Mammogram recall

[Worriedsick71]

Hello, I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to hold my hand? I’m out of my mind with worry.

I am 51. In June, I thought I noticed a change in my right breast. I worried about it for week or two and then I went to the GP. She examined me and said she thought it was nothing but to come back in six weeks to check again which I did. In the meantime, coincidentally, I was invited for my first mammogram which I booked an appointment for which by this time it was early August. Just before the mammogram, I had my next GP appointment and this time she said she would refer me to the breast clinic. She said their rules were to wait six weeks before a referral. Obviously I was worried by this a point. So I went for the screening mammogram and a few days later for the GP referral appointment. The consultant I saw did an ultrasound of my right breast where I thought I had seen a change. She said it was fine and nothing to worry about. I asked about the mammogram results. She tried to access them but couldn’t as they were still in the system and not available. She said that my breast tissue was dense and that many people are recalled particularly after a first mammogram so not to be surprised I was recalled but not to worry.

So I’m surprised to have now been recalled. I phoned the breast nurse yesterday. I know she wouldn’t be able to say much other than general stuff - she just started on about cysts and calcifications etc which confused me and worried me more.

My appointment is for next Tuesday. I’m scared. My MIL and a friend were both recalled for a mammogram and both were diagnosed with breast cancer. To put this into context, my mum died for cancer, not breast, some years ago and that experience has haunted me ever since. Whilst all this has been going on, my brother in law has been diagnosed with bowel cancer following screening and my dad has been diagnosed with terminal blood cancer and been given weeks/months the to live. And my DS is leaving for University in two weeks.

Does anyone have any experience or advice? I’m not eating or sleeping. There seems to be nowhere to turn. Next Tuesday seems an age away and I’m at breaking point. I can barely function.

*not surprised to have been recalled

My mum was recalled for a mammogram and they found a cyst, which they did a biopsy on but was benign. She and I have dense breast tissue which is prone to cysts.

I have had to visit the breast clinic 3 times for cysts and changes to my breasts. All clear each time. My grandmother died from breast cancer so we are extra careful.

Most referrals back end in no further action or cysts etc. I know it's worrying especially with the current life context but it will more than likely be nothing. If it is something they will have caught it early!

So, if I understand you right, you have had a routine mammogram but at the same time, you have seen a consultant via your GP and she has told you all is ok? So that consultant surely knows more than the mammogram at this stage? I think I would take reassurance from that buti can understand your worry.

Thank you for your replies.

Yes, that’s right. The consultant said not to be surprised if I was recalled as many people are particularly after the first mammogram but that she expected the results to be unremarkable.

I feel surrounded by cancer at the moment and there seems like there is nowhere to turn.

As your ultrasound was clear and the consultant told you it was fine I would be reassured by that. Mammogram recalls are so common and most (3 out of 4) are for benign reasons. I have been to the breast clinic twice. The first time was nothing, the second I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I can honestly say the waiting for appointments and results was the hardest part. Once I knew what I was dealing with and had a treatment plan it gave me something to focus on. All of the doctors and nurses in the breast clinic were amazing, I cannot praise them enough for the treatment I received. I hope yours turns out to be nothing to worry about. Good luck with your appointment next week.

I had a recall last year and was really worried but it was just calcification. They said - at the clinic - that I would never have felt it myself as it was tiny. It was my first mammogram too. I’m sure it’ll be something like that for you - I did have a biopsy - they did say that it was really just a precaution.