I'm going coocoo...Birads 3-6 month follow up

anb567 · February 2018

Hello Folks,

I posted here a few weeks ago after going in for my annual check up. The Gyno sent me for an ultrasound after fibrocystic changes were felt in my breast. I got a 3d Mammo and an ultrasound. It revealed 3 solid masses, suspected fibroandenomas, and heterogenously dense breasts. The radiologist spoke with me and gave it a BIRADS catagory 3. He suggested I follow up in 6 months, and did not think a biopsy was necessary. My Gyno recommended I follow up with a breast surgeon since one of the masses was palpable. I finally got to my appointment with the BS. He was great. He seemed like a straight shooter. 30 years experience and a pretty great resume. Chief of Staff, fellowships, etc.

I have been going more than a little crazy, "researching" while I waited for this appointment. By the time I got there I was a huge ball of stress. I became hyper aware of anatomical oddities (which the BS said are all normal..flat nipple, dimple under areola, some tiny amount of discharge in both nipples) and pain in the breasts. I'm sure some of the pain noticed is just hyper body scanning, but some if it is definitely real and there. Nipple burning which due to location of Fibroadenomas could be the cause. Random slight pain that feels like pinching. The Doctor basically told me he promised me I did not have BC and I needed to let this go and live my life. It did not warrant an MRI (despite Heterogeneously Dense breasts) in his opinion. He believed the ultrasound would have picked up 97 percent of what there is to pick up and an MRI may increase that to 98 percent. Obviously he thinks biopsy is unnecessary and extraction certainly overkill. He just wants to see me again in 6 months for follow up. He said his job was to worry so I would not have to worry.

He really was a great Dr and my gut is that I should let this go now and trust him. I can't help but think about all the stories I've read of people who unfortunately did not catch their cancer on an US, or the ones where something believed to be benign was not. Its very hard for me to not dwell. I feel like for the first time in my life (i am 31) I have had to seriously look at mortality. I did not come back unscathed. I guess my main question is do you all feel I have done my due diligence? Have I done all that is reasonable to do? At this point would extraction or biopsy be unnecessary risk and scaring? Is persisting with more opinions worth the horrid stress to my family and myself?

Sorry for the long post. Thank you for your words.

Veeder14 · February 2018

anb567,

I hear what your saying about being worried even though the surgeon feels you can wait 6 months. If it was me I'd pursue getting an MRI because it's more accurate and shows smaller lumps, tumors, etc., I don't think the surgeon would biopsy something that was deemed not cancer unless it was large and had the potential to become cancerous. Or you could ask for a return appointment in 3 months instead of 6 months. I know how stressful this stuff is. Take Care.

anb567 · March 2018

hey guys! So I thought I would update on what has happened with this in case anyone finds this in the future who is also worried. I ended up going to the mayo clinic. For a 3rd opinion after the first breast surgeon. They agreed the lumps were probably benign. I insisted on an MRI per advice from this forum and just reading everyone's stories. While I waited for the MRI I was nervous about my flattening nipple so they did an ultrasound under the nipple and it came back normal minus a 5mm solid mass they deemed birads 2.

I also felt some popping in my breasts which I attributed to my implants. The MRI ordered was 1 hour and 30 minutes long. They did it with contrast and without. They looked at my saline implants and the breast tissue. I am under the impression it's the best imaging available really. After experiencing it though I do understand why they reserve this for high risk patients or after cancer diagnosis. It's not fun, but if you are young and have dense breast tissue u can ask for It or simply because you want to. It's your peace of mind.

In my case the MRI came back normal just the same lumps detected in the ultrasounds. The report comes out Monday so I will know more then. However Dr believes best course is to wait 6 months and do a followup. Of course I can also biopsy and I have not yet made that decision. So many good Drs have looked and so much imaging has been done that I really find the odds so small. I also think having some extra imaging done down the line won't hurt. Hey extra monitoring! But there is something to be said for the finality of a biopsy. But down time infection risk and possible scarring are all factors to consider. Advice certainly appreciated here!

