Cancelled Appointment...ARRGH!!!

I have been waiting for months for an appointment with another surgeon for a second opinion regarding surgery...about a month ago they finally called me and scheduled me an appointment for August 5th. Today I got a voicemail saying that they had an emergency and rescheduled my appointment for SEPTEMBER 2nd! That is so far away, I barely thought I'd make it to the 5th!

Has anyone else had this happen, and did you have any luck rescheduling for an earlier date?? I am hoping if I call tomorrow and say that no, I can't wait until the 2nd, maybe they can fit me in earlier....but I have no idea. This sucks so bad.

You should definitely call...since this was THEIR reschedule, you need to explain your situation.

One time I had scheduled a SURGERY for a certain day, took off work, found someone to drive me, they took off work, etc., and two days before they called and said they needed to reschedule. I was like, I CANNOT DO THAT. This is too short of notice, etc, and they ended up keeping my surgery the same. I think if you put up a fight they will try to accomodate you. Even if they can't get you in for the 5th still, I bet they'll do like a double appt or something to squeeze you in some day soon. Sometimes they've even said to me, "We're going to try to squeeze you in so you may have to sit in the waiting room for a while but we will get you in." I"m sure you're willing to sit there for an hour or two if it means being seen at this point!

totally agree with all comments above... this sucks!! they can find for a 20 minute appointment surely??? put up a fight even turn up at the surgeon's office and refuse to leave unless you're seen! my experience with doctors and surgeons is you have to keep hassling, chasing and pushing. Good luck and let us know how you get on x

That is better than a month, I suppose. I was going to suggest calling every single day to see if they had a last minute cancellation, but if it's 3 hours away then I guess that's not an option.

As for it being your birthday, it sucks, but this is really a bigger deal. You're not a kid...as you get older, your birthday just tends to have to take a backseat to life, I find, and you said it: this is the best birthday present you could ask for. If you haven't seen anyone before about this problem, chances are they will need to do some tests. They don't do a big surgery like this without at least some sort of diagnostic test. So my guess is, they will not schedule surgery right away, but they will also not say "no." and just for the record, if they do say no, you can either see someone else or talk to them and explain how much you want this. This is YOUR body, you need to explain how miserable you are and fight for yourself! But honestly, if you're that miserable it will most likely show on the tests and then they'll have to say yes.

You're dealing with constipation, right? If so, I think the tests for that are not too bad. I have had the opposite problem so I will let others on the board talk about that. But either way, it's a small sacrifice to make for the rest of your life. You can celebrate your birthday anytime!!

great, this is def much better than Sep 2nd. sort of. sounds like your mom is a great advocate for you. i'm glad she's helping you out with this. but even if you didn't have her help, as Sarah and Stephanie said, the best way is to call EVERY day or even show up at the surgeon's office. that would have shown them how desperate you are! 

you've already had ALL the tests possible and they are all recent. true, there are places like cleveland clinic where even if you had a defecography, for example, 2 mons prior to seeing them, they don't care, they like to do their own tests. but it doesn't necessarily mean that dukes opporate the same way. at least i hope they don't. personally, i don't see any point in repeating all your tests, esp since they are all so recent and i hope they don't feel the need either. 

i know what you mean about getting up at 4 or even 3 am to make it on time early in the morning for tests and consultations   i had so many mornings like that. but i was happy to do it, cuz after years of being ignored by drs, i was so happy and appreciative of the fact they are actually and finally looking into my case, and it was just a well worth sacrifice i had to make on my way of getting well and getting my life back. you'll make it too

now i can't wait for your birthday to come already hoping this is the happiest birthday with good news for you! waiting anxiously for your update!

80sChick - I was pretty sure they had everything, because when I first asked my other doctor at UNC to make the referral to Duke for me, I was told Duke had asked for all of my records to review to determine if they could assist me, and that after reviewing them they would contact me to proceed with scheduling the appointment.
They scheduled an appointment for me, but just this week my mom spoke to the surgeon's PA who wanted to know if I had any images on disc or something like that (I only have the sitzmark xrays on disc, the rest of the records I have are on paper), and she was also asking questions like, has she seen other doctors about this? My mom couldn't remember exactly what they were asking but they seemed like questions that they should already know the answers to...obviously if I had all of these tests done at UNC, then this isn't my first GI appointment. I returned the call but I am still waiting to hear back.

