Terrified....

I am so sorry you are going through this. 

These two studies are OLD (in the 1990s.)

In this study, the incidence of cancer found in asymmetric densities was 14%. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1485695

"The incidence of cancer per type of mammographically detected abnormality was as follows: mass 11%, mass with abnormal calcification 21%, abnormal calcification 22%, and asymmetric density 2%."   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8317508

This SMALL study opined that under some circumstances that "Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia is a common histopathologic finding in developing asymmetric breast tissue. Follow-up, rather than biopsy, is a management option if benign imaging and clinical criteria are met." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10189460

For me, I always went to the - well what if I'm the 1 case in the minority.  Some women find distraction helps.  Let us know how it goes, OK?

Oh Bella, it never rains, but it pours, right?

Whatever it is or isn't, it's great to be sure it's all OK.  I'd get an MRI to be super sure, myself.

We are all on here, we've all been thru this scarey process, and some of us bc, some did not.

Try to focus on your wedding plans....this whole screening process, and a biopsy, if they decide to go there (doesn't hurt, don't worry) can take awhile.

Whatever it is, isn't, might be, will be taken care of.  You just make up your mind that you'll get thru it, whatever happens, and that it's not going to change your marriage, change your family, change you.  It's a process, and whatever goes on, we are all here for you to help you thru it and the scarey tests.  As of now, they are only scarey tests.  And hey, if there is something nasty there, well take care of it after the wedding and go on with the rest of your life.

I've had this crap twice, and I'm just fine.  You will be too.

Congratulations on the impending wedding!!!!

Hi Bella,

I am so sorry you are having to go through this.  I stood exactly where you were over 4 years ago, freaking out, trying to be my usual control freak self.  As the others have said, whatever it is, or isn't, you are going to get through whatever it is with flying colors.  We all understand the not knowing part is the worse part of the whole bc journey.

Distraction is a great thing....I won't bore you with all of my details but I did end up having to have surgery, radiation, and chemo.  However, during all of that I continued to work, keep my family up and running, AND graduate with Honors from college (I was one of those that waited until my kids went to college to go myself).  Anyway, if I can pull that off anyone can do this!

Use us as a sounding board - if you need to cry, know we are there in thought with you.  if you need to rant, know we are standing right beside you screaming at bc ourselves.

Bella, I have found that waiting for the results is as stressful, if not more so, than the bad news itself. I've been through the waiting twice now--once when I found my cancer and once a year after I finished chemo/rads. The first time around I knew it was cancer just by the feel of the lump, so the waiting wasn't too horrible b/c I already knew what it was. The second time involved an abnormality picked up by my screening MRI, and waiting for that biopsy/results about did me in. I thought it would be easier the second time around, but it was actually worse.

So, that horrid feeling of the stress that comes with the limbo period, waiting for the tests/results, is fresh in my mind, and you have my empathy. I hope everything turns out benign for you, but if it doesn't, you've found a great group of women here, and you will get tons of support every step of the way.

Hi Bella

I am in the same situation.  The finding of my abnormal memogram is also asymmetric density  found on my right breast.  Went back for additional views, compression and ultrasound.  Desity was still there but ultrasound did not find any cystic or solid mass.  Told to came back for follow up in six months.  On one hand I was happy but I found myself also wondering constantly what is the density s______? to the point that I can not sleep, eat, and hard times keeping up with my blood sugar .  (I am insulin diabetic)  I called my primary doctor and asked for a referal to see a surgon.

My appointment is next month.  Waiting is the pits. 

I will try to think positve and pray for B9 for everyone who is dealing with this SSSSS-------TTTT

Take care. 

Hi Clowe

My experience is more with 6 months follow up. I was in same situation with these nonsense waiting 6 months. But i took action because I knew if that wasn't checked right away my emotional health couldn't handle it. I had the stereo tactic biopsy and the results were benign, even if they weren't i had a peace of mind knowing. Not knowing is very stressful. This experience was about 10 years ago.

You did yourself such a big favor by not waiting.

Good luck to you and please keep posting.

 Sheila

Hi Ladies:

Bella13-Thank you for sharing your thoughts and support.  Whenever I feel anxious, sad, or depress, I found myself going back to this site and re-read commets, advise,  from all these wonderful ladies, somehow, I found relief and regain my faith.  "Mind can take over your body"- now, I know exactly what that means.  Yes, we must keep our faith, think positive, overcome our fear.  Take care, Ladies, thanks you again.

