Biopsy next week

East1234, It is my understanding that a Birads 4 rating is necessary for insurance to cover the biopsy and most Birads 4 turn out benign. That said, not all are benign, of course. In your shoes, I would have opted for a biopsy now rather than waiting and wondering for six months. Hang in there, do something fun between now and next week. Here's a hug ( ) and wishes for a benign outcome. If this does not work out that way, then you have found a wonderful resource of folks who have been there, done that and are willing to share as we keep on keeping on!

It's birads 4 because you told her you wanted a biopsy. If you'd told her you wanted to wait, it would've been birads 3. She has to code it birads 4 for the insurance to cover a biopsy.

Try to hang on to that "probably benign"! It's probably benign

Which is silly that insurance won't cover biopsies for things that have a low chance of being cancer

Birads 4 is a pretty low chance - I think as low as 3%.

How was the biopsy for you? I'm so nervous about the result that I haven't thought about the actual procedure.

For me it was fine. The team was supportive, explained everything, someone held my hand, it didn't take long. I wore a comfortable bra and they gave me an icepack to put in it after.

I think biopsies can be harder for someone having multiple masses done at the same time, or if it's in a particularly tricky location in the breast, or if someone in general has a hard time with medical procedures. But if none of that applies to you, I'd say it was really almost a non-event. Comparable or less annoying than a sore shoulder after a flu shot. They did tell me not to bicycle home and I had to take it easy on that side for 48 hours or something.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Hi everyone. I am Sandy and I am having a right breast core biopsy in five days. I have a 4mm mass in my right breast above my nipple. I am trying to stay calm. My mother died from breast cancer at the age of 57 year old. She lived only one year after being diagnosed. I am now 64 years old. Hoping for the best outcome for both of us, East 1234. We can get through this..together. I will be in touch here. Thank you all. Sandy

Hi East1234, this is good news! I know that sounds like a super scary result, but both fibroademonas and atypical hyperplasias are benign, aka not cancer. Check out this breastcancer.org page on benign breast conditions. And here are pages with info specifically on fibroadenomas and atypical ductal hyperplasia. Hopefully you will have a chance to discuss the report with your doctor so they can explain what it all means and what your next steps should be, but honestly, you don't need to panic!

Absolutely no need to apologize! This is the place to come where you can be open and honest about what you're feeling. And I should have acknowledged that just because something isn't cancer doesn't mean it can't still be scary or traumatic.

Meeting with a breast surgeon is a great idea, because they will probably be able to give you more information than your OB. Whether the decision is to take it out now, or watch and wait, you're going to want to have that established relationship with a surgeon.