<p>Heartart - perhaps we can go through this together, in a cybersense sort of way. </p>
<p>I had kind of forgotten about it today, but I am going for a diagnostic mammogram on Wednesday after a routine mammogram showed some ‘changes’. Had the routine one done a couple of weeks ago, and they called me earlier this week to ask me to come in for the diagnostic one. They said they see some calcification and want to follow up. Frankly, with the false positive rates, and likelihood that it’s nothing, I haven’t told anyone… until just now as I write it in this thread. I went through this many years ago with my thyroid (suspicious growth/several diagnostic tests/needle biopsy/eventual removal of half of the thyroid) and almost killed myself with worry over the several months of diagnostic testing before the surgery revealed the tumor was not cancer. </p>
<p>I, too, will get the results before I leave that day, which for me, would probably only involve at worst, a recommendation for an ultrasound, or biopsy. If it gets to that point, I will let my family know.</p>
<p>Hopefully as time passes this weekend, you will get over the shock, and be able to see it in perspective. Hang in there.</p>
<p>I’ve had three needle biopisies - the first when I was still in college - each time they couldn’t extract any fluids and I ended up with surgical biopsies, all with benign results. I just have lumpy breasts. Good luck, it’s not much fun, but as you know the odds are good.</p>
<p>If only my skin biopsies had such nice results!</p>
<p>heartart- every mammography is 'we need more pics" now have a mammo and sonogram. last year had two needle aspirations , one of which required a needle biopsy, the stress is the worst part of it.</p>
<p>turned out to be benign, my mother had breast cancer twice 12 years apart, that was 6 years ago. since family history is strong now going to have a breast mri yearly.</p>
<p>I told H, and one very close friend, but chose to go by myself. i did not tell my teenage children.</p>
<p>I have had a couple needle biopsies, several ultrasounds, and lots of mammograms. All cancer-free. As mammography technology keeps getting better, it’s common for things to “show up” that simply weren’t visible using the previous technology. Since I have a family history of breast cancer, following a mammogram it’s almost more common for me to get called back for additional testing than not. And everything’s been clear so far.</p>
<p>I’m hoping the same will be true for you!</p>
<p>(Note: I told my husband, but not my kids, prior to the needle biopsies, which were done in an office setting. To me, it was just a test so there was no point worrying them unless/until there was an indication there was cancer.)</p>
<p>I had to have a needle biopsy a few months ago. The nurse told me that within the last 18 months there are new mammogram machines that have much more definition that they have ever had before. As a result, they are doing many many more needle biopsies than before because they have never had the level of xray definition in the past. The percentage of benign findings is LARGE. They do the biopsies as a precaution.</p>
<p>I, too, was terrified - of both the potential results and the procedure. It was truly no a big deal - the procedure that is. The findings were fine and they left a marker in my breast so that future mammograms would show that they had biopsied the site already.</p>
<p>I didn’t tell anyone about the procedure and I’m glad I didn’t. I would have worried them for nothing. If, and only if, it turns out to be something significant, there is time enough to tell people.</p>
<p>Have someone go with you for the biopsy. I was going to go alone for mine and my husband showed up because he knew I was scared. It turned out to be cancer and they told me they were 99% sure right when they did the biopsy. I don’t mean to scare you but without my husband there it would have been horrible.
I went through chemo,radiation and lumpectomy and now have a 94% chance of being cancer free in 10 years.
Prayers your way</p>
<p>Also as an aside, when having mammograms, if you are able, have a digital mammogram read by a dedicated breast radiologist. I found out during my treatment that not all mammograms are equal and not everyone reading them are either. I am lucky to have a diagnostic breast center (the one where Brett Favre’s wife was diagnosed) in the hospital where I work. The radiologists, nurses and technicians were wonderful.</p>
<p>I’ve had two biopsies, which may be the step after the needle biopsy. The first one was 17 years ago and was done under anesthesia, after the need biopsy was not able to draw any fluid. My second biopsy was just a few years ago and the technology was amazing. It was called stereotactic and was so quick and easy. Here is a link to that procedure:</p>
<p>HeartArt,
I had a questionable mammogram, but the only thing the doctor did was repeat the test. 2nd one was fine. My sister on the other hand had a questionable mammogram followed up by ultrasound and biopsy. Everything was also fine. She was in a similar place as you - two sons, ages 14 and 18 at the beginning of her “saga”. She didn’t tell them because she felt there was nothing to tell them until she knew something. She still didn’t tell them afterwards, because she felt there was still nothing they needed to worry about. Because the cells obtained during her biopsy are the type that can be a precursor to cancer, she is followed up every six months through a “breast center” at a large medical center. She finds it a pain in the neck, but she does everything they ask faithfully. </p>
<p>One very smart thing my sister has done and I will do it myself if I ever have a health concern, is she keeps meticulous records of everything that transpires - doctor visits, biopsies, x-rays results, lab results, etc. My H is a physician and I am a (long time nonpracticing) nurse, so we know how things can get lost in the medical system. If she gets to an appointment and they say, “Oh such and such department didn’t get us your whatever, we’ll have to reschedule your appointment”, she says, “Oh, I have that test result right here in my folder”.</p>
