32 & requested a Mamo

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estrella90
estrella90 Member Posts: 14
edited September 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hello all,

I hope someone can help me with this confusing situation I am in. Went to my gyno for a routine check up - I asked her if I could have a mamo bc my friend who is 37 got diagnosed and I just wanted to be sure. She felt my breast and said that she felt like my breast had ridges and felt ropey. So she gave me a refferal to get a mamo and ultrasound.

The radiology center called me so confused saying asking why am I going for a screeening if I am 32? I said well I would like to start now. They said if I have no family history or symptoms why would I want to get exposed to the radiology and also said my docotor should have referred me to a "diagnostic" mamo and NOT a screening. After alot of arguing they scheduled me an appt only if I got my referal changed to "diagnostic" I called my doctor and she said that they should at least just do the ultrasound. So I went for my appt......

I was passed around from tech to tech everyone puzzeled and confused asking "why am I there? do I have symptoms? my doctor is an idiot! why would i want to be exposed to radiology if I don't need to!" After HOURS they finally agreed to do an ultra sound. The tech asked if I had been breast feeding I said no she said my breast look like I have been breast feeding. Thats all she said and I left.

Almost 2 weeks later my doctor calls me back and says that the radiology center wants to re-do the unltrasound plus now also do the diagonostic mamo. She said its not urgent and this is protocol from women with "lumpy breast" & said I can schedule my appt at anytime.


My questions are:

  • Is it really a bad thing that I wanted to get my breast checked at 32 like the radiology center said?
  • Am I really harming by body doing the mamogram at 32 if I don't have symptoms / family history and just want peace of mind?
  • Does what the tech said mean something bad? I don't have children.
  • Does the fact that they called me back to re-do the ultrasound and now also need a mamo also a bad sign?


Thank you!!

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Comments

  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited August 2018

    No, a callback is not necessarily a bad sign. It is quite common, in fact, when there is no other imaging to campare with. As to whether a mammo is justified at age 32, I'll leave that to someone else. I'm not a fan of radiation exposure, unless there's a darn good reason for it. Younger breasts can be quite dense, so mammography is often ineffective.

    So, good luck with your imaging. Let us know how it goes.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2018

    estrella90

    If you are younger than 40 and have no symptoms and no family history there is no "indication" for you to have a mammogram either screening or diagnostic so when someone like that shows up it upsets the apple cart so to speak. It becomes an "unnecessary medical test" which makes us look bad since it involves radiation plus most insurance will not pay for it with the only history being "I just want to be sure". Most believe all women under 40 have breasts too dense for adequate mammographic imaging, not always the case but no way to know ahead of time. If there is no lump felt, there is no way to direct an ultrasound exam. So in the end you wind up with an exam of questionable value with a report that contains a dozen disclaimers and you would have to pay for it all out of pocket.

    If you had shown up with a order for "bilateral palpable masses: diagnostic ultrasound with mammogram to follow if necessary" no one would have questioned it.


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  • estrella90
    estrella90 Member Posts: 14
    edited August 2018

    THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLY! This makes so much more sense. Do you feel that my doctor is not being careful in what she is doing with me? I feel like the moment that I asked for a mamo "just to be safe" she was like "sure!" and didn't explain the risks of being exposed to radiation. Being that my doctor called me back and asked me to go back to the radiology center for a mamo and repeat ultra sound I felt scared, maybe they saw something in the ultra sound, but I would like to out weight my options before I go for a mamo if my doctor was indeed being "an idiot" like the techs all said. I feel so uneasy about this

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited August 2018

    I wouldn't go so far as to say your doctor is an idiot. She may just have been responding to your upsettedness and wanted to make you happy, not that she actually thought there is a problem. Perhaps you need to have that conversation with her.

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  • lg10
    lg10 Member Posts: 71
    edited August 2018

    I will just add that I was diagnosed at 31 and my referring doctor thought it was nothing. I actually appreciate that your doctor sent you if you have concerns. I don't think anyone in this process should be made to feel like they don't belong somewhere and the radiology dept shouldn't have questioned what you were doing. Who knows, maybe the cancer would not have been in my lymph node if the doctor sent me a month earlier...

