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http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> General Mast Cell Disorder Discussion >> Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You? http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1336701580 Message started by Futurehope on 05/10/12 at 14:59:40

Title: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by Futurehope on 05/10/12 at 14:59:40

For all of Dr. Afrin's patients, once you had your initial visit and testing done, did they call you, write you or did you have to wait for a subsequent visit to have your tests interpreted?

I got my results in the mail (because I requested that when I was there), with no call from him or his nurse, so I am wondering what to expect?

Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by Julie M. on 05/10/12 at 15:37:19

Hope,

I was not planning a return trip (unless my health dictated otherwise) so all my info exchange was via email. I called when enough time had passed for the results to be in and then Holly called me back. She gave me a brief explanation of the results and then Dr. Afrin emailed me a more lengthy explanation. Seemed to work fine.

Julie

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by kimtg68 on 05/11/12 at 03:04:53

I was able to find a local oncologist who agreed to take on my case. So my results were sent to him. But even after that I had questions and Dr Afrin had no problem emailing me the results. Also, I keep copies of all my test results so having them emailed to me allowed me to add it to my book of health history.

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by KatFromMD on 05/11/12 at 04:59:39

Speaking of communicating with Dr. Afrin....I emailed him a week ago asking a few questions about my upcoming visit, like should I stop meds and does he want the biopsy samples from my colonoscopy three years ago. I haven't heard back. Should I try again? Call his office? I used the MUSC.edu email address for him that was on the MUSC website.

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by Julie M. on 05/11/12 at 09:19:30

Kat,

Sounds like you have the right email address. (I'll PM it to you just in case.) It's unusual, but not unheard of, that it might take awhile for him to get back to you via email. Typically when he doesn't answer an email the same day it's when he is on what he refers to as "ward service" meaning he is working on the hospital floor in addition to seeing his own patients. Ward service means 20+ hour days for him. Perhaps that explains the delay.

Either way, I would send another email, just asking if he received your prior email with pertinent questions about your upcoming appointment. I can't even imagine how many emails the man must get daily, so undoubtedly he may occassionally need a kind reminder.

Julie

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by Futurehope on 05/11/12 at 09:54:50

wrote on 05/11/12 at 04:59:39:

Kat, When I was called with my appointment, that is when they told me that Dr.Afrin wanted to see the slides and blocks from my 1/2012 GI biopsies. Maybe I had mentioned I had them when initiating my appointment and that is why they asked to see them. I would definitely initiate getting them yourself or having them sent, if there is time. He will use them to look for MCAS. Anything helps. That's my two cents.

Title: Re: Dr. Afrin's Patients - How Did You Finally Get Results Explained to You?
Post by KatFromMD on 05/11/12 at 15:03:54

Thanks for the tips. I re-sent my email and got a response same afternoon...he somehow never got the first one!

As for the biopsies, since other people had mentioned them, I called to see if the samples were available (the colonoscopy was three years ago) and found out the lab keeps them for seven years! They told me MUSC would have to request them and gave me all the info to do so. I asked Dr. Afrin if he wanted them, since I wasn't nearly as symptomatic back then. He passed the info on to Holli to request them, so we should be all good there!

He also said I didn't need to stop taking any of my meds, and I could collect the 24-hr urine sample on Monday for Tuesday turn in if I wanted to (not sure I can manage this since my appt is Monday afternoon and I may have to pee some time while I'm there!!!! I can picture myself dragging a cooler with ice packs and urine collection stuff to my appointment - NOT). :D