Face to face appointment with oncologist

[Fastandfurios]

Hi Ladies, I have been following this site for several years and found this community so helpful, I am HGS stage 4 with a rising CA125. I. Just wondered have many of you had face to face appointments with your oncologist since last March? I have just had phone appointments and wondered if there is any protocol when you should be seen?

[N-A-58]

We spoke with my mums CNS and she arranged and changed it from a telephone to face to face, with no issues last July.

[Fastandfurios in reply to N-A-58]

Thank you, that’s what I need to do.

[Tulips66]

Hi Fastandfurios, just wondering are you finished chemo & if you are how often do you have CT scans? Maybe it's a good thing that you haven't had to be called in for a face to face appointment with your oncologist because in my case I only got a face to face with mine when I was in trouble again with first recurrence. I dont think phone appointments are good for people like us who are living with this disease we need reassurance & most times you only get 5 mins on the phone with them & all the questions you had in your head to ask them, you forget & kick yourself after. I am in Ireland so maybe if you are in the UK it's different but you could request an appointment with him & see what they say, hopefully you will get to see him. Take care X x

[Fastandfurios in reply to Tulips66]

Hi Tulips66, thank you for replying. I have had two scans since last March with increase in spread shown both times and a change of treatment in tablet form, I agree 5 min phone calls sometimes end up where I’m too vague with my symptoms and I don’t always ask what’s on my mind. Im just going to have to me more forthright and ask CNS to change to face to face next appt. x

[Tulips66 in reply to Fastandfurios]

Your right go for it, after all it is your life & you don't want to be treated like a number, it's hard enough living with this horrible disease without having to stress & worry if it's spread even further. I understand that the hospitals are working in challenging times but I don't agree that your life, mine & all the other ladies lives on here should be any less important than covid patients so there has to be a way of treating every patient equally. Sorry for the rant I am normally a mouse 🤣but yesterday when I was having my chemo the nurse told me that there is now a waiting list for people who need to have chemo & even though I feel very lucky because I am in the system already I get looked after but my heart goes out to all those people waiting because of hospitals not been able to function properly during the pandemic and as we all know cancer doesn't unfortunately wait till you get to the top of the waiting list so I hope your CNS gets you that face to face to put your mind at ease. Take care & let me know how you get on. XX

[SASSY196]

Hi, I have had both but the face to face was at my request when I had some symptoms and needed an examination. I have appointments via video conference as well as telephone and these are better. I had this when I was told o needed to restart chemo, I preferred it to face to face as I would have been on my own for that but my husband could join video call. I think if you want face to face you can just ask , xxx

[Tulips66 in reply to SASSY196]

When I had my face to face appointment they allowed my daughter to come in with me , I was surprised but happy that she was there with me but on the other hand maybe it was just because they were telling me it was back 🤔

[SASSY196 in reply to Tulips66]

That was kind of them. I got told by my csn that I had to go in but said if was recurrence needed to be with my husband, so agreed to telephone. Now changed hospitals which is where I do video calls. Wonder if we will be allowed partners/ family with us after June 21?

[Tulips66 in reply to SASSY196]

I am in Ireland so maybe different, but I think a family member needs to be with you because I find I don't always take everything oncologist /consultant says in when on my own and then regret it after appointment so hopefully hospitals will start to relax their rules soon. Take care Xx

[Fastandfurios]

Thank you, I will just ask for one

[Mammi]

Hi I finished chemo last April & have had one face to face since but told that as my consultant is changing I will have one in July.I was told that the phone calls were safer due to Covid cases being high in this area but agree that there is nothing more reassuring than face to face. Dee X

[JayGeeCee]

Hi,I live in France and have seen my oncologist 3 times since last March. All appointments as normal. Video consultations can be arranged, but she prefers a physical check up.

Joy 🙂

[Permafrost]

Yes I have had face to face appointments maybe 3, always on my own. Good luck I think they are easing up now, good luck x

[Caleda4]

Hi, I have had no face to face appointments since March 2020. I finished chemo October last for first recurrence. I am on Rucaparib so my bloods are checked every 4 weeks followed by a tel. appointment. However I can get in touch if I have a problem.

[MarleyZ]

Had alot of face to face with my oncologist as was still undergoing chemo at that time, once that was completed in July then August one was telephone convo and Dec was face to face if there was any issues when I had a telephone convo appt due I just needed to contact the hospital and that could be changed to face to face, from what I have read on here it just seems to be more of a lottery dependent on where you live etc.

As for protocol was told contact the chemo team or CNS at any point during the 3 monthly appt if any issues arose and they would get me in to see my oncologist.

[Fastandfurios]

Thank you for all your posts it’s interesting to see how different it is for everyone xx

[Tillymint61]

I saw oncologist shortly after diagnosis twice in September 2019 and have not seen them since. My telephone contact has amounted to one telephone call after debulking scan. Iam on a trial so pretty much all my contact is with the trials nurse who seems to act as the link and feeds back to oncology team and gets back to me. Can be frustrating.

[Di16]

I have had a face to face appointment this week, but it was because they have told me there will be no more treatment. It'll be a telephone appointment again next time. Di

[rosebine]

I have had two face to face appointments since Covid began, but have never had a physical exam. Ive just had surgery and my next appointment is a phone one again, I would have thought the doc would have wanted to see me.

[avid]

I have a face to face appointment on the 27th May as my last ca125 was over 2000 but as I have no symptoms at the moment I did not want to restart chemo as my options are becoming limited.

[Cumbrianlass5]

I have only seen my first oncologist once (August 2020) and had monthly phone calls from then to discharge in January. Have seen the clinical trials oncologist once (February 2021) but have monthly phone consultations. I find I get more information on phone calls because I write up a list of questions in advance, but of course you cannot see their body language. I am stage 4 high grade with a slowly rising C125. All best wishes to you x

[Ruebacelle]

In france while on the infusion monthly otherwise every 2 months usually following a scan

[Fee26]

I had a face to face appointment with my Oncologist yesterday. She explained that she would alternate the appointments, one face to face and the next one by telephone. If I was concerned about anything I could request a face to face appointment at any time. So far so good, CA125 at 7, long may it continue.

[candyapplegrey]

yes.-like-others-say-you-should-have-one-if-you-want-one.-opposite-was-true-for-me.-asked-if-i-could-do-it-by-phone,-am-told,-no,-you-have-to-come-in.-went-in,-had-appointment-with-someone-new-who-didn't-know-why-i'd-been-called-in-as-could-have-been-done-by-phone.-oh-well.-good-luck,-hope-you-get-one.--x

[Jannibags]

I have had 3 monthly face to face appointments since my surgery in October 2019. My consultant put me on 6 monthly last December so due to see her in June. However, she did emphasise that I could bring the appointment forward if I had any concerns . She usually does Ca125 and a physical examination.

[Realistic]

Its a problem at the moment, l actually got to see a Doctor after 14 months l was having problems and getting stressed with the situation. But he wasn't my Doctor but he listened and l found l him very good.He referred me to my local hospital to see a bowel specialist marked urgent that was Feb l actually have appointment for tests this Saturday 22nd May for tests. Im hoping and praying its nothing serious but for me and others its been worrying times. Hope we get back to normal soon. Sending love & hugs SheilaFxxx

[Nicky100]

I’ve only had phone consults, but I’ve not needed a face to face. Good luck xx

[rosebine]

Well I have insisted my next appointment is a face to face. I have been changed to yet another consultant and said that I want to meet the person who has my life in their hands.