I had a mammogram a week and a half ago. Just a check up that I expected to result in a postcard telling me that I was in the clear. Breast cancer doesn’t run in my family and self exams feel completely normal. Instead of the postcard, I got a phone call telling me to come back in. Something was seen. Could be tissue overlap or something else.
After another quick round of imaging, the “something” was confirmed to be in the “else” category. It wasn’t tissue overlap. A finding quickly confirmed by an ultrasound. The ultrasound also showed that it couldn’t be written off as harmless without further examination.
The “else” will be biopsied next week and I’m more stressed by the procedure than the result. Whatever it is, it is small (5mm), and even if it isn’t benign, it was caught very early.
Mammograms save lives. And right now, they are covered without co-payment because of the ACA.
Make sure you get your’s this year.
Hopefully it will find nothing. But if you end up with a phone call telling you there might be an “else”...hopefully the “else” will have been caught early.
Also too, make sure to be your own advocate. My last (and first) mammogram revealed that I had very dense breast tissue (40% of women have dense breast tissue). For breasts like mine, 3D mammograms are advised. My doctor poo-pooed this, telling me there was really no difference. She ordered a 2D for me but when they called to make the appointment, I over-ruled her and scheduled a 3D.
Interestingly, the hospital I went to for my mammogram is currently running a study on the efficacy of 3D mammography. If you go in for a 3D they also do a 2D and compare results. Turns out, the 2D didn’t pick up my “else”. The Radiologist seemed pretty wowed by this and double checked to make sure of the differing results. The fact that he could find it with the ultrasound but not the 2D mammogram seemed significant. My file in the office is now on white paper. White paper denotes dense breast tissue that requires 3D mammography. Fine by me.
I have no idea what my “else” is and won’t know for another week. What I do know is that even if my “else” is benign now, it is going to be watched. And that is a good thing.
Armed with a mammogram, my “else” has met its match.
Make sure to schedule your own mammogram soon!
