Since I’m sliding down the backside of 30, I decided to do the responsible thing and have my first mammogram.
It wasn’t painful, just a bit uncomfortable, and over fairly quickly. The tech warned me that depending on what they found, they may need to call me in for more extensive imaging, but not to worry.
Sure enough, I got a letter in the mail, stating that “additional imaging is necessary for a complete evaluation.”
:eek:
I’m a little disquieted, but then I continued to read the letter, and I’m beginning to think this is some sort of scam to soak the insurance company for more money, because the next line says, “A comparison with previous mammograms was performed and still indicates the need for more imaging.”
This was my first mammogram. There was no comparison with previous mammograms because they don’t exist!
I’m debating whether or not to make an appointment for another one. Oh, I probably will, but I question the “necessity.” And I shall certainly call them on the “previous mammograms” bit.
Any other LadyDopers have a first mammogram and have to go in for a second?
I haven’t had one yet (I’m about 10 days from 31, no family history of breast cancer and so on, so I don’t think I’m at the point where I’m supposed to get a baseline - isn’t that 35?).
It may be possible that the “comparison” comment is part of a form letter. Can you call them or your doc and see what the deal is before making another appointment? I think you’re right to question that comment specifically, and I’d want to know exactly what the deal is before heading back there.
I definitely plan on talking to radiology about that. If the first one is so inconclusive that they have to send out a form letter, why don’t they do the more extensive imaging from the get-go? The second one is supposed to take two hours!
I have had mammograms for the past 11 years. During one of those sessions, a lab tech found what looked to be some unusual tissue. There wasn’t a lump to be felt, just a really weird looking blob. I had to go in for a sonogram and another mammogram. I was scared to death that it could be cancer.
Turned out to be some scar tissue. I had forgotten that one night I was laying on my back watching TV, and our 105 pound dobie came hauling through the living room and planted his back paw right in the middle of my right breast.
I wouldn’t worry about going in for another picture just yet. Sometimes the way the glands are smooshed around during those pictures, it can create some interesting x-rays.
I completely agree on asking about the “previous mammograms” thing. It’s not impossible that there was a mixup. OTOH, it may just be a form letter.
I’ve had those follow-up letters a few times. The reason they don’t do the more extensive test the first time is that (1) it is more expensive and (2) it usually isn’t necessary. Sometimes they do a completely painless ultrasound. Most of the time the second test reveals that the shadow or whatever that was seen is nothing of significance.
However: Don’t put off the re-test overly long once you have determined that the letter was not a clerical error. In a young person, with estrogen still milling about, breast cancers can progress faster than in an old person. Sure, the re-test is annoying. Breast cancer is a lot more annoying. IANAD.
So how is comparing my mammogram to that of the 55-year-old woman who came in before me, whose mother and sister died of breast cancer, supposed to do me any good??
I left a message for scheduling. When the call me back, I shall ask them to connect me to radiology. And then, my friends, I shall ask some very pointed questions.
Ask them about the previous mammogram thing, of course. It could very well be a mixup.
Thing is, though, if they so much as found one tiny speck that looked weird on your mammogram, they are going to retest you because they are afraid of your (hypothetical) lawyer. Better be safe than sorry.
I’ve been having mammograms for awhile (I’m 45). I just had one on Wednesday. They called me on Friday and said to come back for more. My doc called and said there is absolutely no sign of cancer, but there is some assymetry. He said not to lose sleep over it. Well, of course I will to some degree…if it’s not serious, why did they call back so fast?
Then they can’t get me in for 3 weeks.
I’m really not worried about it. A few years ago something was weird and I had to go back for a bunch of views on one side and it was nothing. (They also did ultrasound.)
I could have told them I’m assymetrical. It doesn’t take a genius to see that.
But it is very important to go back if there is anything unusual…just in case. That is what I am telling you in a roundabout way.
I used to hate mammograms so much I would put off going. Then that year came where I had to have all those views, and I got over it. Each view is uncomfortable, maybe even painful, but it lasts a few seconds. I just hold my breath and hope for the best!
Good luck!
P.S. IMHO, if a MAN had to put a sensitive body part between two pieces of hard plastic or metal and have it smashed like a pancake, I guarantee you there would be another machine invented within weeks.
[QUOTE=Lillith Fair
P.S. IMHO, if a MAN had to put a sensitive body part between two pieces of hard plastic or metal and have it smashed like a pancake, I guarantee you there would be another machine invented within weeks.