CLowe

Bella,...((((BELLA)))) hugs to you as you wait. To all of you ladies waiting for your results. It is by far one of the hardest things about this whole cancer journey. Honestly...hearing it is difficult...but the weeks of waiting...very very emotially tough.

I am praying for all of you, that your tests come back clear...

xoxo

Lisa

I was reading your post today and the responses from all of the wonderful women here this morning as part of my obsessive need to find assurance.  Of course, as you know, finding assurance that everything is going to be OK is impossible and the Internet is both good and bad....

I am going through the same thing.  I'll be 43 in October.  No family history of breast cancer that I am aware of (I know for sure my mom always had negative mammograms).  Three children (22 years, 3 years, and a little under 2 years).  Did not breastfeed with any of them (I've heard that can affect things).  I had a baseline mammogram done about 5 years ago just past my mid-thirties and prior to having two children (Aug 2006 and Nov 2007).  Missed going for my mammogram last year partly due to it being a busy, stressful year which I realize in retrospect is not a good reason.  Went at the end of July and a week or so later after it had completely slipped my mind, the report came in the mail.  When I opened it I was actually excited to see what I thought was the results of my recent cholesterol check.  I was immediately horrified by the report which included references to scattered fibroglandular something or another, non-malignant appearing calcifications, and asymmetrical breast tissue in the upper outer quadrant of my right breast.  The report recommended follow up spot compression and a possible ultrasound of the asymmetrical area.  Now I do not have the report in front of me as I am typing this, but I think my paraphrasing here is pretty accurate.  I did a few hours+ of research on the the Internet that evening once I got past feeling like I was going to pass out and a bit more the next morning.  I also called to schedule the follow up the next morning and the woman I spoke to indicated call backs were pretty common and I believe when I told her about the asymmetrical issue she indicated that was common.  Similar comments were made when I called my GP's office.  

I was OK for about a week and then Monday morning, the fear just suddenly hit me again.  I think it was spurred by a sensation in my right breast.  Not a shooting pain or such, but just a relatively mild sensation.  Maybe just the result of my period which was tapering off at that point.  Since then, I have felt a lot of sensations in both breasts, but mostly my right one.  Like you, I never really paid attention to my breasts before and never noticed any sensations in them, but now perhaps I have become hypersensative to my body due to my intense fear that I may have cancer and will die.  So, I have noticed every twinge in my body over the last few days, trying to figure out what each one is and fearful that I have cancer that has spread.  

My follow up spot compressions and possible ultrasound are scheduled for tomorrow morning.  I was told that the ultrasound would be right after the spot compression if the spot compression results warranted it.  

What I've read indicates that asymmetrical breast tissue is not all that uncomon and does not in and of itself indicate cancer. However, I am so freaked out!  Like you, thoughts about it consume my day and I keep saying to myself how much I want to live a normal life.  I've had a bit of anxiety to say the least about dying over the years and I've somewhat come to terms with death at the end of a normal life span, but I'm still freaked out about dying prematurely from something like cancer!  I also keep saying to myself, "I should not have missed going for my mammogram last year!" and "would it have made a difference if I would have breastfed?" and stuff like that.

I've had a few other health scares but I think that this one is the most intense.  In my early 20's, I had an abnormal pap and the end result wound up being a cone biopsy (when I asked my doctor if that did not "work" what the next step was he said hysterectomy and that would defintely resolve it, I finally was relieved after months of being freaked out).  I had pretty bad postpartum hypertension (a few close calls with going to the ER) that took months to get under control and live in fear of having a stroke or heart attack.  

It's so hard to function.  I've talked about my feelings to my husband and two close friends over the past few days.  They each assure me that I'm going to be fine.  Then there's the medical offices that mentioned it was common and not to worry about it.  I just cannot help but be consumed by it.  I guess that my biggest fear is that it has become this widespread cancer!  

I so appreciate your post and everyone's support on this forum!  I will definitely check back and post again.  

Hello Bella and ladies.  Jenna, I don't see any posts since your one on 08/19 and I hope that you have found out more about what is going on with your situation. 

