Ottawa ladies?
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Babysammy, try not to stress to much...can't do to much now, except show up and see what happens.
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Thanks Michelle, I took a sleeping pill last night and quit worrying. It all worked out as they were 40 min late taking me anyway. One more to go.
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Glad it all worked out in the end...just think in three weeks you'll be done...
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ok so heres the scoop on my latest mammo. I have been doing regular checks on my good breast and found no lumps. Since i had two revisions on a mastoplexy on that breast, along the incision line some areas are more thicker than before. So naturally one worries about new cancer or is scar tissue.
So i knew my mammo was coming, so i called them and said, listen ive been through shit with this cancer, and im coming in for a mamo. What i dont want is for me to leave and then get a dreaded phone call for me to come back for an ultra sound due to scar tissue. So the kind lady arranged my appt in the morning so i could see the radiologist. When i went in there, she sat me down and showed the results to the radiologist, he sent me back in for another check, and then the tech showed the results to him again, and he told the tech that there was a spot he wanted to make sure of, so he asked for me to rpeat it again,The tech said, we are just saving you a trip. So we did it 3 times, and finally, everythign was fine. I even asked for her advice on getting a mamo in 6months since i had a mastoplexy, she held my hand and said theres no need, you are fine. So I pushed for a few things, and AVOIDED the nasty phonecall for me to come back. Can you imagne how stressed i would have been if they call me to come back.
They were super nice, and yay im in the clear. Next visit is with ONC and GP, where ill ask the GP for a abdominal Ultrasound for routine and pap test, and trans-vaginal ultrasound (as im on tamoxifen), io am also going to pay the 50 bucks for a ovarian cancer test as well- might a well.
Other than that im doing great, off to UK next week for a week yayyyyyyyyy
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Red, whoooo so glad to hear all went well. Now you can enjoy your trip with no worries.
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thank you michelle
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Hello all,
I may be posting in the wrong area but I'm trying to find out about how to get more information about biopsies in the Ottawa area. I'm from Chelsea, QC so just to find a doctor that would take Quebec patients was a job. I have not been diagnosed yet but the results from my mammogram and ultrasound on July 26 show an irregular, hypoechoic mass measuring 2.8x1.8cm along with two other masses that are smaller - all irregular. I was classified as BI-RADS 5 which I understand to be 95% chance of cancer yet my doctor is telling me it will be 2-3 weeks until I get scheduled for a biopsy. Is that right?!? Is the waiting that long in Ottawa??
Again, so sorry if I'm posting in the wrong area but I'm so new to this and this was the only place I found anything about Ottawa.
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Foreverchanged, welcome to BCO. We're sorry you're facing this worry. It's late now, but when more members are active you'll likely hear from others who are in the Ottawa area.
Best wishes
The Mods
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Foreverchanged, Welcome from the Ottawa, (and area girls). It was while ago, but I believe I waited about two weeks for my biopsy at the Ottawa Breast clinic. I know how panicked you must be, and you feel the need to get answers FAST. But in reality two weeks is not going to make a huge difference at this stage. If it is cancer, it is not going to progress at a super fast rate. In this area you won't be waiting an unreasonable amount of time for testing, I don't think. I hope you feel a little better reading this. In any case you have come to a great place. These boards are full of wonderful women who are here to help and support you through this..
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Red- glad you got good service, sure does pay to advocate for yourself. Which clinic was this?
Foreverchanged. I think I had to wait about 10 days for a biopsy. It was torture, then you have to wait 5-10 business days to get results. Sorry to tell you that, but thats haw it was for me at the Womens breast health clinic.
Thanks Michelle, still recovering from this taxotere, but glad to only have to do it one more time and in less than 3 weeks.
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Thanks so much for the encouraging words!
I actually went to the Civic Hospital today to the Ottawa Breast Clinic to see where my file was at. Thank God I did! I found out that my doctor had given me misinformation. Though the Breast Clinic will do my biopsy, no surgeon there will see me because I'm from Quebec. I need a Quebec surgeon. My family doctor didn't know this. But there was a wonderful woman working there, Christine, and she faxed over a list of Quebec surgeons to my doctor and within an hour my doctor had found me a surgeon in Gatineau. But I'm still waiting on the appointment for the biopsy!! Christine called me at home as I walked in the door and said that my images from Merivale Medical Imaging had just arrived and everything is in place to have my appointment booked...but it isn't yet. The waiting continues.
ps. so happy to have found this forum
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Ottawa breast clinic called for my appointments - Aug 15 for the MRI and Aug 16 for the biopsy. Seems so far, far away. Made an appointment with a surgeon, too...September 6. A full month away. I feel like I've lost a month of my life
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Foreverchanged, it will feel like you are walking down a scary dark tunnel at slow motion for a while. But don't worry things will become easier once you know what you are dealing with, and have a plan in motion...We have all been there, and we know how it is. So don't be afraid to rant, freak out, swear, cry or laugh with us. We are here holding your hand and supporting you. I have friend in Chelsea who had cancer a few years back. We work together.
