Painful Mammo Wire Localization

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Catherinemk
Catherinemk Member Posts: 18
edited November 2018 in Waiting for Test Results

Hello all! I have a quick question. 3 days ago I had an excisional biopsy done. As usual, I had to have a wire localization done. Last year I had an excisional biopsy done with a ultrasound guided wire localization which was easy peasy. This year - they said they needed to do a mammo guided write localization which was unsuccessful because of the extreme pain I endured while being compressed. It was so bad that I was crying and begging for it to stop. Fortunately, the radiologist said to stop and do the ultrasound guided wire localization. I was so thankful. The ultrasound guide was easy peasy again. My question is this - why would a mammo compression be extremely painful while laying down on your side? Standing mammos are fine.

Can anyone shed light on this? Thank you

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited November 2018

    I don't have an answer to the standing vs laying down question, but I found the diagnostic mammo was pretty painful. In my case - I think it was because the tumor was rock hard and would not compress normally.

    Maybe being on your side was just pinching the tissue differently?

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  • Catherinemk
    Catherinemk Member Posts: 18
    edited November 2018

    Maybe that could be it. It was just painful and it was bothering me in my head as to why. 😊 I'll just be grateful that the radiologist stopped it quickly and did the ultrasound. I do know that I will object to having any mammo guided anything again. The diagnostic mammo I will do but not the guided one. The pain was comparable (well almost) to giving birth


    Thank you for responding. 😀

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited November 2018

    Hey - I'm all about less pain! I think you're definitely within your rights to refuse that procedure again. Things are hard enough without feeling tortured.

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  • VL22
    VL22 Member Posts: 851
    edited November 2018

    Because my tumor wasn’t palpable, I had a wire localization mammo before surgery- it was absolutely horrible and painful. I actually had to be given smelling salts because I was going to pass out and then sit with my head between my knees.

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  • Catherinemk
    Catherinemk Member Posts: 18
    edited November 2018

    That is awful! Something needs to be done about that. I was lucky that my radiologist came in and saw me crying in pain and immediately stopped it. I'm wondering, since my lump being palpable would have anything to do with it since you mentioned that yours was not palpable.


    Thank you for sharing your experience. 😊

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  • Catherinemk
    Catherinemk Member Posts: 18
    edited November 2018

    There is absolutely no need to be tortured like that. Sedation or numbing agent are available to prevent things like this from happening. 😑

    Thanks for the agreement! 😊

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  • CasM
    CasM Member Posts: 110
    edited November 2018

    All

    I have a wire localization excision biopsy on 29 Nov. My surgeon said they would give me Ativan and a local for the wire placement. After hearing horror stories on wire placement I will def be advocating for the drugs. I did not like the stereotactic biopsy feeling I can't even imagine a wire placement without any local anesthetic.

    So sorry that each of you had to go thru so much pain. .

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