Mammogram Results-I'm losing it at work, please help me.(Update!!, Pg.6, #83)

[wvjules]

Why are you ignoring all of the positive posts or the posts that say the letter mailing is a good thing or that a lot of people get call backs? Stop focusing on the negatives.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Thank you so much, I need to hear this. I have a little back pain and am now thinking it's cancer.

I'm a zero to 60 mph kind of girl. I was thinking I'd have to cancel my WDW trip in April, contacted my HR Department to find out what my medical would cover... and then I googled. Please do as a I say, and not as I do. You'll be much happier.

As someone else mentioned, this was my first digital mammo and I think that made a huge difference. When they re-did the test, they also said breast tissue has a tendancy to fold over on itself, and that's what was making them question what they saw. Once they did the spot mammo, it was clear there was nothing there.

 

[CathrynRose]

My mother died of breast cancer 2 years ago so now it looks like it has happened to me.

My questions are, if I am in Stage 1, how long do I have to live?

How long do I have to live?

Please help!!

Heeeeey now!! How long do you have to live?!?! A LIFETIME! Nodules, and bumps and all those things they double check, many times are just that..... double checks!

You're talking to the biggest hypochondriac on the planet! But you're getting waaaaaay ahead of yourself. Deep breaths, chiquita!!

Whoa!!! Hold on now, you are getting ahead of yourself.

.

See?? Way ahead of yourself!!!

And the best advice I received -- DON'T GOOGLE ANYTHING. DON'T SEARCH THE INTERNET. You'll drive yourself crazy with worry.

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Easy to say, harder to do - but the best advice, always!

And when we say don't Google, that means no Yahoo searches, either.

Don't start thinking like this.

 

[Christine]

Thank you so much, I need to hear this. I have a little back pain and am now thinking it's cancer.

Most people, even in later stages of breast cancer, don't have symptoms of metastisized cancer. I've known several people with Stage 3 and they didn't even have one symptom, nor could they really feel their lump.

I won't even tell you not to worry. Worry--that's normal. Just don't go too far with it.

 

[FergieTCat]

I just went through the same thing and my sister had breast cancer, so the odds weren't in my favor either.

I had an mammogram, and then a sonogram which came back "suspicious". I had a biopsy and fortunately the nodule is benign. They did put a marker in my breast and I have to go back in 6 months to have to checked again.

The biopsy was more "comfortable" than dental work and I never felt the marker. I was surprised at how little pain there was.

The whole thing from mammogram to results took 6 weeks, and my nerves were shot by the end.

So I know how you feel. I'll give you the advice my doctor gave me -- don't panic, it won't help!! And also, DO NOT GOOGLE (truly, she said that.)

Good luck. PM me if you want to panic to someone.

 

[SDFgirl]

Oh my goodness, what were her symptoms?

I'm not sure what her symptoms were...I just know that she is now cancer-free, vibrant, happy, and loving life. I guess I just brought her up to reassure you that even IF you get disturbing news (which I definitely DON'T think you should jump to conclusions), it's certainly treatable.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

Getting a call-back for another mammogram and ultrasound is very, very common.

I had my first mammo this year. After the first films were taken, I started getting dressed; however, the technician knocked on the door and asked me to come back. She then took six more shots of my left breast, and followed up with an ultrasound. In my case, it was because they saw a focal density (region of dense tissue) in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast. The final report states that they suspect that it is benign, but that I'm to be monitored with a follow-up mammogram in six months.

It is MUCH, MUCH more likely that your callback is because of something benign rather than cancer. I agree with the PPs that if there was truly something really suspicious, they would have called you back almost immediately (or, like in my case, before you'd even left the hospital).

I know it's hard, but you need to calm down and try not to worry. If you can find out your "BI-RADS" classification, that might give you some peace of mind - unless your mammogram is rated BI-RADS 4 or higher, your odds of having cancer are very, very small (even mine, at BI-RADS 3, only puts me at a 3% risk).

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Lots of hugs to you. I know there are quite a few survivors on this board, I know you're going to get a lot more good advice. You're in my thoughts.

