CancerCompass message board discussion started by daughter4evr on 9/28/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,16596,0.htm Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My Mom had breast cancer 15 years ago when she was 58 and was treated with mastectomy, chemo and 5 years on Tamoxifen.  Within a year after finishing Tamoxifen, a malignant tumor developed along the mastectomy incision line. This was removed, and treated with radiation and 5 years on Arimidex.  She had annual follow up with her oncologist. Several months ago she started to have intermittent back and rib pain which she attributed to possible arthritis and overdoing physical activities.  She went to her family MD for Celebrex and he ordered a body scan.  I was with her the day the doctor's office gave her the devastating news that her breast cancer had spread  and was present in almost every bone in her body including her skull.  It also had spread to four small area in her lungs.  She was suspicious that the results would show cancer rather than arthritis but we were both shaken to the core with the extent of the disease and comparably little outward symptoms.  The oncologist started her in April on Arimidex again and IV Zometa monthly. Her pain is controlled with Celebrex and limiting her movement on worse days but her tumor markers have increased each month.  She is seeing the same oncologist who has treated her for 15 years but since I have gone to these latest visits, I am concerned and agitated regarding the care. The first visit resulted in the oncologist looking for a copy of the labs that were drawn the week before by the family doctor who lives closer, and copies are sent to the oncologists office to determine if the IV Zometa can be given.  He was agitated and kept looking at my mother and then at me asking in an irritated voice "Where are my labs, where are my labs? All I do all day is look for labs." Finally I told him that my mother had gotten the labs drawn the previous week at he family doctor's lab and they should have been faxed by now and if they were not on the chart, then his office staff should call the family doctor and have the results faxed stat because as a patient, my mother had completed her resposnsibility by having them drawn to begin with.This doctor is a one man show, with far too many patients to handle and can be abrupt and incomplete with answering questions, since he spends only 5 minutes per patient checking that their last labs will allow the start of the IV treatment which follows his 5 minute visit and approval.I do not know why he has no associates, physician' assistant or nurse practitioner to spread the work load and assist with a more personal aspect of rendering care.  After the treatment, the nurse gives the patient the written order for the next labwork and treatment and the scheduler sets up the appointment and you're out the door.  This time as my Mom was having the IV started for her monthly Zometa, the oncologist flagged me down in the hall and wanted to show me that her tumor marker had risen again and wanted me to talk to my Mom about what she wanted to do, which I thought was really his responsibility. He was in such a hurry that I had to ask him what options should I mention to her of which he said "either another hormone or chemo " I wanted to know specifically what hormone he was recommending as well as what chemo either oral or IV.  I was shocked when he told me that all he wanted from me was an answer from my mother -either hormone or chemo - because specifics didn't really matter "because she has it all over...it is everywhere!" My mother chose the hormone, which when we got the prescription, it turned out to be tamoxifen that she was on 15 years ago upon the original diagnosis of breast cancer. She said she would try it for a month and see what her tumor marker is then, but he wants her to be on it for 3 months.  If there was another oncology group in the regional area I would encourage my Mom to switch even due to the undignified treatment of people who for many are in the process of dying faster than they are living.  Her tumor marker has risen to 358 but he has never said which specific marker test he orders.  In April he mentioned that if hormones were not effective, he would use oral Xeloda so I am confused why he even mentioned trying another hormone and not recommend oral chemo next. I will get specific answers from this man during the next visit no matter what it takes! I'm upset about this kind of treatment especially when you are dealing with physically and emotionally vulnerable people who are either praying for recovery or praying for something that will slow down the rate of their dying.  And for me on a personal note, my mother is not only my Mom, but my sister, my daughter and my best friend.  None of these relatives exist in my life and soon neither will my mother. It's a thought greater than I can bear.    daughter4evr Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Your story is just like my mothers who was re-diagnosed 4 weeks ago.  She is now taking Xeloda and just came back from a visit with her doctor who said that he saw a great deal of improvement from her pet scan that was done 4 weeks ago when she was re-diagnosed. We are not using the same doctor as before because it was the same situation that you are going through.  Please find another doctor even if you have to take her somewhere else.  I'm not sure what state you are in but their is someone who will be more caring then the doctor you have.  You are losing precious time.  I just lost my brother to cancer and now my mother is going through it again.  Most doctors are in this for the money and do not know how to communicate.  They overload themselves on patience just for the money and nothing else.  Please find her another doctor fast.  I would even get a 3rd opinion from a doctor. Debra  debapril1 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT