I hate this - 2 1/2 years out and mamogram anxiety

Hi CAMommy. I'm so sorry; I know it's stressful. But in addition to the favorable odds you already know about, from your signature it looks like your family history also gives you good reason to believe a recurrence is unlikely. I wish I had some way to help! But I do send you warm wishes and good thoughts.

I think these milestones are natural to be anxious.

I have my 2 year Dexa Scan in a couple of weeks...after 2 years on Arimedix only now do I get a chance to see if the drug has damaged my bone density. I wish I could have had a test at 3 or 6 months to see if there was an affect and only then continue for years.

Point being, whether it is 6 months or 2 years, these tests will be mile markers

I know the feeling. My mammo is scheduled in about 2 weeks. It will be 2 yrs since I was diagnosed and I am definitely feeling scanxiety! I tend to start looking at recurrence statistics and prognostic factors and try to reassure myself that I am fine. But until that mammo and us come back negative, I am nervous. I am down to annual mammos so it has been a year since my last one, although I am seen by either my surgeon or rad onc every 3 months. I think this is to be my last diagnostic mammo....back to screening after this one. No difference except that the diagnostic ones are looked at right away....no waiting anxiously for results.

Funny how when scan time comes around for me, I emotionally and mentally transport back to that awful day when I found out I had DCIS. All the insecurity and fear comes out again....well...maybe not quite as strongly...but still there. I play these silly "what if" games in my head. I can be my own worst enemy.

Glad your scans results were good news. Hoping the same for me....

Agree, I have my annual mammo on Feb 5...I'm sure once I get through with the Dexa scan, I will start thinking of that!

I just had my 6 month follow-up (after no treatment). I opted for tomosynthesis (3D mammo) plus ultrasound. The mammogram didn't show anything, so I'm glad I had the ultrasound, which gave me a better idea of the actual dimensions of the DCIS. Will request u/s going forward when I see the BS at the end of the month, since I'm not sure the extra radiation is worth it for what it doesn't show.

Meow13, you're right--it is PTSD.

I just made my appointment for my mammogram for April 4th and the fluttery feeling I've had the past couple of weeks increased. I had my first baseline diagnostic mammogram 3/29/17 6 months after I completed my rads. for some reason, my surgeon recommended ongoing screening mammograms rather than diagnostic mammograms. I'm told the resuts won't be available until 5 days after instead of that same day. Apparently insurance won't pay for ongoing diagnostic mammograms. I'm dreading a 5 day waiting period. Anyone else treated for DCIS switch to screening mammograms with the wait for results? How did you cope?

Marcella

Thanks Meow!

I spoke to my surgeon's physician's assistant today and she explained that the facility's policy is to recommend ongoing screening mammogram after the initial baseline diagnostic mammogram. She said there were more biopsies ordered based on diagnostic mammograms and that those biopsies were more often negative.

She told me the screening and the diagnostic was the same and the only difference was when the radiologist read the film. In the diagnostic, the radiologist reads the film while you wait. The screening takes longer and you wait for the results. The thought that I have to do this for the rest of my life is upsetting. :

Take some magnesium like Natural Calm, I believe it is called. relax you. Magnesium citrate powder too will help...avoid magnesium oxide...while cheap, it is poorly absorbed.