Oncologist appointments

[Lovis]

Thank you for all your replies last week. Please can you let me know if when you have an appointment to see your oncologist whether you ever see him or just a registrar as so far I'm finding it difficult to see mine. Lovis x

[Hidden]

It probably varies from place to place. At the Christie you attend clinic all full of ladies with OC, there are a pool of doctors (about 4/5) ranging from the Professor, Consultants and Registrars and sometimes junior docs. It is random as to which come to attend your consultation. Sometimes you can insist on seeing the Prof but its not always easy. X Paul

[Lovis in reply to Hidden]

I'm going to fax him with the questions and if he doesn't reply I will demand to see him. Lovis x

[HerThing]

Hi Lovis, I can fully appreciate how frustrating this is. Angie is treated at Weston Park in Sheffield and the norm there is to see a registrar. We found this very disconcerting at first as they frequently could not answer our questions. After a while we found our feet and got more assertive and insisted on seeing the consultant. It was not a problem and the consultant made himself available. Since then, we ask to see him personally either at key points in treatment or when we have some specific questions to ask. On other occasions we don't mind seeing the registrar. Having said that, at present Angie is not on any treatment at all and only visits 3 monthly; last time we actually saw the surgeon instead which we found quite useful. Weston Park is a university hospital so whether this is the reason it works that way I don't know. If you are concerned then insist on seeing your oncologist, I am pretty sure it would be difficult for them to refuse.

Andy x

[Lovis in reply to HerThing]

I'm going to fax him with the questions and if he doesn't reply I will demand to see him. Lovis x

[HerThing in reply to Lovis]

That's a good idea, Lovis. I think it is unfortunate (to say the least) that some women have this problem while others are able to quickly build up a trusting relationship with their oncologist. We have now been able to do that, but it took a long time and Angie would have been much better served had she formed that trust right from the beginning. Best wishes, Andy x

[ketchup]

I only get to see my oncologist at the start and end of chemo. I have all clinic appointments with a CNS whilst on chemo. When I am not on chemo I see a gynaecologist registrar

K x

[TrishLey]

It's always depended. At the clinics I see my oncologist same when treatment states and finishes during abc occasionally I see an oncology team member. I have found though that the team members can answer my questions and sometimes I get more info off them than my oncologist! X Trish

[jennybutler]

Hi my appointment today waited 1 hour then saw registrar instead, found out caelyx and carbo every 4 weeks instead of 3 so another week to recover from the devastating tiredness, felt better since Saturday. She was very good but obviously better to see oncologist themselves.

Love Jenny xxx

[Hidden in reply to jennybutler]

Caelyx combi with carbo should be 4 weekly as standard procedure, if they were giving it to you every 3 wks it sounds like an error and its no wonder you struggled. I would ask if they had made an error and ask them to explain themselves. X Paul

[jennybutler in reply to Hidden]

Paul yes you are right they got it wrong it is a 4 weekly cycle not 3. It was the registrar that picked that up, even though I did question it with the mac. nurse who thought 3 weekly correct. I have only had one treatment so far and so glad another week before next more time to recover. Lovely to hear from you, much love Jenny xxx

[MaggyH in reply to jennybutler]

Hi Jenny,

I'm on carbo and caelex, and was told right from the start that it was always given as a 4 weekly regime, I wonder if this is why you have been so tired?

Love Brenda

[jennybutler in reply to MaggyH]

Hi Brenda only had 1 so far, did it make you tired? I was really exhausted by it. and yes the reigstrar did spot it should be 4 weekly nt 3 so had to rebook all appointments so one up to her for realising mistake. hope your coping ok with it.

Love Jenny xxx

[MaggyH in reply to jennybutler]

Glad the registrar spotted this, maybe seeing a registrar is not always a bad thing after all! I have just had chemo number 5 and do feel tired, my platelets also dropped so low that they had to reduce the dose after number 3. Not too many other bad symptoms apart from my hair has thinned considerably, and I currently have a mouth ulcer.

On the plus side my CA125 has dropped to 10, which is the lowest it has ever been. Good luck with the rest of your treatment, hope it works for you.