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  • estrella90
    estrella90 Member Posts: 14
    edited August 2018

    Thank you Ig10. May I ask if you had any symptoms? My only concern is that I have none and am worried about getting exposed to radiation. I did get an ultra sound and got called back for another one so I might as well go

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  • lg10
    lg10 Member Posts: 71
    edited August 2018

    I had a lump that I thought was just fibrocystic because I also have one in my other breast (it's benign). I was otherwise healthy and I had no family history. I think you have to do whatever makes you feel more at ease. I'm not an expert on radiation exposure, but if you are going to be stressed—that's bad for your health too. There is SO much info out there and it's overwhelming. This process has taught me to trust my gut. Only you know what's best for you and don't let anyone tell you differently. :

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  • estrella90
    estrella90 Member Posts: 14
    edited August 2018

    thank you so much for your reply. I don’t have any symptoms but have a friend that is young and has stage 2 so I wanted to test just to be sure. I’m just a little worried since the ultrasound tech asked me if I had children bc of the way my breast appeared, but then I didn’t get a call back until almost 2 weeks later and the doctor said it’s not urgent but the radiology center wants to re-do th ultrasounds this time with a mamao :( so worr

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited August 2018

    Hi Estrella, I don't think your doctor is being an idiot, and it's good that you are being aware of your breast health. Diagnosis at 32 is uncommon, but it does happen!

    I was diagnosed at 32, and breast cancer was not even on my radar. I was young, had no family history, was healthy and athletic, had a healthy diet... basically I did all the "right" things, and I still got breast cancer. One night I noticed a palpable lump. I called a doctor right away, but I still wasn't too worried. When I got my mammogram and ultrasound, both were concerning and that led to a biopsy. I got the news no one wants... breast cancer at 32.

    It's good you are being aware, but also don't worry too much. Many people get a call back from a mammogram. Also, the amount of radiation you get from a mammogram is small, and I wouldn't give it a second thought. Best wishes to you.

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  • estrella90
    estrella90 Member Posts: 14
    edited August 2018

    Thank you so much for your response and good luck to you with your diagnosis I hope all is well and turns out ok

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2018

    estrella90

    The amount of radiation from a mammogram is inconsequential in the scheme of things and it would be a shame if the fear of this radiation delayed a cancer diagnosis. People living in higher elevations like Denver or fly cross country frequently likely receive much more per year.

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  • estrella90
    estrella90 Member Posts: 14
    edited September 2018

    Hello All

    I just had my additional testing done today. I was told I was called back because per their protocol they should have done a mammo when I first came in and wanted to cover all basis for liability reasons.

    I did a 3-d Mamo with another Ultra Sound as a diagnostic appointment this time. The tech that did my 3D mammo would go and ask the radiologist if they needed more images. For the right breast she said that it looked fine and no further images were needed. For the left she said the radiologist wanted to take a closer look bc she doesnt have any other images to compare my lymph nodes to and did another mammo this time much tighter and targeting a certain area with a plastic tool, she then sent me for my ultra sound. The Ultra Sound tech was focusing on my left breast for a very very long time take alot of pics and then said she was going to ask the Radiologist if they needed more images. She came back in the room and said no further images were needed and that the results were going to be sent to my doctor and she will call me back in 2 or 3 days.


    If they were able to tell me that there was nothing wrong with my right breast , how come they couldnt tell me what was the fuss with my left? I did ask and the Ultrasound tech said she doesn't know anything and I have to wait for my doctor to call me in 2 - 3 days? I am not very concerned.

    Thank you for your time

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  • JoE777
    JoE777 Member Posts: 628
    edited September 2018

    The techs were stepping out of line by questioning your doctor. If they had questions they should pick up the phone and call the doctor. Unprofessional

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited September 2018

    When people have told me that I was too young, I ask if they’ve ever heard of Susan G. Komen, then I remind them that she was diagnosed at 33 and died at 36 from metastatic disease. Odds are in your favor for sure that this will turn out fine but I have a real hard time with concerns seemingly dismissed based on age or normal appearance.

    I wish you the very best of luck 🙂

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