The second imaging took a long time because they did two things.
First they took another set of mammograms squishing my boobs from different angles than with “normal” mammograms. I had to wait while the radiologist took a look to see if I needed the second procedure. I did.
Next they did ultrasounds. The technician works slowly to make sure everything gets seen properly. Then the radiologist came in again to look a the ultrasounds.
Turns out they found nothing that needed further study.
I think that this is a result of our overly-litigious (sp?) society these days. It’s not as much an insurance billing thing as it is making sure they don’t miss something and then get sued.
The good thing about having a gram at your age is that they will have a baseline against which to compare further grams. Good luck.
A request for a re-test isn’t a soak-the-insurance thing as it is (partly) a fear-of-litigation thing. Most importantly, though, is that breast-imaging technology has improved significantly, and the machinery is a lot more sensitive than it used to be. Masses that were missed or mis-diagnosed previously are now seen more clearly, and some radiologists are more aggressive about follow-up studies to ensure that cancers are caught more quickly, when they’re most treatable.
Instead of talking to the radiologist, I’d talk to the physician who ordered the mammogram. He’s got the report, and he can advise you on what to do. The radiologist isn’t going to know you from Adam and is basically going to repeat the letter’s contents.
Also avoiding the issue of bashing someone who invented the machine that saves thousands of lives a year, I wish you the best of luck. The lawsuits and the tushy-covering aside, there are good reasons- as MsRobyn has articulated- why a follow up is needed a lot of the time.
Imaging truly has moved ahead in leaps in even the last 3-5 years. Clarity and layered images are finer than ever. A more accurate diagnosis is now possible, and before making rash statements a Dr. will almost always go for more angles, more images, more views.
You wouldn’t really rather have a mammographer and Dr. who brushed aside marginal images with a shrug now, would you??
One good thing this tiny little burg I live in has going for it is a place called The Imaging Center. That’s where I have my mammograms. See, at The Imaging Center, they have you wait while a doctor looks at your results. If you need a second test and/or ultrasound, they do it right then, instead of the anxiety of having to wait a week to get results, and three more weeks to schedule a second test. The first mammogram I ever had, they saw what was potentially troublesome spots on my left breast. They did a second mammogram, still saw the irregular spots, did an ultrasound, thereby determining that these are normal irregularities for me. The two ultrasounds I’ve had since then are the same as the first one. Ivylass, it’s my understanding that most of the follow ups turn out to be nothing at all. But just in case it is something, it’s best to know as early as possible. So don’t slack on that second appointment. Also, all you women might want to check and see if there’s a place in your area that will give you same-day results and same-day retesting when necessary.
You used to wait for the radiologist to look at it. This time they said the radiologist looks at it later when you aren’t waiting so he/she has more time to examine it.
They said they have a new machine that analyzes the pictures after the radiologist looks at it. I can’t remember what it is called.
So I thought maybe that machine detected something that was a bit unusual and that is why I was called back.
I am glad you started this thread; I need some encouragement.
I was supposed to get a mammogram months ago and never did.
This time my gyno gave me a referral for anohter.
On the way out, I decided to grab one of those pamphlets which explains it all.
Well.
It claimed implants can explode (I don’t have any) and that it is so painful you can be sore the next day.
I am still afraid to get one! :eek:
I’ve had to go in for ultrasounds after my last couple of mammograms. But I have lumpy breasts (cysts), and I had a non-cancerous lump removed when I was in college. Extra imaging is fairly routine for me.
And the last mammogram I had wasn’t really painful at all.
Never heard that one. Obviously it varies from one woman to another. But I’ve never been sore for even one minute after the test is done. Not something I’d choose to do every day, but I can think of lots of less pleasant things. Not as bad as a toothache, a sinus headache, cramps, or an earache. Just remember it’s not as bad as cancer that metastasizes because it was found too late.
One of the big local hospitals has a center like that. They’re great. I had to get a lump checked out (turned out to be nothing, I just have really dense tissue) and while I was waiting for my ultrasound I saw a couple of women get called back for second tries on the spot. The way it worked for me was I saw a nurse practitioner, got ultrasounded, and talked to the practitioner again. So I didn’t have weeks of waiting. I highly, highly recommend it.
I just hope I can avoid a mammogram until I hit the age for them…I’m told they’re not much fun.
