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

[Anonymous]

Why are people being so shtty to OP? Usually this board is better than this.

Yes, it's common to have to wait a couple weeks around here, even for something like a biopsy for a suspicious lump.

No, that kind of wait should not be normal. Things like this should be checked ASAP.

It's totally fine and normal for you to be worried, OP. This stuff can be serious. Anyone making you feel bad for worrying can pound sand. It's probably the same ashole poster who goes around shtting on everyone in every thread.

You should call around every office you can find on Google. I was given a 2 week wait for my lump biopsy, and I was the most anxious I have been in my life. I was able to find another office that had an opening later that same week and went there. They were so nice, and I actually liked the radiologist WAY better than the first one. I would go back to this second office if I ever had to do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are people being so shtty to OP? Usually this board is better than this.

Yes, it's common to have to wait a couple weeks around here, even for something like a biopsy for a suspicious lump.

No, that kind of wait should not be normal. Things like this should be checked ASAP.

It's totally fine and normal for you to be worried, OP. This stuff can be serious. Anyone making you feel bad for worrying can pound sand. It's probably the same ashole poster who goes around shtting on everyone in every thread.

You should call around every office you can find on Google. I was given a 2 week wait for my lump biopsy, and I was the most anxious I have been in my life. I was able to find another office that had an opening later that same week and went there. They were so nice, and I actually liked the radiologist WAY better than the first one. I would go back to this second office if I ever had to do it again.

You need to define "ASAP" and how providers need to prioritize which one bumps other patients. If I've been waiting 4 weeks and get bumped, is that okay? Don't I have right to know what's making me sick too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Suspicious” according to whom? If that’s based on a screening mammogram, IME they should be able to get you in sooner. Otherwise, agree with PPs - waiting a few weeks (not months) is pretty standard.

According to the radiologist who wrote the report on my breast MRI film.

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:September isn't months away on my calendar...it's just a couple of weeks. Take a chill pill and stop freaking out.

A couple means "two." I'm waiting more than one month.

I think it's sad you guys are so used to the long wait times that you are now defending bad healthcare.

OP

[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.

Thank you! Nice to hear a sensible voice instead of the troll.

OP

[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.

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.

Seconding community radiology, they have a ton of locations so if you're willing to drive you can be seen much sooner.

They do not have centralized scheduling. I've called and spoken to schedulers for six or seven locations. All of them are scheduling into September.

No other place (Luminis, Adventist, etc) can get me in any earlier.

Part of the reason is that I have to drive a CD to their office and drop it off. The images can not be sent electronically. I would have to take time off to drive them to the office so a radiologist could review them. The review takes two to three days.

So, I am stuck waiting until whenever and will hope this lump does not move cancer into my lymph nodes.

OP

[Anonymous]

If you have a choice call around. We use military insurance and it would be 3-6 months at the clinic.

[Anonymous]

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 your take is strange. You think it is normal that the AMA limits the number of doctors? Obviously, we need more if people are having to wait this long.

From a capitalism perspective, they could be making bank more quickly if more doctors saw more patients.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:September isn't months away on my calendar...it's just a couple of weeks. Take a chill pill and stop freaking out.

A couple means "two." I'm waiting more than one month.

I think it's sad you guys are so used to the long wait times that you are now defending bad healthcare.

OP

OP you could be in for quite a journey and you really need to learn some relaxation or you will drive yourself and everyone you know bonkers. Sept is next month. In the meantime look and call around to see if a different place can take you earlier or put you on a waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry you’re getting this response, OP. I know what it feels like to have to wait.

No, it isn’t okay that you have to wait a month. It isn’t okay at all. But as you can see from previous posters, we’ve decided as a society to think it’s acceptable.

I hope you get an earlier appointment.

Thank you. I'm not going to bother to read the rest of the replies. People here have mental issues. And the fact they think waiting this long is normal is disturbing. So many sheep just doing what they are told and thinking it's normal.

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

Seconding community radiology, they have a ton of locations so if you're willing to drive you can be seen much sooner.

They do not have centralized scheduling. I've called and spoken to schedulers for six or seven locations. All of them are scheduling into September.

No other place (Luminis, Adventist, etc) can get me in any earlier.

Part of the reason is that I have to drive a CD to their office and drop it off. The images can not be sent electronically. I would have to take time off to drive them to the office so a radiologist could review them. The review takes two to three days.

So, I am stuck waiting until whenever and will hope this lump does not move cancer into my lymph nodes.

OP

This is exactly what my surgeon told me not to worry about as I awaited an upcoming biopsy. Except the thought had never crossed my mind until the moment he said it. But that was after we knew I had a malignant tumor - you have a ways to wait, more scans/screens/biopsies, lab results, etc. So we've been in your spot and you need to be kinder to yourself (and others). But it's understandable to keep trying to find ways to be seen.

[Anonymous]

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 your take is strange. You think it is normal that the AMA limits the number of doctors? Obviously, we need more if people are having to wait this long.

From a capitalism perspective, they could be making bank more quickly if more doctors saw more patients.

It's not a shortage of doctors. It's a shortage of scanners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

Seconding community radiology, they have a ton of locations so if you're willing to drive you can be seen much sooner.

They do not have centralized scheduling. I've called and spoken to schedulers for six or seven locations. All of them are scheduling into September.

No other place (Luminis, Adventist, etc) can get me in any earlier.

Part of the reason is that I have to drive a CD to their office and drop it off. The images can not be sent electronically. I would have to take time off to drive them to the office so a radiologist could review them. The review takes two to three days.

So, I am stuck waiting until whenever and will hope this lump does not move cancer into my lymph nodes.

OP

sorry you are having an issue. I had an abnormal mammo last year at community radiology and when they called, the scheduler transferred me to someone who could look system wide for appointments. I ended up at 4 different radiology locations in my diagnosis journey
Once the 2nd mammo/ultrasound came back with bad news, the radiologist gave me a card for the biopsy scheduler, who could check all locations and got me an appointment 2 weeks out.
I am also going to suggest if you haven't already, that you contact some breast surgeon offices and try to get a chart set up. They won't give you an appointment before you have the biopsy done, but some offices have a month or more wait for an appointment.
I was lucky enough to find a breast surgeon appointment within a week of my biopsy results, but it was still 8 weeks from meeting the surgeon to my actual surgery, as I had to get pet scans and meet the plastic surgeon and get preop labs and EKG and then the insurance had to authorize it.
There are more speed bumps ahead if you don't get cleared by the biopsy
Just breathe through it

[Anonymous]

If it is really time sensitive your doc can get you an emergency appointment...

[Anonymous]

Wait your turn like everybody else. I don’t know why you think you should be able to cut in line over others.