Had mammogram and ultrasound today

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Tinkar
Tinkar Member Posts: 4
edited September 2019 in Waiting for Test Results

hello,


I am a 35 year old mother to a8 month old she 5 year old. I have had some charges to my right breast. I had breast reduction surgery in 2003 and lots of scars with that.


Changes are a big dent along the side when arm raised with a big like empty space behind my nipple which is tugging in and to the right.


Ultrasound tech said not to worry this weekend, dr will call me Tuesday. She said there was an area of thickening on the mammogram for her to look at with US. I'm pretty sure I seen RAD 10/3 on the screen at one point which I think means I'm safe!


I was wondering, should I push for a biopsy? I don't want to miss anything between my dense breasts and scar tissue.


Blessings to all!

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited August 2019

    You should obtain a copy of your report to see what it actually says. Bi Rads 10/3 is not a category I am aware of. You need to see what the recommendations on the report are to know where to go from there. For what reason would you push for a biopsy with the information you have? I’d wait to see what the results and recommendation are

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  • Tinkar
    Tinkar Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2019

    of course I definitely need to wait for results. I meant should I ask for a biopsy of the thickened tissue when I talk to the Dr if the results are indeed an area of thickened tissue... just because I have these visual changes and those have been changing over a period of months now.


    I've also had these tests 4 years ago as well because my GP found a lump and they said then I have a lot of scar tissue and dense breasts.

    I also plan to update with my results but in the meantime I was just looking for a little chat and advice.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited August 2019

    I think it is safe to say that if you need a biopsy the doctor will recommend one. since a biopsy is recommended when they believ there is only a three percent chance you have cancer

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  • Tinkar
    Tinkar Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2019

    Oh wow, I see there is a 'we don't wait and play around' mentality with this.


    I have to admit as a newly insured person(I've only been insured as a child & my two pregnancies. I still had insurance after my first child when I had my first round of breast imaging) I am not really use to speedy and quality service in the health industry. I've mostly slipped through the cracks, so I do always have a small fear of that happening again.


    Thank you for your time and patience in answering

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  • Tinkar
    Tinkar Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2019

    Having to wait is torture.


    I really want to ask them to biopsy the area they noticed as thickened because my nipple is going in and there is a pretty big dip/indent in my breast when I raise my arm that has now got a vein or shadow at the top of it. It could be just from being in my 30s or just having had my baby 8 months ago (no breastfeeding though).


    But my hubby says if they tell me 'oh don't worry its just normal' ask them to whip out their boobs and ask them does your breast do this and ask everyone who works there to show their boobs too and see if that is so normal for a 35 year old. The change has been continuing to change so he see's it a lot more now then when I first pointed it out. I honestly don't remember how long ago I first noticed it but I do know I was in the shower and noticed the water rolling over my breast went into a dip in my areola.


    I guess the tech saying 'don't worry too much this weekend its just some thickening' upset me because I already felt like I was being signed off and blown off. Why do I feel this way? As a woman that has lived without health insurance in the United States (I am a business owner and couldn't afford it but earned too much for assistance) I have been ignored for MANY health issues over my life. It's been hard to go into the Dr and told that you need this test and that test but sorry you don't have insurance an we aren't a country that cares about health ... we

    we care about money.



    The mammogram tech was a lot less like 'don't be worried its just thickening' and a lot more like 'it could be from having a baby, lets hope'... which I found a LOT better of an approach because she didn't make me feel like she wasn't going to look or do her job but more like she was being hopeful.


    The ultrasound tech made me feel like she wasn't taking it seriously because she just assumed it was fine.


    Also, she was talking to me about a pregnancy scare she had during the exam until she started taking photos, then after she told me about how she had implants removed and her boobs still look so good... can you believe it.


    So that made me think PHEW she didn't see anything suspicious or she surely wouldn't be bragging about how good her boobs look lol

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited September 2019

    You are reading way too much into your discussion with the tech and making way too many assumptions.

    Techs are not supposed to say anything to the patient about the results, so reading into the comment from the ultrasound tech that you are being "blown off" is simply wrong. The tech doesn't read the imaging and make the decision on what follow-up might be necessary; the Radiologist does that.

    It sounds to me as though the ultrasound tech knew that you would be anxious, since you were sent for the ultrasound because of the thickening seen on the mammogram, so she was making light conversation and trying to be reassuring. Telling you to not worry this weekend was her attempt to be kind, knowing that it's a long weekend and you won't get the results until Tuesday. She simply didn't want you to ruin your weekend worrying, which is what you are doing anyway.

    As MelissaDallas advised, why don't you wait until you get the results on Tuesday before you decide that you are being blown off or start thinking about insisting on a biopsy. Let the Radiologist do his/her job.

    Based on what you've said, it's likely that your imaging will be rated either a BIRADs 4, which means that a biopsy is recommended, or a BIRADs 3, which means that something was seen on the imaging however the Radiologist assesses a 2% or less chance of breast cancer and therefore recommends a short-term follow-up. The usual follow-up for a BIRADs 3 is another mammogram and/or ultrasound in 6 months. Talk to the doctor on Tuesday and be sure to ask for a copy of the full report from the Radiologist, so that you can see the entire description of what was seen in the imaging, which should explain the BIRADs rating given and whatever the recommendation is.

    There is nothing you can do about this over the next couple of days, so try to enjoy the rest of the long weekend.


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  • Yogatyme
    Yogatyme Member Posts: 2,349
    edited September 2019

    Waiting is the absolute worse!! You have to allow for all the possibilities and the thoughts just keep streaming through your head like the news crawl at the bottom of the television. I found that distracting myself with funny YouTube videos helped at least temporarily. It’s terrible to not feel you’re being taken seriously or dismissed. Your post, like so many on this site, has made me even more appreciative of the care I got from my team at University of North Carolina Memorial Hospital. I can also appreciate your insurance/financial issues as I was self-employed for 37 yrs and am truly glad to be old enough to be covered by Medicare & a supplement. The total I have paid out of pocket for BRCA1 testing, 2 mammograms, 1MRI, oophrectomy, ultrasound, core biopsies and bilateral mastectomy has been $39.00. Hang tight.....sending good thoughts your way

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  • Topsy3
    Topsy3 Member Posts: 13
    edited September 2019

    In my case, after going back in the room for pictures 3 times, the tech (cant remember if it was mammo tech or us tech) came to the little waiting area and said the radiologist is probably going to do a biopsy. I said, oh today? Cause I can't, I have to go pick up my kids. Then the radiologist comes in and the tech says, she needs to leave to get her kids. To which the radiologist replied, oh well never mind then. Just come back in 6 months. At the time I was like, oh goody and now I'm like, oh crap. But my daughter was graduating high school the next day, and my mom was flying in that night and my mind was really not focused on my boobs. Once I relayed that little story to my obgyn she said screw that, I'm sending you to a breast surgeon. So now I wait for that. Off to a breast surgeon with a birads 3 that may have been destined a birads 4 originally. I dont know, just not much confidence in the encounter. I did find out weeks later that that radiologist is no longer with that imaging center. My imagination can go wild with that little tid bit.

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