Upatient

The diagnosis probably came to you after being seen by a physician and getting an MRI of the brain, which was ordered and the test results were made available. Or maybe you were in the Emergency Department (ED) of a hospital after an event occurred that caused you to be seen in that environment. The physician, if seen in the office or the ED, shared with you the diagnosis of a brain tumor, but at this point, they will not know if it is benign or not. Listen to what is explained to you. However, at this point, you may have been too overwhelmed to ask questions. That is normal. The best thing to do from here is to return home and begin to write your questions and thoughts down on paper. So many things will come into your mind and you will forget all of your questions, so write them down and from there you will be able to organize your thoughts.

Most Brain tumors will not require immediate intervention, but will need evaluation within the next week or two at the most. Use this time to develop a plan. You need to develop a plan.

A plan, what is that you say, I just got diagnosed with a brain tumor next steps?? What are the next steps? We will assist you as best as possible to ensure you know what your next steps are and give you the peace of mind you need to keep you on the right track.

The most common next step is that your physician will direct you to a neurosurgeon. This is a physician that operates on the brain and the spinal cord. From there, the neurosurgeon will determine whether your tumor is benign or cancerous. All treatment from here is determined by what type of brain tumor you have. There are many types of brain tumors. This is where you have to be careful. Not every brain tumor is the same, nor is the treatment the same. So do not listen to the next-door neighbor that wants to share their story about Uncle Joe, they mean well but do your own research. Brain Tumors are not the same and the treatments are not the same. Whether you are a child, the parent of a child, a 22-year-old, or a 44-year-old, what you decide to do is very different. Be thoughtful! You have options to consider.

The first thing you need to have is the correct surgery based on the diagnosis that will come from the tumor examination. However, many questions arise, like "how do I know that my surgeon is right for me?". You may live in a community that does not have a High-Level Brain Program, but most community hospitals have neurosurgeons that are board-certified and very competent in their field. These physicians are more than qualified, however, when you are considering your plan of care you should look for a physician and a hospital that has a strong brain program with state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled Neurosurgeons that focus specifically on the brain. Your brain controls your whole being, so treat yourself with that respect. BrainUp has a list of Neurosurgeons that are BrainUp Certified Physicians.

Click here to see Brain Up qualifications and physician names, training, hospital affiliation, contact info, and expectation on return calls and Office visits.

Lastly, do your research. In the world of technology, our first inclination is to go to the internet and look at everything. Use the Internet with caution, but use it to formulate questions. Also, be cautious of the items that are published. Check dates – old information never leaves the internet.