Post mammogram follow up

[Springstar]

Hi all. Had routine mammogram 2 weeks ago. Just received an invitation to the breast clinic for next week. The blurb tells me that 1 in 10 women get called back, and most will not have cancer.
Had a lumpectomy several years ago (not cancer just fibroadema) so potentially they've just found a bit of scarring.
But I'm also aware that it could be more sinister. I'm not a panicker by nature ( though I have a sudden urge to set my world to rights all by next week!)
Be very happy to hear from other people's experiences- bit of handholding, what is likely to happen (letter very vague)
Thanks in advance

I had this over Christmas. They did another mammogram; ultrasound and then biopsy. The ladies were absolutely lovely, all of them. The doc told me at that point that she thought I had 30% chance of having breast cancer. Unfortunately it turned out that I did, but I’m out the other side now. Odds are in your favour, and as I said - the nurses and doctors made the experience so much easier for me.

Feel free to message me if you want to chat…

I am attaching a picture that I hope will help you understand why so many women are called back and it has to do with the density of the breast.
40% of us have dense breasts and and 10 % extremely dense breast, it makes reading a mammogram very difficult. If you have fatty breast, very easy to see a mass, with dense breast, extremely difficult to interpret a tumour from normal dense tissue such as fibroglandular tissue, micro cyst, fibroadenoma, ... and so on.

It helps to know your breast density so when going back ask which BIRADS you are (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). ) . For C (very dense) or D (extremely dense) call back is frequent.

I also have breast MRI done because I have a cancer inducing genetic syndrome and I am BIRADS C. The call back for breast MRI is 1 in 6.

I have been called back several times. The first time, I was so scared, because of my cancer risk (60%) and shitty prognosis, but then the birads were explained to me and I saw my imaging and it became clear.

Bottom line, it is common to recall a woman when imaging is hard to interpret so there could be a very simple explanation in addition to having detected something.

@Wellwhatalovelyday I'm sorry it wasn't good news for you, and I'm pleased to see you are out the other side. Very best wishes for you going forward. I appreciate your offer to pm

@Cormoran thank you for the images and your explanation. They are very helpful! I shall take notes with me.

My very best wishes to you too. So very stressful, I imagine!

I appreciate you both for taking the time, and my apologies for not replying sooner

Morning. The update so far: appt at assessment centre yesterday. Staff all as lovely as I had been led to expect.

First had mammogram with state of the art machinery. I think it took 3d pictures. Then consultant looked at them and asked for a particular area to be done again, through a lens that enlarged the image.
Ten min wait, then I had a thorough breast examination and ultrasound. The area I'd had the extra mammogram for is apparently fine, but radiologist consultant found another area that may/may not be suspicious.
So had a core biopsy taken (local anaesthetic, not painful) and had a titanium clip put in to mark the area. That will stay there unless I need surgery. No evidence of anything in the lymph nodes which is a good thing.
Then another mammogram. Can't remember why. Maybe to have record of where the clip is ( it's the size of a sesame seed, apparently)
Follow up appt in a couple of weeks.
(Updated in case anyone does what I did and uses search function on here)
Currently have kept this between DH and myself.
Can't lift more than the weight of a full kettle for 48 hours, no exercise except gentle meandering, and must keep dressing dry until the 48 hours are up to.
I'm aware of it, the dressing is slightly itchy but otherwise no discomfort.
I feel confident that whatever lies ahead, I'm in good hands.

Ahhh I’m sorry that they couldn’t give you the all clear…. The waiting is absolutely the worst part.

Thank you @Wellwhatalovelyday yes, having another wait is...not sure of the word...stressful I suppose. In limbo. Wondering what lies ahead. I've retreated into myself a bit, but fortunately I'm looking at a busy week next week so no time to dwell.
Poor old DH is clearly anxious and trying not to show it. He's being very attentive, so I'm in safe hands here too.

I had a long wait - my recall was NYE, finally got the definitive answer mid march. I was put in a ‘we don’t think it’s cancer but we do want to do another biopsy to be sure’ COVID holding pattern for a while.

