Six month follow up

amybeth4
amybeth4 Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Well, I go to have my 6 month follow up mammo for microcalcs they couldn;t biopsy. They decided I would just come back in 6 to see "if there are any changes." Yet again, a different radiologist reading the mammo's today. (This is the 3rd.) After doing diganostic views, then the spot mags, and waiting for the radiologist to read them...all-in-all I am at the hospital almost two hours. The tech comes in and says "Ok, he says you can get dressed and go, we'll send you a letter." I was furious, to say the least. I told the tech that I have been waiting 6 months for this because they couldn;t do the biopsy and that I wasn;t going to settle for just a letter. I wanted to know something. Simple request, if you ask me... "Yes, there are changes" or "No, they are the same, come back in 6". She went and talked to him and then came back in and tells me that the radiologist told her that "he wasn;t sure if he saw any changes or not, I could get them biopsied if I chose to and that he wouldn;t worry too much about them." Before all of this I heard him call in to the tech room and, from what I heard on their end, he couldn;t even find the microcalcs because of how deep they are. Needless to say, I am not a happy woman. I know that nobody is perfect, but to me potential breast cancer is not something he should be so passive about. I know I'm not!

Comments

  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #2
    I sure don't blame you for being concerned, Amy.
    They are being way too flippant with you. I don't want to scare you or for you to think this will happen to you, but my mammo done in June of '09 was read as "normal". Then, in October '09, I got a funny feeling that something was wrong in my left breast. I demanded another more in-depth mammo and ultrasound and MRI. Low and behold--microcalcifications at 5 o'clock right up against the chest wall--biopsy, 2 surgeries--Stage 3 IDC with 10 positive lymph nodes. And this was just 4 months later. I am quite certain the mammo done in June was not "normal"!

    All I'm saying to you is that you are right to be cautious and concerned. Don't let this drop--demand further testing. It's your life--not theirs. From now on, I totally listen to my instincts and I am the squeaky wheel.

    Good luck
    Hugs, Renee
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #3
    I sure don't blame you for being concerned, Amy.
    They are being way too flippant with you. I don't want to scare you or for you to think this will happen to you, but my mammo done in June of '09 was read as "normal". Then, in October '09, I got a funny feeling that something was wrong in my left breast. I demanded another more in-depth mammo and ultrasound and MRI. Low and behold--microcalcifications at 5 o'clock right up against the chest wall--biopsy, 2 surgeries--Stage 3 IDC with 10 positive lymph nodes. And this was just 4 months later. I am quite certain the mammo done in June was not "normal"!

    All I'm saying to you is that you are right to be cautious and concerned. Don't let this drop--demand further testing. It's your life--not theirs. From now on, I totally listen to my instincts and I am the squeaky wheel.

    Good luck
    Hugs, Renee
  • amybeth4
    amybeth4 Member Posts: 14
    #4
    missrenee said:

    I sure don't blame you for being concerned, Amy.
    They are being way too flippant with you. I don't want to scare you or for you to think this will happen to you, but my mammo done in June of '09 was read as "normal". Then, in October '09, I got a funny feeling that something was wrong in my left breast. I demanded another more in-depth mammo and ultrasound and MRI. Low and behold--microcalcifications at 5 o'clock right up against the chest wall--biopsy, 2 surgeries--Stage 3 IDC with 10 positive lymph nodes. And this was just 4 months later. I am quite certain the mammo done in June was not "normal"!

    All I'm saying to you is that you are right to be cautious and concerned. Don't let this drop--demand further testing. It's your life--not theirs. From now on, I totally listen to my instincts and I am the squeaky wheel.

    Good luck
    Hugs, Renee

    Thanks
    Thanks Renee. I thought when I got direct enough to tell them that I was not settling for that answer, I was squeaking, but he still sent me on my way not really knowing anything more than I have for the last 6 months. It is soooo frustrating! It just seems too casual when it should be cut and dry... changes or not. Instead it's more like he's not sure so we'll just pass it off. Six months ago the initial thing was such a rush to "get those things out of there" until they couldn;t get to them with core biopsy NOR wire guided. Mine are also next to the chest wall, midline to the nipple. I am just so frustrated. I am worried about going to another place and having more tests done because I don;t know how much more of this my insurance will pay for. They have already paid so much with nothing resulting from it. I just don;t know...
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #5
    amybeth4 said:

    Thanks
    Thanks Renee. I thought when I got direct enough to tell them that I was not settling for that answer, I was squeaking, but he still sent me on my way not really knowing anything more than I have for the last 6 months. It is soooo frustrating! It just seems too casual when it should be cut and dry... changes or not. Instead it's more like he's not sure so we'll just pass it off. Six months ago the initial thing was such a rush to "get those things out of there" until they couldn;t get to them with core biopsy NOR wire guided. Mine are also next to the chest wall, midline to the nipple. I am just so frustrated. I am worried about going to another place and having more tests done because I don;t know how much more of this my insurance will pay for. They have already paid so much with nothing resulting from it. I just don;t know...

    I thought they always told
    I thought they always told bc survivors the results right after their mammo. My cancer center does. And, I would be upset like you also.

    Can you get a MRI, a PET scan, or, even an ultrasound? Wouldn't they help more?

    I would pursue further testing. Good luck and please keep us updated.

    Hugs, Diane
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #6
    DianeBC said:

    I thought they always told
    I thought they always told bc survivors the results right after their mammo. My cancer center does. And, I would be upset like you also.

    Can you get a MRI, a PET scan, or, even an ultrasound? Wouldn't they help more?

    I would pursue further testing. Good luck and please keep us updated.

