Mammograms after treatment ends

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junie
junie Member Posts: 1,216
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

I don't know if anyone else gets as nervous as I do when scheduling follow-up mammos after treatment.  Not the physical discomfort that bothers me as much as that little "what if..." running around my brain.   And, I truly get so upset that I take a plastic bag with me in case I need to throw up from nerves.   Had a follow-up last week, and as usual, was beside myself with anxiety.  It was at a breast facility that I have gone to for several years, but I had a new technician.   She actually reviewed my history and talked to me for a few minutes before we started.   After the first film, I was shaking and trembling and was so tense!!!!   She asked me if I would like to sit in a chair while she finished.   I was totally flabbergasted  SIT??   I said, let's try it--so she sat me in a chair and adjusted the machine and for me, it made all the difference in the world!   I was more relaxed and it seems that by sitting, I was able to lean a bit more into the machine so she was able to get more tissue in the field and more compression.   (even before all this I was barely an A, and my lumpectomy boob even less now!)   She redid the first film after getting better results with me sitting down.

Thought I'd pass this along to anyone who stresses out as much as I do--I'll for sure ask about sitting down next time!!!

And, received the results today--all is NORMAL--yaaaaaaa!!!!!

hugggsssss, junie

  

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  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 12,678
    edited June 2009

    Hi Junie,

    Yes, I have anxiety every time I have  a mamo, onc appointment, etc.  My surgeon has given me lorazapam to help me with the anxiety.  I only take it when I need it, before appointments or when I can't sleep. 

    I think what you are feelng is normal.  It really stinks that this is the new normal for us, but we need to continue to take care of ourselves.  Wishing you many years of health.

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited June 2009

    Congrats on the Normal!!  Yipppieeee!

    It does get easier to go to the appts.  I got to where I didn't get nervous till I was about 40 min away from the Breast Center.  And it's even better now after 6 years, I just look forward to shopping after I get the results.  I don't leave until I have them.  That's one thing I love about where I go---digital mammo is so much easier and faster than the old way.

    I'll have to ask about the chair, sounds great.

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  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 12,678
    edited June 2009

    Thanks Iodine, it's good to hear there is hope for us!  Thanks for sharing!!

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  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Member Posts: 1,879
    edited June 2009

    Those are great results!!!!

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  • NaughtybyNature
    NaughtybyNature Member Posts: 1,448
    edited June 2009

    Junie: congrats on the normal results....

    I too just had a the mammogram done, the digital type.  I don't get nervous anymore... just get pissed because those suckers still squeeze the living crap out of my lemon and orange... holy molly!!!!!!!! 

    I don't know what the heck I was thinking... digital, you know,... some gel, like an ultrasound... until I walked in the room and the monster pancake squeezer was there looking at me!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHH!  Not again!

    But, seeing how neat the new "pictures" come out... I guess next year I will do it again, won't I?! LOL

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  • junie
    junie Member Posts: 1,216
    edited June 2009

    Lilia--yep--you'll do it again next year and the year after and the year after and......I had to laugh at your orange, lemon description!   I'll toss out lemon and plum!!!   The facility I've been going to does the digital mammos.  Pretty neat!   If I went to the main office, a radiologist would have reviewed them immediately and come in and talked to me.   But, they offered me a choice this time to go to a much closer facility to have the mammo, but no radiologist on hand.   Total driving time was over an hour closer, so opted to take a few days to get results.   I think mammos are a necessary evil, but a mammo didn't find my lump--I did--months before my next scheduled mammo.   sigh--most I hope for these days is that the mammo will pick up any negative changes in the shape of my calcifications--I keep feeling around for any new lumps!    HUGGGSSSSS!!!!

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  • NaughtybyNature
    NaughtybyNature Member Posts: 1,448
    edited June 2009

    OMG Junie... my lump was visible to anyone's naked eye but the darn mammogram machine did not accuse it, whatsoever!!!!!!!!  Therefore the ultrasound which showed a "nice black hole"!

    I remember saying to my PCP, when she ordered an immediately mammogram and ultra sound... "What?!  Do U want to kill me or what with so many tests?!?!"  Little did I know that the extra test saved my life!  Hurray for young Dr. Delorio.

    About the result of the digital mammo... I was a little disappointed w/ the description as I know I have cysts on both breasts... it only said "Normal", no other description of anything else came along.  Not that I was expecting any other results other than "Normal"; it would have been nice to hear about the progress, or not, of the 5 cysts.

    ((((((((Hugging U right back))))))))))

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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited June 2009

    Naughty,

    Where do you get your mammos? I don't remember where you live. At Baystate they tell me the results before I leave. I don't know if they do that forever with women who have had BC but it's 3 years and still so far they do. 

    I just went last week as a F/U from the first one that was done on the digital when they noticed an area that looked pretty ugly, did an US, found something and I had to wait 10 days for a biopsy!! Anyway, when I went back the rad showed me all the films and the MRIs and pointed out that the area has been there since 2002. There was nothing on the US. I think the first rad was being a little overconcerned. My 6 month follow up said it looked "even more like normal breast tissue".

    Gad all was ok. Sorry it's such a hard thing for you.
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