Timeframe between rads and mammogram?

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gemini4
gemini4 Member Posts: 532
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I had a checkup today with the breast surgeon. Uneventful until the end when she told me my next mammogram will be in November, which will be a year after the mammo that led to the diagnosis. Six month later (May of 2014) I'll have an MRI. She said I'll be checked every six months, alternating mammo with MRI.



I could swear, however, that she told me when I met with her in January that my next mammo would be this June. She said today that that wouldn't be true, since it's too soon after rads.



Since all three docs are at the same hospital, I paid the RO nurse a quick visit and left word with her to check with the RO. I know I didn't dream this ... One of the three docs said I'll have a mammo in June (of this year) and MRI in December. The thought of waiting till November makes me a little uneasy ... Mostly for the unaffected breast.



When did you ladies have your first mammogram after you completed rads?

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  • dltnhm
    dltnhm Member Posts: 873
    edited April 2013

    My stage and treatments are different, but I completed rads mid-September and had my mammogram in November. That was 1 year from the mammogram that started the diagnostic ball rolling - but I was in some form of active treatment: surgery, chemo, rads from January of 2012 through September of 2012. I will be having a breast MRI in May.



    I'm hopeful some gals who had lumpectomy + rads will answer you!

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  • gemini4
    gemini4 Member Posts: 532
    edited April 2013

    Thanks for the reply, dltnhm.    Smile

    I just got a call from my RO's nurse.  The RO agrees with the breast surgeon on this timeframe.  At least I will be seeing one of my doc's every three months and will get a clinical breast exam each time.  Given than my original BC was found on a self-exam (barely showed up on mammo but was clear on MRI), probably feeling is more accurate than seeing.

    Did anyone w/ LX and rads have a different timeframe?

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited April 2013

    I had my first mammogram six months after the end of radiation treatment.  I was told that it takes six months for the radiation to clear your breast and not affect the mammogram.

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  • RMlulu
    RMlulu Member Posts: 1,989
    edited April 2013

    Hi Gemini4 -



    My last boost rad is Monday yippee!

    Question the RO about my escape and follow up.

    Escape 2 wks from last rad

    Follow up mammo 6 mos

    See BS MO and RO and then take off...oh and then there is the RX to be filled.

    Nice to have time to heal physically and mentally from the past months.

    Very thankful

    Cindy



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  • gemini4
    gemini4 Member Posts: 532
    edited April 2013

    Hmm. Well I might press for a mammo sooner that November, which would be eight months after rads ended. From an emotional perspective I would rather not go in for a mammo at the same time of year of the original diagnosis. I'd rather mark that time of year with something else. The mammo happened the Monday after thanksgiving and two days after my daughter's birthday (but I had felt the lump and had seen my primary doc so I was worried during the holiday weekend). Then the biopsy was done the day before my husband's bday and dx came back hours before his bday dinner outing.



    I know there are guarantees. But I can't imagine the team won't agree to push it to a month or so earlier. I know insurance companies can be strict about mammos being exactly a year apart but in my case I'm going to need them every six months.

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