I depended on Dr. Mandeville for years and trusted her. Then I got an abnormal mammogram and had a follow-up diagnostic mammogram. Before I could even walk back to the changing room after the test, the technician caught up to me and told me I needed a surgical biopsy for suspicious findings. What? I went from having a speck to surgery in less than a week. I work in public health, so I know the shortcomings of mammography, especially in someone like me with dense breasts. But anyway, no one met with me, I was told my results within earshot of everyone else getting a mammogram, and I got the news in literally less than 3 minutes after my breast was unclamped. What kind of thorough review of my films is that?
When I finally got a hold of the nurse navigator that afternoon, she couldn't answer my questions. Then I get a call from Dr Mandeville's office that I'm supposed to schedule with a surgeon they chose for me to have an excisional biopsy. Btw, I had wrist surgery last year and had very bad reaction, including a massive seroma and hematoma. My wrist surgeon advised me to be very cautious about any further surgery, especially within the chest or abdomen. Not that anyone asked, they just sent my info to the surgeon, who is in the same practice. Just sayin. And by the way is no expert in breast biopsies, which in my case would be near the chest wall. Oh, and the surgery would remove half of my breast for testing, which in 80% of cases does not result in a cancer diagnosis. Not that Dr Mandeville or anyone else discussed that with me. I had to read the research. I'm lucky I have the access and time to do so.
So back to Dr Mandeville. She never spoke to me about options (and there are options!) but I did get several phone calls from her nurse saying I better do something right away. Which is BS because even if my tiny lesion was problematic, it doesn't turn into full-scale invasive cancer overnight. There's time to weigh your options! I researched and found some practitioners that (1) talked about all the options and (2) listened to me. Oh, and they do hundreds, not several, procedures every year.
So Dr Mandeville after more than a decade of our dr-patient relationship couldn't speak to me like a human with a brain but instead had her nurse call me and leave increasingly doomsday messages on my phone. And set me up with a nonexpert. Shame on you. Never going back to you, Dr M. Which I'm sorry for, because I really liked you. Ultimately, like doesn't win out over good care. read more