Update: All clear!! Well, now I get my very own scanxiety. Sigh :(

sblairc
sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
edited June 2015 in Kidney Cancer #1

Well, I've got to go for a second mammogram. Nice. Just needed to vent where I knew I could get support. You guys get it and know how it feels. I guess they want better angles due to some assymetry.  Evidently I'm very "dense" which happens in younger women. Yep, lol!

 

I'm not going to freak out yet. Quite frankly, kidney cancer scares the **** out of me way more than breast cancer. But I am unsettled. Lucklily I"m still in therapy as a result of my husband's cancer, so I've got some coping strategies that are helping immensely. 

 

Thanks for listening. 

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Comments

  • Footstomper
    Footstomper Member Posts: 1,237 Member
    Good luck and dont fret!

    Good luck and dont fret!

  • Phredswife
    Phredswife Member Posts: 162
    Thats not fair!

    Well that sux. Sadly you are well practiced in all the ways to cope by now. Hope everything is fine with your next scan. At least they can find something to scan. I went for a medical once and got a very clear scan due to there not being much to scan lol.

    Take care I will be praying for you . Scanxiety about hubbies is quite enough to deal with!

    Hugs Melissa

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,062 Member

    Thats not fair!

    Well that sux. Sadly you are well practiced in all the ways to cope by now. Hope everything is fine with your next scan. At least they can find something to scan. I went for a medical once and got a very clear scan due to there not being much to scan lol.

    Take care I will be praying for you . Scanxiety about hubbies is quite enough to deal with!

    Hugs Melissa

    Hi there,
    it could be

    Hi there,

    it could be absolutely nothing. My mom had to go for secong mammogram once, and one my friend as well. Everything was allright both times. Docs are just being extra careful, and those second visits are very common.

    good luck!

  • Jojo61
    Jojo61 Member Posts: 1,309 Member
    So sorry to hear that you

    So sorry to hear that you have this to deal with as well. It isn't fair.  We are here for you! Vent away!

    Will be keeping you in my prayers and thoughts. Keep us posted!

    Big hugs

    Jojo

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    Thanks everyone! I'm reassured.

    I'm glad I went. I'm sure it's nothing and my doctor was very reassuring. I guess one of the knocks for going for mammograms before 50 is false positves due to the very reason they encountered with me (very dense breasts). But some say dense breasts is also a risk factor too so I guess it's a little of a catch 22. 

    But I made the decision ahead of time that I was prepared to deal with the possibility of stress associtated with a false positive. 

     

    The support here is tremendous. Love you all. 

     

     

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    "Know" how you feel

    I am 54 and went in for my yearly mam. last Dec. it took about 2 weeks to get results and I was called back.  Then had to go to the cancer ward (the same place I had my partial the year before) to get more scans done.  Sitting there in the room I was terrified.  I got squished and squashed for a couple hours. Saw 2 Dr.s and such during this time...all because I too have dense breast tissue.  They spotted a couple "spots" but they are nothing. (whew) but I know get to go back every 6 months "just to be sure".  Better to be safe than sorry, but ....it wasn't a good day!

    Just be glad that they can do the tests they do now and can catch things early.  Breath deep and try to relax. I pray that you you will have the same results I got 8-)  and all will be well.

     

    Laurie

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    aamdsi said:

    "Know" how you feel

    I am 54 and went in for my yearly mam. last Dec. it took about 2 weeks to get results and I was called back.  Then had to go to the cancer ward (the same place I had my partial the year before) to get more scans done.  Sitting there in the room I was terrified.  I got squished and squashed for a couple hours. Saw 2 Dr.s and such during this time...all because I too have dense breast tissue.  They spotted a couple "spots" but they are nothing. (whew) but I know get to go back every 6 months "just to be sure".  Better to be safe than sorry, but ....it wasn't a good day!

    Just be glad that they can do the tests they do now and can catch things early.  Breath deep and try to relax. I pray that you you will have the same results I got 8-)  and all will be well.

     

    Laurie

    Aww.. sorry you have to go

    Aww.. sorry you have to go through all this anxiety..whew.. ENUFF!

    Now that they want to be "thorough" it is good, BUT if only they let you know right away.

    So here's to more NED!

     

    Gengle hugs, Jan

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    Thanks so much everyone!

    June 10 I go back for a spot compression with the radiologist on site to view it before I leave. It could immediatly be negative. But if it isn't the radiologist will then do additional tests based on what is seen with the spot compression mammogram. So I wait and relax. I love all the comments and helpful information

     

    Right now I"m deciding if I want to read and view the whole report in the interim. You guys know "ALways get a copy of your reports" LOL!!

    I think I won't go get it until after June 10th's results. No sense in worrying myself more. 

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    sblairc said:

    Thanks so much everyone!

    June 10 I go back for a spot compression with the radiologist on site to view it before I leave. It could immediatly be negative. But if it isn't the radiologist will then do additional tests based on what is seen with the spot compression mammogram. So I wait and relax. I love all the comments and helpful information

     

    Right now I"m deciding if I want to read and view the whole report in the interim. You guys know "ALways get a copy of your reports" LOL!!

    I think I won't go get it until after June 10th's results. No sense in worrying myself more. 

    Oh yes, I went through that

    Oh yes, I went through that on a Friday!!

    so when I had my follow up spot compression MRI, I was

    glad to hear from the radiologist immediately, cuz it was another Friday!

     

    BTW that spot compression will make your eyes water.. its a pincher for sure!

    BUT I did my meditative, "labor" breathing and it was bearable.

    Hang in there, let us know what you need.

    Jan

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    sblairc said:

    Thanks so much everyone!

