breast lump question? Worried?
Little background… Last month my mom was diagnosed with breast cysts. Apparently normal with women going thru menopause (her doc said). But she was sent to a specialist, just to make absolutely sure. she also had a mammogram and ultrasound of breasts and showed nothing of concern (just massy breasts). She also was checked a few weeks ago for her annual pap/breast check and they were good. Last week at her appt at the specialist, she felt something ‘different’. She said she really didn’t think it was cancerous but it just felt different than the other side. So she wants her to get an MRI done and come back in two weeks. She didn’t feel it when she was laying down but she felt it after she sat up. She said it felt like a pebble and was ‘floating’. Whatever that means! Now my question is if she was really worried about it (the doc), wouldn’t she rush to get the test and followup appt? And could this just be another cyst? My mom is freaking out and stressing big time and I am worrying too! Wel the doc wanted to send her to the MRI b/c my mom’s sister was just diagnosed with breast cancer last year so they didn’t want to take any chances. But if she thought it was cancerous, wouldn’t they hurry up and find out rather than dragging it out for a few weeks to a month? Her appt for the MRI is on Fri and her followup appt isn’t until the NEXT Fri. And the appt that she felt something was practically 2 weeks ago!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:16 am
First… take a deep breathe. It is VERY common for women to have “fibrocystic breasts” where they are just very prone to getting lumps… mainly benign (Non-cancerous). I am 23 and I have had multiple lumps that come and go… but each time we do a biopsy or MRI just to check… more times that not it is benign… so just relax. Also, if it does end up to be cancerous… they caught it… so its still early enough to remove it without it spreading!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:45 am
Having to wait a few weeks to get additional diagnostic tests will not affect the outcome, if it is cancer. Some people have to wait a few months to get all the needed diagnostic tests done.
I felt a lump in early April but couldn’t get a mammogram until the end of May and didn’t get surgery until the end of June. That was 4 years ago and I’m doing great.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:08 am
I work at a hospital and the same thing happened to me. I actually work right in the scheduling area for things like this and know that you can call the head of the department and get an earlier appointment.
if the head of the department does not want to give an earlier appointment, call and ask for the Administrator of the Hospital where the MRI machine is.
ok
a sestamibi scan caught my breast cancer lump after a battery of tests. Then we did a ultrasound needle biopsy, you can also have a MRI needle biopsy done if the hospital has that available.
mammograms and ultrasounds did not detect my lump as being cancerous.
After you get your MRI done, go the next day to the facility and get the Medical Record Department to give you a copy of the Radiologists report. That is your right to do that, that is your medical record and you are paying for the test.
YOU have to be an advocate for your healthcare, no one else will do that for you. Good you and your mom are in this together.