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

[Anonymous]

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.

It is not cruel to be honest. It’s a few weeks away and a typical wait time. DP

[Anonymous]

OP wasn't specific, but if you search this forum you'll find a lot of women who found the wait for a diagnostic mammogram and/or a biopsy to be really long. In my case it was six weeks for each, so about 3 months after the original mammo. That made me completely crazy with anxiety tbh; only when I posted here (or read someone else's post) did I realize it was pretty much the norm.

In the end I got the all clear, but I remember feeling paralyzed with fear (my mom died of ovarian diagnosed at the exact same age as I am now) so I totally sympathize with anyone who is in limbo and finds our health care system overly byzantine.

Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

I had to wait 3 months last year for diagnostic mammogram. Is this at Inova Fairfax?

[Anonymous]

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.

Why is it nuts? You have to wait for your turn. September is only next month.

She has a suspicious lump, PP. While most are benign, as someone with BC I can assure you that her concerns are valid. “Wait your turn?” How many threads to you s**t on daily? Do better.

Have you tried Community Radiology, OP? Also, I would call your OB to see if they can get anything expedited on your behalf.

I'm sorry OP. I don't think Washington Radiology would have anything (they screwed up my appointment scheduled last week and the next available they had wasn't til October), but I was able to reschedule with Fairfax Radiology. Medstar never called me back, but maybe you'll have more luck with them. And as someone else mentioned upthread, NYC has more hospitals and may have more availability...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP. It’s maddening to wait, and no one in healthcare seems to have much of a sense of urgency.

+1 The wait is the hardest, the not knowing. But IF it’s anything the wait isn’t going to make a difference.

Is there a way you can mentally put it in a drawer when you start thinking about it? It helps me to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP. It’s maddening to wait, and no one in healthcare seems to have much of a sense of urgency.

That a strange take. Do you think healthcare workers are just sitting around picking their nose? And make appointments months down the road just to make people suffer??

I think it took me two full days to get the scheduler at Inova tl return my call so I could make an appointment for cancer surgery. It took me more than one day before that to get the diagnosing doctor’s office to send over the referral that the doctor told me she had sent over but hadn’t, and another full day to get the office to send me their list of recommended surgeons that they insisted was in my portal but was not. I would not be allowed to have that error rate at my job nor to take 2 days to return calls, and my job isn’t life and death.

The scheduler can take a little while, because they have to coordinate with both the surgeon and the OR at the hospital.

False. This was for an initial consultation. GW and Medstar were able to make an appointment right away when I called the main line. Inova futzed around for 2 days before anyone called me back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get used to it, op. My uterine biopsy found cancer. I waited 5 weeks for surgery and now 2 weeks out from surgery and no pathology report yet.

The worst part is the waiting.

I’m so very sorry. That’s not ok.

[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.

It is not cruel to be honest. It’s a few weeks away and a typical wait time. DP

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a typical wait time.

[Anonymous]

I dislike women in groups, who trivialize other women's fears. I have GAD and panic disorder and never had a mammogram as I know I couldn't tolerate wait times like this. So I'm collateral damage and will be mocked by the hyena pack of women who put down my intolerance. Male doctors and men in general are more supportive of me than any women are.

If I get breast cancer I'm not treating it, just going straight to medical aid in dying. That's what "one size fits all" medicine does.

[Anonymous]

I had an ultrasound this week to see if cancer has spread to my lymph nodes. The hospital specifically said they would read the scans by the end of the day on Friday. They did not. It’s the weekend now and I have to wait until Monday, at least. Previously, my biopsy results took A MONTH to come back. These timelines are absurd but we are powerless to do anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dislike women in groups, who trivialize other women's fears. I have GAD and panic disorder and never had a mammogram as I know I couldn't tolerate wait times like this. So I'm collateral damage and will be mocked by the hyena pack of women who put down my intolerance. Male doctors and men in general are more supportive of me than any women are.

If I get breast cancer I'm not treating it, just going straight to medical aid in dying. That's what "one size fits all" medicine does.

Maybe women don’t treat you well because you give off strong “cool girl” vibes.

[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.

Why is it nuts? You have to wait for your turn. September is only next month.

Long wait times is an excuse they always give to not have a medical system like Canada, UK or Australia.

[Anonymous]

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.

Why is it nuts? You have to wait for your turn. September is only next month.

Long wait times is an excuse they always give to not have a medical system like Canada, UK or Australia.

What does this mean? Wait times are longer in those countries than here, if you can get an appointment at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dislike women in groups, who trivialize other women's fears. I have GAD and panic disorder and never had a mammogram as I know I couldn't tolerate wait times like this. So I'm collateral damage and will be mocked by the hyena pack of women who put down my intolerance. Male doctors and men in general are more supportive of me than any women are.

If I get breast cancer I'm not treating it, just going straight to medical aid in dying. That's what "one size fits all" medicine does.

Maybe women don’t treat you well because you give off strong “cool girl” vibes.

Yes, someone admitting to this much anxiety probably does experience herself as a “cool girl” /s WTF?

PP, Bay Radiology in Annapolis does all needed followup through biopsy on the same day. I started at 48 because I have already had organs removed for cancer risk and frankly cannot tolerate waiting around for results and that wait being treated casually by the system. Bay Radiology has been a Godsend in that regard.

[Anonymous]

When I needed a call back for a suspicious spot on my breast, fairfax radiology got me in quickly. I had to go to Loudoun but it was worth it.