Interesting first appointment with new Dr. :/

Hiya gals!

Sorry so late with the update. Kind of a long one so just a warning.

Parts were great, parts annoying as all get out and parts interesting. She was a very nice lady, seemed to listen well and we had some good discussions on hormones (or lack), nutrition, exercise, checkup frequency, etc, etc.

She's the exact opposite of my former Dr in regards to hormones. She believes that since there isn't any real concrete evidence one way or another, that having HRT isn't going to increase my chances of another recurrence.

We actually briefly had a discussion of me possibly going on some type. We are switching me off of the Vagifem and onto the Estring instead. The infrequency of the Vagifem wasn't enough to "really" help me so we're going to try the other instead. It was interesting in the way she explained it and left it up to me. She asked if I was mentally ready to accept the "IF" i.e. "IF" I went on HRT and "IF" the cancer recurred again, would I blame myself for going on the HRT and chancing it. Put that way, NOPE! I'm not, sooooo, gonna stay with just the topical type to help the dryness.

Now comes the really, really annoying part! Since this was my first visit, we OF COURSE had to have the "statistics" conversation. UGH!!! Her opinion after reviewing my file is that due to my age, the agressiveness of the original cancer and how it came back (via the pleural effusion) its not a matter of "IF" it will come back but "WHEN". Ya know, I'm not one to stick my head in the sand, I KNOW the odds of it coming back again are pretty high, I do NOT need to be reminded of that. I didn't say anything THIS TIME but will explain (very calmly of course) lol if this subject comes up again. I'm already WAY, WAY outside the norm on pleural effusion cases.

It was interesting that she isn't comfortable having me go beyond the 3 month plan. I can't say I'm particularly upset about it, I wasn't necessarily comfortable going further out than 4 months either considering. So, I guess for now, my visits will stay at the 3 month frequency, at least until the Dr. gets more comfortable with my case.

I must say I had completely forgotten what the process is in a teaching hospital. Ack! buts its annoying having to wait and wait just to see resident, then wait some more to see the Dr. I think I've gotten a bit spoiled with my old Drs office, when I called, I talked to the Gyn nurse directly, never any waiting and direct calls back. {sigh} I know I'll get used to it but .....

Anyway, the exam was VERY painful, especially with so much poking and prodding by not only the Dr but the resident as well!! She said she felt "something" but at the time couldn't tell if it was normal or not, but think its most likely part of the cuff, we'll see more next visit.

Okay, so finally, test results.....CA125 was "19" woo hoo!!! CT Scan showed clear, some mention of some nodes around lungs, nothing major to worry about. Mammo was normal. Whew!!!! I'm glad those are all over with. So I guess the pain in my back lung area IS from quitting smoking. Go figure, you start hurting AFTER you quit. lol It has eased up alot although its still there. Maybe as more time goes by it will ease up more.

So, next up is my Colonoscopy, not really looking forward to that but its a necessary evil.

I think I've remembered everything, sorry again for the delay.

Thanks muchly to all of you for your well wishes! Made my day!

{{Hugs}}

Vicki

Hi Vicki!!

Welcome to the world of teaching hospitals!! Fun aren't they? I just keep telling myself...."they (residents), have to learn, they have to learn. I find the worst part is having to rehash everything to every new resident. I feel like saying...."uhm...that 4 inch binder you are holding is my file right?....well read it dammit!!!!!...its all there"!!!!!!!!

Your test results are wonderful Vicki, and reason to !!!

Congrats on quitting smoking as well girl!!! Its so hard. I 've been off them now for 3 weeks....again....... everytime I hope its for good.

I think it sounds like it was a great appointment Vicki!! You're doing great!!

Love and Hugs,
M. xoxoxo

s Vicki

I am so glad to hear you are doing so well!!!!
But I sure don't get her forcing that statistical talk on you.
I am treated by two different docs that rotate my appts. every three months. My gyn onc surgeon and the medical onc, all at a cancer hospital.
The medical onc keeps me grounded with his blatant honesty. Doesn't force info on me though. When I asked if him if since taxol became part of the standard of care, survival statistics for my type and stage had improved, he quickly told me no!!
On the other hand, the gyn onc surgeon is always finding a way to express her optimism to me. And after all, she is the one that actually did the handy work!! An example of her optimism. I am developing an incisional hernia. I told her when my ca 125 starts to rise, I want her to take a peek around before the hernia repair. She told me that is just not going to happen for me.
I sure love her.
Easy to see which doc I prefer visiting with!!!
I do understand the importance of us staying grounded with this nasty disease. However, our grounding can exist along with great hope!
Teaching hospitals can be annoying, but they are the best places for the newest developements.

karenann

I don't use a teaching hospital, but there are residents and fellows around and once I got examined by one and it wasn't bad at all. Just see my regular Dr. who is NOT statistics oriented but who is realistic. Good for your plan to speak up again when statistics come up. You are NOT a statistic--you're a PERSON! I never graduated to 3 months. At the end of treatment last time I switched doctors and mine kept me at every two months and when the CA125 jumped, it was a month. I'd rather be followed more closely I think and of course now on chemo it's monthly again. And how was your scootch? You didn't mention that and remember, we're very scootch oriented here! Did you tear or get stuck to the paper? Congratulations on quitting smoking and keep us updated!!!! Ellen

Hi Vicki...Glad to hear that all basically went very very well. I do have a question though because i had pleural effusion too when they first saw the mass on my ovary. Isn't pleural effusion fluid in the lungs?? My doc had told me that it was from the build up of fluid in my stomach that went to my lungs and that it would go away. I am assuming that it did because there was no mention of it to me on this last cat scan. (that was when they saw it the first time) I too stopped smoking right before my surgery. Anyway, glad all is well. Thanks for the info.
Rosalie

Ooops! I did forget to do my scootch report didn't I?

Well, no rips, no tears and noooo sticking!!! So, I guess I did pretty well over all with my scootching.

{{Rosalie}}

Yeap, you're right, its a fluid buildup in the plueral cavity in the lungs. I guess its not the lungs themselves but the cavity is in between the lobes of the lung.

I hope yours wasn't as painful as I remember. Mine happened shortly after completing the first round, it had accumulated alot of fluid in a fairly short amount of time so the Dr had to do a "Thoracentesis" (sp?) to drain the fluid out. I remember being so surprised at the amount which was about a liter. It brought it back home again when I was reading my chart notes and I found the path report from that... it said 700 cc's of fluid.

Anyway, sorry, lol, I do so ramble don't I?

Thanks for all the hugs and well wishes! You gals rock!

{{Hugs}}

Vicki

Vicki,

Great news on the test results. Whew!! glad that's over for awhile.

I am praying for all the ladies on this site for absolutely the best results. I guess they work, pretty good news for everyone so far.

Sorry, she upset you a bit. Sometimes I don't know if they just come out and say what they think, or if they even know how upset they can make us.
Well, the results were great, so for now relax and enjoy the holidays.