how to find best doc?

holmes · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

hello everyone, my father was recently told he probably has prostate cancer and is due for all the tests soon. We are all very worried for him.

I am in the uk and don't want to leave his treatment to a randomly selected NHS doctor so i was wondering how you all go about choosing a doc? Are there a select few that are the best?
Also I realise that his test results are very subjectively obtained, I was also wondering how you go about getting the tests rechecked and by whom?

thank you all so much for any answers you can give, I am very distressed at the moment.

Hope someone can help

Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 744 Location: UK

Where are you in the UK, and are you able to travel to any other part if necessary? A second opinion is never a bad idea - but I would not rush into anything until the first round of tests is completed and the results are in.

You can possible get hold of survival statistics for the various centres if you push for them.

For a uk forum, try here: http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/index.asp

holmes · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

thank you so much for your reply, I found that UK forum and it seems to have lots of info on it so i will be busy reading for the next couple of nights..
We are based in east london and are willing to travel to wherever is best in order to get treated, I know in the states you can take your pick of who treats you as its all under private health care but i'm just not sure how it all works under the NHS in the UK if you want second opinions and different doctors to the ones assigned to you.

In · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: how to find best doc?

Hi, Holmes. I'm so Sorry about your Dad. (but lets be positive till the tests)
It's great you are looking at information and getting help- even before the tests. It's good to know what you can do, or how.- If you need to.

Here in Australia there is normally specialist for each type of cancers etc. So we are lucky. To get a Dr, we have to ask for a referal from our G.P. (general). And if not happy then second and even third opinoions.

Hopefuly someone can help you more.

Good luck with the tests. And thinking of you.

Inica
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Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 744 Location: UK

Based in London, you do have a wide range of possible alternatives.

To get a second opinion, you will need to go back to your GP, with the name of the consultant to whom you want to be referred, and insist [I must emphasise the insist] that this is the person you wish to see. As you know, the whole system of referrals has [politely] been mucked around and some PCTs are not helpful. Do you have a helpful GP? If so, do go and discuss the whole matter with him/her.

If you are unhappy with a consultant [or any of his team], you have the right of complaint to the hospital and the right to ask to see another doctor instead. Of course, if there is no alternative, you are in schtuck.

I would join the message board on the UK site and ask others for their opinions on best treatment centres. However, the Royal Marsden is generally regarded as the gold standard hospital for cancer treatment and research, and my instinct would be to look into which consultant to go for there.

Keep in touch and let us know how things work out. Crying or Very sad

holmes · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

thank you both so much, i really feel like i have learnt alot in just a few hours and have lots of questions for the doctor based on what the test results will be.
Learning about this stuff in forums like these really does enlighten you.
I will be letting you all know what his situation is as soon as we know more.

thank you so much again

brainman · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:01 am Post subject: Re: how to find best doc?

Holms, be sure to write those questions in a journal and take the journal with you to all of your father's doctors appointments. You would be amazed at how fast questions fly out of your mind when the doctor comes in the room. Also, note in the journal the answers you get. Again, it is amazing how much we forget about what the doctors tell us. I have kept a journal for most of my life, so it was not hard to start a medical journal. I also kept one for my mother and one for my father when they started to have health problems.

You can always bring those answers to this forum so we can help you understand what the doctor has told you.
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holmes · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

thanks brainman, I really appreciate all the advise and support you guys have shown. I will definitely take a log book with me and write as much down as possible. I will also definitely be asking for all of your advise once the results are in as I have little faith in the NHS when it comes to being proactive.
thanks again

brainman · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:39 am Post subject: Re: how to find best doc?

Holmes, even here in the USA it is up to the patient and their loved ones to be proactive. In your case, maybe even more so. You need to be your father's health care advocate. I know that I had to be my mother's and father's advocate a number of times.
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Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

holmes · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

hello everyone, you were all so great at giving advice before and thank you for that. My dad recently went to the urologist and had a blood test. His PSA was 0.4 and the urologist said everything was fine and no action was needed.

I just wanted to ask why his psa would be 0.4? could this still be cancer or is it likely to be benign?

the dr was very evasive with my questions but insisted that he was fine.

thanks for any advice

brainman · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:10 am Post subject: Re: how to find best doc?

No, it does not mean that there is cancer. The prostate normally does produce some PSA... especially as it gets older and swells. A PSA of 0.4 is very good. Besides, it is not the specific number that is most important; it is the overall trend. It normally will fluctuate, so don't be too concerned if next time it is slightly higher. But if it continues to go up, that is a different story.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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