I’m very thankful to have found this group of women. I have been reading posts on here for the past month. I am 40 years old with 2 teenagers. I don’t have any family or friends that I can open up to about any of this. So I have been dealing with this by myself for over a month now. I went to my gynecologist about 4 weeks ago and talked to her about some changes Ive noticed the past few months to my left breast: periodically inverted nipple, a bit smaller than my right breast now, about a six inch long vertical indentation when raising arm( my dr said shes never seen anything like it), and also pain that comes and goes. Since I’m in the U.S., we don’t have a breast clinic unfortunately, but she has referred me for the diagnostic mammogram and depending on the radiologists findings a possible ultrasound. If the mammogram is clear should I push for the ultrasound to be ultra safe??? What worries me is that my grandmother died of breast cancer at age 49. And my aunt( her daughter) also had breast cancer either in late 40s or early 50s. Also having more than one change is worrying me greatly. I have been waiting for a month for this appointment and it is finally here on Tuesday. Im starting to have so much more anxiety and I’m just terrified having to do this alone. Wow it feels so good to have gotten all of that off of my mind. I’ve kept it all inside for so long. Thank you for any thoughts or advice any of you might have. ?
jenny4joy
Hello and welcome to this lovely forum, even though you are in the US and things are done differently there to here in the UK, what is not different is the wonderful help and support you will get on here from the lovely ladies.
I am just popping on before I go to work so it is only a quick one but I wanted to acknowledge your post.
This is a place where you can feel safe and comfortable, where we know exactly what you are going through so just post whenever you want there will always be someone on here who will be able to support you, even if it is only in a small way.
You are nearly there now and have done so well to deal with this fear for a month already. This is a very scary time because your mind imagines all sorts of things because of the anxiety that takes over our rational minds.
They should ask you about family history, if not tell them to be sure. If it was me i would ask for an ultrasound as well, Keep in mind that there are a lot breast conditions which are not cancer.
Anyway must go, remember you are not alone when you have us lot around you.
Sending you a hug
Helena xxx
Hi Jenny,
Just to echo everything Helena has said.
In vew of your family history & knowing what I know now, I feel I would be asking for an ultrasound if the mammo was clear.
Very best wishes for your appointment & let us know how you get on.
ann x
Hi Jenny, just acknowledging both your post and your bravery in opening up your feelings. Yes, it is a lonely and frightening time for you. I remember those early days very well. I’m hoping that you will have someone to go with you to your appointments as two pairs of ears are much better than one. Have you got a small notebook you can write questions in? That way you won’t be sidetracked , and you really must pass on your family history of BC. Once you have the results and a medical pathway you will feel more in control and be able to get on with the job in hand - getting rid of Mr. Blobby! Sending positive thoughts, loads of best wishes and a big hug. X
Thank you so so very much Helena for your message. When I read it it felt amazing hearing your kind words, I just started crying. It was so nice feeling that support, which I really do not have in my life. It is surprising what this process does to your mind. So nice knowing I am not alone. I have never seen such kindness and compassion within a group of women. That is what made me so comfortable to post on here.
I’m glad that you mentioned you would also try to get the ultrasound as well. I know sometimes you have to insist on things to get done to make sure everything possible is done. And I will definitely make sure they know of my family history.
So I am counting down the hours until my appointment. Exactly 24 to go. Hoping to come back on here with good news. Again, your message meant so much to me. Thank you ?
Ann, Thank you so much for your message! It really means so very much to feel this support. You mentioned knowing what you do now that you would ask for the ultrasound if the mammo is clear. Did you have to go through something like that? Do most radiologists recognize that this is a possibility? I’m hoping he or she will be open enough to allow me to have one if the mammo comes clear. Hopefully I can try and remain a little calm until my appointments tomorrow. Thank you again for your kind words! ?
Hi Anniej! I truly appreciate you messaging me. It can surely be such a scary time with all of the unknown can’t it? Unfortunately I have to go alone tomorrow. I really don’t have anyone I’m comfortable with to go with me. It makes it so hard. One good thing is that I research and write down a long list of any questions I need to ask because usually I forget things as soon as I walk in the door. When results come in that’s a different story. I will go blank. So that’s a good idea you mentioned to bring a notebook to write down everything. And I must remember to mention my family history. Does the family history impact how they go about things sometimes? Well thank you so much for the postive thoughts and wishes. So happy this long month of waiting is almost finally over!?
Hello Helena… My cry after reading your message was such a good cry though. Having someone listen to and acknowledge your feelings is sooo wonderful.
Here in the US its 1:45 pm. So I guess we are at an 8 hour time difference. I was thinking it was so much more for some reason. My appointment is at around 1:30 tomorrow. I do appreciate you checking in on me. That is so nice of you!
Thank you to the three of you ladies for your supportive messages. Just got my appt and the internet is awful so thought would try and send a quick message while it is working. I read all of your messages before coming in and it helps more than you know. Im a mess, having a bit of an anxiety attack.
Anniej , you were close about where i am. Im actually in California.
Ann, so happy things are back to normal for you. I talked to the appt people yesterday and she said i should be having the ultrasound too because they like to be thorough.
