HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - How to find a doctor that will look out for your best interests?

Becky · 10-03-2015, 05:26 AM

I understand this completely as I changed once. What made it even worse as I did so within the same practice. It made (and still .makes) it alittle uncomfortable. I need a nerd doctor who is always reading and keeping up. The one I have now I am so confident in. Even though I am 11 years out, I know he is always updating a plan for me. I think if something happened, he would be ready with all the options for us to discuss and that his plan for me has changed over the years as New Her2 solutions have been developed. The other one gave me a 70% chance from the get go (my kids were school age then) and when Herceptin was available, he wouldn't give it to me but his partner did so I had my year of Herceptin alone without chemo as chemo and radiation were completed when I started (chemo by 4 months and rads by 2 months) . You never know what part of your treatment plan is the part that gets you to 11 years NED but maybe it was that Herceptin. I am here and happy to know I still have a doctor who I can work with should I recur or get a new cancer.

Bottom line, its a relationship and it has to work for you. Doctors are just people and you don't see eye to eye with everyone you meet.

10-03-2015, 05:26 AM	#3
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: How to find a doctor that will look out for your best interests? I understand this completely as I changed once. What made it even worse as I did so within the same practice. It made (and still .makes) it alittle uncomfortable. I need a nerd doctor who is always reading and keeping up. The one I have now I am so confident in. Even though I am 11 years out, I know he is always updating a plan for me. I think if something happened, he would be ready with all the options for us to discuss and that his plan for me has changed over the years as New Her2 solutions have been developed. The other one gave me a 70% chance from the get go (my kids were school age then) and when Herceptin was available, he wouldn't give it to me but his partner did so I had my year of Herceptin alone without chemo as chemo and radiation were completed when I started (chemo by 4 months and rads by 2 months) . You never know what part of your treatment plan is the part that gets you to 11 years NED but maybe it was that Herceptin. I am here and happy to know I still have a doctor who I can work with should I recur or get a new cancer. Bottom line, its a relationship and it has to work for you. Doctors are just people and you don't see eye to eye with everyone you meet. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think" Last edited by Becky; 10-03-2015 at 05:29 AM..