Having experienced this, the best advice I can give is be thorough and listen to your gut, but stay calm. Truly assess your risks and understand them. Don't compare yourself to other stories because they are different than your individual circumstances. Different towns, different Drs, different risk factors. Don't panic because it won't change anything in the end. Just go thru the steps one by one til you are satisfied. Be brave ladies!!!! And ask for meds if you need them. I worked myself up to such a state i took the meds and i felt much better. I love you all and am praying for you. Thank you for your wisdom and I will post again if I do biopsy with results.

anb567 · March 2018

hey guys! Report came out for MRI. Birads 2. Mentions the calcified mass only as fibroadenoma. The other 3 masses found on ultrasound are not at all mentioned on the report. I emailed the mayo clinic to find out why but any ideas?

I was hoping the MRI would back up the benign appearance of these masses so I wouldn' feel like biopsy was needed.

djmammo · March 2018

anb567

The fact that it is a BIRADS 2 confirms the nature of all the prior findings as benign.

anb567 · March 2018

hi djmammo! Thanks once again for your help. That is a relief to hear. They still want to see me in 6 months. Is thay just assess stability. All the lumps look like fibroadenomas except for one that could be a fat lobule.

cmcarney1016 · September 2018

Hi I came across your post and I wanted to say thank you for your post. I had a mamomo 2d and 3d tomosynthesis and US last sept 2017. Mammo was clear, US should a probably benign birdads 3, the nodule 3mm near my nipple, they wanted me to come back in 6 months for f/u but after sitting and scaring myself for a month I fought insurance and got a breast MRI. Came back birads 2 f/u with mammo in one year. Short story is I was told to f/u in 6 months anyway to make sure all is okay with nodule. Its still there as I can feel it. I am beating myself up over this wondering if going to an appt back in end of May or June of this year would have found something and here we are in Sept and I wont know anything until my year appt next week.

I was just wondering if you could give me your input as my anxiety is high and I am worried after reading all this stuff on the internet.

Thanks

DawnSmith · September 2018

i have the Birad's 3 also...Many cluster's of microcalification's. I decided to wait the 6 month follow up...it to me is less stressing and you can keep your mind busy. Went for 6 month follow-up with no change ( good news ) ...just had my other Follow-up today...Sept 21st....No change in microcalifications...but a very small nodule

.had untra sound & it is a benign cyst. I have a very very strong family history...2 sisters ..breast cancer...brother lung cancer....brother salvia gland cancer & and also a younger sister 39 years old...saliva gland cancer. They all passed away. Even with a strong family history..birads 3 does not mean you have cancer or will get cancer. Birads 3 has less then 2% of cancer. So people just keep your mind busy til the six months...if you have microcalification's...and no neoplasm...anything less than 6 months will be too soon to know....breast surgeon was right..he agreed with radiologists...and my turn out this year is birads 3...but i was released after a year to go back to annual mammigrams...hopes this helps those worried with birads 3. If you are uncomfortable about your mammogram results...have a breast surgeon look at the mammogram results from radiologists...that relieves a lot of stress....if he agrees birads 3 ..wait 6 months then i would do that...but only you know how much anxiety you have..if it makes your anxiety worse..then discuss it with your Dr. Hope this helps.

DawnSmith · September 2018

have the Birad's 3 also...Many cluster's of microcalification's. I decided to wait the 6 month follow up...it to me is less stressing and you can keep your mind busy. Went for 6 month follow-up with no change ( good news ) ...just had my other Follow-up today...Sept 21st....No change in microcalifications...but a very small nodule

.had untra sound & it is a benign cyst. I have a very very strong family history...2 sisters ..breast cancer...brother lung cancer....brother salvia gland cancer & and also a younger sister 39 years old...saliva gland cancer. They all passed away. Even with a strong family history..birads 3 does not mean you have cancer or will get cancer. Birads 3 has less then 2% of cancer. So people just keep your mind busy til the six months...if you have microcalification's...and no neoplasm...anything less than 6 months will be too soon to know....breast surgeon was right..he agreed with radiologists...and my turn out this year is birads 3...but i was released after a year to go back to annual mammigrams...hopes this helps those worried with birads 3. If you are uncomfortable about your mammogram results...have a breast surgeon look at the mammogram results from radiologists...that relieves a lot of stress....if he agrees birads 3 ..wait 6 months then i would do that...but only you know how much anxiety you have..if it makes your anxiety worse..then discuss it with your Dr. Hope this helps.

