› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Follow up dermatologist visits
- This topic has 24 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by
vlmd1986.
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- March 10, 2016 at 3:03 pm
I am on my second quarterly dermatologist visit since being diagnosed with stage 2a melanoma. The first visit the doctor found 3 spots he wanted checked out, a shave biopsy, a punch biopsy, and a excision with .5 cm margins(no biopsy). I had to get them all done on separate days. Now I just got my second check up and he wants to do three more biopsies; two punch, one shave. All on seperate visits. They say that they can't do more than one biopsy on the same day. Is this customary?
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- March 10, 2016 at 3:36 pm
I'd ask why.
My record is 9 spots removed in 1 sitting.
Last month it was 3 removed in 1 appointment.
I've stopped counting on how many I've had removed – maybe 40 in all.
With my history (3b, CLND, etc.) they are pretty agressive which I like. My motto is ""when in doubt; cut it out"!
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 3:36 pm
I'd ask why.
My record is 9 spots removed in 1 sitting.
Last month it was 3 removed in 1 appointment.
I've stopped counting on how many I've had removed – maybe 40 in all.
With my history (3b, CLND, etc.) they are pretty agressive which I like. My motto is ""when in doubt; cut it out"!
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:32 pm
I asked why the first time and the office woman said it would be "too much for one visit." I told her I think I can handle it and she replied with "the insurance doesn't allow multiple biopsies per visit." I called my insurance today and they said there is no limit to how many biopsies can be performed in a day.
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Not sure where you live, but I'd be looking around for another derm.
Sounds to me like they're just scheduling multiple visits in order to bill the insurance company for more money.
Ask the doc directly why they can't do all 3. Lots of times there is a big disconnect between the doc and the front office and/or nurse.
Although I don't recommend it, I don't even go back to get the stitches out. Just do it myself. I started a new job and there is no way I can keep taking time off.
What area are you in?
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Not sure where you live, but I'd be looking around for another derm.
Sounds to me like they're just scheduling multiple visits in order to bill the insurance company for more money.
Ask the doc directly why they can't do all 3. Lots of times there is a big disconnect between the doc and the front office and/or nurse.
Although I don't recommend it, I don't even go back to get the stitches out. Just do it myself. I started a new job and there is no way I can keep taking time off.
What area are you in?
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Not sure where you live, but I'd be looking around for another derm.
Sounds to me like they're just scheduling multiple visits in order to bill the insurance company for more money.
Ask the doc directly why they can't do all 3. Lots of times there is a big disconnect between the doc and the front office and/or nurse.
Although I don't recommend it, I don't even go back to get the stitches out. Just do it myself. I started a new job and there is no way I can keep taking time off.
What area are you in?
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for both of your replies. I called my doctor and he straight up told me that he doesn't make as much money when he does them all in the same day. He said I could either stick with him and get them on seperate days or go to a doctor that is willing to do them in the same day. I said I preferred him to do the biopsies in one day, to which he replied "well that's not going to happen." Looks like I'm looking for a new dermatologist. By the way I live in Florida.
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- March 11, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Wow, I guess he's taken a different Hippocratic Oath – the one that says I'm in it for the money.
I'd be out of there in a heartbeat.
Isn't Moffitt Cancer Center out your way? I'm on the opposite coast, but I think they are a "Cancer Center of Excellence".
If I was in FL that's where I'd start.
David
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- March 11, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Wow, I guess he's taken a different Hippocratic Oath – the one that says I'm in it for the money.
I'd be out of there in a heartbeat.
Isn't Moffitt Cancer Center out your way? I'm on the opposite coast, but I think they are a "Cancer Center of Excellence".
If I was in FL that's where I'd start.
David
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- March 11, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Wow, I guess he's taken a different Hippocratic Oath – the one that says I'm in it for the money.
I'd be out of there in a heartbeat.
Isn't Moffitt Cancer Center out your way? I'm on the opposite coast, but I think they are a "Cancer Center of Excellence".
If I was in FL that's where I'd start.
