Jun 11, 2022 10:36AM quietgirl wrote:

I think it really depends on the oncologist and also where you live. You have medical personnel who know a little about a lot of things and then you have ones who know a lot about just a few things. So on some levels you have doctors who will refer you out not because they don’t know anything about a certain field but because they would rather you have an expert in that field. From a patient point of view in can feel like you are being just shoved to someone else and you have to establish yourself as patient again. As much as it’s a pain in the neck, maybe because the person who you are being referred to is an expert in that specific field you will end up with a clearer explanation and action plan. Still I get that it’s a pain and just seems like one more person added to your care team.

Jun 11, 2022 07:28PM alicebastable wrote:

My PC had ordered my bone density scan right before I was diagnosed in 2018, and it showed both osteoporosis and osteopenia. Two years later, my new PC ordered the next one. I explained to her I didn't feel the technician had given me time to get in a completely flat position on the first one. Sure enough, after the second scan, where I insisted on enough time to get situated, it showed remarkable improvement, more than just the daily vitamin D would have caused. The doctors NP was flabbergasted at the results until I told her about the positioning So no matter who orders the scan, do be sure of correct positioning when it's done.

Jun 12, 2022 07:23AM - edited Jun 12, 2022 07:23AM by quietgirl

my test is on Tuesday (it's suppose to be just a baseline not scheduled because there was concern but rather since I have a family history) but I will let you know if they refer me to someone else. I feel like unless something is of concern it will just be everything is fine and I won't have an actual appointment with anyone. I do understand on the whole one more appt/medical person to deal with. I had just been saying to someone it feels like this year is another day another doctor

I can only imagine how draining all these appointments have been for you this year and adding transportation challenges on top of that. Just want you to know you are in my thoughts and I hope 🤞 that your televisit is informative and not just another run around

Hopefully someone else chimes in and let's you know their experience.

Jun 13, 2022 02:55PM specialk wrote:

viewfinder - I initially developed osteopenia after a total hysterectomy when I was pre-menopausal (for uterine fibroids), but I also fit the likely physical profile for risk. I tried oral meds prescribed by my primary care provider, but I couldn't tolerate them. I did nothing for the following 10 years and my osteopenia was stable. Once I started aromatase inhibitor meds my bone density tanked and I started Prolia injections, prescribed by my oncologist and administered in his office. He has ordered my DEXA scans since my breast cancer diagnosis in order to track the need for Prolia and how well it was working for me, but we didn't discuss bone health in depth at any point. However, I don't think I have ever had a doc, either pre cancer or post, actually explain my test results to me, but my report has a pretty thorough explanatory section following each score. The World Health Organization developed the diagnostic parameters for bone density and osteoporosis and the following link has detail explaining this. The info on my report each time I test has the scoring info with it as it is shown in the link. I think oncologists deal with bone health issues that result from cancer treatment, and some prescribe bone strengthening medication to help. Others refer their oncology patients back to their primary care docs, or to endocrinologists to treat bone health issues - it just depends on the individual oncologist.

https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/patients/diagnosis-information/bone-density-examtesting/

There is another tool used for risk analysis called FRAX. Here is a link to that, it is something you can look at yourself to help inform you about your risk of fracture.

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/FRAX/tool.aspx?country=9

Here is a similar one.

https://americanbonehealth.org/calculator/

Jun 17, 2022 01:58PM viewfinder wrote:

Specialk,

Thank you for your reply! Lots of good information. I will follow the links you shared this weekend.