Obsessing (again!)

momoschki

Had to see a new gyno today about some bleeding/menopausal issues that needed investigation... no period for 8 months and then-- wham-- 2 in a row.  I am 55, so I'm really feeling too old for all of this crap.

But anyway, new gyno was doing breast exam, and when she starts on the left side, comments that she feels something.  When I point out that the spot she is on is the exact spot where tissue was removed by my lumpectomy a year and a half ago, she concludes, "oh, yes, must be scar tissue", but now, of course, I am wondering...  is it?  Had a normal ultrasound in May and a normal mammogram the preceding November.  Oddly enough, I cannot feel anything different about the spot that she pinpointed.  Anyone else ever had this happen during a breast exam after a Lx?  No radiation, btw. 

camillegal

I'm sorry u'r going thru this, and I'm sorry I can't really help except to say scar tissue is unbelievable lumpy and anytime we get any intrusive surgery we usually have it left behind. and I know--I have no bobbs) but I feel scar tissure as some lumps so that's all I know. I hope u get this all straighten out. and now periods? OH

BLinthedesert

Did you have cancer or was this an excisional biopsy site?  After my 2 ultrasound guided biopsies I had a lot of scar tissue (they had to wait 2 months in between them), it is even larger, and harder, after lumpectomy.   It would be unlikely that a recurrence would show up as a mass this soon (if it were DCIS - fast growing IDC, maybe, but even that would be rare since I would assume if you had grade 3 IDC you would have had more treatment than a lumpectomy) - and it would really really rare to be able to be able to detect it on palpation (if it were 8 months since treatment).  If you had DCIS/IDC and it was a recurrence, they would likely depend on mammogram/ultrasound to detect it, and even then the scar tissue is so dense that it is tricky the first year out ... my BS is relying primarily on mammogram and ultrasound to find any recurrence.  He spends more time looking for new cancers than looking around the old site ;-).

I have a lot of scar tissue around my lumpectomy scar (~2.5 inches long) - big bumps and little bumps ;-). 

RobinJoy

mommoschki, I'm 55 too and yet to hit full menopause. My Bs says they will probably induce it for me because they don't think prolonged exposure to estrogen is doing me any good. I really don't have much to add about your scar tissue. I just had my excisional today.  Good luck!

momoschki

To clarify: I had a stereotactic biopsy on 2/11 and then an excisional biopsy a month later. Final pathology was only ADH and the needle biopsy apparently removed it all, as the pathology from the excisional came back totally clear. Normal mammo 11/11 and normal US 5/12. The area the gyno was referring to today us just the same area where I was initially left with a visible dent which has now filled in. Guess I find it hard not to second guess nearly everything.

As for the abnormal bleeding evaluation, she was very reassuring that she had no doubt I was perfectly fine, but nonetheless, did an endometrial biopsy (ouch!!) and ordered a transvaginal US. Ugh. More results to wait for.

BLinthedesert

I understand momoschki, second guessing is a given in your situation - it is a tough place to be; it is entirely reasonable to figure that what you are feeling (or the Gyn felt) is scar tissue at this point.  The bad stuff is out - and, hopefully,  you are now deemed a "high risk" patient so diagnostic mammograms (including ultrasounds when needed) will catch anything new early.  Do you have follow-ups with your breast surgeon?  They would be the one to ask about what feels "normal" since they know exactly what it was that they did while they were rooting around in there ;-).

momoschki

BL,

Yes, now have that "high risk" label slapped on me for sure: some kind of diagnostic test every 6 months, follow-ups with BS every 6 months, onc visits every 6 months. I am poked and prodded and tested over what seems like very short intervals! Next BS visit not until November.