Paranoid!

It's ok to feel a little "paranoid" and I caution us from not being at least eagle-eyed. I don't like using the word "paranoid" because that is an actual diagnosis someone can have. I had my UMX in late November  and already lived through my first "scare" on my right. I knew it would look like I was "paranoid" when I had new pain on the right that was discordant with typical cyclical breast pain and there was a painful lump. I just knew with my history of having multi-focal DCIS at 40  that anything I reported would be followed up on so I hesitated. I almost didn't say anything. I waffled between being embarrassed  that I was worried and actuallybeing scared. I did fess up at my annual GYN exam and my GYN felt the lump too and he ordered a dx mammogram and U/S that did not show anything suspicious, but I was told I was not crazy and did the right thing. My PS felt the lump, too. The radiologist was great (he and the US tech felt it too). My final result was a BIRADS 2 mammogram/U/S with clinical correlation needed. I have gone through one full menstrual cycle since the pain and lump discovery and yes, the lump is still there and the pain is still concentrated in one region of the breast. I now know what it feels like and can spot something abnormal. In the final report the Radiologist strongly urged consideration for some sort of routine MRI for me. There is reason to be cautious and there is a process to learning this.

I am considering asking my PS (only because he is the only one I am seeing right now) to do a breast exam along side me. I am lumpy too and I have sore, bean sized lumps along the side up into my armpit. Since I had a normal right sided MRI in October (the left was a mess:) and this pain and lump appeared OK I am guessing that this is all OK, too, but would like to hear it from someone who knows. I also read about "mapping" your remaining breast on paper and each month referring to that when it is time to do your exam. Maybe something like that will help you, too. Go easy on yourself. We didn't ask for this, we just have to learn what will work for each of us as individuals  

Good for you Jonsey!  I think we need to be proactive in receiving the care we need.  Sitting around worrying ourselves to death is not good for our health.  So feel empowered by your decision to take control of your health, just like we do for others, our finances and far less important things in our lives.

Hope this brings you some peace of mind!

For what it's worth, I've found the paranoia is decreasing the farther out from diagnosis/treatment I go.