Mammogram and ultrasound - convinced it’s cancer

[SB2017]

I’m a 36 year old female. I go for mammograms annually because it makes me feel better to get checked. I went this morning and when she was doing the ultrasound on my left breast she kept going over the same spot. She was on it for like 3 minutes. She had my mammo that I had just done up on the screen and kept looking at it. I looked over and there was a white spot on it. I said I was nervous and she said “I just have to get a closer look… looks like maybe a lymph node but I need more pics” and she stayed on the spot for a while. I literally started crying and asked if it’s cancer and she said “I can’t tell you that, a radiologist would have to look and if they think anything, they do a biopsy”. I’m freaking out I convinced myself to not be nervous before this because I’m so young and I go every year. My gyno even did a breast exam a month ago and said “I don’t think you have to go but if it makes you feel better, I’ll write the referral” so I convinced myself it was ok, and now this happened. They said 2-3 days for results and I’m a mess already. I literally can’t stop crying.

 

[Phillies Phan]

Lymph nodes are everywhere. So she may have seen one, no biggie. She’s looking for lumps, areas of tissue that shouldn’t be there, not nodes. The fact that you do these mammo so often would I think eliminate any chance that something spread to a node. No way it goes from nothing to a problem and then affecting a node in a year.

Like so many techs, she should keep her mouth shut. She has specific needs on what to image and her words, which she clearly didn’t think about before saying them, has nothing to do with you. She can’t say oh no, there’s no cancer as she’s not qualified and in the 1 in a million chance there were a problem, and she reassured you, she’d likely get fired.

Try to stay calm. Maybe ask for some Ativan/Xanax to help as it’s only a few days. I’m certain all is a-ok.

 

[SB2017]

I might ask for some. My mind is going horrible places. I have a 4 year old and I’m hugging her and kissing her like I’m not going to see her anymore. I feel like everything came crashing down around me, and I can’t calm down. Waiting is the worst and I’m trying to be strong for my daughter

 

[bigjetplane2]

Mama don’t worry, everything is going to be ok.

 

[mollyfin]

Could be a node, could be a cyst, hopefully they'll let you know soon. If it IS something - which seems really unlikely but I know how hard it is to not focus on that very tiny chance - you clearly caught it extremely early. It's going to be okay.

 

[SB2017]

Thank you.
I freaked out and called the mammogram center and they labeled it STAT and said the radiologist would read it tonight. It should be up on MyChart but I’m afraid to look. I know it’s at least going to be a call back

 

[EMJ]

Sending good thoughts your way.... these test results waiting times are excruciating.... you will be fine ....

 

[Ashleyspicer84]

Look at it anyway. It’s the only way you’re going to get any peace. I went in for a mammogram and then had to go back twice for a sonogram because they seen cysts and wanted to watch them. They are just overly cautious. She has to get all the extra pictures so they can be without a doubt sure that you are fine.

 

[SB2017]

I read it. It’s mostly in medical terms but they see multiple masses and I have to go back. I’m going in at 1:30 but I can’t stop crying. My poor baby… she’s 4 and if I have cancer she’s going to be without a mom. I can’t handle this

 

[ThankfulJen]

You are in my prayers. This is where I am at with my woman issues. I have 4 daughters. One grown. You are and have been proactive about your health. You have had the tests and been vigilant. How many times have you known the worst about your health and the doctor told you otherwise? Try to keep that in mind.

 

[SB2017]

I just found out they want to do a biopsy so now I’m freaking out even more

 

[ThankfulJen]

I'm having to get a biopsy next Wednesday. One of the scariest words there are. But we also have to try to remember that it's their job to rule anything bad out. It doesn't necessarily mean it is something bad. I have read countless incidents where women have had to get biopsies because of exactly what you are going through and they turned out to be cysts! But the doctors had to make sure that's what they were.

 

[bigjetplane2]

Mama, I know how hard this is. But think positive!!
I know someone who had a lump, it turned out to be a fibroadenoma.
They also had to do a biopsy to make sure that that’s what it was.
Also, someone else had multiple lumps, exactly like your case, had to get biopsy, they were all cysts.

 

[blueberries]

SB2017 - I know you are very scared right now and there probably isn't much anyone can say that will make you feel better because you have already convinced yourself of the worst case scenario. But please know that the MAJORITY of "masses" turn out to be benign. Fibroadenomas are very common in someone your age, I had one removed many years ago. Cysts are also very common, I've lost count of the number of those I've had aspirated. BC is not common in someone as young as you. No matter what, no one here can tell you for sure what you do have or not have, only the biopsy can do that. But we can be with you, at least virtually. Let us know what happens at your follow up appt.

 

[SB2017]

So they took more images and an ultrasound and they “cleared” my right breast. So pretty much what’s left is the “suspicious mass” in the left breast, which is what they need to biopsy. The tech actually said to me that it looks like a fibroadenoma on the mammo, and she had trouble finding it on the sono. The report calls it this “0.6 cm oval hypoechoic mass with indistinct margins in the left breast”

I looked up fibroadenomas and it says they have clear distinct edges so now I’m freaking out that it really is breast cancer.

I go for the biopsy on Wednesday and I’m an absolute mess (that’s even an understatement).

 

[blueberries]

I'm sorry your didn't hear what your would have liked to hear. I know you are scared now and worried about a lot of things. Wednesday is almost here and then the biopsy will be over and you will soon have results. Not all hypoechoic masses are malignant by far. But it's useless to speculate what it may or may not be because that won't change anything. If you can, do something to keep your mind occupied and far away from Dr. Google. What kind of biopsy will you be having - stereotactic? I've been where you are and I'll probably be there sometime again in my life. I know how unsettling this is. Sending you comforting hugs.

 

[SB2017]

I'm sorry your didn't hear what your would have liked to hear. I know you are scared now and worried about a lot of things. Wednesday is almost here and then the biopsy will be over and you will soon have results. Not all hypoechoic masses are malignant by far. But it's useless to speculate what it may or may not be because that won't change anything. If you can, do something to keep your mind occupied and far away from Dr. Google. What kind of biopsy will you be having - stereotactic? I've been where you are and I'll probably be there sometime again in my life. I know how unsettling this is. Sending you comforting hugs.

i’m not even sure what the terminology means but hypoechoic sounds scary to me!!
I’m not sure what kind of biopsy. Did yours turn out ok?
I’m so scared I haven’t eaten and feel like I’m going to throw up

 

[mollyfin]

You're in my thoughts. I'd be freaking out too right now, but remember, this is something that wasn't there a year ago. Even if it is cancer - and it still could well not be - you're catching it early when it's probably completely curable. I've known a few people with stage 0/stage 1 breast cancer. They're fine. Whatever it is, it's going to be okay. Just keep moving forward.

Hypoechoic just means it didn't "bounce back" a lot of sound waves on the sonogram. That means it's probably a solid nodule rather than fluid-filled. Fibroadenomas, for example, are hypoechoic. (...I wanted to go to school to be an ultrasound tech; I find it all really interesting.)

 

[SB2017]

A fibroadenoma is benign, right? Are there other things that are hypoechoic besides a malignant tumor? I read that hypoechoic increases your chance of being malignant. The people you knew with stage 0 or stage 1, did they need chemo or radiation? I’m so scared of hearing the diagnosis…

 

[Doug97]

Both my aunt and grandmother were diagnosed with breast cancer, and both were completely cured. Neither had chemo or mastectomy, one had radiation (which is much easier than chemo). I don't know what stage they were, possibly more advanced.