Getting tired of this....frustrated and worried

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pegasus68
pegasus68 Member Posts: 73
edited February 2017 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

It's been a while since I've been here. Short history - with my prior LCIS diagnosis and family history (sister dx late 40s, aunt and cousin early-mid 50s; my Tyrer-Cuzik lifetime risk estimated over 60%), I've been on the 6 month alternating MRI/3D mammo plan. Gotta say, it's getting old. Apparently, in my 40's my boobs have picked up the hobby of growing new fibroadenomas – a new one each year for the last 3 years, each requiring biopsy for definitive diagnosis. After last summer's episode, my MO actually suggested that with my risk and the need for so many biopsies rendering my boobs into Swiss cheese, I might be a candidate for PBMX. Now I've just been recalled yet again from my 3D mammo last week with a new mass. I know its probably just another FA to add to the collection, but I also can't seem to quiet the nagging question of whether this will be the time I lose the coin toss… I couldn't get in for the next round of images until next week, so I'll be stewing over it all weekend.

On another note, weirdly my mammo density increased from category 3 heterogeneously dense (for the last 3 years) to last week being designated 'extremely dense' category 4 (all mammos done at the same facility). What's up with that? I thought the density was calculated by computer-aided detection, so I am not sure I can attribute to radiologist differences. I thought density was supposed to decrease with age; I have had no weight loss or HRT which might cause increase. Weird – and further disconcerting. More risk and harder to detect. Gonna be asking lots of question next week.

Starting to think PBMX maybe doesn't sound so bad…

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2017

    Pegasus - sorry about your continuing travails. This is exactly why I went ahead with a BMX, so I really understand.

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  • pegasus68
    pegasus68 Member Posts: 73
    edited February 2017

    Aside from the worry and stress, this whole thing hurts the pocketbook - my breast-related expenses were almost $5k last year AFTER insurance. Seems like such a waste of money!


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  • MsVeryDenseBreasts
    MsVeryDenseBreasts Member Posts: 100
    edited February 2017

    Hi. My history is very similar to your re: biopsies, very dense tissue etc. I dealt with the 6 mos surveillance and multiple biopsies for 8 years before opting for PBMX in '15. Glad I did. I rarely check this forum anymore. FYI...my breast density also did NOT decrease with age. If you are lean and fairly small chested there seems to be less likelihood of density decreasing as that seems to tend to occur when there is more fatty tissue present. I was also told by the BS and MO that it is not a given that taking Tamoxifen will have any effect on density either. It does for some people and not for others. If it's going to have an effect, that is usually evident w/in 18 mos of starting to take the drug. I opted for PBMX, no drugs etc. Happy I did.

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  • jacckk48
    jacckk48 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2017

    hi

    welcome to this forum site , here you can find lots of thing about health any types of cancer , I don 't know why are you fustrated and worried

    you should talk to your friends and family members about ti .

    Sometimes this feeling kicks in almost as soon as treatment ends.


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  • dAd
    dAd Member Posts: 94
    edited February 2017

    Jacckk48, what exactly was the purpose of you post? Please be very careful in responding to members who are clearly very worried and anxious. This forum is for people with or at risk for Breast cancer and not for "ant type of cancer"

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