Anyway, I just wanted to take this opportunity to follow up on my post of a week ago (Wed. 08/19).  I hope that my post will help at least one person feel even a tiny bit better about his/her situation....  

After my post that morning, I was consumed with fear the remainder of the day. I was lucky enough to speak to a few more friends and my therapist (who I met when dealing with postpartum anxiety) that day.  One of the friends I spoke to had a mammogram scare a few years ago and said that she was as scared as I was and that after weeks of being terrified, the results were good - non-cancerous cyst.  She offered to go with me for my follow up images and I took her up on it.  So, I went in the next morning, Thurs. 08/20. 

First I saw the mammography tech who showed me the asymmetrical density area on the first set of images from late July and confirmed my understanding that they were only concerned about that area which was relatively small because they cannot "see" what's in it and that it is very common to have dense breast tissue, especially in the upper outer quadrant of each breast.  I guess I am just an oddball because I only have density on the one side.  Kind of like my asymmetrical jaw (another story - noticeable if you really look, is a problem for my teeth grinding problem but otherwise not an issue).  I was scared but a tad relieved in the confirmation of my understanding that they were not concerned about any other area of my breasts and just wanted to make sure there was nothing in the area that they were going to "press out" with the spot compression.  Anyway, she warned me it would be uncomfortable compared to the mammogram.  I let her tighten it up two times past where she started and did not feel any pain (though my whole upper body was sore afterwards for a few days) - perhaps a little adrenaline going - I wanted them to get the best possible images they could get.  She took maybe 10 minutes from start to finish.  I was taken to a little waiting room where I waited for almost the longest 10 minutes ever for her to to show the images to the radiologist.  When she came back, she indicated that the doctor wanted to proceed with the ultrasound to be sure that nothing was there though she was pretty sure it was just going to be dense tissue. 

Another 10 minutes.  The ultrasound tech came and got me.  She talked with me and answered questions during the procedure.  I did not look at the screen because I did not want to freak myself out more by looking at something I do know how to interpret.  There were a few moments throughout where she would stop talking which freaked me out, but in retrospect I am sure that she was just focusing on taking still shots of her work, kind of like when they do ultrasounds of babies in the womb.  She left me in the procedure room to check with the doctor for what was probably the longest 10 minutes in my life.  On her way out she indicated that "hopefully I'll be able to come back in a few minutes and put your mind at ease."  Well, my mind was racing with fear the entire wait.  When she came back in, she said something to the effect of "you're good to go, we'll see you back in a year."  I could not believe it and asked what that meant and was told that neither she or the doctor saw anthing other than the dense tissue. I started bawling and got a comforting hug from the tech.  

I got the official report in the mail on Monday and it indicated the same thing as what I was told with a birad rating of 2.  

Oh, and I talked with another good friend about my experience later the day of the good news and she has had two scares over the years.  One of my old high school friends indicated having a scare about five years ago.  So, of four good freinds I'm in contact with more regularly, three have had scares.  Knowing this helps one to not feel so alone.  

Since the moment I got the most wonderful news on Thursday, I have had a renewed sense of the importance of one's health and the joy of life and living.  But I've also had some ongoing frequent fearful/anxious thoughts throughout the day, though not near as intense as my near week of constantly being terrified. My thoughts have morphed more to general thoughts about one's mortality, a subject I've had difficulty with and can get stuck in my head occassionally for perhaps a month or so, usually following some life changing or scary event (birth of my oldest daughter almost 23 years ago, birth of my son three years ago, and during my bout with uncontrolled high blood pressure following the birth of my youngest in late 2007).  I am guessing that my current "thoughts" are a period of my mind trying to get back where it was before all of this.  

Well, ladies, I thank you all for being here for me, each other, and those who will yet come to this site! 

Hi,

I am really glad that I found this forum. I had my mammogram a little over a week ago and the result was they found 2 cm of asymmetry in my left breast at 3:00. I am really concerned. I had my biopsy today. Now the waiting for the results begin.

I have been searching the internet trying to find out if I could stay in college while going through the surgery, radiation and chemo and I stumbled across the post in this thread by asurvr. It gives me hope that I will be able to keep up my daily activities including school even if I have breast cancer and have to go through treatment.

I am thankful for all of the posts in this thread. The posts are informative and filled with care.

I wish everyone the best.