 

[KimR]

I have to go back for additional views every single time. And yes, every single time I was a nervous wreck and every single time nothing was ever found. Like a PP mentioned, I think my breast tissue has a tendency to fold over on itself because in all the times I've been back, they've never been able to find anything.

I'm surprised everyone is recommending not to google though. Whenever I found myself freaking out about it, I'd go on the internet and it would calm me down, just because the statistics were so reassurring. For example, for every 100 callbacks, only a small percentage of those find anything that requires a biopsy. Of those that do get a biopsy, only 20% are actually cancer, many of which are in the early stages and highly curable. So the chances of actually having a malignant lump in the first place are very small. And then even if it is, the chances of it being curable are very good.

 

[BabyTigger99]

I had my first mammogram at 28, and have had them every six months since then (I am almost 34 now). After my 3rd mammogram, they had me come in for an ultrasound. I will admit that I lost it at that point, because the same day they called me, I was told by my oncologist that I needed my adenoids removed because they looked suspicious on a PET scan (I was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2003, cancer-free since 2005!). In 2007 I had my mammogram, had to go in for an ultrasound, had to go in for a biospy in the doctor's office, AND had to go into the hospital for an outpatient biospy. Everything was just fine! Many times doctor's offices are overly cautious just to make sure. Take some deep breaths, calm down, and relax.

 

[mhsjax]

As others have said, calls backs are very common. However, I do know how you feel. I found a lump 7 years ago, my youngest was only 11 months. It was right before Christmas, like you I all of the sudden developed back pain. I had been a smoker and I thought this is it, I have breast cancer, it has spread and now I have lung cancer. Hubby worked holidays and nights, I cried thinking oh no, my kids, what will they do at Christmas after I am gone, who is going to raise them. They are so young, they won't remember me. I am telling you all of this, not to give you more to worry about but to let you know that I do know what you are feeling. I also want to tell you that they found nothing but fibrocystic breast disease.

So many people find lumps and so many of them aren't cancerous. Please try not to worry. And I bet you back is due to a pulled muscle, just like mine was. Sending prayers and good thoughts your way.

 

[crashbb]

I'm surprised everyone is recommending not to google though. Whenever I found myself freaking out about it, I'd go on the internet and it would calm me down, just because there statistics were so reassurring. For example, for every 100 callbacks, only a small percentage of those find anything that requires a biopsy. Of those that do get a biopsy, only 20% are actually cancer, many of which are in the early stages and highly curable. So the chances of actually having a malignant lump in the first place are very small. And then even if it is, the chances of it being curable are very good.

While I agree that information can be powerful, given that the OP went from a call back about a nodule to "how long do I have to live" and back pain being metastatic cancer, Google is not her friend. Her brain focuses on all the negatives (she had a long thread a couple weeks about being consumed with fear about breast cancer - statistics were raised there as well).

This is not in criticism of the OP - I am not at all suggesting that she does this on purpose. I am suggesting, that, for her, Google is a bad idea.

 

[disney1990]

I am another person that has had a breast nodule. I know you are scared and want to know right now what is going on. Please remember that most "scares" turn out to NOT be breast cancer. Take it a deep breathe and take it one step at a time. You will get through this.

 

[Mermaid02]

Take a deep breath and calm down- didn't you just post not too long ago about being terrified of breast cancer? I think several folks suggested you talk to a counselor about your fears. You have gotten some really good advice here- please take it.

 

[devotedchristian]

I want to thank everyone of you who responsd to me. I'm not ignoring the positives, I promise, but coupled with having GAD and watch cancer literally kill my mother, I thought the best way to deal with this is worst case scenario.

I just have to let the positive posts sink in because the images of mom at the hospital is still very fresh in my mind.

I will keep reading the posts, I promise. I called back and talk to someone live at the Breast Scheduling Team. I talked to someone different.

She said what you guys said, the radiologists can quickly pick up cancer she said he's not saying you have cancer, they just want to further evaluate my right breast. She told me to calm down.

