Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

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DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Mon Apr 19, 2021 1:41 pm

I'm feeling really frustrated. I found out why I don't have my appointment for the echocardiogram and stress test. It was marked elective so there's a 10 month wait! The woman said I would have to get my family doctor to send a new requisition marked urgent to get it done sooner. She said that I could go to another area with a 2 month wait but I don't have a vehicle and don't drive so I can't get there. My symptoms are worse. I can't wait 10 months! My family doctor only answers the phone until 3:00pm and it's 3:28pm. Messages left after hours are only checked for cancellations and aren't returned!
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby claudine » Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:36 pm

I am sorry, how frustrating :(
This certainly does not help with stress/anxiety...
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Apr 20, 2021 1:51 pm

Thank you and no it doesn't. I called and my doctor isn't in the office today. Her receptionist said she would ask her to send a new requisition asking for me to have my tests sooner. The Internist's office called today. I have a telephone appointment with him on the 28th. I'm to check mu blood pressure and pulse first thing in the morning and in the afternoon or evening. I have an automatic blood pressure machine. I have been noticing that my blood pressure is higher in one arm so I have been checking it in both arms. Sometimes the difference is only a few points but other times it's more. This morning the blood pressure in my left arm was 118/81 and the blood pressure in my left arm was 118/92. It's usually the diastolic which is higher. The swelling in my calves is getting worse. I get it in the bottoms of my feet too but it's worst in the calves. The swelling is worse on the left calf. By the evening the swelling is enough that it dents when I push it in. Sometimes having my feet up helps but what helps the most is when I go to bed. The swelling gets worse if I stand for a while.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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WriterGirl1969
Posts: 524
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Central NY

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:09 pm

Ugh! That is definitely frustrating. I've been finding out due to changes in jobs within our family that insurance coverage is changing also. Where before we'd have a deductible we had to meet but were still covered for basic care, now we're finding most insurance only covers what they call "preventative" care whereas "diagnostic" care is subject to the deductibles before being covered. And by diagnostic, they mean anything pre-existing, or that has just occurred. So basically, everything. And these deductibles (and we were paying for the "good" coverage) was $3,000 per person, or $6,000 per family.

I know insurance has never been problem-free, but wowee.

What made me relate your post to this is when I called the insurance to clarify how the deductible worked, the person on the phone mentioned it's all about how your doctor marks the paperwork. And he went on to say most doctors don't even realize unless you ask them. Gives being our own advocates all new twists. <<sigh>>

I hope they're able to straighten things out for you. I can only imagine how the frustration must add to what you're already going through. Try not to let it shake you too much.

Hugs,
Tracy
DX 3/4/2016 Colon Cancer; age 46 Mom of then 4-yr-old
Stage IIIB: T3N1M0
3/31/16 Surgery
4 to 10/2016: Xeloda Monotherapy
CEA: 10/16 0.56, 1/17 0.54
CT CLEAR: 3/6/17; 4/17/18; 4/16/19
NED 3 years
“If I can help somebody as I walk along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:10 am

Thank you WriterGirl! I will try! I hope things are difficult with your insurance.*hugs* I hope things will work out for you.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:43 am

The Internist is going to do a stress test. If it's normal then I won't be able to get the echocardiogram sooner. That I would have to wait 10 months. If the stress test is abnormal then the Internist could get the echocardiogram moved up. He said the stress test isn't urgent so the wait will be over a month. He said I should get pulmonary function testing done. I told him that it had already been booked. The thyroid test was normal so it's not hyperthyroidism causing the weight loss. I'm thinking I won't find out anything until I have the colonoscopy on October 28th. I doubt the H. Pylori test will show anything. If the colonoscopy is normal then maybe the weight loss and everything else is my fault! I woke up early and don't feel satisfied. I know it sounds strange but I was hoping I had hyperthyroidism because then something could be done right away about it. He kept forgetting that I'm not overweight.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby Utwo » Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:25 pm

Yeap.
As soon as I saw "10 month wait", I realized that you were a fellow Canadian.
Do you have an option of paying out of your pocket in your province or in the US?
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sat May 01, 2021 1:01 pm

Everything is Medicare here in New Brunswick. I can't afford to go the US. Also we don't have a vehicle. Thank you Utwo.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

CancerBum21
Posts: 29
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2021 6:27 am

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby CancerBum21 » Sun May 02, 2021 1:51 pm

I'm so sorry you have to wait! That's got to be super frustrating. I hope that it all get sorted out soon.
34/M
DX:(Rectal Cancer) 2/15/21
Stage: T1N0M0
TAMIS Surgery 3/10/21
Pathology: T1NxM0 - LIV positive, 1/1 lymph positive Stage IIIA
FOLFOX 6 rounds
Radation & Xelota 5 weeks

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sat May 08, 2021 10:26 am

Thank you. Yes, it is very frustrating.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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beach sunrise
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:14 pm

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby beach sunrise » Sat May 08, 2021 11:41 am

Goodness, I feel the frustration thru your words. It's terrible you have to suffer so many more months before you get answers/help.
Thinking about you!
Keep us updated please.
8/19 RC CEA 82.6 T3N0M0
5FU/rad 6 wk
IVC 75g 1 1/2 wks before surgery. Continue 2x a week
Surg 1/20 -margins T4bN1a IIIC G2 MSI- 1/20 LN+ LVI+ PNI-
pre cea 24 post 5.9
FOLFOX
7 rds 6-10 CEA 11.4 No more
CEA
7/20 11.1 8.8
8/20 7.8
9/20 8.8, 9, 8.6
10/20 8.1
11/20 8s
12/20 8s-9s
ADAPT++++ chrono
CEA
10/23/22 26.x
12/23/22 22.x
2023
1/5 17.1
1/20 15.9
3/30 14.9
6/12 13.3
8/1 2.1
Nodule RML SUV 1.3 5mm
Rolles 3 of 4 lung nodules cancer
KRAS
Chem-sens test failed Not enough ca cells to test

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Long wait for an echocardiogram and stress test

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu May 13, 2021 7:31 pm

I have the stress test at the end of June. The Internist will be there. If the stress test is normal then I won't see him again because he won't run anymore tests. Thank you beach sunrise! I will keep you updated.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)


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