Waiting for ultrasound results

samiiwaters

I've been having issues with both breasts (bleeding duct - left breast, IBC symptoms, right breast) since late Feb. I had an ultrasound of my left breast in early March as well as a mammogram on both breasts. The nurse called me 3 days later to say it was clear. I was then put through a round of a super strong antibiotic, followed by a round of a different antibiotic and nothing improved so I was sent to the breast surgeon. Monday, I had an ultrasound on the right breast and blood work. My blood work came back a little worrying (got those results that day). I called to get my ultrasound results because I can't see the surgeon until NEXT Friday and was told they couldn't give me "these kinds of results" over the phone, that I had to have the surgeon discuss them with me in person. The surgeon is out of town until next Thursday but I was told he would see me Thursday at 3pm.

Now I'm paranoid. If it was clear, they would've told me right then. So there's something there, right? It seems ridiculous to make someone wait so long for bad results. I even requested an appointment with a different doctor just to go over results but was told it had to be the surgeon. Thoughts?

Rose882

Just curious, what was wrong with your lab work that is worrisome?

MelissaDallas

Her other two threads have more information. Anemia I think.

Sami, it helps to stick with a single thread instead of starting a new one. It helps women to respond to you in context of all your other posts

samiiwaters

Melissa, this board seemed more appropriate as it's "waiting for test results" but I can put it in my other thread instead. My apologies.

Rose, tests showed I am anemic. But there were several things on the CBC that were "low" as well as slightly elevated white blood cells.

LisaAlissa

I would tell you that you shouldn't assume that the refusal to give you information over the phone means "bad results." Quite a few doc's offices only give results in person (my surgeon's office was one of those!). Whether positive or negative. The thought is that they need to discuss the implications, whether positive or negative, and what follow-up treatment (or screening) is warranted.

I think that the offices that do that are concerned that if they give results over the phone that they won't be able to give you information that they think is important, or to answer your questions.

I'm not clear whether you're dealing with the same office as before, or if the surgeon's office is not the one where the nurse called you earlier.

If it's the same medical practice, I understand your concern, given the fact that you got results via telephone earlier. If they have a diferent policy for the first US you had, vs your most recent test, they should have made it clear at the time of the test that you wouldn't be able to receive the results over the phone.

If it's the same practice, I'd be complaining to your doc's office (I'd start with the office manager on this, since you want to use your time with the doc to discuss your situation--whatever it is!) about how this was handled. The result of what they've done is to make you conclude that your result is bad, without giving you any information about how bad or how whatever-it-is will be handled. What a really, really dreadful way to treat patients!

You can't know what it really is until they tell you. Maybe negative, might be a high-risk situation that they want to monitor closely? You just can't know until they tell you, and there's no sense in letting yourself be miserable over what you don't know. In the meantime, try to do things to distract yourself and enjoy those distractions. ;-) )

Hang in there!

LisaAlissa

Autumnsweater75

hi Sami!

I'm sorry about all the waiting. Same here, I feel like they don't care about our time and why if it's something serious don't do things faster.

I've been trying to chase someone who can make me a referral for my diagnostic mammogram after I received a letter on my mail saying I should do it, and looks like not even my doctor was acknowledged I had an abnormal mammogram. He had no idea.

I wish you all the best and crossing fingers for you when you talk to your surgeon. People here are right that some doctors prefer not to talk on the phone, even if it's the most minimal thing.

Take care,

Autumn

gb2115

I don't think that necessarily means it's something bad, even if it's out of the same office. It could just be standard practice that radiology results get resulted by the doctor whereas blood work results can be given by a nurse or medical assistant. I've seen it both ways. I also work in a clinic environment, and I know for us, we'd discuss blood work because it's pretty routine, but if someone was sent out for a scan, that's up to the doctor to discuss---even if we can see the scan results. I think the problem is giving you results for something like an ultrasound could generate questions from you that the nurse or whoever can't answer. It puts them in a bad place.

samiiwaters

Thank you everyone!

I'm trying to keep myself from thinking about it. If it's something bad, I should spend this week doing things I enjoy because once I hear it, I will be consumed with that. If it's good (which I'm really hoping it is!), then I can laugh at how ridiculous I was this week.