<p>I would be cautious about sharing too much information with your sons if they are out of town at school. Being far away might prompt them to worry a lot more than they would if they were at home. Also, it may be an issue that they are guys, and your health concern involves a very female part of the body. If they have questions, they might not feel as free to ask them as a daughter would. (I think that all daughters should know that abnormal mammograms and Pap smears are a fairly routine part of female life – although perhaps they should not learn about this while Mom is in the middle of going through such an experience.)</p>
<p>I also think that whether or not you share medical concerns with your kids may depend, to some extent, on whether they have ever had medical issues of their own. My kids (particularly my daughter) have had repeated experiences with medical problems that involved long strings of appointments and tests and uncertain diagnoses before they got to the point of having a definite diagnosis and a solution to the problem. For them, knowing that a parent had test X, which had uncertain results leading to the need for another appointment for test Y, which might then lead to test Z or procedure W, is fairly routine. But when I was their ages, it would have totally freaked me out to know that a family member was going through something like that.</p>
<p>On another topic: After the follow-up tests are done, if the results turn out to be benign (which is definitely the most likely outcome), make sure to have your future mammograms at the same facility where you had this one so that the radiologist can compare your latest films with the previous ones. This can save you from having to have another set of follow-up tests to investigate the same old cyst. I had an abnormal mammogram, with some follow-up tests that showed that the abnormality was a cyst, a few years ago. That cyst (which I did not bother to have removed) still shows up on every mammogram I have, but as long as it hasn’t changed in any way, the radiologist knows that there is no need to refer me for any further appointments. This saves me a lot of time and inconvenience and saves my insurance company a lot of money.</p>
<p>I just went through the “we need to follow-up after your mammogram” call. Scared the crap out of me, as we have some of the “bad” cancer stories in our friends and family.
H told me it was silly to get concerned about it. (easy for him to say), but I tried to keep it out of my mind until I went in for an ultrasound. I was laying there, watching the screen as the tech did her thing, and bingo, in the middle of the screen was this dark blob. Focused on continuing to breathe, without hyperventilating. When the radiologist came in, he was all cheerful, and said, “Oh, it’s just a fluid filled cyst”. Apparently I have several of these, but this one wasn’t there on my last mammogram, so they wanted to look at it. I asked him to explain why he knew that it was that, and not cancer, and he gave me a very understandable and educational description. </p>
<p>I remembered that my aunt had had several of these cysts and had them aspirated (drained with a needle). I asked her why, and she said that’s just what her doctor did.
This radiologist said that there’s no reason to do anything with them unless they are painful and/or infected. From internet research, I saw that they are most common to form in women in their 40’s and 50’s.</p>
<p>Best of luck, but the odds are certainly that it’s nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I always had “clean” mammograms until 2 years ago. I was asked to come back because of something suspicious. Like you, I was terrified. I did not tell my kids, only my husband and also confided in a close friend who is a mammography tech of several years(now a stay at home mom). My friend was very reassuring and offered to go with me, which meant the world to me.
Happily it turned out to be benign.
I am sending good thoughts your way.</p>
<p>I had a needle biopsy many years ago, when I was temporarily living in a new city. I chose a doctor who was written up in the newspaper for a long history of working with breast cancer patients as an expert in the field. </p>
<p>During my appointment, when he was about to stick me, he uttered a mild exclamation and I asked what was wrong. He said he’d pricked himself with the needle. Not wanting to sound like I was telling him the appropriate procedures, I did not sit up and say “don’t stick me with that needle, get a clean one.” Instead, I lay there on the exam table, trustingly and said only, “that’s bad,” figuring he knew what his job required of him. As he stuck the dirty needle in me, he said, “No, not really. I hadn’t used it on anyone yet.” This <em>doctor</em> was only concerned about his own well-being, not mine. And because I wanted to be polite rather than speak up for myself, I was left worrying about my biopsy result and the possibility of disease from a careless health-care worker.</p>
<p>So my message is that you should always make your doctor respond to your concerns and not pussyfoot around questions of importance to you. Don’t hesitate to speak up for yourself.</p>
<p>Best wishes, big hugs and lots of cyber-support!!</p>
<p>I am a breast cancer survivor. The call is terrifying. The stuff you are going through now is a blur. But a few things: when there is a need for a needle biopsy and the spot is tiny the results can be inconclusive. DON’T PANIC! It can be very difficult to get to the spot. (Mine was not tiny, but very deep and the needle simply couldn’t reach the spot.) I can tell you that an experience radiologist (We are affiliated with Cedars/Sinai, one of the best hospitols in the U.S.) can tell you what they think it is. But do not get ahead of yourself. Just take it one step at a time. Do not take any diagnosis (positive or negative) without a second opinion. Do not bury yourself…I’ve been in the chemo room. I have had radiation. It isn’t pretty but I’m still here. But you are not there. You are just in the informational segment. And most women have changes in their breast tissue as they get older. Follow up, do what you have to do. And when this incident is over reward yourself.</p>
<p>I’m also a breast cancer survivor. When the radiologist at my diagnostic center did my biopsy she knew right away that it was cancer. Her comment was, “Unfortunately, this looks like it is cancer, but I want you to know that you will be fine. We can take care of this.” her reassuring words stayed with me, helped me get through the various procedures without panicking, and proved to be true.
