I had breast cancer in 2010, and now I am on a 5-year protective (anti-)hormonal treatment - Tamoxifen & Zoladex. All seem good now, fingers crossed. We are planning to leave the awful humid weather in UK and move to the Vaud area this year. Am I doing the right thing moving??? More than anything I want to make sure I can continue my treatments and get the right care there.
Has anybody had any experience of how they treat you post-breast cancer in Switzerland? I am particularly interested to know if anybody in my situation - i.e. moved there post the chemo/surgery/radio and how did you find the care there? I checked with SWICA and they will only give me the Basic compulsory cover. Would that suffice?
I've been treated wonderfully here in Cambridge and I wouldn't want to make a mistake moving away.
I would appreciate any thoughts and experiences sharred.
I have no personal experience with your situation but I have heard good things about the English Speaking Cancer Association in Geneva. You might try contacting them for answers to your questions.
My situation is a little different. I'm from the US and was diagnosed here in 2010, had all my tx here - surgery, chemo, rads. I have only compulsory cover. I've been very happy with my treatment, and i find the follow up to be excellent. What's key is to find a good oncologist. My docs are in Bern, they are excellent.
The ESCA is a great organization, and since you're in Vaud, you'll be close to them. They should be able to suggest referrals. My gyn did the surgery, (that's a little different here, not sure if it's as common in French speaking Switzerland) and i see her every three months, and my oncologist every three months. I'm on arimidex daily and zometa every six months.
For insurance i would get a low franchise (deductible) and not enroll in an HMO or GP model, because it might impact your specialist choice. A good GP is essential, but for breast cancer you need a medical oncologist even more, imho.
You might want to email the ESCA and ask them your questions, and ask for oncology referrals.
I think the standard of care is every bit as good as that in the US, and from what i understand, the UK too.
So basically, you should be fine, imho, given that you establish relationships with doctors you trust.
If you have other questions, send me a private message.
Thank you all, Guys - Bertrand, Matteo, Elaine, "LearningAlways"! I did have a look at the earlier threads as you suggested and it's very helpful indeed. Still a LOT to read though.
In UK I have private insurance with BUPA and I think it helped me very much since my problems in 2010 in many ways. I'm now looking at whether I could keep BUPA in Switzerland (the Worldwide option) on top of the basic compulsory one. I understood that if I take up a private cover with a new insurance company, they will not cover me for my cancer treatments. Which I guess it makes sense, but it's pointless to me. So, I'll see what I can find out.
Thank you all again. I'll investigate more and I'll be back.
I've had no problems with my cancer treatment in Switzerland with just the basic insurance, we moved here in 2011 and I've been having treatment on and off since 2007
And of course, whether you can use bupa in Switzerland.
But for example, i was diagnosed from a biopsy, had my surgery 10 days later, started chemo 3 weeks after that. Had the same tx, including support meds (anti nausea, etc) as some of the best places in the US. Had a funky mammogram this year, MRI a week later. No one messes around with this crap here.
The big difference here is that without the suppliment, you may not have private cover unless you pay extra. And in a big hospital, you may not get to choose the most senior doctor, so you have to choose your doctors and hospitals carefully. My understanding is, if you already have a physician and that physician practices in a given hospital, you don't have to mess with doctor roulette. My gyn sent me to a specific hospital, and i had the same tx as a private patient except that i was in a 4 person rather than 2 person room. Cleanest hospital i have ever seen, and the room wasn't even full. I was referred to a specific oncologist. With my oncologist, and rad onc, the tx was very much the same as private. So my point is that it may not matter so much. This is why referrals are important.
If BUPA is expensive and coverage limited, definitely talk to someone at ESCA first .
In Switzerland it is a legal requirement to have health insurance; the reverse side of that is Swiss insurance companys are not allowed to refuse basic insurance for new customers on health grounds; this also covers pre-existing conditions.
In Switzerland you can make an appointment direct with any specialist; you do not need to be referred by a GP.
The only question (which the specalist is obliged to inform you) is whether your insurance covers his (or her) fees. Being referred by a GP does not change the fact of whether your insurance covers his (or her) fees.
I posted back in January with a few questions about health insurance in Switzerland as we were looking to relocate. Many thanks to all who answered then - it helped us a lot.
Well, we are now here. You were right - views are amazing!
I decided to go with the standard model so that I can choose my oncologist, and continue the treatment I was receiving in UK. But I now have problems with choosing one.
Can anybody recommend a GOOD medical oncologist - extremely caring, experienced and English-speaking? I was looking at CHUV ( http://www.cancer-chuv.ch/onc_home/o...dirigeante.htm ) but I'd like some real patient feedback. Plus, some might be doing research only.
