Saw the proper consultant yesterday who dispelled some of the inaccurate info I had been given. Apparently it isn't that unusual to get cysts after the menopause as the Radiologist had told me. I won't need to have a CT scan. The scan & test info they have got is enough to be reasonbly confident that the cysts will be benign. Obviously they will do biopsies to check.
The best course of action, given the size of the cysts & in order not to have even a slight possibility of Cancer, is to have the Laparoscopic surgery & remove everything. So that's what will happen within the next couple of months. I wonder if they can do a bit of Liposuction while they are at it.
So I can go on my hols to the Scottish Isles without a care in the world. Hope the sun shines & the midges don't bite!
Showing posts with label Ovarian Cancer?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ovarian Cancer?. Show all posts
Saturday, 29 April 2017
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Cancer admin?
Tuesday am
I've been pro-active & emailed the Gynaecologists secretary asking her to send Friday's appointment details by email as I never got a letter about Monday's appointment - just a telephone call. (The letter arrived this morning).
I also emailed my surgery to ask them to check that the appointment had been made. It hadn't! The practice secretary has now made one, but it's in the same place as yesterdays, so I'm not convinced that it's right. The consultant I saw yesterday said the Gynaecologists Friday clinic is at one of the other Oxford hospitals. So another phone call to try to clarify whether this is right - Just an answerphone.
Wednesday pm
No response to the phone calls or emails. No confirmation letter or email. I'll just have to turn up & hope that it's the right clinic if nothing arrives. It's all just so time consuming, frustrating & wearing.
Thursday am
Finally got through to a person, the consultants medical secretary, who was very helpful. I have got an appointment tomorrow & it is in the same place as the one last Monday. She said that a confirmation letter will have been issued, but may not actually be sent in time before the appointment. Given that when the letter about Mondays appointment arrived it included a medical history questionnaire which was 2 sides of A4, that seems to be an avoidable failure. Why don't they send the confirmation & questionnaire electronically? Most people have an email or mobile now.
Also I haven't had text reminders for any of these oncology appointments either. Every other medical appointment I have I do get a reminder.
I think once you get to see a medic they are very professional, if busy. The problem seems to me to be that there aren't enough admin staff & some are only part time. Additionally the communication between clinics / departments isn't efficient. So you get the sort of cock ups I'm trying to deal with. It seems unbelievable in the 21st century that communication isn't electronic & therefor fairly immediate. The last attempt at a unified NHS computer system failed & wasted loads of money, but that is what they need & they will have to do it sooner rather than later.
Still optimistic all will be well. It might b.....up my holiday in the Hebrides though. How on earth do people who are working, or not computer literate, or who still think doctors are Gods, manage in situations like this?
Patients really don't need the added stress.
I've been pro-active & emailed the Gynaecologists secretary asking her to send Friday's appointment details by email as I never got a letter about Monday's appointment - just a telephone call. (The letter arrived this morning).
I also emailed my surgery to ask them to check that the appointment had been made. It hadn't! The practice secretary has now made one, but it's in the same place as yesterdays, so I'm not convinced that it's right. The consultant I saw yesterday said the Gynaecologists Friday clinic is at one of the other Oxford hospitals. So another phone call to try to clarify whether this is right - Just an answerphone.
Wednesday pm
No response to the phone calls or emails. No confirmation letter or email. I'll just have to turn up & hope that it's the right clinic if nothing arrives. It's all just so time consuming, frustrating & wearing.
Thursday am
Finally got through to a person, the consultants medical secretary, who was very helpful. I have got an appointment tomorrow & it is in the same place as the one last Monday. She said that a confirmation letter will have been issued, but may not actually be sent in time before the appointment. Given that when the letter about Mondays appointment arrived it included a medical history questionnaire which was 2 sides of A4, that seems to be an avoidable failure. Why don't they send the confirmation & questionnaire electronically? Most people have an email or mobile now.
Also I haven't had text reminders for any of these oncology appointments either. Every other medical appointment I have I do get a reminder.
I think once you get to see a medic they are very professional, if busy. The problem seems to me to be that there aren't enough admin staff & some are only part time. Additionally the communication between clinics / departments isn't efficient. So you get the sort of cock ups I'm trying to deal with. It seems unbelievable in the 21st century that communication isn't electronic & therefor fairly immediate. The last attempt at a unified NHS computer system failed & wasted loads of money, but that is what they need & they will have to do it sooner rather than later.
Still optimistic all will be well. It might b.....up my holiday in the Hebrides though. How on earth do people who are working, or not computer literate, or who still think doctors are Gods, manage in situations like this?
Patients really don't need the added stress.
Monday, 24 April 2017
Ovarian Cancer - Maybe
I've had the blood test, (ca125), that shows a marker for cancer, but I don't have the marker.
http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/information-and-support/what-ovarian-cancer/diagnosis-and-tips-seeing-your-gp/ca125-blood-test
That apparently doesn't mean that I don't have cancer & if I did have the marker I don't think it means that I definitely would have it. So not conclusive at all.
Today I went to the Cancer & Haemotology clinic & saw a very nice Italian doctor. The clinic was extremely busy - Busier than any other clinic I've been to. I had to wait over an hour for my actual appointment & people were being called all the time. The staff are continuously busy, it must be exhausting.
