How Long to wait for Second Opinion?

I know it sounds like a long time but it is not unusual to have to wait that long.  The melanoma experts don't seem to think that a month makes much difference in overall survival rate.  It is good to get a second opinion because it is important to know your options and sometimes having one treatment will disqualify you for another treatment down the line.  That is something to ask about.

I know it sounds like a long time but it is not unusual to have to wait that long.  The melanoma experts don't seem to think that a month makes much difference in overall survival rate.  It is good to get a second opinion because it is important to know your options and sometimes having one treatment will disqualify you for another treatment down the line.  That is something to ask about.

I know it sounds like a long time but it is not unusual to have to wait that long.  The melanoma experts don't seem to think that a month makes much difference in overall survival rate.  It is good to get a second opinion because it is important to know your options and sometimes having one treatment will disqualify you for another treatment down the line.  That is something to ask about.

Since you asked for a specific doc at mda then yes 3 to 4 weeks is normal. A request for any doc still takes awhile. For me 9 days. Typically I think 2 weeks. I've found mda has really smart docs and really worth the trip but they can be rather slow and have very little communication with me. But that's just my experience so far.

Artie

Since you asked for a specific doc at mda then yes 3 to 4 weeks is normal. A request for any doc still takes awhile. For me 9 days. Typically I think 2 weeks. I've found mda has really smart docs and really worth the trip but they can be rather slow and have very little communication with me. But that's just my experience so far.

Artie

Since you asked for a specific doc at mda then yes 3 to 4 weeks is normal. A request for any doc still takes awhile. For me 9 days. Typically I think 2 weeks. I've found mda has really smart docs and really worth the trip but they can be rather slow and have very little communication with me. But that's just my experience so far.

Artie

Agree with the prior posts–at least for institutions like MDA and MSK.  The doctor I'm planning to see at MDA for a trial consultation only sees new patients on Monday afternoons.  By definition, any new patient will need to wait and these in demand doctors are mostly seeing advanced stage patients.  My appt is approximately 4 weeks after I initially contacted MDA.  That said, I do think that it is worthwhile to "become a patient" at these institutions (e.g., for consultations).  That way, you're "in the system", which will save at least a week or two the next time you want to visit (since you would've already dealt with the new patient stuff).

Agree with the prior posts–at least for institutions like MDA and MSK.  The doctor I'm planning to see at MDA for a trial consultation only sees new patients on Monday afternoons.  By definition, any new patient will need to wait and these in demand doctors are mostly seeing advanced stage patients.  My appt is approximately 4 weeks after I initially contacted MDA.  That said, I do think that it is worthwhile to "become a patient" at these institutions (e.g., for consultations).  That way, you're "in the system", which will save at least a week or two the next time you want to visit (since you would've already dealt with the new patient stuff).

Agree with the prior posts–at least for institutions like MDA and MSK.  The doctor I'm planning to see at MDA for a trial consultation only sees new patients on Monday afternoons.  By definition, any new patient will need to wait and these in demand doctors are mostly seeing advanced stage patients.  My appt is approximately 4 weeks after I initially contacted MDA.  That said, I do think that it is worthwhile to "become a patient" at these institutions (e.g., for consultations).  That way, you're "in the system", which will save at least a week or two the next time you want to visit (since you would've already dealt with the new patient stuff).

I understand that anxiety. When MM recurred I started looking for a clinical trial on my own, pretty much immediately. I contacted lots of clinical trial coordinators on the phone. Leads and phone numbers came from clinicaltrials.gov, and also directly from some of the trial hospitals' web sites that list their specific trial offerings. The trial I ulitmately got into was via that approach.

Once I found a promising trial with openings (which I learned from the trial coordinators) I made an appointment to see the doc there and get 'in the system'. I ended up getting into a trial at the same site, just a different one than I flew there to sign up for. So — you can look on your own for trials. It took a lot of phone calls. Some sites make their trial coordinators easy to talk to. MDA is not one of those sites as I recall — see a doctor or nothing. Other places you can get the 'low down' on various trials with a phone call. Otherwise, the statuses like 'actively recruiting' at clinicaltrials.gov are not very up to date. 

