how does digital mammgrm work with only 1 breast?

chemo072

how does digital mammgrm work with only 1 breast?

chemo072

Hi - So I'm scheduled for a digital mammogram, and since I only have 1 breast, I know how they'll screen that breast, but how will they screen the chest wall where my other breast used to be?  They can't compress that area...yet I want to make sure it's imaged.  Sorry if it's a naive question, still trying to wrap my head around how this will actually work.  This will be my first mammogram post-chemo, post-rads.

Member_of_the_Club

My understanding is that they cannot screen the chest wall through a mammogram.  Women who have had bilaterals no longer have mammograms.  Do you still see your surgeon?  He or she should be performing manual exams, which is at least something (and at the hands of an experienced breast surgeon much more than something.)

Jenniferz

Member is right---if there's nothing there, it can't be compressed.  I have had a unilateral mastectomy, and am thinking of having an ultra-sound next time I go for a mammo.  Right now, I am doing my own se's, and check in with my surgeon so he can do his on a regular basis.  It's when I get dismissed from him that I will REALLY consider an ultrasound. 

Make sense?

Jennifer

Jenniferz

Member is right---if there's nothing there, it can't be compressed.  I have had a unilateral mastectomy, and am thinking of having an ultra-sound next time I go for a mammo.  Right now, I am doing my own se's, and check in with my surgeon so he can do his on a regular basis.  It's when I get dismissed from him that I will REALLY consider an ultrasound. 

Make sense?

Jennifer

Jenniferz

Member is right---if there's nothing there, it can't be compressed.  I have had a unilateral mastectomy, and am thinking of having an ultra-sound next time I go for a mammo.  Right now, I am doing my own se's, and check in with my surgeon so he can do his on a regular basis.  It's when I get dismissed from him that I will REALLY consider an ultrasound. 

Make sense?

Jennifer

geebung

I had my first post dx mammo (digital) about 3 weeks ago (I had a unilateral mastectomy & snb for DCIS in April). The technician told me that the latest policy is to do a mammo of the axilla on the side of the mastectomy as well as the remaining breast. I thought it would hurt but the technician was very careful and gentle and it was the first mammogram that didn't hurt me. It was a bit uncomfortable trying to stretch into a position where a little bit of tissue from my armpit could be compressed but somehow we managed it. About 20 minutes later she came into the waiting room and told me all was clear and I went home feeling grateful and happy. I will be having a u/s in January so I expect they will do both axilla and my scar as well.

gb 

Member_of_the_Club

Jennifer, why would you be dismissed by your surgeon? My understanding is that we have a lifelong risk of a new cancer and I plan on seeing mine every six months till he retires for a manual exam. Am I wrong about this?

Jenniferz

Oops, Member!!  You couldn't read my mind???  Oh well, you have to have a mind before it can be read!   And, I was at work and in a hurry and didn't make myself clear.

In June, it will be my second year of survivorship, and my surgeon made mention that if I keep going the way I am, then it would go from 6 months to just yearly visits. When THAT happens is when I will ask for ultra-sounds.

Sorry about the confusion. 

Jennifer

Member_of_the_Club

Good idea. I am past two years and still go for 6 months and hope to continue on that schedule for the duration. I have a terrible time with self-exams. I don't know what is scar tissue and what isn't in my affected breast and I find what I think are lumps and go into a panic over nothing in my other breast. This last time they biopsied my "lump" even though nobody thought it was anything sinply because I raised the issue. I just feel better knowing that an expert is feeling me up.

caaclark

I wonder if it depends on your doctor?  I had a mast (one side only), chemo, rads.  I no longer see my surgeon but I still see my med. onc. every 3 months, soon to be very 4 months when I hit 2 years in Jan.  I also see my rad onc. every 3 to 4 months.

An aside-I know my surgeon would see me if I asked but I just did not feel the need to see her.  And...she has a horrible bedside manner-which is why I don't see her anymore.  Should I be seeing a surgeon on a reg. basis??

Member_of_the_Club

Interesting, I no longer see my radiation onc but do see my surgeon. I think seeing a surgeon is very helpful, I just couldn't do self-exams the way he does exams. But you have to trust your doctor. Have you thought of finding another surgeon? I have a friend who has never had bc but is at high risk because of her family history and she sees a surgeon every six months.

chemo072

Interesting how things vary a bit.  I see my med. onc. every 3 months post chemo (so twice post chemo) until I hit a year post dx (in March), and then every 4 months for the year after that (so 3 times), and then every 6 months for year 3 (twice). I called my breast surgeon's office and asked if I should see her and when, and she said yes, and we set up an appt for Feb or maybe it was March.  But she wants to be cc:ed on mammogram, MRI results etc.

It seems to me like my med. onc. and rad. onc. both did breast exams, as does my gyn. onc.  So I feel like there are lots of eyes and hands on me, but you all have a great point about having a surgeon feel you up . 

Member_of_the_Club

Surgeons do the best manual exams because they know what the tumor feels like when it comes out. My surgeon oversees all my mammograms and MRIs as well and when i had to have some biopsies I was in close touch with him even though the radiologist did the biopsies (they were guided by the mammogram and MRI).



Maybe I just like him a lot. Of all my cancer docs I made the best connection with him.

Jenniferz

My surgeon does a remarkable exam!!  I'd bet dollars to donuts he'd give a bang up massage.   My best connection is with my surgeon also.  I feel he is the one who saved my life---not the onc.

Jennifer

sherry2007

Thanks ladies! I was coming here to ask the same question.

I decided yesterday not to have reconstruction surgery and I was trying to figure out how do they examine the breast that is no longer there.

I'm 2 weeks past having a lumpectomy and sintinel lymph nodes biospy.

I have more cancer than they first thought but no cancer in the nodes.

He suggested another lumpectomy but since I have small breasts I choose to go for the mastectomy but I don't have a date yet. I'm hoping it will be just after Christmas. 

RJ62

Now I am worried. I had a left mast done in 2000 and have not had any other exams on that side since my treatments were over. It never occured to me nor was I informed by my docs to have the chest wall checked. I now have bc in my other breast (right). So as I write I am now worried that I could also have bc on my left side and not know it. I see my surgeon in a week and a half for a consultation. I am opting for a mast on the right side.