PLEASE HELP mammogram results

[Beachrules]

Hi, am posting here for traffic because I am so worried. I had a routine mammogram (I am 51) 10 days ago. I have today received a letter recalling me to the clinic. Could this just be because they didn't get a clear enough picture and they need to redo it? Would it say on the letter if that was the reason for recall or do they just send out a standard letter? I have awful health anxiety so am in a state. Thank you

I think if the results were abnormal you would be called to the surgery to discuss the results. If they have recalled you to the breast clinic it would be to redo the test, I'm sure you can call them on Monday and ask.

Please don’t panic - I had exactly the same. Went back and was checked again, all ok and they were very reassuring in the clinic. Fingers crossed you have the same experience.

They have recalled me to the hospital. I had my initial appointment in a breast screening unit.

Is it your first mammogram? It's very common to be recalled after your first one as they don't have previous ones to compare it to.

I was recalled after my first due to a suspicious area and had to wait nearly three months for a follow up one. It was all fine.

It's not true that you would be called to GP if they had found something; you would be called back to breast clinic. However, the chances are it's a problem with the imaging, especially if it's your first mammogram and they don't have a comparative image.

My appointment is next week

Yes very common for your first screening as they have nothing to compare it with so they may want to check something, like cysts. I have cysts and they now know so don’t recall me every time because they look for changes versus the last image. They used to recall me though. Or it might be to re-do it. Just be prepared for a potentially long appointment if they want to do additional tests, like ultrasounds etc. On my first recall, I had another mammo, an ultrasound, and then a cyst drained. I would also warn you that, in the unlikely event that they do find something suspicious, they tend to tell you there and then in my experience.

Good luck!

They would never recall you to the surgery.

It's likely to be a technical problem or benign. Most are.

Try not to worry

I had this - due to family history I have been having one every year since I was 40 (I'm now 50) and I was recalled to hospital after one of them. I was given an ultrasound over an area and was told "ah, it's all ok, you are just lumpy and dense" 😂

I'm sure it is probably because they can't see clearly on the images they have and will just want to check, but good luck and try not to worry, hard though that is.

In my experience they just send out a standard letter. I was recalled last October and my letter simply asked me to come back for further checks.

I ended up having an ultrasound, further Mammogram and then a guided biopsy. My results took about 2 weeks to come back and my anxiety was through the roof during that time. Mine came back benign - most do. It was such a horrible experience. I'm thinking of you💐.

I get recalled every time for a follow up ultrasound because I have cysts. They’re harmless but you need an ultrasound to check they’re cysts and not something more harmful.

I had this OP. 1st mammogram. Called to go to breast clinic a week later.
They had no previous to compare with.
Had a repeat and ultrasound too, turns out it was a “milk duct” of which I have millions I think!
Perfectly fine and I’m just glad they were so thorough!

I was recalled last year after my first mammogram.

Like you l was frightened, but all was well.

They did a more thorough mammogram & an ultrasound and then assured me there was nothing of concern.

I understand it's far more likely to be recalled after a first mammogram as they are less familiar with your breasts. So, one area may appear more dense than others which is completely normal for your breasts but they don't know that until they take another look.

I know it's difficult but try not to worry 💐 sending love

Try not to worry. People get recalled and often there is nothing of concern.

It is a worrying time, but please be assured by the fact it is also very common to be recalled after your first and it is normal for the process to be quite fast with appointments within a couple of weeks of the mammogram results so don't be overly concerned about that either.

I am another one who was recalled to the breast clinic at the hospital after my first too. They did another mammogram in a bigger machine, ultra sound, physical exam and then wanted to do biopsies on one area there and then which was a bit scary, but not painful at all.

Results all came back clear.

How are you doing @Beachrules? have you had your appointment yet?

Thank you so much for asking. My appointment is this afternoon. I spoke to the breast nurse who told me that there is a dense area of tissue on my left breast they need to look at. She told me it was very common and there was nothing 'overtly suspicious'. Still extremely nervous tho!

Oh love. I've had this twice and it is awful. The first time I had so many additional mammograms I lost count! I went to oncology and then had a cyst removed. It was not cancerous but I was a mess.

The second time I had another smaller cyst removed. Not cancerous again

This time I was clear.

Cysts are very common and they can come back.

I do hope it goes well.

I was recalled after my first mammogram. There were concerns about a lesion. I had further mammograms, ultrasound, biopsy all there and then. It was obvious it had to be cancer from the start, which it was, though they can’t tell you that until the biopsy results come back. It was terrifying and unbelievable all at the same time. I had dense breasts, and high density makes it more likely to develop cancer as well as it being harder to detect.

Good luck this afternoon. Hopefully they will be able to get a good look at the area and rule out anything of concern. Will be thinking of you.

Hope everything went ok for you today.

Remember even if they went in for biopsy, a large number still come back as nothing and try not to over think it until you get your results (usually within a week).

Hope you got on ok OP.

I’ve had this. First and second time…. Harmless cysts which had to be drained. Third time harmless calcification. Which they checked and then left as was doing no harm. I’m in your age bracket.

I was recalled after one but they did state is because they saw calcifications on the mammogram