<p>I had a callback once. It turned out benign. I think the doc said calcium deposits - I don’t remember for sure. I also had a callback pap smear that turned out fine. I think they just want to be cautious. I for one am glad they are so careful.</p>
<p>I’ve had repeat pictures taken because they said I had “dense breasts” whatever that is supposed to mean!</p>
<p>I also had a recall mammogram followed by a biopsy. It was my first mammogram so it was probably 20 years ago or so. I had calcium deposits or something like that. It WAS nerve wracking but better to know than not to know!</p>
<p>It is OK to feel a little bit nervous, but it is much more likely that you have something benign going on than something scary. Or maybe they did not get one of the pictures just right! I get call backs every time due to evershifting benign cysts. The first time I got a notice (after my baseline mammo @40!), it scared the daylight out of me! Nowadays, I know that I will most likely have to pay another visit and I schedule my appiontments around the times when radiologists are present at the center (for the same reason, I never go to mobile clinics where there are no radiologists on staff), so I can get an ultrasound if there is something questionnable in the pictures. I call it my spa appointments, and I can pinpoint a cyst on the ultrasound screen, LOL.</p>
<p>I’ve been called back a couple of times. Take a deep breath. Cysts can come and go weekly.</p>
<p>kiddie – I got that too (the “dense breasts” comment). My first thought: ok, maybe they’re not brilliant, but no need to insult them. They’re right here.</p>
<p>I had my regular mammogram/ultra sound combo in August and was told to come back in 6 months. At first I went into High Worry; now it’s on Back Burner worry. From what I’m reading, my REAL concern should be getting insurance to pay for it :)</p>
<p>Good luck OP. I’m sure it’s nothing.</p>
<p>I have had repeat mammos for micro calcifications. Then my doc felt a lump and had me get a mammo and ultrasound as soon as possible (like i was gonna wait until I had a free day in a month or so!). They did a mammo and an ultrasound and found it was a cyst.</p>
<p>All of those scenarios were scary, even tho the rational side of my brain knew the odds were on my side, I still could not help running thru all the worst case things. It was like a movie in my head that I could not turn off. I planned which friend I would call first who had already had cancer etc.</p>
<p>I had already done this years ago when I had melanoma. Just hearing the doctor’s voice on the voicemail ( no nurse, the doc. That was my first clue) and then waiting until I could get her on the phone to get the details was excruciating.</p>
<p>I am sure it is nothing. But you are entirely human for worrying about it.</p>
<p>I’ve always thought my breasts were relatively smart.</p>
<p>Anyway, IU–not meaning to be glib. I know “don’t worry” isn’t much, but either there is something or there isn’t. All I can tell you is hang on to the probabilities–most likely you’re fine, and even if there is something, it’s probably small and/or treatable.</p>
<p>(This reminds me. I started this new userid when I was going through my own breast issue. Any guesses which side was affected?)</p>
<p>IUmom7, I feel your anxiety. I have had so many callbacks. My new mammo routine is to have at least 8 digital images taken of my dense breasts. Then I sit in the waiting room while the radiologist reviews the film. My mammo center will only read the films immediately if the scrip is for a diagnostic, rather than a screening mammogram. Apparently I have a lot of calcifications. Depending on who is reading them, sometimes I’ve been sent to a breast specialist to confirm the findings. I am also often on the 6 month call back. I have had a needle biopsy and a stereotactic biopsy. Thankfully, everything has come back negative. </p>
<p>No matter how many times I’ve been through this, I still get anxious. Feel free to share your fears and anxieties here with us.</p>
<p>I had what I think was my 9th mammogram last fall, and had my first callback. Yes, it is unnerving! A nervous week for me, but it turned out to be nothing. Hoping that yours is the same!</p>
<p>I had the dense tissue too! I’m impressed you get to go right back. They told me to call the breast center to get another appt and I had to wait 3 weeks!!! DH is a worrier, so I didn’t tell him, but I worried plenty.</p>
<p>IUmom7:</p>
<p>I always try to look at “the worst case scenerio” and then if I can deal with that, then I can deal with anything!</p>
<p>I haven’t read every post that closely to know if anyone else has responded the way I’m about to…</p>
<p>The same thing happened to me a few years ago. Well, I had several biopsies, some painful, others not so much…I cannot sugar coat it so I’ll just come out and say:</p>
