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More Experienced Doctor or Earlier Appointment?

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Posted 10/31/2019 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
I posted yesterday about my situation. So I called to make an appointment with the urologist that my PCP recommended. It turns out that he’s booked until the end of December. The receptionist offered me an appointment next week with his partner. The main doctor graduated in 1993. This partner doctor graduated in 2014 so clearly there’s a wide disparity in experience. I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with the young one. The receptionist did say I could switch at a later time.
Do you think I made the right call or would it have been better to wait for the preferred one? My thinking is that he could set up more tests and do the DRE. But would he know what to look for in such an examination with the degree of precision that the older one would have?

So hard to know what to do….The waiting is already making me severely anxious.

Thank you.
Posted 10/31/2019 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
I would wait but get the PHI/free psa test done between now and then.
Posted 10/31/2019 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Looking at your signature I don't sense an urgency for the expedited appointment. Personally, I would want the more experienced doctor. Or, maybe keep both appointments to see which doctor you are most comfortable with.
Posted 10/31/2019 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
I think you made the right choice. the wait would have driven me crazy.
Posted 10/31/2019 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
On one hand the older doc has more experience, but on the other younger has more recent and up to date knowledge. I also bet that in out of your sight the younger doc asks the other about difficult cases.

In your case you need some simple tests. Doesn't take a million year old doc to order some blood tests, scans or do a DRE. You're very early in the process so I doubt in matters today. It might later, but see a doc now will help put your mind at ease that you're doing something.

If you don't like the answers you get from the younger doc, ask for a second opinion from the other after the tests are done.

Andrew
Posted 10/31/2019 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
From my experience , it’s uncomfortable (not the correct word) to switch between doctors within the same office/partnership. So if you go with the younger one now you may find switching to the older one little difficult.
Posted 10/31/2019 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
Jason,when I am at the MAYO I have only seen my head urologist 2 times all the other times it has been his partners in fact it was a young lady urologist in his department that did the DRE and found the tumor and then did the biopsy after local doctor didn't feel anything wrong. She and 2 other urologist interns and my main urologist then came in and we sat around a table talking about my diagnosis of cancer. I would think that if they are truly partners there would be no problem seeing the younger guy after all your not having surgery at this time a DRE and possibly a biopsy don't put the cart ahead of the horse and assume you have cancer! hopefully it will be something else. Cancer changes your life assume you don't have it until you know for sure!!

Larry
Posted 10/31/2019 5:35 PM (GMT 0)

Skypilot56 said...
Jason,when I am at the MAYO I have only seen my head urologist 2 times all the other times it has been his partners in fact it was a young lady urologist in his department that did the DRE and found the tumor and then did the biopsy after local doctor didn't feel anything wrong. She and 2 other urologist interns and my main urologist then came in and we sat around a table talking about my diagnosis of cancer. I would think that if they are truly partners there would be no problem seeing the younger guy after all your not having surgery at this time a DRE and possibly a biopsy don't put the cart ahead of the horse and assume you have cancer! hopefully it will be something else. Cancer changes your life assume you don't have it until you know for sure!!

Larry

Thanks for that information. It's helpful to know how most urology offices work. I wish I could feel a little more hopeful but, as I said in my last post on my initial thread, I can't honestly see what else it could be other than cancer at this point.
Posted 10/31/2019 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
Jason - Went through the same exact experience last year. Same thing with RO referral also. Long story below might give you some ideas. Just start knocking down the visits now in my opinion.

Asked to see the senior urologist that was recommended by GP and other medical friends we contacted (started practice 1989, thousands of RALP procedures, good reputation). The scheduler laughed and said at least three months out. So I took the next best choice, a younger urologist (started practice in 2012) who was three weeks out which seemed bad enough. Met with him, told him that senior doctor was my first choice, had positive DRE, decided on MRI first to be followed biopsy. MRI was positive so went ahead with biopsy which was positive also.

Wife and I met doctor after bad news, discussed options and asked for recommendations for second opinion. Since he knew I was interested in senior doctor, he asked if I would be interested in him for second opinion if he could arrange it. My wife and I agreed and he was able to get it scheduled in 2+ weeks. Wife and I met with him, had the obligatory DRE handshake, and the long meeting was very good. Much more polished than the younger doctor but same bad news in nicer terms. My wife liked both doctors for different reasons but left it up to me. RO was similar and I took the younger RO also to avoid another three month wait from that point and he was very good.

Punch line - Two doctors do the RALP procedure the way their practice is setup and I had both of them do my surgery; one runs the machine, the other tends to the patient. Saw the older doctor next morning after surgery and he said surgery went well, etc, etc. Followups were with younger doctor as he was my principal doctor. I always had the choice to go with either one after I met both of them so maybe keep both appointments or see if the first doctor can help you with that.
Posted 11/1/2019 11:35 AM (GMT 0)

Mumbo said...
Jason - Went through the same exact experience last year. Same thing with RO referral also. Long story below might give you some ideas. Just start knocking down the visits now in my opinion.

Asked to see the senior urologist that was recommended by GP and other medical friends we contacted (started practice 1989, thousands of RALP procedures, good reputation). The scheduler laughed and said at least three months out. So I took the next best choice, a younger urologist (started practice in 2012) who was three weeks out which seemed bad enough. Met with him, told him that senior doctor was my first choice, had positive DRE, decided on MRI first to be followed biopsy. MRI was positive so went ahead with biopsy which was positive also.

Wife and I met doctor after bad news, discussed options and asked for recommendations for second opinion. Since he knew I was interested in senior doctor, he asked if I would be interested in him for second opinion if he could arrange it. My wife and I agreed and he was able to get it scheduled in 2+ weeks. Wife and I met with him, had the obligatory DRE handshake, and the long meeting was very good. Much more polished than the younger doctor but same bad news in nicer terms. My wife liked both doctors for different reasons but left it up to me. RO was similar and I took the younger RO also to avoid another three month wait from that point and he was very good.

Punch line - Two doctors do the RALP procedure the way their practice is setup and I had both of them do my surgery; one runs the machine, the other tends to the patient. Saw the older doctor next morning after surgery and he said surgery went well, etc, etc. Followups were with younger doctor as he was my principal doctor. I always had the choice to go with either one after I met both of them so maybe keep both appointments or see if the first doctor can help you with that.

Thanks for sharing your experience in detail. Hopefully most doctors wouldn't be offended by their patients wanting a second opinion. If for any reason I'm not happy with the younger doctor, I can schedule with the older one and just wait or even find a different practice. At least this way I get the process started quickly.
Posted 11/1/2019 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Jason
See both doctors -
be sure to record appointment on your phone. It is hard to write down everything your told.
Larry E
Posted 11/1/2019 4:16 PM (GMT 0)

JasonB176 said...
If for any reason I'm not happy with the younger doctor, I can schedule with the older one and just wait or even find a different practice. At least this way I get the process started quickly.

Don't cancel your appointment with the more experienced doctor. Hold on to it, and also see the new guy. Good luck!
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