Abnormal Mammogram (long)

13 years ago

Having just read the post about Cancer Survivors (bless all of you), thought I would ask your opinion. I received a call from the docs office on Friday concerning the mammo I had just had on Wed. There had been "significant change" on the right side since my last mammo 2 years ago and they have me scheduled for some follow-up on Tuesday. In the meantime I have coincidentally scheduled a visit to the gastro on Monday because of pain in my upper-right rib area (thinking gall bladder). Between the two, needless to say I am anxious and upset wondering if the two are connected. Just a little background, I am 46 yrs old and my gallbladder has been checked 3 times in the last 5 years (all neg.) I am just afraid there is something going on that they haven't caught before. Sorry to go on, but too early to talk to family, don't want them freaking out and although I mostly "lurk" here I do respect your opinions and advice. Thanks to all.

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Comments (7)

Georgysmom
13 years ago
There is nothing unusual about having a questionable mammogram. It could turn out to be absolutely nothing. The good news is that you doctor is on top of it and being thorough. I have had them in the past and they had me come back in six months for a follow-up. All was well. Try to stay calm until Tuesday. I hope it turns out to be nothing. Wishing all good things for you.
frostedc
13 years ago
Do not panic if you are told that your mammogram is abnormal or that there is a "spot" on your mammogram. An abnormal mammogram does not mean you have cancer. The overwhelming majority of abnormal mammograms are caused by benign (harmless) processes. In some cases, it may just be an area of thicker or more dense breast tissue, a cyst, or a benign lump such as a fibroadenoma.
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I am 11 years out now....seems like yesterday doesn't it? I had no risk factors...but I was 62. The older you the more chance for cancers of all sorts, especially breast cancer. I currently have a young (46) friend who had a double mastectomy last august....she had no risk factors, no family no HRT, excercized to the max, breast fed 3 kids...didn't drink to excess etc etc. She discovered a lump less than a year after her last mammogram and it was a very aggressive sort of cancer....and anyhow she had the surgery, reconstruction, chemo and is now half way through a year if herceptin therapy...infusion every 3 weeks. If that "spot" were mine...I would say please take it out....see what it is and be done with it.... And for sure I would be beating down the door of the radiology lab for my mammogram....and be checking that lump every day to see if it was changing. LOL!! I have another friend....who had a lump they were watching....and they watched and it turned into cancer...or they found out it's cancer, and 8 years ago she had the mastectomy and reconstruction. She says now, I should just have said....don't watch the thing....cut it out!! I know it's awful to come to grips with the thoughts that you may have something nasty in your breast....but....you may. keep your eye on it!! If it grows know about it!!! Linda C
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I am not trying to make light of your situation....I know that you are worried about it being cancer. It's only natural that you would be worried. That's our human nature at work. But, let's just look at things from another angle. Sure, that lump could turn out badly. You could also get hit by a car and smashed into the pavement. You could get hit by something falling from a window in a building. Someone could go crazy and start shooting at everyone, including you. You could slip in your bathtub and bang your head enough to mess up your brain. There are hundreds of bad things that could happen to you. You could even get food poisoning at lunch today and die before tomorrow. Do all of those possible bad things send you into tears? Every day that we walk this wonderful earth may be the last day that we have because bad things happen to good people. Live for the good things that you have today. Don't waste your time crying about what might happen tomorrow. And for the technicians and doctor that didn't behave as you felt they should.....There are people, unlike you, that would complain because the tech wasn't serious..."she just kept smiling." The medical staff has to walk a narrow path between being too blunt and too friendly. Not everyone does it well. What bothers one patient, is just exactly what another one is looking for. One wants to given ALL the facts. Another doesn't want to know anything. How is the tech supposed to know how YOU feel? And so you are "distressed and upset." About what? It sounds as if there is little chance that you have a worry. As the tech said...if the doctor was worried, a biopsy would be done very soon. There would be no waiting to see what happens in six months. It doesn't work that way. A doctor would NOT take a chance like that. But, on the other hand, a GOOD doctor knows that strange and unexpected things happen and she wants to look again later. Take care of yourself. Talk about it with your friends if you feel comfortable with talking. It may help you. Let us know how you are getting along.
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The panel that made this recommendation was established during the Bush administration. Occasionally some members leave and others join. It has made several recommendations about other types of cancer, and none of those have been controversial, as far as I recall. I don't see this as in any way political and really, really wish that politics would be left out of it. This is not an issue of "bad Bush"/"bad Obama care". I am so offended by the suggestion that it would spare women "anxiety". What do they think we are - delicate flowers that wilt at the first wind or rain? What if they recommended that men should no longer bend over and cough, since men dread that and it hurts. I remember being sky-high with fear and planning my cremation urn while waiting for biopsy results to come in (luckily, benign). Better that than ignoring the lump that I found and being dead three years later. It was indeed reported that there were no oncologists or diagnostic radiologists on this panel.
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Thanks for giving me this site again. For a long time I had it on my start up page, but somehow it disappeared. It's a good idea to have it front and center everytime you turn on your computer. It's so effortless to click once a day and I hope it saves lives.
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heather_on
13 years ago
Try and relax and hear what the doctor says on Tuesday. Even if the news isn't what you would like to hear, the good news is that it was caught early since they compared mammograms and your doctor sounds like he is really thorough. There are a lot of mammograms that show a false positive and yours could just be that. If it is cancer, you will deal with it one step at a time. The treatment isn't nearly as bad as you probably are imagining. I can say this, as I went through treatment 10 years ago for aggressive Inflammatory Breast Cancer and I survived. You can too. Sending you a hug and good thoughts that you are worrying needlessly.
Holly_ON
13 years ago
Sending a cyberhug. Hoping for a negative result but should it be worrisome, don't be afraid of sharing with those that care for you. family and friends can really support you through what has to be done.

I remember hearing many times over at my father's funeral how disappointed that they were that he couldn't share his illness with them. He had his cancer for ten years. I found out it wasn't benign because as a nurse, I knew what the drugs he was taking were for. Aa hard as it was for my twin to share her aggressive breast cancer with me, I am glad she gave me enough credit for having the maturity to deal with it. I would rather know. (Btw.... Heather is alive and NED ten years later).
susanjf_gw
13 years ago
you just can't speculate when you need more than one test done in/on 2 diffrent areas of your body...

i'm assuming they'll want to do a bi-op on your spot or at least a scan...not the most pleasent procedure but fast and necessary...

i applaude you for not letting it go and being dumb like i was...mine was cancer and while it was contained and just required a lumpectomy, it was a lot bigger if i hadn't ignored the first test..ended up with chemo and radiation...

let us know how the tests go, and results... (((hugs)))
kathyg_in_mi
13 years ago
Big hugs and well wishes. We'll all be with you, in heart, in the docs offices.
Kathy G in MI
kacram
13 years ago
OOPS!

Okay, you can exhale! ahahahahaha

Abnormal Mammogram (long)

Comments (7)

Georgysmom

frostedc

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