<p>They discovered I had breast cancer.</p>
<p>Stage 1 infiltrating carcinoma. THAT was my worst case scenerio, KIND OF. I mean, look at how lucky I was that it was caught so early at stage 1. Look at how lucky I was that I only had radiation, not chemotherapy. Look at how lucky I was that I had regular mammograms and that it was found early!!!</p>
<p>So much of what happens in our life can be helped with positive attitudes!!! It sucked to go through one surgery, then to have to go back a second time two weeks later when they found a slower growing lobular cancer up the back of my breast plate. And then six weeks of daily radiation. Then lots & lots of other health issues came up as a result. Now I feel great. I still go every six months for followups for the first five years…</p>
<p>The bottom line is that everything will be OKAY! EVEN if they find something cancerous. THEY have AMAZING medical technology today and every day they are discovering so much about breast cancer. I really felt very at ease with my whole medical team in this little town I live in. I didn’t even have to go to the “big city” because the Doctors here were sooo competent and warm and reassuring.</p>
<p>Whatever happens, IUMom7: Just remember that you will deal with it!!! Positively!!! Good luck and let us know what happens. Of course the best case would be a biopsy and negative results, but if anything is positive, it needs to be your frame of mind because that’s how I was able to get through 3 very rough years medically in my life. YOU can do it!!! GOOD LUCK.</p>
<p>Good luck tomorrow, IUmom7!</p>
<p>A couple of years ago I had a mammogram followed by an ultrasound followed by needle biopsies (same breast 3 different sites). The biopsies were not painful and the radiologist told me the tissue samples looked benign, which was confirmed later by the pathology report.</p>
<p>Good Luck — sending positive thoughts your way.</p>
<p>Remember what one of the smarter doctors I’ve met over the years told me: “If it isn’t cancer and it isn’t an infection, you don’t have to do anything about it.”</p>
<p>A lot of the things they see on mammograms turn out (after another test or two or three) to be cysts. Cysts can stay where they are.</p>
<p>I got a callback on my very first mammo when I was just 37. I had a clearly visible tumor and was immeduately scheduled for surgical biopsy. I had what was essentially a lumpetomy. (The surgeon removed a golf-ball size chunk of tissue and left me with a good size divot in my breast.) Fortunately the tumor was benign. (A rare tumor type in an unusual site, but not cancer.) </p>
<p>Since then I get a callback after nearly every mammo since I have scar tissue plus dense breast tissue and multiple breast cysts. I kinda wish the doc would just let me skip straight to the ultrasound since I nearly always have to have a second digital 3-D mammo and ultrasound exam.</p>
<p>So deep breath IUmom7. It’s probably nothing, but even if it’s not, you’ve caught it early.</p>
<p>Oh honey. hugs. I know we don’t know each other but I completely empathize and I’ve been in this position with other things. I know you know that the chances are it will be nothing at all. The scary part has as much to do with realizing that your safety net isn’t solidly in place when you most need support. Please take some comfort in this online community and our support. It’s all going to be ok and you can come back and share your relief with us tomorrow.</p>
<p>I have been called back twice. The first time was about 5 years ago. I called a friend who had worked as a mammogram tech for several years and she was very reassuring. It turned out to just be a fold in my skin.</p>
<p>I was called back again last spring and they did the whole 3D and ultrasound. Did not find anything but I will be going back this winter (6 months).</p>
<p>IUmom-Chances are it will be benign, but it is very normal to be nervous/scared. You mentioned that your family members/friends are not available to talk right now, so I hope that you have been helped by reading the comments on this thread. </p>
<p>Thinking about you. Hugs.</p>
<p>Chiming in as another person who has been called back, sent to a second and third expert, etc. Turned out to be nothing to worry about. Until that verdict came in I was freaking out.</p>
<p>Hope everything works out well for you. I will say that I know a number of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and ALL have been successfully treated.</p>
<p>I’ve lost count how many times I have been called back. Lumpy boobs- isn’t that a nice description. I always take an early appointment when the radiologist is there so that I don’t have to make an extra appointment. Sometimes I have another mammogram and sometimes an ultrasound. Once, a biopsy. And no, my insurance only pays for the first mammogram as that is preventive. Good thoughts being sent to you.</p>