Annual mammo coming up...but pregnant, so can't have it?

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sunshinegal
sunshinegal Member Posts: 209
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

I had a right side mastectomy last November, and my breast surgeon said he wanted to see me in a year for a mammo on the left side. When I asked why I'm not on a more frequent screening schedule, he said it's because my left breast was normal - no abnormalities found - and so there's no need for 6 month checks even though I'm at slightly higher risk now.

Okay, so fast forward to today... I'm 9 weeks pregnant and my OB told me last week that I can't have a mammo while pregnant, and therefore I should call my breast surgeon to find out what he wants to do at my next appointment (end of October).

I haven't called the office yet (it's the weekend) but I'm just curious to hear of any relevant experiences you ladies have had. Should I be asking for MRI in October? U/S? Do I skip imaging altogether until after the baby's born (and I'm done breastfeeding?)?

I am not psyched about going for possibly 2 years without any imaging studies of my remaining breast, even though it showed nothing last October. Are there protocols for monitoring cancer patients/survivors (whatever we are) during pregnancy?

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  • CoolBreeze
    CoolBreeze Member Posts: 4,668
    edited September 2011

    Have you asked about getting a sonogram? Maybe they don't like to do those without knowing what they are looking at, I don't know. He may schedule an MRI. I don't think you have to wait until your are done breastfeeding though, you might have to pump a couple days. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

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  • toomuch
    toomuch Member Posts: 901
    edited September 2011

    Sunshinegirl - I think that it is easier to interpret images of the breast early in pregnancy then late in pregnancy or while you are breast feeding. I would call your BS now and ask him if he would like you to have a sonogram or an MRI and then schedule it asap. I had an ultrasound and an excisional breast biopsy during one of my pregancies but I had a palpable lump in my breast. Fortunately, that one was benign.

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited September 2011

    What about thermography? Is it safe during pregnancy?

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

    Sunshinegal, if you are going to request an MRI while you're pregnant then the sooner the better. You won't be able to lie on your stomach for it soon. That won't be an issue for an U/S.

    And I'm delighted to hear about your pregnancy!

    Leah

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  • sunshinegal
    sunshinegal Member Posts: 209
    edited September 2011

    I just called my dr's office, and the secretary at first said they won't do anything until after I've had the baby. When I pressed the matter and said I had heard MRI was safe if done early, she said she would consult another secretary (more in the know?) and call me back. She said ultrasound would be possible if there was a specific area they were looking at, but apparently not for whole breast imaging.

    I am not liking what I'm hearing, which is basically a message of "we can't do anything while you're pregnant so come back in 9-12 months." Hello, I had CANCER. I would like to stay on top of making sure I don't get MORE of it!!

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  • redsox
    redsox Member Posts: 523
    edited September 2011

    The secretary?  ... who consulted another secretary?

    It might be OK to talk to a nurse, but really you should be talking to the doctor.

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

    Sunshinegal, why wouldn't U/S be possible for whole breast imaging? I had a palpable lump but the U/S was done on both breasts, each one the entire breast.

    I agree with redsox, you need to talk to the doc, not a secretary who has a medical consult with another secretary!

    Best of luck.

    Leah

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  • sunshinegal
    sunshinegal Member Posts: 209
    edited September 2011

    I got a slightly better call-back in the afternoon. The sec spoke to my surgeon, who says that if my OB signs off on me having an MRI, then he'll do that. So I've got a message in to my OB about that and we'll go from there.

    As to the ultrasound thing, I don't really know why they couldn't do the whole breast! Seems weird to me.

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