Help!

I had an MRI after the biopsy but before my lumpectomy. My understanding was that it was ordered to see whether there were any other areas of concern in my breasts that might also require investigation/biopsy/surgery. But the MRI wasn't ordered by the biopsy surgeon, it was ordered by my surgical oncologist at my first appointment with her.

I'm not really clear from your post. Did your mom get her biopsy results back yet or not?

Get a different doctor have the results sent to them.

I also had an MRI between the biopsy and surgery. It's just another tool for the surgeon to use to determine size and location. The breast center I used makes everything so easy; after the mammogram results, they got me an scheduled for an ultrasound and biopsy (if needed, which it was), then the next appointment was with one of their breast surgeons in the same location. The oncologist they referred me to was the same one my PCP had wanted to send me to for a screening for something else, so all I had to do was change the appointment day until I had the biopsy results. I know a lot of places require the patient to do all their doctor and testing shopping on their own, but I loved being gently handed off to the next person/procedure without added stress. Some places might do the appointments and tests in a slightly different order.

That is super frustrating.

If you are located in the USA, I believe that you have a right to your results, though you may have to go in person to get them. There was a snafu with the communication between my biopsy center and my gyn's office, and I ended going in person to the radiology place and getting handed an envelope. You might also be able to get them to share the results with a different doctor who would turn it around to you fast.

Sometimes I think these folks (some of them) don't have enough empathy for what it's like to be in the patients' shoes.

I also had an MRI after biopsy, before surgery in 2016. It was ordered by my breast surgeon because I didn't have an oncologist that time around. The MRI was to make sure there weren't any other areas of concern in either breast, which is important to know before surgery. Be aware they have a high rate of false positives--something like 30%. I'm sorry this seems to be taking so long for your mother.

I echo the waiting is brutal and also agree 2 weeks is too long to wait. Unfortunately it sounds like your mother is at the mercy of a no insurance-state controlled category. That’s blatantly unfair but I know where I live they move the uninsured patients to the end of the line unless they fork over the costs upfront. Ditto if you take your case to court without a lawyer.

I didn’t have a MRI so I can’t speak to that issue. I know several ladies who did though and it was for the reasons others have mentioned. It does have a lot of false positives though.

I don’t wait well anyway so I would be down at the doctors office to try and get your mom’s results. I did get a phone call 2 days after my biopsy.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Diane