Also, MDA should be good at putting you in one of their trials, if there is a match there that you feel good about. But they're not necessarily going to do much to facilitate to get you into trials elsewhere other than at MDA. At least that's my personal experience so far at few facilities.

I did fly to MDA a few years ago for a second opinion. As far as my current situation, for me they're further away than I would want to travel to every 2 or 3 weeks for an actual trial though (5 hour flight). So I didn't check in with MDA this time. I do fly 1.5 hours every 2 weeks for my current trial. I'm able to turn it around in a day trip now which helps.

Good luck. I guess I'm also saying I liked having multiple irons in the fire, knowing that there are all kinds of reasons that openings in a given trial will get delayed.

– Kyle

I understand that anxiety. When MM recurred I started looking for a clinical trial on my own, pretty much immediately. I contacted lots of clinical trial coordinators on the phone. Leads and phone numbers came from clinicaltrials.gov, and also directly from some of the trial hospitals' web sites that list their specific trial offerings. The trial I ulitmately got into was via that approach.

Once I found a promising trial with openings (which I learned from the trial coordinators) I made an appointment to see the doc there and get 'in the system'. I ended up getting into a trial at the same site, just a different one than I flew there to sign up for. So — you can look on your own for trials. It took a lot of phone calls. Some sites make their trial coordinators easy to talk to. MDA is not one of those sites as I recall — see a doctor or nothing. Other places you can get the 'low down' on various trials with a phone call. Otherwise, the statuses like 'actively recruiting' at clinicaltrials.gov are not very up to date. 

Also, MDA should be good at putting you in one of their trials, if there is a match there that you feel good about. But they're not necessarily going to do much to facilitate to get you into trials elsewhere other than at MDA. At least that's my personal experience so far at few facilities.

I did fly to MDA a few years ago for a second opinion. As far as my current situation, for me they're further away than I would want to travel to every 2 or 3 weeks for an actual trial though (5 hour flight). So I didn't check in with MDA this time. I do fly 1.5 hours every 2 weeks for my current trial. I'm able to turn it around in a day trip now which helps.

Good luck. I guess I'm also saying I liked having multiple irons in the fire, knowing that there are all kinds of reasons that openings in a given trial will get delayed.

– Kyle

I understand that anxiety. When MM recurred I started looking for a clinical trial on my own, pretty much immediately. I contacted lots of clinical trial coordinators on the phone. Leads and phone numbers came from clinicaltrials.gov, and also directly from some of the trial hospitals' web sites that list their specific trial offerings. The trial I ulitmately got into was via that approach.

Once I found a promising trial with openings (which I learned from the trial coordinators) I made an appointment to see the doc there and get 'in the system'. I ended up getting into a trial at the same site, just a different one than I flew there to sign up for. So — you can look on your own for trials. It took a lot of phone calls. Some sites make their trial coordinators easy to talk to. MDA is not one of those sites as I recall — see a doctor or nothing. Other places you can get the 'low down' on various trials with a phone call. Otherwise, the statuses like 'actively recruiting' at clinicaltrials.gov are not very up to date. 

Also, MDA should be good at putting you in one of their trials, if there is a match there that you feel good about. But they're not necessarily going to do much to facilitate to get you into trials elsewhere other than at MDA. At least that's my personal experience so far at few facilities.

I did fly to MDA a few years ago for a second opinion. As far as my current situation, for me they're further away than I would want to travel to every 2 or 3 weeks for an actual trial though (5 hour flight). So I didn't check in with MDA this time. I do fly 1.5 hours every 2 weeks for my current trial. I'm able to turn it around in a day trip now which helps.

Good luck. I guess I'm also saying I liked having multiple irons in the fire, knowing that there are all kinds of reasons that openings in a given trial will get delayed.

– Kyle