(Btw I was desperate for a shower so I wrapped myself in clingfilm. A good look, if I do say so myself, and probably not especially watertight but I had plenty of dressings on too and it worked just fine)

Oh good grief! Poor you! That's a helluva wait
Tempted to do similar with clingfilm! I sat in a bath last night, just kept breasts above the water line.
So have you finished your treatment? From your comment in your first post about being out the other side now. I hope you're ok!

I was warned about the possibility of further tests if the biopsy is inconclusive. I'm comforted by the notion that they will leave no stone unturned while there is any doubt, but the thought of yet more limbo is unsettling.
I appreciate you taking the time to chat a little.

I'm just extremely tired today. Yesterday was a long day, traffic was awful, parking was worse, and it's over an hour away. Plus the emotional stress and it's not really natural for a body to be squashed and battered and poked with sharp things. So I'm pretty sure that's a normal response

I have finished - I had a lumpectomy and then a week of radiotherapy. Now I’m just on tamoxifen.

I think it must have been a super stressful day, no wonder you’re tired. I had a vacuum biopsy after the initial investigations which wasn’t the loveliest way that I’ve ever spent 30 minutes but equally it was fine, no real difference from the ordinary biopsy. And the ladies who will chat to you about what to watch on Netflix while they are sucking stuff out of your boob are just fabulous. I saw them again when they put a wire in on the day of my op and they couldn’t have started a bloody difficult day any better for me.

This is very soothing to read @Wellwhatalovelyday

The women who looked after me were as delightful as yours sound. We discussed grandchildren, gardening and jobs. The HCP who was at my side while things were going on said the chit chat is the best part of her job.
The radiologist was kind, thorough and respectful, and explained what she was doing clearly. If i need treatment it will be closer to home as this is a specialist imaging centre only, apparently. But I have no doubt the staff are the same everywhere.

How are you feeling on the tamoxifen? Is it a long term treatment?

I have a couple of friends who've had cancer diagnoses and things seem to swing into action very fast and take over your life for a while. I think that's what is worrying me the most, just the uncertainty. Telling my family and close friends, and particularly daughters as we are very close and I don't want them worrying about me, and it's not good news for them to have a mum with it.
But I'm getting ahead of myself 🙈

Yes you are getting ahead of yourself. The odds are in your favour. I’m always one to look at the worst case scenario though and it helped me to always ask what that was. But I know just what you mean about your daughters - I have two young adult daughters and you just don’t want to upset them or give them any more stress and worry. And managing other people’s upset (I don’t mean my daughters here… they are fantastic) is something I found annoying!

Actually I’ve been ok on tamoxifen. Some hot flushes but they seem to have died down. I might be grumpier than normal but I can give you about 14 reasons for that!

Ah, you know how it is - not doing much today and the brain is whirring more than I'd like! Once my 48 hours are up I'll be up and busy.
I know what you mean about managing others' upset. I've seen it in action, so if it comes to it any info will be on a need to know basis only.

Interesting about tamoxifen. It's really not one size fits all! I hear you about the 14 reasons to be grumpy. Seems to be about right for somebody of an age to be having routine mammograms....

Yep - it was the middle of lockdown for me so even when I could do stuff, there wasn’t much I could do, except for hang around contemplating my imminent demise. Keep yourself busy…. Will help your head for sure.

I think it's quite traditional to hang around and contemplate one's imminent demise

I'm such a rebel, the dressing was soaked off in a lovely hot shower at precisely 44 hours post application. Looks ok and even the bruising is not bad.

I have walked the dog, done some batch cooking for the week and am off to see my son and his family, so feeling much more normal.
Will update when there is something to say

I’ll be thinking of you and hoping that this is as stressful as it gets!

Hello, sorry it's springstar with a changed name.
Just wanted to do an update. I got a call a couple of days ago (before my appt today) from the breast clinic to say that there is no sign of cancer.
So I'm very relieved!
Thanks for your support @Wellwhatalovelyday and also updating for anybody who ever goes searching for these things and comes across this thread

So odd - I was just thinking of you this afternoon and thinking it must be time for your results soon. What fantastic news, congrats. What a relief!

@Wellwhatalovelyday

So odd - I was just thinking of you this afternoon and thinking it must be time for your results soon. What fantastic news, congrats. What a relief!

Thank you, that's really kind. I hope you continue to keep well