When a cancer is found on a routine mammogram, the outcome is almost always good these days because it is found early. I had my surgery and now take a pill daily on the advice of my oncologist, and that’s it. If anything, the cancer changed my life for the better, in that I am much more conscious and careful of my health, and my doctor will not let anything slip by. I now have to go in for complete blood tests every six months, (and my insurance has to cover it) but what a great way to catch anything that may crop up in the future unrelated to BC! </p>
<p>When people talk about the rate of “false positives” from mammograms, I think this give them a bad rap. Mammograms are not intended to diagnose cancer- but just to find abnormalites for further exploration. Looked at this way, the are very accurate. They’ll find the mass. It’s up to the doctor to look further to figure out what it is with biopsy or ultrasound.
Be glad your doc is recommending a biopsy. This is the only true way of getting an accurate diagnosis. When these results come back benign, you can be sure they are right. Good luck, and know that you will be fine.</p>
<p>Dear Cronie: My radiologist said the exact same words, including you will be fine. </p>
<p>To all: It is terrifying hearing that ANYTHING needs a further look see. But to ignore a possible problem because of fear is just plain wrong. On the other hand I must say that if you think that something isn’t right (and you are young) many times a doctor will ignore you. I met more women during treatment (one as young as 29) who had (past tense had) doctors that said to them that they were too young to have breast cancer. These bright young women perservered and got treatment.</p>
<p>One more consideration. Somehow the results have to be reported and with a core biopsy there is probably going to be a lag of a day or two between procedure and initial pathology report. Do you want to hear results from your doctor in the office? Or do you want the doctor to phone you at home? You are probably going to want to know the news ASAP, so if you want to meet face to face with your doctor, coordinate that ASAP as well. Make your preference known.</p>
<p>I received results of biopsies by phone at home. That was best for me and quite honestly, how my doctors did it. There is much discussion about what is the better method and I think it really depends on the individual. Good news is sort of a no brainer - it doesn’t matter. But a person does need to consider that there is a chance it might not be good news.</p>
<p>Fingers continue to be crossed that you fall in the majority.</p>
<p>I had my doc feel a lump in my breast during a regular physical. He ordered follow up with a surgeon whom I STRONGLY disliked (he was very condescending and wouldn’t discuss my anesthesia concerns, just literally patted me on the head & told me not to worry) & I went instead to a surgeon recommended by someone who has sat beside us at the opera for over a decade & recovering from breast cancer treatment. The 2nd surgeon was wonderful–she did an inconclusive needle biopsy & then scheduled an exploratory lump biopsy, allowing me to have the lightest possible conscious sedation, at my request. It went very smoothly and fortunately was benign. The stitches totally disappeared & you honestly can’t even tell where the biopsy occurred!</p>
<p>Take it one day at a time and don’t be surprised if the needle biopsy isn’t conclusive and requires a further surgical biopsy. Good luck & take care. We’re all thinking of you and know you’ll be just fine!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for taking the time to write. There is a great deal of wisdom and encouragement here. Perhaps this thread will also help someone else down the road. It is amazing how common this is but somehow we don’t talk about it. So many of us are just too scared or else we don’t want to frighten or upset our friends and family. I do not have a sister or a daughter and my mother is no longer living. As far as I know, none of my female friends have gone through this (or at least shared it with me). I can’t express how comforting these posts have been.</p>
<p>Today, the needle biopsy should be scheduled and I am looking forward to getting on with it. Thanks again everyone for the reassurance and I will keep you updated.</p>
<p>Hoping to hear good news from you, HA.
My sister just had breast cancer treatment. She had annual mammograms and the cancer was caught very early. She had a lumpectomy and radiation treatment and was back to work quickly.
She was also told when she had her biopsy that “85% of these are NOT cancer.”
(She was not pleased with the treatment of most of the doctors/nurses–she said they acted like it was no more than “a toothache and a root canal”–which in a way is understandable since these procedures are their everyday routine).</p>
<p>I had a surgical biopsy ten years ago. I felt better sharing with my H and two Ds and two friends. Somehow talking about what was going to happen made me feel less anxious. I had to wait a few days for the results, which was worse than the actual biopsy. Results were fine and the experience made me realize that having support in times of crisis is important for me. Good wishes, HA. I hope you get a clean bill of health!</p>