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Thank you so much, Micheleboots. You don't know how much that means! Maybe you could ask your friend if she wouldn't mind talking to me? I don't have any family here and I would really like to talk to someone who knows the Quebec system, too.
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foreverchanged, I will send you a private message.
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Has anyone used the Maplesoft centre?
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Redninrah.....congrats. So good to hear. U catching some Olympics?
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ladybug- no im avoiding london, going to my home city birmingham, i dont like mad british crowds. lol
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did anyone go to the cancer meeting yesterday at the OICC
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Hi Foreverchanged,
I have not been on the boards for awhile, but was checking in on the ottawa ladies tonight and saw your posts. I am in quebec, in the hull area. Initally there was a loooonnnngggg wait for a mammo when i discovered lump. ( i ended up going to ottawa for that finally, would have been a 6 month wait here) But after that, things went relativly smoothly. Got results from the mammo, recommending biopsy. Family doc sent a requistiion ( or form of some kind) to the gatineau hospital and i got a call to meet with the surgeon within a couple weeks. Dr Cote was great, he did a surgical biopsy the next week, since lump was small and close to skin, easy to get at, he said that would be quickest, and he managed to get me results before i went home that day. Unfortunalty results were cancer, but he lined up all the rest of the testing etc within the next month or so.
I did all my treatment at the Cancer Center in the Gatineau Hospital, (Cancerology as they call it), chemo, and radiation. And i must say, i was very happy with the staff and service there. It's in a fairly new wing of the hospital. Chatting with a lady there during chemo, who had also done treatment in the Hull hospital, and she much preferred the Gatineau one. hoping your biopsy results are benign, but if not, the Cancer center at the gatineau hospital is excellent. They assign you a "navigator nurse" who you helps to guide you through the process, and who you can call anytime for advise, questions, etc. Everything is covered under the quebec health care, except things like prescription meds. For those things not covered, they will sign you up for any programs available that help cover the costs. There are also other resourses outside the hospital available, one similar to maplesoft i think, can't remember the name of it right now, Maison Carmen maybe.
Again, hope your results are b9, and this will be all behind you, but if not, rest assured that there is a very good system in place on this side of the river too to help you through it.
best of luck.
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Thank you so much, Chili. I just got off the phone with my 'Nurse Navigator'. I will meet her on Monday.
I actually had my biopsy today, too. I got bumped up. The surgeon's office said that I could get in earlier, too, but only if they get the biopsy results on time. They need them by August 22nd which is only 8 business days away. The radiologist today said that she would put a 'rush' on the biopsy but that only means 5 business days. If the surgeon (Dr. Begin) doesn't have the results by Aug 22 then I get bumped to Septmeber 6 because he is going on holidays!! All this waiting is really frustrating. Not to mention that the radiologist measured the mass in my left breast as much larger than the original ultrasound which freaks me out even more!!
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Hello ladies,
I'm in Ottawa and will be seeing Dr Verma (MO) and Dr Meng (RO) this week. Anyone treated by either if these Dr's? What can I expect from the first meeting? I'm hoping for a treatment plan and to start trearment soon as I'm going crazy waiting!0 -
Dr. Verma was my oncologist as well as the doctor who ran the clinical drug trial I was on. I find him very compassionate and his manner can put you at ease. Feel free to ask him any questions you may have. If you don't understand something, ask for clarification - you need to be comfortable with all the information. Dr. Meng was my Mom's RO about 12 years ago and she too was pleasant, helpful and efficient. I think you have a good team on your side. Good luck in your treatment!
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Thanks DorMac! Saw Dr Verma today and he was good. He decided I should have chemo. TC I think. Headin over to the treatment forum to check it out. :-/
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Good luck, Foreverchanged. let us know how your biopsy results turn out.
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My meeting with the surgeon wasn't until Thursday but after phoning the Ottawa Breast Clinic on Friday and finding out the results were sent out to the surgeon, I phoned him today. The doctor spoke with me over the phone and apologised but he couldn't see me before Thursday however, he told me over the phone that even though we will go over it in much more detail on Thursday, the results came back saying that I do indeed have cancer - both in the left breast and the lymph node. He recommends starting with chemotherapy first before surgery (again, details to come on Thursday). Is this normal? Has anyone else been given this treatment - i.e. chemo before surgery?
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I had surgery before chemo, but I know lots of ladies have chemo first. At least you will be able to see that sucker shrink like hell..
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Foreverchanged. I had surgery first also, but do know of many women who have chemo first. The surgeon is in contact with the oncologist, they look at individual cases. Very stressful time awaiting results and decisions. Hoping the Thursday you speak of is tomorrow.
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Very interesting that you say the surgeon is in contact with the oncologist, Babysammy, because I have heard that my surgeon's wife is an oncologist! Yes, my meeting with the surgeon is tomorrow. I have been reading Dr. Loves Breast Book and scary what she says is the reason that they choose to do chemo before surgery. Have to remember to breathe deeply and wait until tomorrow to hear his reasons.
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Hang in there, you can do it. Who is the surgeon? I had Dr Watters.
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