I can't remember the rest but I did feel better (she did mention distorted images) she said they would have called me in and referred me to a Breast Specialist if he saw something serious.

But here that was not the case. She said my primary care doctor has to sign off on the orders and they cannot schedule me in until she signs off on it and as soon as she does, she will call me back and get me scheduled.

She also said the radiologist will read it the same day and let me know the results that day.

All I wanted was papers saying "your mammgram results are normal". But I feel like I am going through something.

I worried before the exam all the way up til today. I have not eaten or really slept since about 2 weeks prior to my mammogram. Every morning, I've been waking up feeling nauseous and having DH check the mailbox for the results.

I did a search on mammograms today and worked myself up into such a frenzy I called the Kaiser Radiology and here I am.

Okay, Kaiser just called and she said I could come in Thursday at 9:00am but she is going to find something for me tomorrow.

I can't stop worry though , I will keep reading you guys posts to me to calm me down when I feel the panic attack.

 

[happygirl]

I want to thank everyone of you who responsd to me. I'm not ignoring the positives, I promise, but coupled with having GAD and watch cancer literally kill my mother, I thought the best way to deal with this is worst case scenario.

I just have to let the positive posts sink in because the images of mom at the hospital is still very fresh in my mind.

I will keep reading the posts, I promise. I called back and talk to someone live at the Breast Scheduling Team. I talked to someone different.

She said what you guys said, the radiologists can quickly pick up cancer she said he's not saying you have cancer, they just want to further evaluate my right breast. She told me to calm down.

I can't remember the rest but I did feel better (she did mention distorted images) she said they would have called me in and referred me to a Breast Specialist if he saw something serious.

But here that was not the case. She said my primary care doctor has to sign off on the orders and they cannot schedule me in until she signs off on it and as soon as she does, she will call me back and get me scheduled.

She also said the radiologist will read it the same day and let me know the results that day.

All I wanted was papers saying "your mammgram results are normal". But I feel like I am going through something.

I worried before the exam all the way up til today. I have not eaten or really slept since about 2 weeks prior to my mammogram. Every morning, I've been waking up feeling nauseous and having DH check the mailbox for the rhingsesults.

I did a search on mammograms today and worked myself up into such a frenzy I called the Kaiser Radiology and here I am.

Okay, Kaiser just called and she said I could come in Thursday at 9:00am but she is going to find something for me tomorrow.

I can't stop worry though , I will keep reading you guys posts to me to calm me down when I feel the panic attack.

As your name implies, put your faith in God, I know that is hard to do when things like this arise.

 

[cm8]

As your name implies, put your faith in God, I know that is hard to do when things like this arise.

 

[X and G's mom]

Back in 2000 I had a breast reduction. A few months later I discovered a lump on my scar. I FREAKED out! I called immediately to my plastic surgeon and they had me come in right away. The Dr. felt the lump and said it was scar tissue from the reduction. I had it removed and tested about a month later. At the follow-up I asked why it took so much time and what if it had been cancer. The Dr. and nurse both said that if they thought it was cancer there was no way I was walking out of there without having tests from the time I found the lump-about 6 weeks earlier.
So, the fact that a letter was sent, don't worry. If they thought it's cancer, they would have had you in there the same day or the very next day after your mammogram!

 

[binny]

Deep breaths, ok?

My dear daddy was a very wise man and preacher. When he passed away I received his last Bible and in it were notes for sermons, one quote he had written down was
"Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it gets you nowhere"

I keep that close to my heart because I tend to be a worrier too. The truth is though that God holds us through all of this worlds worry and if you believe in Him you have to trust that He knows what he is doing



I will be praying for you.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

You probably couldn't tell by my earlier post about colon cancer, but I used to be a terrible hypochondriac, and my health anxieties always got the best of me.

I was a webmd.com / google addict and it just fed my fears further. If you really find yourself starting to lose control about anxieties, may I recommend the following book. It helped me immensely, and, I'm now pretty much cured of my anxieties.

Stop Worrying About Your Health! How to Quit Obsessing About Symptoms and Feel Better Now by: George Zgourides