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jinky
jinky Member Posts: 746
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

I am supppose to have a mammogran in a few weeks. I had  bc with mastectomy in 2002 and preventive mastectomy 2005. ouch. no reconstruction.I am thinking since I am  having a flare up of my le in my arm and hand I am  scared that le might start it in my chest and other arm. My other arm had no nodes removed but it is sore from the move.

I could wait till next year or wait 6 mts. What would you do and does anyone else have a mammogram with no breast. I live in Nova Scotia so it could be different in the States. le hugs jinky

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited June 2011

    Jinky, have you been having yearly mammos since your surgery? I can't even picture thisSurprised, so I'm no help answering you. But it does seem like a good idea at least to wait a bit until you get the LE back under control and any soreness or heaviness is gone.

    Yikes!Tongue out
    Binney

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  • jinky
    jinky Member Posts: 746
    edited June 2011

    yes every year Binn. I have a follow up with a surgeon so maybe I should just get her to examine me. le hugs jinky

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  • jinky
    jinky Member Posts: 746
    edited June 2011

    I forget. Do you have a MRI or just an examination by your doctor Binney? They won't do MRI'S here instead of mammos?. le hugs jinky

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited June 2011

    Jinky, I'm kind of confused--you had bilateral mastectomies, right? So what tissue are they doing the mammogram on? Most women I see in my office who have mastectomies (I work for a rad onc) no longer have mammograms.

    Kira

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  • BoobsinaBox
    BoobsinaBox Member Posts: 550
    edited June 2011

    Jinky,

    I had bilat 5 years ago and I can't imagine how they can do a mammogram on you or anyone without breasts!  There is NOTHING they could get between the plates on me!  Ouch just htinking about it!  I vote to wait!

    Dawn 

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  • jinky
    jinky Member Posts: 746
    edited June 2011

    Kira they get any loose skin they can find even under my arm and it hurts. I am thinking of maybe stopping them. Some doctors want them done and some don't. Do they have MRI or just manual check ups? le hugs jinky

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited June 2011

    Jinky, they just do manual check ups. MRI's are for women with dense breast tissue where a mammogram could miss something--at least in general.

    I agree with Dawn. I'd wait or talk to your doctor about skipping it all together.

    Kira

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited June 2011

    Ouch is right!Frown Jinky, I just have manual checks, once a year by my onc and once a year by my gyn, and I make those appointments 6 months apart so it's a twice-a-year check.

    Let us know what you discover!

    Gentle hugs,
    Binney

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited June 2011

    Jinky, after my mast I had U/S on the mast side and mammo and U/S on the other side. I don't think more info would be gained by a mammo rather than an U/S for you.

    All the best.

    Leah

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited June 2011
    Ooh, Leah, that's a great idea. An U/S doesn't even hurt!Kiss
    Binney
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  • toomuch
    toomuch Member Posts: 901
    edited June 2011

    Jinky-I agree OUCH! I also think that you should speak to your BS before having another mammogram. And if he/she wants imaging, I would definitely talk to him/her about an ultrasound. A mammogram after mastectomy sounds incredibly painful and you've been enduring them for years.

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  • jinky
    jinky Member Posts: 746
    edited June 2011

    My mamo is July25th but I see her this month and I will ask her then for a us.....if she won't no mamo for me as I dread it each year and something is telling me le will happen....thanks and le hug jinky

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  • hymil
    hymil Member Posts: 826
    edited June 2011

    It all sounds horribly painful Jinky. I just had my first post-Mx mammo, and no question they didn't try to do that side, just got me through in half the time. Also had u/s, which again was just the non Mx side, and I think I only got that because there's a fairly big contralateral lump that came up while I was on tamox and never went down and i keep worrying about it so they scanned it to shut me up I mean to reassure me. It's a normal fatty lump apparently. (So why is it bigger now although I was three stone since then?)

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  • Suzybelle
    Suzybelle Member Posts: 920
    edited June 2011

    Oh, jinky, hell to the NO on the mammo!  That sounds totally heinous.

    I had a bmx last year and my onco. does chest x-rays as well as manual checks.  Why can't they do that or an ultrasound?  Mammos on my flat, tissue-less chest would be totally sadistic.

    And someone would be getting punched in the gut by yours truly. (using LE-free arm, of course. Cool)

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  • sushanna1
    sushanna1 Member Posts: 764
    edited June 2011

    Jinky,

    No advice re: the mammo, but was pleased to see you posting.  You joined the boards at about the same time that I developed lymphedema and your posts were really helpful.   

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  • jinky
    jinky Member Posts: 746
    edited June 2011

    Thanks Sushana1 big le hugs jinky

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