how were you diagnosed...if you feel comfy sharing?

Beesie

aseal, I realize that you asked people to comment only if they feel comfortable doing so. My comment was more about how the information that women are willingly giving might come across to someone who is worried and waiting for a biopsy. There is a reason why the board has separate sections for those who are not yet diagnosed vs. those who have been diagnosed - and I've been around long enough to remember the debate and rationale for setting up the board this way. Of course anyone can post in any Forum (except the Stage IV) however probably 90% of the women who come to the "Not Diagnosed" forum fortunately never get diagnosed. The one thing I've learned in my 13+ years here is that every situation is different and what happened to one person has 0% bearing on what will happen to someone else.

Is it true that only a biopsy and surgery will tell the full story? In some cases, yes, but in other cases, the screening and diagnostic imaging also tells an accurate story. Over the years I've had 9 core needle biopsies, surgical biopsies and surgeries (and more FNAs than I can remember) and while sometimes the imaging has been inaccurate (sometimes mammogram, sometimes ultrasound, sometimes MRI), more often than not my imaging has been correct.

Again, good luck with your biopsy.

mom2bunky

Mine was discovered on a 3D mammogram. The same location I'd kept getting call back mammogram/ultrasounds for five years, had changed. They saw spiculation.

Biopsy confirmed it, but the radiologist who did it told me at the time (before the results came back) that in her mind there was no doubt, it was small, I'd likely be okay, blah blah. I'm grateful to her because I was spared the agony of waiting days for the results and could instead mentally prepare for it.

ETA: I should add that I have very dense breasts, so mammograms have always been difficult. Even the 3D, which I've been getting since they came out. Ultrasounds help.

Lezza13

I was scheduled to check out a benign tumor in my left breast after a six month checkup. Had the right one done and then an ultrasound. The radiologist said she did not like the look of the one in my right one. She called me that afternoon to tell me the result of the tiny breast cancer tumor. Luckily the call was quick. I was glad I went for my six month checkup and did not wait for my annual mamomgram.

DiagnosisDisruption

I felt the lump while making the bed. It was painful. Then I saw the dimple. I already knew it was cancer despite being 47, healthy weight, healthy lifestyle, with no family history. I scheduled my first ever mammogram, went but didn't tell them I felt something. I figured, if they couldn't find it... Was called back two days later, then ultrasound biopsy. The radiologist told me, when I asked what the black blob was, "they were already getting a cancer team together for me."

When I had my after-cancer mammo, they put last years next to it. I can't believe how the tech managed to keep a straight face after seeing that mass there and not being able to tell me.

BrinkOfEternity

My mammograms never showed anything even after biopsy confirmed my 3cm IDC because of dense breasts. I even paid extra money for 3D mammogram but that didn't help either.

My PCP didn't feel anything during my annual and then few days later my GYN felt it during checkup. Thank God they were scheduled back to back!

Ultrasound showed the mass and biopsy confirmed it. Then MRI showed a smaller tumor (< 1cm) 5cm away which wasn't picked up by ultrasound, and it was confirmed as DCIS via biopsy, so I'm thankful my BS scheduled the MRI.

TammyKh

I felt a lump and got nipple discharge when I tried to press the lump. I felt something wrong even though my young age, healthy life, healthy weight and no family history, so I went to see my family doctor. She was also doubt, so she sent me to mammogram, ultra sound, biopsy and MRI and eventually I was diagnosed with pre-cancer (DCIS), then it's confirmed invasive cancer when I turned 32. Unbelievable! Shock and unaccepted!

aseal321

thank you so much for sharing, I sincerely appreciate it and I pray everyone beats this thing!

My bonus mom of 30 years had BC found at stage 3B. It was a three year battle...my father and I did our best to care for her. She was told she was in remission, only to find a huge tumor growing in her liver ducts, brought on by the treatments. We lost her in 2013, with all of us by her side.

My biopsy is June 5th at 1...I’m ready either way! I feel like I’m going to be ok, and until they tell me otherwise, I’m sticking to that like glue