, Derm, Dentist, Gyno, Mammo, and any specialist you happen to need. I did six appointments back to back a few weeks ago. I only go to the dentist once a year, which helps, and I alternate years with the derm and the eye doctor.

Yeah, there are sometimes follow up, but knocking out the main appointments with one personal day takes a huge load off.

Impossible to do where we are: With unpredictable and often lengthy wait times (and the medical system asking for check in 15 mins prior to the appointment), you need to leave at least 2.5 hrs open for a single appointment.

Yup! This isn't possible around here maybe Mayberry but not here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have those things and they don't stress me. Both my kids have health issues, especially one with lupus who needs regular labwork, which she hates to do, and THOSE stress me out.

Same. I have a child with multiple medical issues and we are constantly at the doctors, hospital, lab, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Same here.

Two scans a year
Dentist x 2
Annual visits x 2
Eyes
DEXA ev 2 years

And then follow ups and other odds and ends.

I forgot the annual hearing test.
And then an endocrinologist check-in every 1-2 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. It is too important to miss so health appointments take a priority. I’m single with sole custody of two teens, one with chronic health issues. I’ve got skin cancer (at least 4 appointments a year) and in chemo treatments soon to be followed by radiation (uterine cancer found by regular gyn appointment/biopsy of possible polyp.) I’m managing a lot of appointments on top of teen activities and my job.

I write everything in a paper calendar and block my work calendar. To the greatest extent possible, I get the earliest appointment of the day to limit the impact on my work. For annual or 6-month appointments, I schedule in March and September so they are predictable and kids are in school.

How did the gyn appointment find the cancer? i wonder about this because I never get ultrasounds other than when I get a new IUD inserted and that's obviously not often.

I had light spotting between jan/feb periods. No other symptoms. First an ultrasound and everything pointed to polyps (no family history of cancer of anything other than skin cancer, no additional risk factors, no other physical symptoms). A biopsy determined cancer. Surgery determined one lymph node involved. Suddenly I was a stage 3 cancer patient.

Do not skip regular appointments. And check out any odd changes sooner rather than later.

The most important thing in your life is your health.

I'm so sorry to hear you have cancer and have to juggle so much. You sound like you are handling everything well and have a good system with the March/Sept appointments.

PS: I just had a biopsy of my uterus. With ultrasound, they found a polyp, which will have to come out. I am waiting to see if they detect cancer. No one mentioned looking at my lymph nodes though.

May I ask where you had the surgery done? My GYN says they could do it, but would they know enough recognize cancer in a lymph node?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. It is too important to miss so health appointments take a priority. I’m single with sole custody of two teens, one with chronic health issues. I’ve got skin cancer (at least 4 appointments a year) and in chemo treatments soon to be followed by radiation (uterine cancer found by regular gyn appointment/biopsy of possible polyp.) I’m managing a lot of appointments on top of teen activities and my job.

I write everything in a paper calendar and block my work calendar. To the greatest extent possible, I get the earliest appointment of the day to limit the impact on my work. For annual or 6-month appointments, I schedule in March and September so they are predictable and kids are in school.

How did the gyn appointment find the cancer? i wonder about this because I never get ultrasounds other than when I get a new IUD inserted and that's obviously not often.

I had light spotting between jan/feb periods. No other symptoms. First an ultrasound and everything pointed to polyps (no family history of cancer of anything other than skin cancer, no additional risk factors, no other physical symptoms). A biopsy determined cancer. Surgery determined one lymph node involved. Suddenly I was a stage 3 cancer patient.

Do not skip regular appointments. And check out any odd changes sooner rather than later.

The most important thing in your life is your health.

I'm so sorry to hear you have cancer and have to juggle so much. You sound like you are handling everything well and have a good system with the March/Sept appointments.

PS: I just had a biopsy of my uterus. With ultrasound, they found a polyp, which will have to come out. I am waiting to see if they detect cancer. No one mentioned looking at my lymph nodes though.

May I ask where you had the surgery done? My GYN says they could do it, but would they know enough recognize cancer in a lymph node?

You should talk through these questions with your gyn. They are all totally reasonable.

For me, when they found the cancer from the biopsy I was referred to a surgical oncologist who removed everything with robotic surgery (uterus, tubes, cervix, ovaries and one lymph node from each side). Pathology found the cancer in a lymph node. I believe the ultrasound did indicate that one node was slightly larger, but report and gynecologist indicated it could just be inflamed.

I’m note sure if that approach to surgery is standard protocol for someone not planning to have any more kids.