I've asked ESCA, but they must be busy as they haven't got back to me yet...
I have a fabulous one, but he is in Bern, might be a trek for you. If you're interested, let me know and I will PM the info. Also, do you have a gyn? They manage a lot of screening, etc and often do surgery.
Yes, I do remember you did mention last time, but I think Bern is not in Vaud and I understood I can only choose a doctor within my canton (I think). Plus Bern might be a bit far... But I'll keep it in mind in case I run out of solutions.
No, I haven't got a gyn. I haven't got any doctor, in fact. Just started looking... So, do you think I should get a gyn first? Is the gyn or the oncologist who prescribes the cancer medication here? In UK I had my oncologist who was my principal doctor, and he was referring me to any others. I get the feeling here is the gyn, isn't it?...
Also, how did you find your gyn?? I wish there was a unique national database, online, with contacts, place of practice, reviews etc where to look...
I don't know specifically for Lausanne but in general it's pretty hard to get an appointment with a gynaecologist .
I think your best bet is to find a GP first and ask him/ her to refer you. They can probably recommend an oncologist too. A GP can often get appointments for patients with doctor's who will say they are not accepting new patients if the patient calls themselves. Specialists will often keep a bit if space free for GP referrals.
Somebody from the Lausanne area will probably be able to give you more precise information for your area.
Your primary care doc (GP) can prescribe your cancer meds, although you should be followed by an oncologist. You can see doctors outside your canton, although it's probably easier if the doc is nearby.
Someone referred me to a gyn when i first moved here, i saw her for a few years, and when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, she referred me to another gyn who specialized in breast cancer. I just kept the new gyn for all issues. I see my oncologist and gyn every 3 months. I also have a primary care doc for the other stuff.
Here are the breast cancer centers in Switzerland - this could be a place to start. The role of these centers is growing, and specially trained breast cancer nurses are providing a lot of support.
It's really helpful reading this thread as I will be in the exact same situation as Mella (only one year later!). I hope this thread is still active and I can still ask some questions here.
Mella,
I was diagnosed with BC in 2012, went through chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. Now I am on tamoxifen and Zoladex. I will be moving to Lausanne in January 2014. I will also have BUPA insurance plus another local insurance in Switzerland.
Would love to get your advice on the following as you would probably have had first-hand experience;
1) Did you see a GP first and then an Oncologist, with a referral from the GP? Could you explain more on how it works there?
2) Do you know of a good GP and Oncologist in Lausanne or Vaud Canton?
3) How is Zoladex administered there? What frequency?
4) Where do you pick up prescription (at hospital or pharmacy?)
5) How is the 2 to 5 year post-cancer follow up done? Do I see a GP/Onc every 3-mths, 6-mths; and what about mammograms/MRI (yearly?)
Thanks so much and I look forward to all your replies.
I'm sorry I never came back to this thread. I don't know anything about doctors in Vaud. But, I can tell you that as a person who's had breast cancer, you need a good gyn, and then either your gyn or GP will refer you to a good Oncologist. In Switzerland, most breast care is managed by the gyn, with the medical side of things handled by the oncologist. My gyn did my breast surgery.
And, everyone does things differently, but I see my oncologist every three months (I'm almost 3 years out from diagnosis). My oncologist does a physical exam and some blood work. Twice a year, I get a bone-stregthening zometa infusion. I see my gyn every 6 months (for the first 3 years it was every 3 months). She does an ultrasound twice a year and I have a yearly mammogram. If the mammogram and ultrasound warrant it, then I have an MRI.
I'm post menopausal, so I'm on Arimidex and zometa, so I can't tell you about zolodex - although the Swiss docs seem to follow the same protocols as the the US ones, and probably the UK as well. I get my arimidex from my oncologist, though I could just as easily get it from my pharmacy. It's really your choice.
Since you are nearer to Geneva, you might contact the ESCA - English Speaking Cancer Association - lots of expertise in your area, I think. But the care here is quite good IMHO. You just need to make sure you have doctors you trust and can talk to. Most of them have done fellowships in the US or UK (mine were in the US, which works better for me, since I am an American). With your physicians then, you work out the best plan for your surveillence.
Interesting thing told to me by my surgeon in April at my first follow up since having surgery in September 2012, is that they are required by law to follow me up for 11 years!!
So from my perspective treatment and follow up here in Switzerland is lot better than it is in the UK, two different hospitals/consultants in the UK allowed me to conveniently fall off their radar with no attempt at follow up.
That's interesting about the follow up. I wonder if it varies by cancer. For example, although my risk decreases over time, it's never considered "cured".