Helena, thank you for the virtual hand!! And i have my “tough girl” pants on!!!
Thank you all.??
jenny4joy
Hi, just came on quickly before I go to work to see how you are and how it went yesterday. I will touch base again this afternoon when I get back, but thinking about it you are probably in bed 
Helena xx
Thank you Helena so much for checking in! I was so exhausted after my appointment yesterday that when i had gotten home I fell asleep on the floor! So, I had the mammogram done and the tech who did it was the most amazing woman. I was so thankful. She told me that the radiologist said it looked good and I couldnt believe it. I kind of was expecting the worst for a bit. I was so relieved.
Then she said he wanted me to do the ultrasound on my left breast. So after the ultrasound the tech said it looked good but there is a spot, like a dark circle with some greyish matter inside of it. I asked her what it could be and she said most likely a probable complicated cyst. At the moment its very small. But I wanted to make sure of my understanding so I asked could this in any way be cancerous. And she said they could not answer that without doing a biopsy. But they are not doing the biopsy now and would prefer to wait and have me come back in 6 months and get another ultrasound.
I am so thankful that there wasnt anything outstandingly wrong. But now I have this small chance(i read that usually those are benign but as always you do have that small percentage of it really being something). Do you have any knowledge on this? Is waiting 6 months the right thing to do? I just am somewhat sad and anxious that I’m going to have this on my mind for all these months to come. And do the changes Ive had to my breast sometimes start to appear even before anything clearly shows up on these exams?
Thank you all so so much for all of the support. I would really appreciate any thoughts on these issues. I could sleep a week straight now if I could. This is all so draining!?
Hi Ann!
I think I will give my dr a call and talk to her about this. Just to get her thoughts on it too. The tech said that if the radiologist thought it needed biopsy he would have done it. But then that kind of goes against her telling me that they cannot tell me what it is without a biopsy. Im so confused now.
Jenny4joy
Sorry so late but unfortunately i was replying to you when i had an accident with my laptop and dropped it so having to use my mobile, not good but new one on the way.
I agree with ann and def worth speaking with your doctor, you have been through enough stress and worry . Let us know how it goes.
Sorry for short post but not good using my mobile.
Sending you hugs xxx
Hi all…its 20 minutes past midnight…cannot sleep. Had my first ever mammogram this morning. The technician was such a poker face, I was too frightened to ask her anything. She just said the results will go to your consultant …In any case, I don’t think technicians will discuss the mammo …
Reading all this I was wondering why I wasn’t sent to a one stop clinic. Due to the bloody discharge, I’m sure they will have to do a needle biopsy to see what’s causing the discharge. Maybe the Consultant will do it when I go for the results of the mammogram.
Just took a sleeping tablet and hoping to have a few hours sleep before I start another anxious.
love and thanks for listeningxxx
Hello Helena! I hope you got your laptop fixed. Sorry for the late reply. I had to go on roadtrip to the university my daughter is going to in the fall. Myself and my two kids. Hardly had time to breathe! Well i called my dr yesterday and unfortunately she isnt in until wednesday. So i will be calling and asking her if waiting is the best thing to do. Also had a pelvic ultrasound the same day as my mammo so will be getting those results too. I just have to keep being proactive on all of this until i get a final answer! Hope all is well with you and thank you again for all of your support?
Hello Feather1944. I saw your post and just wanted to say I hope you are getting through everything ok and your testing went well for you?
Hello. I finally got in touch with my doctor regarding my mammo and ultrasound. She said that waiting the 6 months would be fine to see if the thing they saw changes. Then I received in the mail the notice from the testing center. It said that both the mammo and ultrasound spotted an area they believe is " probably benign" but they would like me back for a followup to see if changed. And the mammo shows that breast tissue is dense. And to talk to the dr about what screening options would be best. So are there different tests that are better for dense tissue? And they only ultrasounded one breast. Would it be good to get the other one as well?
Unfortunately the same day as my mammo and ultrasound, i also had a pelvic ultrasound. Those results came back abnormal. They want to do surgery. So unexpected. So much anxiety I can’t sleep or function. So scared. Thank you for listening?
Hi Jenny ,you seem to be having a really tough time!! I had to have hysterectomy in April after abnormalities found its very very anxiety provoking .What op do you have to have ?Hope you don’t have too long a wait to resolve your issues .Jill
Hi Jill! I’m somewhat confused about what is happening. The dr just called briefly with the results and the radiologist said that the lining of the uterus is thicker than it should be and she asked what days I’ve had my period the past couple months and she said something like there is no reason it should be that thickened when I had my ultrasound. And then the radiologist also said the lining looks abnormal. I tried to ask what that meant but she didnt elaborate. So i have my consult on Tuesday. Getting knowledgable and getting my questions prepared. But they say they want to take away the extra lining and then also send it to pathology. I’m just trying to understand all of this. Sorry to hear about what you went through as well. Thank you so much for messaging.
Are you on Tamoxifen-it can cause changes to womb lining .Im guessing they want to do hysteroscopy to take a biopsy as a precaution ?