New to this board with questions...***Updated***

abrub

While I generally hang out at the colon and peritoneal cancer boards (as an appendix cancer survivor) I'm now in need of your help and information.

After having a recall on my annual mammo ("something has changed") I had more images done that showed a mass, followed by a focused ultrasound, where a distinct rounded mass was found.

Escalate a level: on Monday, I had an ultra-sound-guided needle core biopsy, which went smoothly. They placed the marker, and sent me back to mammo to check it out. What they found was that the mass they biopsied and marked was not the same mass as seen in the mammogram. One mass had only shown in the mammo, the other only showed in the focused ultrasound, and under the assumption that the masses seen were one and the same, only the one in the ultrasound was biopsied. (I was told this is a very uncommon occurrence.) I was then told that I'd need an MRI and/or an excision biopsy. My breast surgeon overseeing this is on vacation until next week (when I have my (no longer) routine annual appointment with her.

I made the decision to have a bilateral MRI while waiting (I'd had a needle aspiration biopsy in the other breast about 9 years ago, and if stuff wasn't showing equally on the mammo and ultrasound, I wanted more info. My gyn got this ordered for me, because the other dr is out of town on vacation.

Other dr's office called yesterday to tell me that 1) bx from Monday was benign (Yay) and 2) dr wanted me to have excisional biopsy, probably within the next 2 weeks.

Questions:

1. What can I expect during my MRI tomorrow? As someone who is somewhat claustrophobic, do I need to premedicate, or is the face-down position easier to deal with?

2. What can I expect from an incisional biopsy? Will I have activity limitations? (The curling season is set to begin next week, and I'm a very active curler.)

Many thanks. I know how good we survivors are at helping each other out!

Alice

_______________________________________________________________

Thank you all. I had my MRI this morning. Yes, the pressure on my sternum was uncomfortable, and even with ear protection, this was the loudest MRI I've ever had. (They started me with ear plugs, but I complained, and they got me headphones, which helped only a little more.)

I didn't find it at all claustrophobic, because the mirror under the face had me looking out into the room, and I had no sense of being in a tube.

I actually found the really loud bangs of the machine during some of the scans to be physically uncomfortable - I felt like someone was pounding on my sacrum. The tech said he'd never heard of that before, but I tend to be extremely sensitive on numerous sensory levels (sound, touch, smell). So now we wait for results (and hope against hope that maybe it will show that the mass in my breast is benign, and that I don't need surgery after all. I can hope, can't I!)

Thanks to my newest cancer family.

CypressCynthia

I did not have the MRI
I did not have the MRI guided biopsy (not available when I was diagnosed), but I just wanted to say that I am wishing you the very best luck and praying that this biopsy is also benign. Good luck!

abrub

CypressCynthia said:

I did not have the MRI
I did not have the MRI guided biopsy (not available when I was diagnosed), but I just wanted to say that I am wishing you the very best luck and praying that this biopsy is also benign. Good luck!

Thank you
I'm just having a bilateral MRI tomorrow, not a biopsy. My next biopsy will be a surgical excision after my surgeon gets back from vacation.

Thus, I'd love to know what to expect during the MRI; and later during/after the surgical biopsy.

Many thanks.

Rague

abrub said:

Thank you
I'm just having a bilateral MRI tomorrow, not a biopsy. My next biopsy will be a surgical excision after my surgeon gets back from vacation.

Thus, I'd love to know what to expect during the MRI; and later during/after the surgical biopsy.

Many thanks.

Can't help
I haven't had a breast MRI so not sure about that all. My biopsies, breast and axillary -were done at the same time and were fine needle so can't help on that either.

Personally, I will not take anything before procedures but that's just me. Many get a lot of help from a bit of help. Only you can know what is 'right' for you.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

tufi000

Dear friend
Sorry to see you on this board with all you have dealt with. I don't know if you remember my similar experience. Do you still have my phone number? It may still be on your sis's mailing list info for the yarn. There are a LOT of issues here on that need to be considered. It is not fun falling into the 2% of exceptions to their statistical matrix.

PLEASE call me or email me. My email is on my page here I am sure or re-friend me on FB

BTW happy New Year

Sherry

missrenee

tufi000 said:

Dear friend
Sorry to see you on this board with all you have dealt with. I don't know if you remember my similar experience. Do you still have my phone number? It may still be on your sis's mailing list info for the yarn. There are a LOT of issues here on that need to be considered. It is not fun falling into the 2% of exceptions to their statistical matrix.

PLEASE call me or email me. My email is on my page here I am sure or re-friend me on FB

BTW happy New Year

Sherry

I've had 2 breast MRIs and 2 breast MRI biopsies
Since you're having only the MRI, I'll speak to that. The positioning is kind of uncomfortable, especially with a bad back. You lie on your stomach, your breasts protrude from two round areas in the table and there is this hard bar that your sternum sits on--that's sort of uncomfortable. The MRI itself is pretty much like all the others--noisy and you are in a tube, but you are face down and there was a mirror there in which I could see the techs. They spoke to me from time to time asking if I was okay and they'd let me know what they were doing and for how much longer.