DawnSmith · September 2018

have the Birad's 3 also...Many cluster's of microcalification's. I decided to wait the 6 month follow up...it to me is less stressing and you can keep your mind busy. Went for 6 month follow-up with no change ( good news ) ...just had my other Follow-up today...Sept 21st....No change in microcalifications...but a very small nodule

.had untra sound & it is a benign cyst. I have a very very strong family history...2 sisters ..breast cancer...brother lung cancer....brother salvia gland cancer & and also a younger sister 39 years old...saliva gland cancer. They all passed away. Even with a strong family history..birads 3 does not mean you have cancer or will get cancer. Birads 3 has less then 2% of cancer. So people just keep your mind busy til the six months...if you have microcalification's...and no neoplasm...anything less than 6 months will be too soon to know....breast surgeon was right..he agreed with radiologists...and my turn out this year is birads 3...but i was released after a year to go back to annual mammigrams...hopes this helps those worried with birads 3. If you are uncomfortable about your mammogram results...have a breast surgeon look at the mammogram results from radiologists...that relieves a lot of stress....if he agrees birads 3 ..wait 6 months then i would do that...but only you know how much anxiety you have..if it makes your anxiety worse..then discuss it with your Dr. Hope this helps.

DawnSmith · September 2018

have the Birad's 3 also...Many cluster's of microcalification's. I decided to wait the 6 month follow up...it to me is less stressing and you can keep your mind busy. Went for 6 month follow-up with no change ( good news ) ...just had my other Follow-up today...Sept 21st....No change in microcalifications...but a very small nodule

.had untra sound & it is a benign cyst. I have a very very strong family history...2 sisters ..breast cancer...brother lung cancer....brother salvia gland cancer & and also a younger sister 39 years old...saliva gland cancer. They all passed away. Even with a strong family history..birads 3 does not mean you have cancer or will get cancer. Birads 3 has less then 2% of cancer. So people just keep your mind busy til the six months...if you have microcalification's...and no neoplasm...anything less than 6 months will be too soon to know....breast surgeon was right..he agreed with radiologists...and my turn out this year is birads 3...but i was released after a year to go back to annual mammigrams...hopes this helps those worried with birads 3. If you are uncomfortable about your mammogram results...have a breast surgeon look at the mammogram results from radiologists...that relieves a lot of stress....if he agrees birads 3 ..wait 6 months then i would do that...but only you know how much anxiety you have..if it makes your anxiety worse..then discuss it with your Dr. Hope this helps.

DawnSmith · September 2018

have the Birad's 3 also...Many cluster's of microcalification's. I decided to wait the 6 month follow up...it to me is less stressing and you can keep your mind busy. Went for 6 month follow-up with no change ( good news ) ...just had my other Follow-up today...Sept 21st....No change in microcalifications...but a very small nodule

.had untra sound & it is a benign cyst. I have a very very strong family history...2 sisters ..breast cancer...brother lung cancer....brother salvia gland cancer & and also a younger sister 39 years old...saliva gland cancer. They all passed away. Even with a strong family history..birads 3 does not mean you have cancer or will get cancer. Birads 3 has less then 2% of cancer. So people just keep your mind busy til the six months...if you have microcalification's...and no neoplasm...anything less than 6 months will be too soon to know....breast surgeon was right..he agreed with radiologists...and my turn out this year is birads 3...but i was released after a year to go back to annual mammigrams...hopes this helps those worried with birads 3. If you are uncomfortable about your mammogram results...have a breast surgeon look at the mammogram results from radiologists...that relieves a lot of stress....if he agrees birads 3 ..wait 6 months then i would do that...but only you know how much anxiety you have..if it makes your anxiety worse..then discuss it with your Dr. Hope this helps.

anb567 · September 2018

hi Cm. I think I am a little unclear. Were you supposed to go get a follow up 6 months after the ultrasound and then got an MRI and was told to come back in a year instead? When is your next follow up? Despite mine being a birads 2 on the MRI I was told to come back in 6 months for a follow up ultrasound. It's scheduled for next week. Generally I would say your chances are low with birads 3 and if you trust your doctors you will likely be ok following their recommendations. But in the end trust your gut if anything do whatever it takes to get you peace of mind. I am praying for you and sending good vibes your way.

I'm going coocoo...Birads 3-6 month follow up

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