Help and adviced needed re breast cancer

[xerostar]

A young Thai lady 23 contacted me in a highly distressed state. Her GP detected a breast lump and immediatly did a biopsy. No family history mother is 68. Now she awaits biposy results.

Can somebody PM me with links where this lady can get proper advice and support.

She feels obligated to do what the doctor recomends. I feel she needs a second opinion. 

thanks 

 

[Sheryl]

Before rushing off for a second opinion, wait for the biopsy tesults. The majority of breast lumps are benign. There is nothing at this stage to get a second opinion on. Biopsing a breast lump is a no brainer.

 

 

If it is not benign then she will be referred for scans and specialist treatment. At that point, if she wants it, a second opinion might be helpful.

 

Almost certainly the doctor who did the biopsy was not a GP but rather a surgeon.

 

It would help to know where in Thailand she is and under what health scheme (e.g. Social Security vs 30 baht scheme) and at what hospital the biopsy was done.

 

In telling you about this she may have been seeking emotional support more than specific medical advice. If she is resistant to seeking a second opinion (in the event that the biopsy proves malignant -- hopefully it will not) don't push her. If she wants it that is another matter.

 

 

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[xerostar]

Thank you very much Sheryl

I forwarded your message to the young lady concerned and she told me to convey her sincere thanks to you.

She is feeling a little calmer now.

I will let you know the outcome in due course.

[xerostar]

Hi Sheryl

The young lady came to me for help.

She told me the doctor was quite young. In a town 5 hours north of Bkk. She had a marble sized lump in the left breast just above the lower bra line and another smaller one on the upper left side. Both palpable through the skin. The doctor injected local anaesthetic in both areas. He took a biopsy canular and inserted through the nipple to reach the lower lump and did that two or three times.

She said it was extremely painful and it made her cry. I dont understand why he did not take the shortest route under the bra line to reach the lump.

I would even question the need for a biopsy at that first appointment.

Now she is in severe pain. Has a fever and the entire left breast is swollen and very tender. She is still waiting for results. The doc prescribed Cloxacillin and ibuprofen at the biopsy apointment. Yesterday she saw the Dr for dressing change . His only comment to take all the prescribed medicine and not expose the wound to water. She has a history of allergies and is understandibly afraid to take any stronger pain medication in case she has an allergic reactio

[Sheryl]

Sounds like mastitis (infection of the breast tissue) and since it is not responding to the oral antibiotic she might need to be receive Iv antibiotics for a few days which can be done either by admitting her to the hospital ir having her come in daily for it.

 

The question is how to proceed. I still don't know where exactly she is, what hospital this was done at nor what health scheme she is under and these things will determine her options.

 

One approach would be to just go to the ER after regular OPD hours as that will almost surely get her seen by a different doctor. Explain that she had a biopsy done and was given oral antibiotics but pain and swelling have gotten worse and she has fever. That history plus a red swollen breast (assuming it is such) should lead them to prescribe IV antibiotics. If any of her allergies are to antibiotics she needs to tell them exactly which ones.

 

 

 

 

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[xerostar]

Hi Sheryl

Im afraid I have been the victim of an elaborate hoax/scam.

This young lady convinced me of her plight in order to obtain sympathy money.  She said she was from Kamphaengphet. I have a copy of her ID card which she was reluctant to give me after I first met her. Her first story was about her mother who was getting chemotherapy and she needed money to pay the specialist. I had my suspicions but she never offered me any proof of her mother's plight or her own alleged condition other than to show me a breast covered by a large plaster and she complained of pain and swelling.

I could not see any signs of inflammation or bruising around the edge of the plaster. As you can imagine I was not going to ask her to remove the plaster in order to prove she was telling the truth. So I felt obligated to go along with her story. She said she had no friends or relatives in Bangkok. Today she wanted to come and see me again hoping to get more money. I told her not to come back and that I no longer believed her story. I warned her that she could be charged with fraud.

It's hard to believe that she was taking advantage of my kindness in order to scam money. She was not offering any sexual services so I thought she was genuinely in need of help.

Sorry for wasting your time Sheryl.

[Sheryl]

I'm not surprised. A high proportion of threads started over concern for a Thai's health problem prove to be just that.

For future reference all Thaid have access to free health (including cancer treatment and the like) through government hospitals so requests for money for medical care are always suspect.

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