Thanks, and to you guys too- but really, women wait for biopsy results all the time. Pap smears, breast biopsies, etc. Just had a skin biopsy recently too. You wait til the results are back. And waiting a few days is normal. As I said, many of these samples get read by an expert at Hopkins. Wouldn’t you want to wait the few extra days to have it read at the best place? So please understand when it seems to some that whining about a path result being given after the weekend is a bit much.
We understand that jym626.
Lesson learned…
@jym626 Your comment did not upset me. I am lucky. Women should not have to wait for their biopsy results either, if they are available.
Part of is is they don’t want to just have the office help declare, “You’ve got caner” over the phone. I understand that. But they apparently know the path report is going to be back in 24 hours. Why put me through a week of worry? I’ve really fretted over this, even drunk a little whiskey!
It’s normal to be anxious about the path results. You had an appointment the following Monday after your Tues biopsy and the results were reviewed with you then. That’s pretty common.
Not all biopsies are created equal. If the suspected cancer is of the type that is not easily treatable (which prostrate cancer in younger men can be!), then waiting for the result can be agonizing. Or in my case the suspected cancer could have meant a treatment equivalent to torture. But if it is something like a low grade abnormal Pap, and the doctor simply wants to check it by colposcopy/biopsy, then chances are very, very high that the result will be “nope, nothing serious.”
I think it is perfectly human to be irritated and post to vent. After all, we vent about other issues less important than our health related mattes.
Of course not all biopsies are equal. But having the biopsy on Tues and getting the result the following Monday is pretty reasonable.
Was just using the Pap as an example. I used to have to have colonoscopies (OUCH!!) every 6 months for years-- I think it was for 2 DECADES due to risk of cervical CA, and have had some (I forget how many, but several) bad path results that required further procedures. Back “in the day” it took even longer to get results back. It’s a matter of perspective.
It’s fine to vent. The timing just sucks, so excuse me for also venting.
Ok. Jym626, you get a pass. You have a lot on your plate.
How old are you, Earl vanDorn? Am guessing probably not much different than DH (who was due for a follow up CT this past week, but they had to reschedule it for 2 weeks later, so we wait).
Jym, sorry about your H’s diagnosis. Vent away.
That sucks.
Not that big a deal. Nothing is going to change in a week or 2. Not happy that it got postponed and several things that had all been lined up had to be rescheduled, including my own patients due wanting to be with DH at the follow up appt with the Dr… But it is what it is.
BTW, in this day of EMR’s, patients can sometimes pull up their own lab results on their Dr.s medical portal. I don’t recommend this for certain kinds of results like this, that have to be explained and discussed, but it’s sometimes an option.
I manage a urology practice. All practices do things a bit differently but it appears that the one where you had your biopsy has all patients receive their results at a followup visit. Many offices do it this way. I agree with ucbalumnus that the reason for this might be to record another billable event. However, they may feel this is the best way to communicate biopsy results (positive or negative) to the patient. At our office, we call all our patients with results and schedule a followup cancer consult for the positive biopsies where the patient and family can come in and discuss treatment options and get their questions answered. Negative biopsies usually get a call as soon as results are available (if the doctor is not in, the clinical staff will call to give the patient “the good news” so they can ease their worries). Per jym626’s comments about results being available on a patient portal, most results cannot be viewed by patients until verified by the physician. Our physicians will not verify the result until the patient has been notified. They really don’t want patients to find out they have cancer by logging on! jym626, I hope your husband’s scan comes back with some good news. It’s good that they’re scanning him regularly because if they do see any changes, it allows the doctor to prescribe treatment with some of the great new drugs that are out there.
Thanks, jordansmom. Agree that there is a delicate balance between patient “rights” (ie access to their labs and other PHI) and good patient care. We have patients who just want their report mailed, when we need them to come in to explain/go over the results with them. Its not just to have another billable incident, especially when insurance pays $.30 on the dollar. But that/s another issue!
I would imagine that when the lab results come in there may be a slight lag between when the Dr. reviews it and whoever is assigned to call the patient. Given the weather issues that occurred at the end of January, labs or review/filing of lab results could have been delayed. Separate question- when the person is not available by phone, does your office have a form signed on file as to whether you can leave information on their voicemail? Its somewhat less of an issue now that most folks use their personal cellphones, but privacy issues arise, especially with household landlines. Would imagine a positive lab result might warrant a “give us a call” message, if the “all clear” isn’t the result, but its again understandably anxiety-producing.
Jordansmom has been very helpful and supportive as we have had backchannel discussions in the past about my DH’s medical status, through the “active surveillance” stage, and now the next. Thank you, jordansmom.
What is the prognosis for the prostate cancer? My BIL was recently diagnosed and is going through a therapy as out patient. He is not young. He didn’t volunteer to say much other than that. Just wondering what that may mean.
I defer to jordansmom, but each case is different-- there are many different kinds of prostate CA, different stages of the disease, different treatment choices, etc.
I am hoping being treated as outpatient and not hospitalized means somewaht less serious? May just be a wishful thinking.
This may be of help, igloo http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5802089/k.B8D8/Treatment_Options.htm
I signed up for an online prostate CA discussion thing a while back, but some of the posters were very opinionated so didn’t find it helpful.
^Thank you for the link.