I try to meditate and take myself somewhere far away. Do use the ear plugs they give you--they help (a little!).

Best of luck to you.

Hugs, Renee

abrub

tufi000 said:

Dear friend
Sorry to see you on this board with all you have dealt with. I don't know if you remember my similar experience. Do you still have my phone number? It may still be on your sis's mailing list info for the yarn. There are a LOT of issues here on that need to be considered. It is not fun falling into the 2% of exceptions to their statistical matrix.

PLEASE call me or email me. My email is on my page here I am sure or re-friend me on FB

BTW happy New Year

Sherry

Thank you. Glad to be back
Thank you. Glad to be back in contact!

Ritzy

missrenee said:

I've had 2 breast MRIs and 2 breast MRI biopsies
Since you're having only the MRI, I'll speak to that. The positioning is kind of uncomfortable, especially with a bad back. You lie on your stomach, your breasts protrude from two round areas in the table and there is this hard bar that your sternum sits on--that's sort of uncomfortable. The MRI itself is pretty much like all the others--noisy and you are in a tube, but you are face down and there was a mirror there in which I could see the techs. They spoke to me from time to time asking if I was okay and they'd let me know what they were doing and for how much longer.

I try to meditate and take myself somewhere far away. Do use the ear plugs they give you--they help (a little!).

Best of luck to you.

Hugs, Renee

Yep, I've had breast MRI's, so, I'll try to help too
It is uncomfortable. I am on my knees and there is this big thing that I lay my arms over that has 2 holes that my boobies go in, so, your top half is higher than your bottom half. My arms are just laying out there in space in front of my head, kind of like you are swimming, and, that is uncomfortable as I always pray I don't get an arm cramp. The tech's put on any kind of music I want in the headphones, and, they keep talking to me. They ask if I'm ok, if the music is ok, tell me I am doing a great job and how much longer I have to be in the MRI. It does help. And, they have some funny stuff characters at the end of the MRI that I can look at too, which are funny and cute. They change what's at the end, it seems, from year to year as to what they put out there and I have a MRI yearly. It's noisy in the MRI tube. It sounds like the 7 seven dwarfs are out there pounding their little hammers on it, but, it is tolerable, and, it isn't constant. Mine usually take from 45 minutes to an hour. And, I always get a CD copy of it for my records, so, I would advise the same of you. It is free.

I take a nerve pill before I go, which does help. And, my sweet hubby sits in the room with me. Occasionally, he will rub my feet, or, just tell me that he loves me or say something funny. It's hard to hear him if the machine is making that noise, but, I do sometimes. It helps to have him with me in the room. Many don't know that anyone can be in the room with you, but, it is fine. They just can't have metal on them, like glasses, coins in their pockets, a belt etc.

I hope this helps and good luck. Let us know how it goes with you!

Sue

abrub

I updated
Had the MRI and updated in my original post. Now awaiting results....

survivorbc09

abrub said:

I updated
Had the MRI and updated in my original post. Now awaiting results....

Wishing you good
Wishing you good results!


Hugs, Jan

VickiSam

survivorbc09 said:

Wishing you good
Wishing you good results!


Hugs, Jan

keeping my fingers, and toes crossed for you!
...


Vicki Sam

relaxoutdoors08

abrub said:

Thank you. Glad to be back
Thank you. Glad to be back in contact!

Thanks for the Update
Thank you for taking the lead. You know you have my prayers for good results. My tests are this Thursday so I will know something after the indepth magnaficaiton mammogram and ultrasound.
N Ann

abrub

relaxoutdoors08 said:

Thanks for the Update
Thank you for taking the lead. You know you have my prayers for good results. My tests are this Thursday so I will know something after the indepth magnaficaiton mammogram and ultrasound.
N Ann

Hopefully, you'll be done with this
once you have the next level mammo and ultrasound. I'm up several levels from there.

Thursday is a big day for both of us. I meet with the surgeon, and get the results of my MRI, and you get your next level of tests.

Aiming for a relaxed, relieved night out on Thursday night for both of us...

Alice

relaxoutdoors08

abrub said:

Hopefully, you'll be done with this
once you have the next level mammo and ultrasound. I'm up several levels from there.

Thursday is a big day for both of us. I meet with the surgeon, and get the results of my MRI, and you get your next level of tests.

Aiming for a relaxed, relieved night out on Thursday night for both of us...

Alice

Thanks Alice
Alice,
Thank you for all your support. I will let you know the results. You know you have my support and thank you for leading the way. Having a few sleepless nights but knowing the new levels of testing and what to expect really helps.
N. Ann

Alexis F

VickiSam said:

keeping my fingers, and toes crossed for you!
...


Vicki Sam

Toes and fingers crossed too
Toes and fingers crossed too and praying!


Lex