Love Brenda x

[Lily-Anne]

I always see my consultant have never seen a registrar.

LA

[annielawrie in reply to Lily-Anne]

Hi Lily Anne,are you still been seen in Northampton General? meg x

[Hidden]

Hi Lovis,

As we go to the same hospital I found that at the start of diagnosis and treatment I saw my consultant, but as I progressed through treatment as long as thing were going as expected I saw a registrar. I know you have a different consultant to me but I would ask when you book your next appointment in at reception to see the consultant it worked for me . Good luck and hope its going ok. Kris x

[MaggyH]

Hi Lovis,

I always ask to see my oncologist, and I always see him. I think that quite often appointments are made automatically by admin staff with a registrar, CNS etc, depending on the policy of the hospital.

I would hope that if you specifically request to see your oncologist then you should see him. Which is exactly what you are going to do looking at your comments, good luck, and don't back down!

Love Brenda x

[Izzystep]

I am treated at Barts Hospital in London and I see lots of different people from professor, consultant and registrar and was told that it was good as you get 2nd/3rd opinions.

If I want to see the consultant oncologist I ask at reception when I book in and get put on her list. The only problem is that her clinic quite often runs late so you have to be prepared to wait. Good luck with seeing your one. Irene xx

[JacJac]

My experience is a mix, sometimes the consultant and sometimes a registrar. It seems to me that I get to see the Registrar when CA125 in normal limits and any results from CT scans are not cause for concern. Anything slightly worrying and I get to see the consultant! This makes the waiting room period into a worrying game! If I get called and then ushered into see a registrar I can generally relax. However into the consultants room and I suspect there is a concern. However I do feel confident that if I really wish to see my consultant I can ask. Of course the wait will be longer. JacJac x

[Hidden]

In Cardiff you see the consultant at first app, then occasionally. I've even been seen on 2 occasions by a pharmacist. I have also been seen by my CSN. When I've asked questions they haven't had the answers to they have gone and found out for me.

I had Caelyx as 2nd line single agent 4wkly.

Hope you get the answers your looking for,

Best wishes

Chris x

[trix70]

Hi, I always see the oncologist, every three months normally, or three weekly when in treatment. It may be because as I live in Weston super Mare they have to send someone down weekly and its always the oncologist from Bristol. Hope you get to see yours. Trix

[Bougheycat]

I just see actual oncologist randomly, most of the time it is the current registrar! But they do consult with her if there are any probs!

[ScardyCat40]

I go to the same clinic that Sandra and Paul used to attend at The Christie. There are two consultants that lead the clinic and I am generally happy to see either of them if I have any concerns. My last three appoints I have actually seen my consultant which is pretty unusual but there have been some issues that have needed sorting out.

For routine check ups I am happy to see any of the doctors and the CNS on the clinic is also excellent

[Di16]

When I first started having oncology appointments at Addenbrookes last year, I was on a clinical trial with Anastrozole, & seemed to see a different doctor each time. It wasn't working, so I started chemo in November, & have seen the same consultant since (except for when he was on holiday), which I felt was much better. However, he wants me to see someone who deals with clinical trials next time, as he is suggesting more chemo + clinical trial drug, so I'm waiting to see what happens next.

Di ,

[Pimkin81]

I've only had a couple of follow up appointments so far (next one tomorrow!!), but I've always seen either my surgeon consultant or my onc consultant. Whilst I was having chemo I saw the registrar for a few appointments.

Claire

[Hidden]

I alternate between the oncologist - or a member of her team - and the surgeon. It tends to be her at start and end of treatment and sometimes in between. I suspect the allocation is done during the team meeting and not by the admin staff. I'm happy with this, as the whole team is always around clinic at the same time and can be consulted if needed. Certainly writing down your questions as you think of them has worked for me and I hope it will for you too. Perhaps sending them in and asking that your next appointment be with him so you can discuss the answers, if her prefers not to ring/email ( ie. a bit more diplomatically than "demand"!!) ?

Good luck with it all - you could do it without feeling the big chief was elusive....