During a recent show on Oprah, Dr. Oz (famous medical doctor, surgeon and author) stated that only 10% of patients get a second opinion.  Don’t you think that is a terrible statistic?  I do.

When a patient has a dire medical situation, they begin a very intimate relationship with their doctor.  The communication between the patient and doctor is of upmost importance.  Here are the questions you should ask yourself regarding your doctor.

Can the doctor explain the medical jargon in plain English?

Does the doctor make you feel comfortable?

Is he/she up to date on the latest information regarding your disease?

With childhood leukemia there are national studies being done and they set guidelines for treatment.  Every time I went to the clinic for my daughter, I was always met with “this is the protocol” to almost every objection or concern that I had. I then called Cure Search (for pediatric cancer http://www.curesearch.org/) and asked the oncology nurse about these “protocols” and if there is any leeway?  She said that judgment is always expected and yes there is leeway within the protocol.  Even with that information, I was told over and over again that the protocol is the protocol.  What follows is an abridged version of our story illustrating how important second opinions really are.  (For help with adult cancers go to http://www.cancer.gov/)

For the following several months, Kayla broke bones in her feet and every orthopedic doctor stated that her bones were so transparent they could not see the bones well enough to substantiate a break.  Words like profound osteopenia were used frequently.  But our oncologist would not lower the steroids.  After four months I found a Nordic Protocol, which stated that a lower dose of steroids could be given without compromising the survival chances of the patient.  This was brought into our doctor. His response was “you are taking your daughters life into your own hands!”  Needless-to-say, I sought a second opinion.

At the new hospital the service was great but as the months past we ran into the same problems we had with the steroid dose and continued degradation of Kayla’s bones.  Special scans revealed a left hip that had lost 22% of bone density and now the osteoporosis was spreading to her spine.  If I did not take action Kayla could end up bedridden and in extreme pain.

We tried to go to Sloan-Kettering in New York but insurance would not cover that.  Instead they gave us a long distance consultation when they received all of Kayla’s records.  They said that my worry was well founded and intervention was correct.  Armed with this validation we then traveled to a hospital in Gainesville Florida. (Three hours away.)

The first thing the Gainesville doctor stated was “I think I can help you.”  Just hearing those words was such a relief!  Long story short, he suggested that we skip the last two months of heavy treatment “because studies have shown that it is not advantageous to the patient.”  What a shocker it was to hear these words.  Kayla and I were dreading these coming months because the treatment was taking a toll on her poor body.  Many of the alternatives that we had used with such success were no longer working.  In general Kayla was feeling pretty bed.

The next suggestion was to possibly stop taking the steroids for six months.  This would allow time for her bones to heal.  He wanted to research more information and would let us know about the steroids.  We discussed the risks involved and it was concluded for us that Kayla’s quality of life is very important. When we left this appointment Kayla was ecstatic that she was starting maintenance therapy (low dose chemo) right away.

The point here is that Kayla was an unusual presentation.  No other child in her age group had the bone issues that she had. Because of this, no one knew what to do about it.  We went to endocrinologists, (2) orthopedists (2), a podiatrist and about twelve different oncologists.  Once the Gainesville doctor gave me his opinion I already had been in touch with Sloan-Kettering in New York and we were in the midst of a long distance consultation.  The New York doctor confirmed and validated the Florida doctor.  In the long run, all of this work paid off!

Breast Cancer 2^nd Opinion

A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and told to start chemo.  Her doctor wanted to wait and see how her tumor responded to chemo.  He also said that her cancer was aggressive.  If it is aggressive then why are we waiting?  This is the question that she could not get answered.  It seemed a waste of time to do chemo instead of a mastectomy.  She decided to get a second opinion.

On her 2^nd opinion she met with a well-known oncologist who recommended a mastectomy and no chemo.  How simple is that!

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong tells his cancer story in his book, It’s Not About The Bike.  He describes in detail his diagnosis and first consultation.  His story describes quite the whirlwind of diagnosis, money, tests, and research, which revolved around the cancer.  He decides to get a second opinion and he details why.  All of this is happening, while knowing that his cancer is very aggressive and spreading fast.

The second opinion went much better for him.  He decides to get treatment with the second doctor. And of course he lives, and becomes an International Champion.  (Don’t you love a happy ending?)

I loved his book because I felt like I was traveling the road of a kindred soul.

National Protocol

We did not hit it off with Kayla’s doctor from the beginning of her treatment.  Because I was told that leukemia treatment follows a national protocol that every doctor uses, I thought there were no options.  This was a huge mistake.

To this day, I really regret not getting a second opinion.  Now in hindsight, I can see that a national protocol does not matter at all.  What matters is having a doctor that is willing to really care for his patient as an individual, while at the same time treating their cancer.

Conclusion

Don’t be one of the ninety percent of people who do not get a second opinion.  If you have any misgivings regarding your medical team, go with your gut and take immediate action.  Go get a second opinion, or a third or fourth.  It could mean the world of difference for you.

An excellent book to help you on this whole subject is YOU: The Smart Patient: An Insider’s Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment (Paperback)

by Michael F. Roizen (Author), Mehmet C. Oz (Author)  Available through www.Amazon.com

It’s not About the Bike, by Lance Armstrong available though www.Amazon.com

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info@freehelpforcancer.com