Best Friend in Need of Help in RR

Updated on June 30, 2011
M.J. asks from Leander, TX
17 answers

Hello all i just received news today that my very best friend has cervical cancer...im in tears as i write this. She has been bleeding badly for 3 weeks and was told today that she has a hemorrhaging cist on top of her left ovary . Her ovaries are 3 times bigger then normal. She has been in horrible pain for the last 3 weeks but the doctor refuses to give her any pain meds and no she has NEVER has pill popping issues. He also told her that he was going to wait a while before he decided on doing surgery. She is going to call around and ask other doctors if this is normal procedure. Also the receptionist at the Dr office she goes to told her to sue the Dr because he refuses to help my friend in a timely fashion. So my question to u is what would u do?

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N.T.

answers from Austin on

I would see another doctor. I love my OBGYN and his name is Dr. Michael Breen ###-###-####. His a great doctor. I would not suffer in pain.

1 mom found this helpful

L.G.

answers from Eugene on

Cervical cancer moves slowly but the cist is a big problem. She has to go to another doctor immediately.
I would volunteer to take her and I'd make the calls to help her find a good doctor right away.
You are a really good friend to write to mamapedia for her.

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A.R.

answers from Houston on

Change doctors and get a second opinion immediately! If she's getting advice regarding suing from the receptioninst this is not the doctor she should be going to for treatment. I am so sorry for your friend - good luck!

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

What is RR?

This doesn't sound normal. If one is "bleeding badly" for three weeks and nothing has been done, they would be dead. "Call around" Your friend needs to go to the emergency room at any hospital and they have to treat her.

I would fire the receptionist that recommended a law suit rather then recommend the emergency room.

Blessings.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from New York on

OK... we're going through this with my mom right now as well. She had heavy bleeding for over a week and her OBGYN did a D&C to remove the "tissue" that was causing the bleeding. He sent everything to be tested, but told her that they couldn't do anything for a month post-procedure b/c the area is too sensitive AND they don't want to jump to any conclusions.

We're all in a panic b/c we are assuming that it is cancer, but in all reality it may not be. A cyst is NOT necessarily cancer, but the two can co-exist. Being in pain means that something is wrong, but it doesn't always mean cancer. If caught early (3 weeks is early), it can be treated and in most cases cured.

IF she has actually been diagnosed with cervical cancer, then she needs to be seen by an oncologist. If she's being "screened" for it... sit tight and wait to hear from the doctor. She can call around, but most doctors are hesitant to offer pain medications if not absolutely necessary, especiallly if they are not 100% certain of the source of the pain.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from Portland on

She needs to see a gyn oncologist not a regular gynecologist. She can call her local hospital referral line and they can help with finding a specialist.

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A.J.

answers from Killeen on

Always get a 2nd opinion if there's doubt! You're paying for treatment, so if you're not satisfied, then get a 2nd opinion!
Not sure if this is the same thing that's going on with your friend, but my MIL had a lot of problems with heavy bleeding so bad that she was getting irons shots and even passed out once from losing all the blood. She ended up fetting her ovaries and uturus removed, but it wasn't until they had exhausted non-surgical options before they did that. I believe it was about 6 months until she finally had them taken out. And yes, she was in a lot of pain, and no she did not have pain meds. Pain meds are soo dependent, even if you've never had a drug addiction before, you could easily become addicted to pain pills. My husband just had some percocets once after an injury, and the dr gave me strict instructions of how many he could take and how to lower the dose over time so he would be weaned off them by the time he didn't need them anymore. Prescribing pain pills isn't done lightly. And unless your friend is on bedrest or something, I doubt they'd give her anything because I'm sure she has a job and family to take care of...you can't be popping pain pills to drop off your kids at school or go to work. So there's probably a lot more going on than you know inside her doctor's head! Make sure your friend takes a slist of questions with her to her next appt so her issues can be addressed

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

I would be getting a second opinion so fast it would make your head spin! His receptionist is advising suing? That has to be the biggest red flag ever. Report this guy to the American Medical Association and the board for OB/Gyns! Send her to your doctor. I note that you're in Leander. Dr. Shannon Abikhalid in Austin is teriffic in this field.

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B.M.

answers from Houston on

Based on what I read, it sounds like "your instinct" is that something is not right and the info/advice she is getting from her doctor, isn't sitting well with you; I would definitely advise your friend to seek a second opinion

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P.B.

answers from Austin on

I will pray for your friend. You've gotten some good advice here. You're a good friend -- God bless!

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

i dont know that i would sue...i would think about that later. but i definatly would go get another doctor. i had a stupid little issue that turned out to be a ph imbalance with six different doctors. some telling me that i cant do anything else for you, others diagnosing it as something it wasnt until i went to a radical doc that fixed the issue. sometimes we have to go outside of the box to get an issue taken care of...but above everything it must be taken care of. tell her to hit up the liquor cabinet until she gets some pain meds at least to help her get some sleep. its better than nothing...really. (you know your friend if she has a drinking problem dont tell her that but if she is really hurting and cant get relife go have a drink whith her even at her house)

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S.B.

answers from Austin on

Definitely get her in with another GYN for a second opinion. My take would be that if it truly is cancer or something equally as serious, they would not waste time stalling. I found my current OB?GYN when I developed an ovarian cyst that burst after getting my yearly exam from my previous GYN. I actually felt the pain at the time it happened, in his exam room, and he blew it off as no big deal. A friend referred me to her doctor, I called them and explained the situation, and they got me in there the same day. He has been my doctor ever since, helped me with my fertility issues (which eventually included removing an ovary that had another non-cancerous cyst), and delivered by daughter after I was able to get pregnant. If your friend is interested in using him for a second opinion, his name is Dr. Mark Akin, and his office is in the St. David's North Austin Med Center building. His # is ###-###-####. He comes highly recommended from me. Best of luck to your friend, it sounds like she is in a very scary situation. She needs a rational, communicative doctor to help put everything in perspective, and explain exactly what is going on.

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N.H.

answers from Austin on

DO NOT wait on this...get to another doctor immediately. This is NOT something to wait on or fool around with. The sooner it's addressed, the sooner she can recover. Sounds like that doctor is either a quack or just don't care!. While I'm not a medical expert, this just doesn't sound like something to wait on or normal procedure for something obviously so wrong. I wish your friend warm regards & hopes for a speedy treatment & recovery!

M.P.

answers from Provo on

DIFFERENT DOCTOR!!!! Any person that is ok with letting someone sit in pain for who knows how long, is not a medical proffesional in my mind. Sure there are times when a person can't or shouldn't be on pain meds (like if they were trying a certain med and needed to know if it was working or not ect) but she obviously needs them.
Ask for her medical records (this might take up to a week to get. Ugh I know) and might cost $10 bucks, but get them and go find a better doctor.

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J.T.

answers from College Station on

Regardless of what the Dr, or office manager for that matter, says, a second opinion is ALWAYS in order when a serious medical issue is on the table.

Her (and your) intuition is burning. Listen to it and seek another Dr.!

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

She needs another opinon and treatment with and doc asap. If you want to help get some referals for her. So sorry she is going through this.

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H.P.

answers from Houston on

Talk to another doctor immediately!! Go to the emergency room and get other people involved. Pain management is extremely important in treatment and recovery, not just psychologically, but actually physically. If you tend to the pain, then your body can focus on the healing part and not spend so much energy on addressing the pain.

I don't know what part of town she's in or if she's even in this town, but I can give you the name of my OB-GYN. This is not a wait-and-see situation.

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