Re: How long would you wait?

BeachTime · ‎09-19-2021

My DH is a retired radiologist who use to perform thyroid biopsies. He said if he ever got an undetermined results the biopsy would need to be repeated. Undetermined is not good enough. It should be either negative or exactly what type of cells it is. It could be a sampling error.

ellaphant · ‎12-13-2010

@BeachTime wrote:
My DH is a retired radiologist who use to perform thyroid biopsies. He said if he ever got an undetermined results the biopsy would need to be repeated. Undetermined is not good enough. It should be either negative or exactly what type of cells it is. It could be a sampling error.

Thank you BeachTime. I know and agree AND it could aslo be a 20-40% chance of CANCER! Which is why I am freaking waiting for the Endocrinologist office to schedule me!!

NYCLatinaMe · ‎01-14-2017

@ellaphant I don't have thyroid issues, but saw an endocrinologist earlier this year, she had a concern about my results for my lab test and asked me to come in again in a very short amount of time. After the second blood panel, she called me to discuss the results within a day or 2. I have never waited as long as you have for follow-up on test results, but maybe this is a geographic issue. Are medical facilities overwhelmed with covid patients where you are? Our medical facilities are not.

apt901 · ‎08-16-2010

I am not very patient and would likely be calling the doctors office myself.today. As someone else posted you most likely are going to have to be the proactive one.

That being said, some insurance companies have case managers or nurse advocates who might be able to help move this along.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

The wait in NJ for new patients to see an endocrinologist is at least 3 months.

Even then you have to be persistent because they will tell you "well, the doctor really isn't seeing new patients. Maybe have your primary care doctor fax the records and then it's on a case by case basis after the doctor looks them over."

michmi · ‎12-15-2020

If you have a general surgeon you trust, I'd proactively make an appointment with him/her and ask their opinion. An endo would just send you there anyway if they decide the nodule(s) need to come out.

If you don't, I'd wait for the endo appointment. Thyroid cancer is slow-growing and that is why there is no urgency for them to see you.

I can tell you here in Michigan doctors are leaving medicine and my own PCP left, when I contacted the same practice to transfer to ANYONE in that practice last month, the first appointment if I didn't care what day, what time of day or even which doctor was MID-OCTOBER.

Doctors are leaving for other careers/retirement and they are not being replaced. When was the last time you heard some kid say he/she wanted to be a doctor when they grow up? Medicine is very corporate now and everything run by insurance/health systems.

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

@michmi wrote:
If you have a general surgeon you trust, I'd proactively make an appointment with him/her and ask their opinion. An endo would just send you there anyway if they decide the nodule(s) need to come out.

If you don't, I'd wait for the endo appointment. Thyroid cancer is slow-growing and that is why there is no urgency for them to see you.

I can tell you here in Michigan doctors are leaving medicine and my own PCP left, when I contacted the same practice to transfer to ANYONE in that practice last month, the first appointment if I didn't care what day, what time of day or even which doctor was MID-OCTOBER.

Doctors are leaving for other careers/retirement and they are not being replaced. When was the last time you heard some kid say he/she wanted to be a doctor when they grow up? Medicine is very corporate now and everything run by insurance/health systems.

yes.

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

@ellaphant

Many sub-specialties have an abundance of doctors and then there are those other specialities who are harder to come by.

This is State/County specific as well as regional. The good thing about having Medicare is that we can go across the country if we needed to see a specialist that is limited in our area.

Lots of OB docs; Cardiologists; but less endos and pulminologists.

You have to be proactive. They might not have even seen what your doctor sent over and might not even know it's there. Call them.

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

ellaphant · ‎12-13-2010

OP here, Thank you all for your comments. I have called the Endocrinologists office 3 times. I am told she has my paper work and they will call when they are told.

My internist told me to 'be patient.' I am not at all happy.

The state of medicine is indeed terrible.

icezeus · ‎10-30-2010

@tends2dogs wrote:
Knowing how nerve wracking this is, @ellaphant , I am afraid that you wouldn't get in any sooner with another specialist. We have been waiting close to 2 months to see a pulmonary doc and oncologist for my DH after going to the ER in July! His primary even put a stat on it. Needless to say, my DH is beside himself waiting.

Hopefully, your internist saw nothing on your test results to feel alarmed about. I know that doesn't help matters.

I hope you hear from someone tomorrow!

@tends2dogs

You mentioned an Oncologist and you have been waiting for two months without contact. I think that both you and your husband have been more then patient. It's time to escalate.