The Doctor went through everything very thoroughly. "Cysts" 5-6 cms, so bigger than I thought. On both ovaries. The surgery will be keyhole (Laparotomy / oscopy?) Apparently they take the ovaries in a bag & pierce the actual "cyst" so it's small enough to pull back out of the incision, but can't contaminate any other part of the body. Amazing. What use do I have for ovaries? A biopsy will tell whether they are benign or cancerous. A general anasthetic & I'll probably be in hospital overnight because of my age.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Ovarian-cyst/Pages/Treatment.aspx
It turned out that I had been referred to the wrong clinic, so I have to go again on Friday to see the consultant gynaecologist. I think this is more a courtesy thing, so I get to meet the actual surgeon.
http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/information-and-support/what-ovarian-cancer/diagnosis-and-tips-seeing-your-gp/ca125-blood-test
That apparently doesn't mean that I don't have cancer & if I did have the marker I don't think it means that I definitely would have it. So not conclusive at all.
Today I went to the Cancer & Haemotology clinic & saw a very nice Italian doctor. The clinic was extremely busy - Busier than any other clinic I've been to. I had to wait over an hour for my actual appointment & people were being called all the time. The staff are continuously busy, it must be exhausting.
The Doctor went through everything very thoroughly. "Cysts" 5-6 cms, so bigger than I thought. On both ovaries. The surgery will be keyhole (Laparotomy / oscopy?) Apparently they take the ovaries in a bag & pierce the actual "cyst" so it's small enough to pull back out of the incision, but can't contaminate any other part of the body. Amazing. What use do I have for ovaries? A biopsy will tell whether they are benign or cancerous. A general anasthetic & I'll probably be in hospital overnight because of my age.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Ovarian-cyst/Pages/Treatment.aspx
It turned out that I had been referred to the wrong clinic, so I have to go again on Friday to see the consultant gynaecologist. I think this is more a courtesy thing, so I get to meet the actual surgeon.
Friday, 14 April 2017
Ovarian Cancer ???
I went for an ultrasound scan this week, which morphed into a vaginal camera examination. (Not particularly pleasant I have to say, but fortunately not an SLR!). It was all very professional & the male radiologist was lovely.
There are "cysts" on my ovaries which require a blood test to see if there is a cancer marker - (Being done next week with my routine INR test). Apparently women don't normally develop ovarian cysts after the menopause, which for me was way back in my late 40's. Mine are over the size which triggers concern, but not huge. Isn't it amazing that they can see all of that with modern health technology? They can even tell if the "cysts" are hard or soft.
My GP rang me the day after to explain a bit more than the radiologist did. (I hadn't twigged that there was a possibility of cancer). She referred me to a Gynaecologist & there will be an appointment within two weeks. All very reassuring & I'm not losing any sleep over it at all.
My friend emailed to say two of her friends have died recently from ovarian cancer. It's not something I know much about. But I know a man who does - Mr Google.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-ovary/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
Today you can even get the statistics on disease. It doesn't look too bad to me.
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/ovarian-cancer#heading-Zero
I'm not being brave - I just think that it's pointless to worry about something that I have no control over & which may never happen. Either way they will just be removed surgically. I am impressed with our NHS which we take so much for granted. This has all happened in a couple of days. I feel the professionals know their job & are doing it to the best of their ability in the current circumstances of cuts & deficits.
What does worry me is the fact that my unfortunately extensive personal experience of the NHS leads me to believe that it is actually over the tipping point of viability. When I had my accident nearly 6 weeks ago there were no ambulances available to take me to hospital with a head injury & concussion. I suspect I was discharged late in the evening because there were also not any beds available to keep me in. Hospitals are in £2.45 billion deficit. The need is growing but there isn't enough money or beds & medics are in short supply.
We need to wake up & force our politicians to do something about this. I have never met anyone who isn't prepared to pay a little more in taxes for vital services like the NHS. The medics need our support.
There are "cysts" on my ovaries which require a blood test to see if there is a cancer marker - (Being done next week with my routine INR test). Apparently women don't normally develop ovarian cysts after the menopause, which for me was way back in my late 40's. Mine are over the size which triggers concern, but not huge. Isn't it amazing that they can see all of that with modern health technology? They can even tell if the "cysts" are hard or soft.
My GP rang me the day after to explain a bit more than the radiologist did. (I hadn't twigged that there was a possibility of cancer). She referred me to a Gynaecologist & there will be an appointment within two weeks. All very reassuring & I'm not losing any sleep over it at all.
My friend emailed to say two of her friends have died recently from ovarian cancer. It's not something I know much about. But I know a man who does - Mr Google.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-ovary/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
Today you can even get the statistics on disease. It doesn't look too bad to me.
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/ovarian-cancer#heading-Zero
I'm not being brave - I just think that it's pointless to worry about something that I have no control over & which may never happen. Either way they will just be removed surgically. I am impressed with our NHS which we take so much for granted. This has all happened in a couple of days. I feel the professionals know their job & are doing it to the best of their ability in the current circumstances of cuts & deficits.
What does worry me is the fact that my unfortunately extensive personal experience of the NHS leads me to believe that it is actually over the tipping point of viability. When I had my accident nearly 6 weeks ago there were no ambulances available to take me to hospital with a head injury & concussion. I suspect I was discharged late in the evening because there were also not any beds available to keep me in. Hospitals are in £2.45 billion deficit. The need is growing but there isn't enough money or beds & medics are in short supply.
We need to wake up & force our politicians to do something about this. I have never met anyone who isn't prepared to pay a little more in taxes for vital services like the NHS. The medics need our support.
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