You or your mom or SOMEONE NEEDS TO CALL AND COMPLAIN. You need to explain the situation. This is completely unacceptable. I am so sorry to hear this. Put your foot down and demand better treatment. This may be a good hint about the type of care you can expect from this dr....just something to think about.  They need to know what you're going through, because this is seriously inexcusable.

You need to get someone else, that is uncalled for!

Thanks guys - I'm unsure why they had to move my appointment, but I am assuming it is partly since I am a new patient and I think those who are already surgical patients take precedence over new people. My mom called this morning and spoke to the PA, who said Dr. Thacker had to be in the OR during that time and it was unavoidable. My mom said she was very apologetic and knows I have been waiting a long time, and spent 20 minutes going through her schedule to find another date that was not "late september", and they scheduled me for Friday September 9th. She said she was marking the appointment as "DO NOT CANCEL" and she noted that I had already been canceled on twice. If they even TRY to move this appointment that is IT and I would absolutely see someone else.

As much as I do not want to wait, we have heard only good things about this surgeon's skills (maybe not her communication skills) and she is supposed to be clinically excellent. My mom wants to give it one more shot before we go through the process of getting my records transferred again and seeing a different person.

The only thing that worries me about waiting so long is, this is for a second opinion. I don't know how it all works, but if another surgeon has already offered to do the surgery if I decided that is what I wanted...is there a certain amount of time that a surgeon's offer remains on the table? If he gave me his card and told me he would do the surgery - can I wait 3-4 or even 5 months to decide? Or would I have to start all over at square one. I know this doesn't make a lot of sense but basically I feel worried that if I wait too long he will "forget" that he said he'd do the surgery! Though, it is noted in my records that I met with him and he said he would do it should I choose to.

On the bright side, at least now I don't have to have a rectal exam on my birthday...

Post Edited (Alibee) : 8/17/2011 10:04:35 AM (GMT-6)

Alibee - I feel I should warn you. Because Dr. T is so popular, it may be a few months before you could schedule surgery. I'm not sure you want to wait that long? I went to my post op 3 weeks after surgery and scheduled step 2 and the first appt available was 3 months from my first surgery and nothing sooner! Just thought you should know!

Well my appointment is tomorrow...I got a call from the surgeon's PA yesterday to confirm it, and she asked if I would be willing to come in a little early so they can look at the DVD I got from UNC with all of the images from my tests on it. I am their last appointment of the day. My parents both have the day off work and will be coming with me. I am supposed to do 2 Fleet enemas in the morning, so tonight I am taking my dulcolax and miralax again to hopefully make the enemas work a little better. Then in the morning we have a 3 hour drive to Duke. I think I am going to go in alone first, for the first part of the appointment, and because they said they will be doing a "full rectal exam"...whatever that is. Then when she gets around to giving her opinion I'll have my parents come in. I am praying to have some good news tomorrow. Ideally I hope to be able to get another OK for surgery tomorrow, and possibly even schedule it.

I have been waiting for this appointment for a LONG time, and I am ready to get it over with because truthfully, I am very nervous. I feel like all of the things I was going to say to the surgeon have completely left my mind and now I don't know what to say! If she asks me why I am there tomorrow I am afraid I'll be sitting there like, "uhhhh....." It is always hard to start over at square one and explain your whole history to a doctor, but hopefully with all of my records and tests she won't have to ask me why I am there...

I have felt worse than ever lately and I just need something done, please pray/cross your fingers/send good thoughts - anything for me tomorrow, I will be shaking in my boots. I'll update here as soon as I get home tomorrow.

Hi and thanks for the update!

I'm so glad you're getting in tomorrow. In my experience you get asked your medical history at any dr appt by 900 people. The nurse, the physician's assistant, the dr himself, and all of those people have your records right there. It's really annoying.

I'd write down a list of things to say now, because who cares if you look foolish? In my opinion you'll look prepared.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!!!