And this is why they don't let you look at the display screen in the mammogram office

gcvmom

Here we go again!
Because when you see a glimpse of something that doesn't look normal, you will freak out and spend every day worrying until you get your results in the mail!

Had my yearly mammo this morning. Everything went fine until the last image when the tech accidentally bumped a button that caused the system to shut down. So she had to retake one view.

As I was gathering up my purse to leave the room and go change, I noticed the reflection of the last image in the glass of a picture hanging on the wall opposite the display monitor. And I could very clearly see a bright white spot on the breast image -- not huge -- I'm guessing maybe about the size of a pea.

So I'm asking for y'all to help me calm down and not worry about this for the next few days until I get the report. Most likely it is a calcification... I did have a small bump checked out 11-ish years ago that turned out to be the remnant of a time when I had a blocked duct that caused some inflammation when I was nursing easy child. I don't remember for certain but it could be on that side. I hope that's all it is...

Sigh.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
As we tell Wee...smell the pizza! In through your nose, inhale deep, it smells so good....

Hugs. I know how hard it is to let go of things like that, but I hope you can find a way.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Sweetheart? Saying "don't worry" just makes you do it.

SO... Have a glass of wine and a piece of good chocolate... Relax... And feel free to freak out a little. It's your prerogative.
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
GCVMom--

Hope this is not too much information - but my mammograms always look a bit unusual....so they always, always, ALWAYS have me in for an ultrasound.

If there is anything even remotely unusual in your mammogram, I think they would have mentioned getting an ultrasound to get a better look before you even left the office.

This sounds like it should be OK...

((((hugs))))

Hang in there!
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
Ditto, Daisyface - me, too! I always have to end up getting an ultrasound. Did you stay for a bit after they took the pics? Or do they just let you go right away? I know some offices do that. The one I go to asks if you would like to stay while they review the results with a preliminary look.

Anyway, I get the worry - heck I worry before the test! But, 99% of the time it is clean. So, no sense worrying now!

I agree with the wine & chocolate though. That will help!
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
If its like here - the longer it takes to get results back, the LESS likely it is to be a problem.
We get a phone call within days if they need to re-test or verify. If we don't hear anything... they just haven't gotten the paperwork done yet.

So... relax over the weekend, you're not going to hear anything anyway.
On Monday, if the phone rings... THEN go grab your legal-drug-of-choice before (or just after) you answer the phone.
It will be a wrong number anyways - or the school calling about your difficult child in which case you still need your legal-drug-of-choice.

(mine is always abnormal, too - but never had to go beyond a "re-take")
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Fatty tissue, benign cyst...I think that bad word (the C word) is black. It's probably absolutely nothing. Go indulge and have your favorite treat.

I'm happy that we get the results the same day as the mammos at my place. I'm a worrywart too :/
 

seriously

New Member
My experience is that if there was a serious concern it is most likely you would have been asked to cool your heels while the radiologist looked at your films - at least long enough to decide if they wanted any additional or repeat pics.

And you could always call the place this afternoon and tell them you are feeling very worried about this for some reason and could they please let you talk to the radiologist? All they can say is no - and you'd be right where you are today. If they say yes and he says there's a concern - then you get the whole weekend to fret about that when it could still turn out to be nothing. You choose your poison.

Personally, I would be really ****** off if I had waited through an anxious weekend and then got a call Monday morning. But not everyone feels that way about such news. Like me, you are probably gifted with a vivid imagination and it has the galloping willies right now.

So I will offer you a cognitive reframing of sorts.

You could assume that you have a stage 1 cancer - that would be about right for a pea sized spot. Your chances of survival of stage 1 breast cancer? About 98% for 5 year survival rates.

I had Stage 2 breast cancer at a much younger age and I am still hanging around annoying people 22 years later with no recurrence.

I hope this helps you breathe a little easier and give those galloping willies a shot of ice water where it counts.

Even if it's the "worst" news? It's almost certainly not the worst thing that will ever happen to you in this life.

Especially when compared to surviving life with your GFGH and kids.

Hugs nevertheless. It is hard not to be frightened.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
My sister TEACHES people mamography - this is her specialty. I hear HORROR stories about how improperly people are trained that are under her or send her films etc......and how when she gets films they are a wreck and cause women UNDUE panic. it is MORE than 50% of the time that techs have excuses as to why they messed it up. She is an aspie and a genius and NOT pleasant to work with because her IQ is so high. Other doctors are often offended but because she is so smart and so good - the tolerate her rudeness.

She also complains about the women she has to go back in and re-Xray (or whatever it's called) she has the compassion of a shrew and what she does possess would fit in a thimble and still have room - THink House and then subtract 1/2 of that. HOWEVER - she's right nearly 99% of the time. SO......take a deep breath.......know that this is more than likely a tech that doesn't know her butt from a doughnut hole.....had a party night, has a bad home life, wasn't paying attention, just barely scraped by in class, forgot her glasses, had her head up her ......don't care if you have been lai........I mean these are all things my sister has said behind that window of lead to the techs while redoing the films and showing them the proper settings and films and on and on........yup she's that ugly.

And then get the chocolate.......call the hospital administrator and explain your anxiety and ask if they can check for you because of the botched film. IT may help you.

HUGS
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Gcv mom, yes, a little bit of knowledge can be a bad thing. I think you're right about the calcification.
Good idea, Star, either way.
Hugs and chocolate.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
All I know is - they botched my Mothers last mamogram--------and I'm pretty sure someone is now in the process of getting an assectomy. Mind you not because my sister is capable of compassion for my Mother, but because the job was done improperly. I had to live with her for 13 years and it was 13 years too many.

CHICKIE --------I asked the boosm goddess to bestow a clean film on your next picture taking session......draw a smiley face on your right one - and go in happy!
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
No, they didn't ask me to wait around, and the the tech didn't tell me ANYTHING. It was just me seeing glimpse of the reflection in some glass. That's what I get for looking, lol.

Of course, it's possible the tech just wanted me to be able to leave because of her causing the machine to shut down and losing the last image and having to retake it. I had to sit for about 20 minutes waiting for the machine to come back online so they could take the last image.

Whatever. My sick kitteh gots me distracted, so now I have that to worry over instead! :winks:

I did a manual exam later on Friday and really could not feel anything out of the ordinary.

The one blessing I could see, if God-Forbid it came back with cancer and I had to have a mastectomy? I'd finally get the breast reduction I should have had about 10 years ago. I know, SICK humor.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Soooooooo you......always seeing the postive in a negative. It's what I love about you. Sorry about the kitteh.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Don't know what to say that hasn't been said already (maybe it was a reflection of a reflection?) but hoping the best for you.
 
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