David
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- March 21, 2016 at 10:06 am
Sorry I'm late to this post, but I'm horrified by your experience with your previous dermatologist. As a pathologist-in-training and a fellow melanoma survivor (stage 3a), I cannot believe your dermatologist would make you schedule separate appointments for each biopsy. As soon as I read your initial post, I knew that it was absolutely all about the money. The dermatologist could biopsy all three spots in one $250 visit, or have you come 3 times for $150 each (I made those numbers up, but you get the point!). Obviously the latter situation nets him more money but is WAAAYYYY more inconvenient (and EXPENSIVE) for you. I'm embarrassed that this completely unprofessional physician is a member of my profession. If I were you, I'd report him to the medical board for his lack of professionalism/humanity. And I sincerely hope you never encounter another physician like him! Best of luck with your new derm 🙂
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- March 21, 2016 at 10:06 am
Sorry I'm late to this post, but I'm horrified by your experience with your previous dermatologist. As a pathologist-in-training and a fellow melanoma survivor (stage 3a), I cannot believe your dermatologist would make you schedule separate appointments for each biopsy. As soon as I read your initial post, I knew that it was absolutely all about the money. The dermatologist could biopsy all three spots in one $250 visit, or have you come 3 times for $150 each (I made those numbers up, but you get the point!). Obviously the latter situation nets him more money but is WAAAYYYY more inconvenient (and EXPENSIVE) for you. I'm embarrassed that this completely unprofessional physician is a member of my profession. If I were you, I'd report him to the medical board for his lack of professionalism/humanity. And I sincerely hope you never encounter another physician like him! Best of luck with your new derm 🙂
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- March 21, 2016 at 10:06 am
Sorry I'm late to this post, but I'm horrified by your experience with your previous dermatologist. As a pathologist-in-training and a fellow melanoma survivor (stage 3a), I cannot believe your dermatologist would make you schedule separate appointments for each biopsy. As soon as I read your initial post, I knew that it was absolutely all about the money. The dermatologist could biopsy all three spots in one $250 visit, or have you come 3 times for $150 each (I made those numbers up, but you get the point!). Obviously the latter situation nets him more money but is WAAAYYYY more inconvenient (and EXPENSIVE) for you. I'm embarrassed that this completely unprofessional physician is a member of my profession. If I were you, I'd report him to the medical board for his lack of professionalism/humanity. And I sincerely hope you never encounter another physician like him! Best of luck with your new derm 🙂
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- March 10, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for both of your replies. I called my doctor and he straight up told me that he doesn't make as much money when he does them all in the same day. He said I could either stick with him and get them on seperate days or go to a doctor that is willing to do them in the same day. I said I preferred him to do the biopsies in one day, to which he replied "well that's not going to happen." Looks like I'm looking for a new dermatologist. By the way I live in Florida.
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- March 10, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for both of your replies. I called my doctor and he straight up told me that he doesn't make as much money when he does them all in the same day. He said I could either stick with him and get them on seperate days or go to a doctor that is willing to do them in the same day. I said I preferred him to do the biopsies in one day, to which he replied "well that's not going to happen." Looks like I'm looking for a new dermatologist. By the way I live in Florida.
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:32 pm
I asked why the first time and the office woman said it would be "too much for one visit." I told her I think I can handle it and she replied with "the insurance doesn't allow multiple biopsies per visit." I called my insurance today and they said there is no limit to how many biopsies can be performed in a day.
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- March 10, 2016 at 4:32 pm
I asked why the first time and the office woman said it would be "too much for one visit." I told her I think I can handle it and she replied with "the insurance doesn't allow multiple biopsies per visit." I called my insurance today and they said there is no limit to how many biopsies can be performed in a day.
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- March 10, 2016 at 3:36 pm
I'd ask why.
My record is 9 spots removed in 1 sitting.
Last month it was 3 removed in 1 appointment.
I've stopped counting on how many I've had removed – maybe 40 in all.
With my history (3b, CLND, etc.) they are pretty agressive which I like. My motto is ""when in doubt; cut it out"!
David
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- March 10, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Hello,
I'm in agreement with SoCalDave. The idea they can only handle one biopsy is ridiculous. I too had 9 lesions removed at one visit although my derm said that was his personal record. Good thing too as 7 of them came back positive as squamous cell carcinoma. As an aside, I had never had a squamous cell before and it was a direct side-effect of the drug Zelboraf, treating the melanoma. Go figure…an anti-cancer drug gives you a new type of cancer. Find a new derm or treatment facility.
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- March 10, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Hello,
I'm in agreement with SoCalDave. The idea they can only handle one biopsy is ridiculous. I too had 9 lesions removed at one visit although my derm said that was his personal record. Good thing too as 7 of them came back positive as squamous cell carcinoma. As an aside, I had never had a squamous cell before and it was a direct side-effect of the drug Zelboraf, treating the melanoma. Go figure…an anti-cancer drug gives you a new type of cancer. Find a new derm or treatment facility.
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- March 10, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Hello,
I'm in agreement with SoCalDave. The idea they can only handle one biopsy is ridiculous. I too had 9 lesions removed at one visit although my derm said that was his personal record. Good thing too as 7 of them came back positive as squamous cell carcinoma. As an aside, I had never had a squamous cell before and it was a direct side-effect of the drug Zelboraf, treating the melanoma. Go figure…an anti-cancer drug gives you a new type of cancer. Find a new derm or treatment facility.
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