Follow-up to Previous Post re: Biopsy and my Experience

Anonymous

Follow-up to Previous Post re: Biopsy and my Experience

SchmoopieBear

I wanted to say thank you to folks that responded to my inquiry about “why biopsy some and not others”. This is a great resource.

I had my core biopsy yesterday and it was honestly painless. The radiologist said that it might sting or burn when the lidocaine was administered but I did not feel a thing (nothing) but I do have very large breasts. They explained everything to me and took quite a few samples and then I had what they referred to as a “gentle mammogram” to make sure the titanium clip was visible and in the right location.

I have to admit that I work in healthcare and am very familiar with medical lingo and terminology and find this incredibly eye-opening. I asked about the area I feel on the left and was told that for the radiologist to peek at that area again - they need a doctor’s order. It’s a bit eye opening because it’s my breast and I am the one that felt the palpable lump on the right (not my GYN) but in order to even peek again they needed a physician to approve it.

I took a photo on my phone of the “indeterminate” area on the screen when I was alone in the room and have peeked online to see if what I present with looks more one way versus another and 100% realize that only pathology will tell - because cancerous can be benign and vice versa and appearance can be deceiving but it was interesting for me to see the image on the screen again.

My question - how come the images look different on different screens? One of the images makes the area look taller than wider and quite random, and then another screen it looks like an oval. Is it a side view and a top view? I love understanding from a science point of view how the same area can look so different.

No wonder women have issues with knowing when to be concerned because what I feel on the left feels exactly what I feel on the right,but was told the left breast was normal glandular tissue on the ultrasound last week.

Just wanted to post in case it helps anyone and to say thanks again to those that responded to me here and via a PM. I will share results when they call. I think they said Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

djmammo

"It's a bit eye opening because it's my breast and I am the one that felt the palpable lump on the right (not my GYN) but in order to even peek again they needed a physician to approve it."

Can an inpatient get an aspirin without an order on the chart?

".... because cancerous can be benign and vice versa and appearance can be deceiving but it was interesting for me to see the image on the screen again." My question - how come the images look different on different screens? One of the images makes the area look taller than wider and quite random, and then another screen it looks like an oval. Is it a side view and a top view? "

Now you see why it takes most of a person's 20's and early 30's to learn to tell the difference and know the clinical significance. If Google was sufficient us docs would be out of a job.

SchmoopieBear

djmammo - excellent points. I told a friend today that I wish I had been exposed to more when younger. I think I would have liked to be a radiologist. Thanks for all you do.

swg

True. After my mastectomy, my face hurt, because they had put tape over my eyes. When they ripped off the tape, it left my cheeks red and chapped. The nurse couldn't even get me aloe for my face w/out a drs order!!

swg

I had 3 biopsies during my diagnosis phase. 2 hurt. 1 didn't. The 1 that didn't turned out to be a fibroadenema. The ones that did, turned out to be cancerous tumors. The radiologist actually told me that can be a sign..that benign cysts usually don't cause pain in a biopsy. But pls don't count on that 100 pct. I'm only mentioning MY experience. YMMV

bkerber

You made me laugh talking about taking pictures of the ultrasound screen. I did the same thing when the tech was out of the room. I felt like I was
going to get in trouble!

djmammo

For those taking photos of the US screen: make sure your name is on the screen before you do just in case they pulled up an old case on someone else, perhaps the next scheduled patient.