When to seek a second opinion about your cancer
Once you have had the diagnosis from your doctor, you will go through many emotions. Some of these will range from:
• Shock
• Denial
• Fear
• Anger
• Guilt
• Disbelief
• Hysteria
• Sorrow
• Loneliness
• Depression
Whatever emotion(s) you experience, it will be extreme and importantly you need time to take stock of all that has been said to you. This is likely to be the biggest life-changing event that has happened to you and your natural instinct as a human is ”fight” or ”flight”. Whichever you happen to be; it is very natural to want to seek a second opinion about the diagnosis you have received.
If you don’t want to seek a second opinion, those that love and care for you may wish to get another view on the diagnosis that has been given and the treatment plan. This is also natural. Read more at mesothelioma lawyer
Remember that wishing to seek a second opinion is not showing disrespect to you doctor. It is your right and your health professional will understand this decision that you make, so long as you keep him informed of what you are doing. Always tell your doctor that you wish to seek a second opinion before you do, they should not negatively challenge your decision. It is best to take all the documentation and records with you so that the second doctor can review this before the discussion with you. The vast majority of people stay with their original doctor after they have sought a second opinion.
Huge advances have been made in cancer treatments over the last decade and it is becoming more and more evident that a personalised treatment plan gives the best results. A second opinion may help to reassure you that your treatment plan is fit for purpose and gives you the best opportunity of being cured of cancer.
If you feel that your doctor is not taking your diagnosis seriously, then seek a second opinion.
If you find it difficult to talk to your doctor, then seek a second opinion. It is essential that you establish a comfortable, open relationship with your doctor so that you are relaxed and confident to discuss all aspects of your cancer, the treatment and how you are responding.
Sometimes you can find that you are carried away on the whirlwind of your diagnosis and the treatment plan has started before your feet have touched the ground. This can happen for many reasons. Your cancer is aggressive and the doctor wants to surgically remove it as quickly as possible or you just want the cancer removed from your body as quickly as possible. If this happens, you may find yourself in your treatment plan and then uncomfortable about seeking a second opinion. Don’t be. You can seek a second opinion at any time during your treatment plan, your response and any test results. It is becoming increasingly common for scan results to be sent for second opinions; the same can be true of the results following surgery or chemotherapy.
Once you have decided that you want a second opinion the best person to ask where you should go for that second opinion is your main point of contact for your treatment. This will be either your surgeon or oncologist. Cancer patients now have multi-disciplinary teams looking after them and the surgeon or oncologist generally heads up the team.
You can also visit government web sites, which usually have very useful information on health and specialist hospitals. Try and find someone who specialises in the cancer that you have been diagnosed with so that they have experience. You can also contact cancer support groups and charities who will have lists of specialists.
• Shock
• Denial
• Fear
• Anger
• Guilt
• Disbelief
• Hysteria
• Sorrow
• Loneliness
• Depression
Whatever emotion(s) you experience, it will be extreme and importantly you need time to take stock of all that has been said to you. This is likely to be the biggest life-changing event that has happened to you and your natural instinct as a human is ”fight” or ”flight”. Whichever you happen to be; it is very natural to want to seek a second opinion about the diagnosis you have received.
If you don’t want to seek a second opinion, those that love and care for you may wish to get another view on the diagnosis that has been given and the treatment plan. This is also natural. Read more at mesothelioma lawyer
Remember that wishing to seek a second opinion is not showing disrespect to you doctor. It is your right and your health professional will understand this decision that you make, so long as you keep him informed of what you are doing. Always tell your doctor that you wish to seek a second opinion before you do, they should not negatively challenge your decision. It is best to take all the documentation and records with you so that the second doctor can review this before the discussion with you. The vast majority of people stay with their original doctor after they have sought a second opinion.
Huge advances have been made in cancer treatments over the last decade and it is becoming more and more evident that a personalised treatment plan gives the best results. A second opinion may help to reassure you that your treatment plan is fit for purpose and gives you the best opportunity of being cured of cancer.
If you feel that your doctor is not taking your diagnosis seriously, then seek a second opinion.
If you find it difficult to talk to your doctor, then seek a second opinion. It is essential that you establish a comfortable, open relationship with your doctor so that you are relaxed and confident to discuss all aspects of your cancer, the treatment and how you are responding.
Sometimes you can find that you are carried away on the whirlwind of your diagnosis and the treatment plan has started before your feet have touched the ground. This can happen for many reasons. Your cancer is aggressive and the doctor wants to surgically remove it as quickly as possible or you just want the cancer removed from your body as quickly as possible. If this happens, you may find yourself in your treatment plan and then uncomfortable about seeking a second opinion. Don’t be. You can seek a second opinion at any time during your treatment plan, your response and any test results. It is becoming increasingly common for scan results to be sent for second opinions; the same can be true of the results following surgery or chemotherapy.
Once you have decided that you want a second opinion the best person to ask where you should go for that second opinion is your main point of contact for your treatment. This will be either your surgeon or oncologist. Cancer patients now have multi-disciplinary teams looking after them and the surgeon or oncologist generally heads up the team.
You can also visit government web sites, which usually have very useful information on health and specialist hospitals. Try and find someone who specialises in the cancer that you have been diagnosed with so that they have experience. You can also contact cancer support groups and charities who will have lists of specialists.
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