EndoCa: Will they ever get their act together?-treatment decisions

I am ready to scream ! I can't seem to get my doctors to decide on additional treatment for 1b grade 3 endo cancer.
There are no gyn-onc's in the city where I live. So my Primary sent me to one in a bigger city. This Dr preformed the surgery and the path report wasn't all bad. The fly in the ointment was he sampled no lymph nodes and there were atypical cells in the wash.
Now 5 weeks out I am still trying to get or decide on some sort of follow up treatment.
First , my surgeon wanted me to consider a phase 3 clinical trial. It was a good trial , but an hour and half drive , the coming of winter and the lack of help I might need to make the trip made this undo able. When I pointed this out he said he didn't expect me to have any problems with Chemo or radiation. (famous last words) Next , he sent me to a rad-onc for a consult. The radiologist understood my concerns about logistics and referred me to a radiologist-onc in my home city.
I go to her and in the middle of the consult she decides I need to see a Medical Oncologist.
I saw him today and he wants to do chemo before I do radiation.
Now, he has to get hold of my surgeon because he is the one that needs to make the recommendation.

Is it always like this? I am beginning to feel like a ping pong ball. I am not sure anyone wants me.

glassmaid -

I am so sorry to hear that you are having issues getting a final approach on your treatment.

The best I can say is to be your own advocate. Call your Dr. and tell him that you need to discuss your treatment options and get a decision made as to what is the best approach.

How comfortable do you feel about the recommendations and the people recommending the treatments? Do you agree with any of the approaches? Find the one that you believe is offering you the best treatment.

I don't know how much research you have done but this information may help you Cervical cancer treatment and staging

We are here for you.



G.

I didn't get bounced around like that but I can understand how frustrating it must be. If it's any consolation, they told me I couldn't start chemo until I was recovered from surgery, which ended up being 5 weeks post-surg. So you're not too far off the normal timetable.

I just wanted to get my treatment started so I could get it over with and go on with my life. Being up in the air - will I do chemo, when, will I do rad, when, etc - drove me nuts.

Here's hoping your surgeon and your med oncologist get things ironed out quickly. Nag them if you have to.

Finally some movement . I had a pet scan Tuesday( See I won a Prize thread) It was clear! So, based on that and my hyper surgeon they have decided that I only need radiation which hopefully will start next week. I am still fearful of my reactions to the radiation , but at least it is only one treatment instead of 2. And hopefully it will be finished by Christmas and I will have the Christmas break to recover. And I will start the New Year back on a normal track.

I got to get back to work ! I am starting to make jams to amuse my self. So far I have made Honey Dew and Tomato, who knows what is next.

That is wonderful that you are getting some direction on treatment. I did see the information on the PET scan and it is wonderful that it came back clear.



G.

It is always nice to have a normal PET. I am sitting, waiting, drinking contrast for ctscan.
Glassmaid it seems like the whole system is the most straightforward when you do everything in one town. Whenever you go to a second community you are dealing with doctors who do not know each other and often are not as familiar with each others contacts.
Anyways sounds like things are working themselves out. Keep up the jam making, it is good for the soul.