    Hugs, Diane

    Sorry to chime in here .. But, I'm with the girls ..
    fellow .. WARRIORS - Sisters in PINK .. You may need to get a bit pushy, and request MRI, PET as suggested by DianeBC .. things don't sound right. Or maybe I am missing an important piece of this puzzle. You deserve to know the truth!

    Please let us know ..

    Strength and Courage


    •☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Vicki Sam ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #7
    VickiSam said:

    Sorry to chime in here .. But, I'm with the girls ..
    fellow .. WARRIORS - Sisters in PINK .. You may need to get a bit pushy, and request MRI, PET as suggested by DianeBC .. things don't sound right. Or maybe I am missing an important piece of this puzzle. You deserve to know the truth!

    Please let us know ..

    Strength and Courage


    •☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Vicki Sam ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

    I agree too, you need to get
    I agree too, you need to get further testing. You need answers. Good luck!

    Hugs, Angie
  • amybeth4
    amybeth4 Member Posts: 14
    #8
    Angie2U said:

    I agree too, you need to get
    I agree too, you need to get further testing. You need answers. Good luck!

    Hugs, Angie

    I called...
    I called my primary doctor today and "tattled" on them (the radiologist and surgeon). I explained the whole series of events, and he stated that he thought it was time for me to go somewhere else. He is sending me to a Breast Center, probably in Atlanta. I am SOOOO thankful for that. I know that I could have gone on my own before but I really trust my primary and I guess I just needed to hear from him that their answers weren;t acceptable to him, either... and then add that to the advice that I have gotten here, from the REAL experts, it just all adds up. 2+2 really does = 4 :o)I normally am a fairly assertive person, especially when it comes to medicine. I am an EMT for heaven's sake. I HAVE to be assertive. But I think my problem here is that I am afraid of "crying wolf" maybe??? I have heard so many times that these things are "probably benign" and "probably nothing", that maybe they will have the "I told you so" attitude if they turn out to be benign. I am scared though. Maybe it is just in my head, but the breast that has the microcalcs in it just feels "heavy". Does that make ANY sense? It is probably just feeling that way because I know they are in there and I want them out. Again, thank all of you who have responded to my discussion. I do appreciate all of your comments. It is helpful when you know you have sister's in pink along for the ride!
  • amybeth4
    amybeth4 Member Posts: 14
    #9
    VickiSam said:

    Sorry to chime in here .. But, I'm with the girls ..
    fellow .. WARRIORS - Sisters in PINK .. You may need to get a bit pushy, and request MRI, PET as suggested by DianeBC .. things don't sound right. Or maybe I am missing an important piece of this puzzle. You deserve to know the truth!

    Please let us know ..

    Strength and Courage


    •☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Vicki Sam ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

    Ring-a-ling-ling...
    Don;t be sorry for chiming in... I am glad you did!!! And no puzzle pieces missing.
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #10
    amybeth4 said:

    I called...
    I called my primary doctor today and "tattled" on them (the radiologist and surgeon). I explained the whole series of events, and he stated that he thought it was time for me to go somewhere else. He is sending me to a Breast Center, probably in Atlanta. I am SOOOO thankful for that. I know that I could have gone on my own before but I really trust my primary and I guess I just needed to hear from him that their answers weren;t acceptable to him, either... and then add that to the advice that I have gotten here, from the REAL experts, it just all adds up. 2+2 really does = 4 :o)I normally am a fairly assertive person, especially when it comes to medicine. I am an EMT for heaven's sake. I HAVE to be assertive. But I think my problem here is that I am afraid of "crying wolf" maybe??? I have heard so many times that these things are "probably benign" and "probably nothing", that maybe they will have the "I told you so" attitude if they turn out to be benign. I am scared though. Maybe it is just in my head, but the breast that has the microcalcs in it just feels "heavy". Does that make ANY sense? It is probably just feeling that way because I know they are in there and I want them out. Again, thank all of you who have responded to my discussion. I do appreciate all of your comments. It is helpful when you know you have sister's in pink along for the ride!

    amybeth
    I think you did the right thing. Hoping your next meeting with other dr goes well. Being proactive in our health care is a good and necessary thing. You need piece of mind no matter what films show. Wishing you the best.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #11
    amybeth4 said:

    I called...
    I called my primary doctor today and "tattled" on them (the radiologist and surgeon). I explained the whole series of events, and he stated that he thought it was time for me to go somewhere else. He is sending me to a Breast Center, probably in Atlanta. I am SOOOO thankful for that. I know that I could have gone on my own before but I really trust my primary and I guess I just needed to hear from him that their answers weren;t acceptable to him, either... and then add that to the advice that I have gotten here, from the REAL experts, it just all adds up. 2+2 really does = 4 :o)I normally am a fairly assertive person, especially when it comes to medicine. I am an EMT for heaven's sake. I HAVE to be assertive. But I think my problem here is that I am afraid of "crying wolf" maybe??? I have heard so many times that these things are "probably benign" and "probably nothing", that maybe they will have the "I told you so" attitude if they turn out to be benign. I am scared though. Maybe it is just in my head, but the breast that has the microcalcs in it just feels "heavy". Does that make ANY sense? It is probably just feeling that way because I know they are in there and I want them out. Again, thank all of you who have responded to my discussion. I do appreciate all of your comments. It is helpful when you know you have sister's in pink along for the ride!

    Ofcourse we are along for
    Ofcourse we are along for the ride. Very happy to read that you are going to the breast center in Atlanta. Sending prayers and good luck to you. Keep us updated.

    Hugs, Leeza

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