How many found their own BC as opposed to a Mammogram finding?

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  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #22
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    2 out of 3
    First, I felt a thickening in my breast. My doc thought it was nothing but ordered a "basline mammogram" because I have a strong family history. Mammogram results: probable carcinoma. My little sister went in wanting a mammogram because she felt a lump in her right breast. The mammogram clearly showed cancer in her LEFT (not right) breast. My oldest sister also felt a lump. Her mammogram was negative but her biopsy showed DCIS. Mammogram got it right in 2 out of 3 sisters!
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #23
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    I found my own BC~ though it
    I found my own BC~ though it was hugely obvious! If I had had a mammogram, I am sure it would have been detected! It was the size of a large walnut, just over 3cm, and impossible not to feel. I went to my primary physician the next day, and she sent me for a mammogram and an untrasound. Sadly, I was told these tests were being done NOT to rule out BC, but as pre-biopsy diagnostics. 10 or so days after finding the lump I had surgery...stage 2B, 3 of 15 nodes positive.

    ( . ) ( . ) = my pre-cancerous boobs

    ( . ) (.} = post cancer...sigh!
  • shortscake
    shortscake Member Posts: 228
    #24
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    mine
    I had an mammo and it was clear but because i had a bad cough the doctor did an chest xray and ultrasound and found my bc then. He then sent me back for another mammo and it was still clear it was because my bc is on the lower part of my breast and the mammo would have never found it. I still tell every woman that i know to get a mammo and check them self every month.
  • Whoknowz
    Whoknowz Member Posts: 82
    #25
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    Found it myself
    I've wondered about this too. I found mine in a SBE. Previous mammos were all clear
  • Taina
    Taina Member Posts: 166
    #26
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    myself
    i found mine myself...then a mammogram to make sure...then ultrasound and biopsy...
  • aysemari
    aysemari Member Posts: 1,596 Member
    #27
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    Taina said:

    myself
    i found mine myself...then a mammogram to make sure...then ultrasound and biopsy...

    Found it!
    I found it myself, it was a little round thing and it moved by the time I saw my GYN
    during my yearly check up and she sent me to have a mammo (span of 3 months),
    it had grown to 2.2 cm.

    Ayse
  • hamish1
    hamish1 Member Posts: 34
    #28
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    I had my mammogram in
    I had my mammogram in January 2009. My first in 14 yrs. Results, everything was fine. No changes at all. However I have had cystic mastitis since my early twenties,(I'm now 67) so my breasts are very dense. In Sept. 2009, I found a large lump under my arm, so my GP sent me for an ultra sound. The ultra sound not only showed the lump under my arm, but found the tiny tumor in my breast and both turned out to be malignant.Even with the second mammogram the surgeon ordered after the pathology report, the tumor in my breast still did not show up on a Mammogram until the Radiologist sent the Nurse back to apply more pressure.Then it showed up. I had a lumpectomy and the lymph gland removed in November 2009 and yesterday began my first Chemo treatment.
  • Gloria09
    Gloria09 Member Posts: 190
    #29
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    MAJW
    The mammogram found mine. Was told it was too far back for me or my doctor to find. I almost didn't go to this last mammogram ... so glad I did.
  • pgrace35
    pgrace35 Member Posts: 122
    #30
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    Found mine
    About 8 months after my mammogram.Luckily I was anal about self exams and always have been. It grew very quickly and would have been in a higher stage had I relied soley on my mammograms.
  • helen e
    helen e Member Posts: 223
    #31
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    Not me
    Mine was found on my mammo the day after I had had my yearly appt. w/Dr. who didn't find it with breast exam. It was too small 1.4 cm. I could feel it after the mammo and sonogram found it, does that count?..... I didn't think so.
  • teresasletters
    teresasletters Member Posts: 12
    #32
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    helen e said:

    Not me
    Mine was found on my mammo the day after I had had my yearly appt. w/Dr. who didn't find it with breast exam. It was too small 1.4 cm. I could feel it after the mammo and sonogram found it, does that count?..... I didn't think so.

    Mammo
    My doctor did not feel anything when I was in for my annual checkup, but I was talking to her about my stepmom passing away from cancer. She glanced at my chart and remembered my mom also had breast cancer. She said lets send you for an early mammo just so we have something to compare to later. Well... long story short, two spots showed up on it and on the ultrasounf the radiologist ordered. Both were biopsied and both are cancer. Surgery is Wednesday...
    If I had to wait until I was 40 to get a mammo, it would have been too late... It makes me worry about them changing the guidelines to 50 to begin mammos.
    I am so greatful to my doctor now for sending me for the early mammo.
  • TLynn0102
    TLynn0102 Member Posts: 86
    #33
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    teresasletters said:

    Mammo
    My doctor did not feel anything when I was in for my annual checkup, but I was talking to her about my stepmom passing away from cancer. She glanced at my chart and remembered my mom also had breast cancer. She said lets send you for an early mammo just so we have something to compare to later. Well... long story short, two spots showed up on it and on the ultrasounf the radiologist ordered. Both were biopsied and both are cancer. Surgery is Wednesday...
    If I had to wait until I was 40 to get a mammo, it would have been too late... It makes me worry about them changing the guidelines to 50 to begin mammos.
    I am so greatful to my doctor now for sending me for the early mammo.

