Telephone follow up

Hello you can still call back to your nurse and speak about your concern.

I am just having phone consultation too and I have to write down what I need to ask otherwise my onco will try to get rid of me in 5 min.But I prefer phone call instead of spending time travelling and sitting in the crowded waiting room and when the clinic is running alway late.

Janet

Dear BtW,

Having read your story I related to the speed of it all. It was 3 week from first symptom to operation for me. It wasn’t straight forward as there were large fibroids that had to be removed, adhesions and a piece of bowel was wrapped around the uterus. Histopathology report was the same as MRI and biopsies grade 1 stage 1a so no further treatment needed. I have had a 6 week follow up by phone and initially the consultant said that I would not need to be seen for check ups, however she has changed her mind and now says that she wants to see 3 monthly. I am due an MRI in December and then I will see what I feel comfortable with.

I hope that the self referral system is for the benefit of us patients rather than as a cost saving. It is important that we feel that we can call and see someone if we want to without needing to explain why. 

All the best,

Honey

Thanks for your message. I did feel a bit shut down  by a phone call, a bit abrupt a tick boxy. It may just be the coronavirus, and we’ll get over this. I hope your check ups go well for you xx  

I have a telephone consultation on Monday with my oncology team, i am 3 years post diagnosis and and had face to face consultations up until now, i got a call the other day to tell me this. It was decided by them that it was better and safer to do this at the moment due to covid-19, yes I prefer face to face and will hope to have one at a later date, because they had already said they wanted another face to face before i go onto self contact with them, this may well all change with everything it’s always hard to say, but I admit to some relief not having to travel there. I have found I have felt rather anxious going out of my home lately i try to give myself confidence even wearing a mask but i am always glad to get home and the previous prospect of having to seat in a busy waiting room had actually got to me, so when they said i was having a telephone consultation and that it be Monday rather then Wednesday which is my normal clinic day the weight lifted off my shoulders. 

The best tips as have already been said its good to write down everything you want to discuss, your concerns etc.if you find the consultation is too short a follow up call to your cns is a good idea. So just wanted to say good luck with your follow up and that everything goes well and you feel things have been covered.

Thanks GBear, take care, hope all goes well for you. I’ve hardly been out since lockdown x