Is it normal to get biopsy results by telephone. Received letter today to say it will be on Christmas Eve. Is this normal, it will be nine weeks since I had biopsy.
Christmas Eve seems a long wait, but path labs do seem to be getting badly backed up and I'm afraid the waiting time you mention isn't too unusual. I think it's an outrageous time to wait, and I think we (the public) should be complaining to our MPs more frequently.
When it comes to delivering results, there is no "normal". Some consultants like to see everyone for a face to face chat whatever the results. Some are happy to put results in a letter; some make a phone call. And of course, the current pandemic is throwing everything into disarray so departments may have made ad hoc changes to their policy.
It also happens that a patient may be told they'd get results one way, and then find the results are delivered in a totally different way! That mostly occurs when a doctor or nurse doesn't understand how results are issued in their own deparment and gives bad information without realising it's wrong. I would hope that since you've been sent an official letter, such a change of arrangements is unlikely to happen to you, but I would ask you not to panic if there is a change - it doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to get bad news.
Good luck, and I hope that on Christmas Eve you get a very welcome present in the form of good news.
Thank you for reply, much appreciated. My anxiety levels have hit the roof over the past few weeks. It has been along wait since I was referred by dentist in feb this year. Thank you for kind words and reassurance.
