How long after treatment was your 1st mammogram?

ladyg
ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I finished my rads at the beginning of July. The only treatment I am doing now is the 5 years of Femara. So I was wondering how long after treatment you waited for a mammogram. My rad onc has set up an appointment for me to have one on Jan. 10. That would be fine but my surgeon said I did not need to have one until March since that is the month of my dx. I am anxious to have one but not if it is too soon. What do you all think?

Hugs,
Georgia

Comments

  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #2
    Every patient and Dr is
    Every patient and Dr is different I had my last chemo on Oct 12 in rads now and they will be done first or second week in Feb. My first Mammo is scheduled for April. My surgery was Nov 1. But your situation is different then mine. I wouldn't worry as long as they have you scheduled. Did you have surgery at all or just rads? best of luck Kay
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #3
    smalldoggroomer said:

    Every patient and Dr is
    Every patient and Dr is different I had my last chemo on Oct 12 in rads now and they will be done first or second week in Feb. My first Mammo is scheduled for April. My surgery was Nov 1. But your situation is different then mine. I wouldn't worry as long as they have you scheduled. Did you have surgery at all or just rads? best of luck Kay

    Mine was 6 months after my rads.
    Because the breast is so tender after rads, it went out 6 months so I could heal. If you ask ahead, you may be able to find out the results while you wait. I asked if the radiologist would be there at the time of my appt. and if it could be read while I waited. He was and I did find out before I left that it was "all clear". What a relief.

    It will be 2 years in Feb. since my diagnosis so now I only have an annual mammo. Yea!

    Roseann
  • pattimc
    pattimc Member Posts: 431
    #4
    roseann4 said:

    Mine was 6 months after my rads.
    Because the breast is so tender after rads, it went out 6 months so I could heal. If you ask ahead, you may be able to find out the results while you wait. I asked if the radiologist would be there at the time of my appt. and if it could be read while I waited. He was and I did find out before I left that it was "all clear". What a relief.

    It will be 2 years in Feb. since my diagnosis so now I only have an annual mammo. Yea!

    Roseann

    6 months
    My last rad was 12/23/09 and my mammo (both boobs) was June 4th. Our hospital always had a radiologist read it before you leave. I was all clear! Then on December 9th I had a mammo on my bad boob only to set the new baseline. That was clear too! I go in June 2001 for both boobs again and if still all clear, will then begin my annual mammos.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #5
    I think mine about 6mths
    I don't remember exactly but I go about every 6 mths...everyother time both breasts and just the one with cancer..(alternate)
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #6
    roseann4 said:

    Mine was 6 months after my rads.
    Because the breast is so tender after rads, it went out 6 months so I could heal. If you ask ahead, you may be able to find out the results while you wait. I asked if the radiologist would be there at the time of my appt. and if it could be read while I waited. He was and I did find out before I left that it was "all clear". What a relief.

    It will be 2 years in Feb. since my diagnosis so now I only have an annual mammo. Yea!

    Roseann

    My first mammo was 6 months
    My first mammo was 6 months after I finished rads. I also had an ultrasound. I will have both now every 6 months. The good thing at my cancer center, they tell you immediately your results.


    Leeza
  • Curlz
    Curlz Member Posts: 42
    #7
    Mine will be at the six-month mark, but annually
    My radiation onc explained that following treatment, the tissue is so inflamed that a mammo is essentially pointless because all they would get is inflammation. Makes sense to me...

    I was surprised that they're putting me right back on an annual schedule, though--but my surgeon pointed out that I've always been diligent, which is how/why this was found so early. I trusted them for my surgery and treatment, so I'm going to continue to do so.
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #8
    Curlz said:

    Mine will be at the six-month mark, but annually
    My radiation onc explained that following treatment, the tissue is so inflamed that a mammo is essentially pointless because all they would get is inflammation. Makes sense to me...

    I was surprised that they're putting me right back on an annual schedule, though--but my surgeon pointed out that I've always been diligent, which is how/why this was found so early. I trusted them for my surgery and treatment, so I'm going to continue to do so.

    6 months for me too
    I will go in March which will be 6 months after I finished rads. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #9
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    6 months for me too
    I will go in March which will be 6 months after I finished rads. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    I was diagnosed in Nov. '09
    Had lumpectomy/axillary node dissection and then a revision for clear margins in Dec. '09, finished 6 rounds of chemo in May and 33 rads in July. I just had my mammo, ultrasound and MRI in early Dec. I pushed for the MRI (surgeon did not think it necessary) because I have a seroma in the affected breast and knew the mammo would be sub-optimal. Also, mammo did not diagnose me in the first place--calcifications were so close to the chest wall that they did not show on the first mammo.

    Because of my personal experience, I feel I can never trust just a mammo again. By the way, my studies this Dec. were all negative, but because of the seroma and post-op changes, all will be repeated in 6 months to make sure this is my new "normal." I'm totally okay with that.

    Good luck to you in your journey.

    Hugs, Renee
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #10
    We're all different!
    I think that a lot has to do with the type of cancer and the type/extent of surgery. In addition to your Drs.

    For me - my first mammogram post DX was approx 5 months after last rad. It was also a year after DX. Will continue to have yearly unless there is a reason to do otherwise.

    Susan
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
    #11
    Thank You
    all for your answers. It seems that 6 months is the norm so I will not worry. And yes Kay I did have a lumpectomey before the rads. I just did not have chemo.

    Hugs,
    Georgia
  • Betsy13
    Betsy13 Member Posts: 185
    #12
    Hi Georgia ~
    I had both a MRI and mammogram 4 months after my final radiation treatment. I saw my rad. onc. and everything was good! Now I see my rad. onc. every 3 months for the first year, then every 6 months for the next 4 years. I will alternate between a MRI and mammogram every 6 months for the next 5 years. After speaking with my onc. and having a second opinion with another onc., I chose not to go on Tamoxifen. With as close as they are watching me, they would find anything before it becomes invasive (I pray!)

    Hope this helps!
    Betsy
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #13
    Lumpectomy was 12/7/09
    Did 33 rads, finishing 3/5/10 and had my first mammo 4/29 which was 6 months after 'the bad one'.

    Sue

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