    June 10 I go back for a spot compression with the radiologist on site to view it before I leave. It could immediatly be negative. But if it isn't the radiologist will then do additional tests based on what is seen with the spot compression mammogram. So I wait and relax. I love all the comments and helpful information

     

    Right now I"m deciding if I want to read and view the whole report in the interim. You guys know "ALways get a copy of your reports" LOL!!

    I think I won't go get it until after June 10th's results. No sense in worrying myself more. 

    Hope it's all ok

    I know exactly how you feel! Literally. Lol. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I had some pain and a lump few months after my kidney was removed in the underarm area and I had to have a mammogram. So I think I'm probably one of the few men that have experienced the joys of mammograms! :)

    I think it might have been slightly more of a pain for me, because I don't really have much to press between those plates.

    Hope it was a false positive and all went well. Please let us know.

    Todd

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    todd121 said:

    Hope it's all ok

    I know exactly how you feel! Literally. Lol. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I had some pain and a lump few months after my kidney was removed in the underarm area and I had to have a mammogram. So I think I'm probably one of the few men that have experienced the joys of mammograms! :)

    I think it might have been slightly more of a pain for me, because I don't really have much to press between those plates.

    Hope it was a false positive and all went well. Please let us know.

    Todd

    Thanks Todd.

    I think so far it's not even considered anything until they get the additional films. I'm to afraid to get the report and read it before I go to the next test so I'm banking on what a good friend said (she's a doctor). "I'm a victim of being convinced to be afraid of my breasts" 

    I guess she's referring to the controversy about mammograms at a younger age versus 50 when there are no family risk factors or something to that effect. I'd rather deal with this stress and be afraid of my breasts than find out when I"m 48 that I've got a big old tumor that was lurking. 

     

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    Jan4you said:

    Oh yes, I went through that

    Oh yes, I went through that on a Friday!!

    so when I had my follow up spot compression MRI, I was

    glad to hear from the radiologist immediately, cuz it was another Friday!

     

    BTW that spot compression will make your eyes water.. its a pincher for sure!

    BUT I did my meditative, "labor" breathing and it was bearable.

    Hang in there, let us know what you need.

    Jan

    Thanks much Jan, you are a blessing.

    Not too thrilled about the pincher, but I'll just frame it in perspective of my poor hubby's kidney cancer pain and it will all be relative. 

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,062 Member
    sblairc said:

    Thanks Todd.

    I think so far it's not even considered anything until they get the additional films. I'm to afraid to get the report and read it before I go to the next test so I'm banking on what a good friend said (she's a doctor). "I'm a victim of being convinced to be afraid of my breasts" 

    I guess she's referring to the controversy about mammograms at a younger age versus 50 when there are no family risk factors or something to that effect. I'd rather deal with this stress and be afraid of my breasts than find out when I"m 48 that I've got a big old tumor that was lurking. 

     

    In my country  prefer breast

    In my country  prefer breast ultrasounds for younger women, because of breast density. Perhaps this is smth to try?

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    Allochka said:

    In my country  prefer breast

    In my country  prefer breast ultrasounds for younger women, because of breast density. Perhaps this is smth to try?

    I think they might do that next, Allochka

     I think they might do an ultra sound after they get better pictures from the compression mammogram. I will know right away since I think they look at the computer righ there and then decide. 

     

  • brea588
    brea588 Member Posts: 240
    sblairc said:

    I think they might do that next, Allochka

     I think they might do an ultra sound after they get better pictures from the compression mammogram. I will know right away since I think they look at the computer righ there and then decide. 

     

    I had the mamm

    I had mammogram and ultrasound 3 times before the Radiologist could find the mass that could be felt.  My breast tissue is very dense also and its like looking through a very thick fog.  When he finally found the mass it looked like cancer to him .  He showed me the mass , irregular borders, hypoechoic, would not pick up sound waves , meaning it was hard mass. So 2 weeks later done core tissue biopsy and it came back benign.  They put in  a tumor marker to watch it ever 6  months.  In mar it had not grown any.  so now year for next one..

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    sblairc said:

    I think they might do that next, Allochka

     I think they might do an ultra sound after they get better pictures from the compression mammogram. I will know right away since I think they look at the computer righ there and then decide. 

     

    Did you have your final

    Did you have your final report?are you feeling better these days? Hope you do well and things turn out to be nothing serious

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    foroughsh said:

    Did you have your final

    Did you have your final report?are you feeling better these days? Hope you do well and things turn out to be nothing serious

    I go next week

    I go next week. I never asked to look at the initial report. 

    I did, however, talk to my mom. She had a lumpectomy and two cysts aspirated in her 30's for fibrocystic breasts. I'm hoping this runs in families. 

    My doctor said "assymmetry" and "shadows" but I can't remember in what context. I'll report back. Thanks for the support, I def need it. 

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    sblairc said:

    I go next week

    I go next week. I never asked to look at the initial report. 

    I did, however, talk to my mom. She had a lumpectomy and two cysts aspirated in her 30's for fibrocystic breasts. I'm hoping this runs in families. 

    My doctor said "assymmetry" and "shadows" but I can't remember in what context. I'll report back. Thanks for the support, I def need it. 

    Ive been thinking about you

    Ive been thinking about you and i pray that your results will be normal.  You are inspiring me to make an appt for myself.  I havent  been doing very well taking care of my routine stuff.  Frankly im tired of all things medical...

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    second mammogram revealed thick, fibrous tissue

    Normal second test. No ultrasound needed at this time and got the results immediatly while still standing in my gown, boobs to the wind, lol!!!

  • Phredswife
    Phredswife Member Posts: 162
    sblairc said:

    second mammogram revealed thick, fibrous tissue

    Normal second test. No ultrasound needed at this time and got the results immediatly while still standing in my gown, boobs to the wind, lol!!!

    Yay, What great news!

    Yay, What great news!Smile