delayed diagnosis, waiting for mri (19 months after lump found)

Hi Cathferra!

I'm glad you came here because the support and knowledge you will gain is phenomenal. I'm new so I can't offer much except what I've experienced so far, but first off you've done everything right!

I had felt that everything leading up to my DX date was delayed.  I'll give you a brief scenario of what happened to me.  I found a lump in Sept 2011 (I've had clinical exams since I was 18 years old - I'm 46 - because I always find lumps and have always been told I have very cystic breasts - all normal - stop the caffeine).  An internal medicine doctor when I saw her in Oct 2011 was not concerned (caffeine, fibroedema, etc...) and sent me for a mammogram screening.  Ultimately mammogram screening came back benign and see you in a year.  I didn't like that answer because I felt something was not right this time, so I went to have 2 thermograms done during a 6 month period and the thermographer said "not cancer, you have fibroedema".  Decided in March 2012, see a family doctor.  She felt the lump, called the breast care center herself, and scheduled me for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound immediately.  They ordered a biopsy (which I have now been told by 3 doctors that a biopsy is the only way to determine if a lump is cancer) the next day and on 4/12/12 I was diagnosed with IDC and DCIS.  What they also told me was that my lump was 2.5 cm in Oct 2011 (so it was visible on that mammogram I had - my current radiologist has the films from then) and at DX, it was 5 cm and invasive (very fast growing).I only give the brief scenario because I truly believe a woman knows her own body, and for me the delay of 6 months amounted to my tumor doubling in size. 

The waiting is definitely the most difficult part.  I cried a lot.  But it sounds like your new doctor is proactive and doing everything to ensure he has the right health information in front of him.  You have a right to your pathology reports from the former radiologist and from everyone else.  I physically drove to the radiologist who did my Oct 2011 mammogram to pick them up and then hand delivered them to my new radiologist.  Might I suggest you contacting UM and getting them yourself?  It may speed up the process (one less delay). It cut the timeframe down from 5 days to 1 day.

Please also remember only 20% of people get their diagnosis back as BC so the odds are in your favor that you may get a DX of benign.  There is a great section on this board for women who have not been diagnosed yet.  They were an emotional lifesaver for me while I waited.

I will be praying and thinking of you.

Take care.

kleo

Maybe you should start a new thread with your concerns since you didn't get any replies. I believe there is a not diagnosed but worried topic under forums.

I will pray that your tests are benign. Just know that this is a great place for supportive and caring people.