    Found Mine
    I found mine one morning doing the routine exam in the shower. It was about the size of a pea. At first I didn't think anything of it because it hurt really bad. I had the hubby check it and sure enough he said call the doctor. The rest is history. Because of my family history I started having mamograms at the age of 30. During that time I had 2 biopsy's because the mamos were showing calcifications. All this was in the right breast. When the lump appeared it was also in the right breast very close to the first biopsy 10 years earlier. I am an advocate of self exams. My best friend and her daughter both got an ear full when I found out neither did the exams. Since my diagnosis both of them routinely check.
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #34
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    TLynn0102 said:

    Found Mine
    I found mine one morning doing the routine exam in the shower. It was about the size of a pea. At first I didn't think anything of it because it hurt really bad. I had the hubby check it and sure enough he said call the doctor. The rest is history. Because of my family history I started having mamograms at the age of 30. During that time I had 2 biopsy's because the mamos were showing calcifications. All this was in the right breast. When the lump appeared it was also in the right breast very close to the first biopsy 10 years earlier. I am an advocate of self exams. My best friend and her daughter both got an ear full when I found out neither did the exams. Since my diagnosis both of them routinely check.

    Both
    I felt something in my right breast ob/gyn thought it was nothing, but had me go ahead for a mammogram and ultrasound because of strong family history.

    Mammo came back and showed nothing in the right breast, but calcifications in the left. A diagnostic still came back abnormal and it was DCIS. Couldn't feel it. Mammo caught mine extremely early. I'm 39.
  • debbie1162
    debbie1162 Member Posts: 36
    #35
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    Mammo
    I could not feel. The doctor could not!! Thank God for mammo.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #36
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    Dawne.Hope said:

    Both
    I felt something in my right breast ob/gyn thought it was nothing, but had me go ahead for a mammogram and ultrasound because of strong family history.

    Mammo came back and showed nothing in the right breast, but calcifications in the left. A diagnostic still came back abnormal and it was DCIS. Couldn't feel it. Mammo caught mine extremely early. I'm 39.

    the first time I felt a
    the first time I felt a lump while pumping my breasts. I was breastfeeding at the time. Ihad a local recurrence after mastectomy and saw that myself. I was too young for mammo, (34)the second or third time whatever you might call it, ihad a mammo 4 physician exams including two breast surgeons and onc, NP, gyn felt nothing 4 months later palpated a lump in the area I had a biopsy 1.5 years earlier. large lobular tumor (first one ductal) MRI inconclusive, biopsy positive. lobulars do not show up on mammos well if I had known I would have insisted on an MRI earlier. perhaps the tumor would have been smaller. lobulars grow differently . anyways I still believe in mammos although Ihave found every cancer myself.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #37
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    debbie1162 said:

    Mammo
    I could not feel. The doctor could not!! Thank God for mammo.

    the irony was that I was
    the irony was that I was seeing all those docs to have a propholactic mastectomy, because i was tired of the biopsies, I must have somehow known. I also wanted to avoid tamoxifen, now I get the whole deal, surgery, chemo(almost done) radiation, tamoxifen, and more. Was told no emergency and was going to do the surgery this fall. You gotta laugh or you would cry. I blamed myself for a lonf time should have done it earlier etc.... but sometimes things just happen and you gotta deal. This time I was 49. I hate BC! just had to say it.
  • lovelylola
    lovelylola Member Posts: 279
    #38
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    8 months after my
    annual mammo I found the lump on my own. One of the benefits of losing 53 pounds (which I always seemed to lose in the boobs first)I was able to both see and feel it. 2 weeks later very clear on the mammo and not there when compared to the previous one. Even with that I would not want women to not be able to have them early and as often as needed. Lola
  • Lynda53
    Lynda53 Member Posts: 210
    #39
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    Inflammatory bc, just showed up 1 night!
    Took a shower, noticed slight swelling, in the am, right breast was 2+x the size, beet red hot and hard! Changed shape more in a day or two.
    I was way overdue for a mammo although I have been told that more than likely a mammo would not have detected it/it is invasive and agressive.
    Peace
  • jbug
    jbug Member Posts: 285
    #40
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    Mine found on MRI
    Like many of you, I have very cystic breasts. I had my annual gyn exam (skipped these last year!) and mentioned that I had painful cyst in my left breast, though it was already going down. The NP put in an order for a mammo as well as US. I had both done on the same day...one radiologist then 2 came in to see the US. Mentioned suspicious areas in the right breast and recommended biopsy. During the discussion, he also mentioned the MRI, suggesting that it could provide info about both breasts. I opted for the MRI...had an area that lit up on the right breast that they were NOT able to find on US or on the Mammo! Had MRI guided bx which was still neg for bc, but the bc was found during lumpectomy...very small 4 mm.

    Thank God I didn't skip my 09 exam, doubt it would have been caught by mammo or anything in 08, though you can believe i was second guessing that missed exam. My sister went right to her gp to ask for pap and mammo. Thankfully, hers was negative.
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #41
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    I found mine
    Six months after my routine mammogram, I got an inverted nipple. I, too, had cystic breasts and would never be able to tell one lump from another, but by the time they did the biopsy, this thing was already 3cm. I have often questioned why this wasn't seen on my mammography only 6 months prior. I am also beginning to wonder if all the radiation from the mammograms doesn't cause the cancer. It's just phenominal the number of women coming up with breast cancer! It seems that everyone I know knows at least one person that has or has had breast cancer. It's just been my personal opinion, but I'm leery of mammograms. Yes, they 'can' detect early, but can they also be the cause?

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