Biopsy with a Mamagram

Public Archive
1

Hi all,
I was recalled last week 10 days after my first mammagram. The doctor seems to think we are dealing with early cancer. I am due to have a biopsy whilst having a mammagram on THURSDAY. Has anybody else had one of these? I am so anxious about the procedure and what is to come does anyone have any tips on dealing with this.
Debs

2

Hi Debs and welcome to the BCC forums

I am posting a link to some information about the type of test you may be having which you may find useful, I am sure other users will be along soon with their experiences too:

breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/referral_redesign__final_14_feb_08_0.pdf

The publication contains our helpline details which you may wish to use if you have further concerns at any time.

Take care
Lucy

3

hi nanadeb,

Don’t know if my experience is what you will be having but I had what I think was called steriotatic (sp?) aided biopsy.

Basically they injected my breast with local anasthetic and then I lay face down on a bed with a hole in it, your bob goes in the hole and a machine works under the bed taking images and measurements of where they want to sample. It then puts a needle a bit like a tiny apple corer into the breast to remove samples (you don’t see any of this, it’s happening underneath you).

It can take quite a while to set up and so isn’t particularly comfortable. The worst thing I found was that when they do the samples (and they might do several) you hear a noise a bit like a staple machine that almost makes you jump and you are aware of a fast short pressure as it takes the biopsy.

I was sore and bruised for a few days after.

Yours might be some thing different, whatever it is I wish you well
Julie x

4

Debs, I think it’s more likely you’ll be biopsied whilst having an ultrasound - that way the radiographer can home in on the suspicious area, and see where the biopsy needle is going. You will have a painkilling jab first - so it shouldn’t be more than a little uncomfortable.

Oops, didn’t read post above first - not come across that one before! Why don’t you call your breast care nurse to discuss what will be happening? It’s very confusing and worrying when you are first told, and we really don’t always take in the info we think we have - and that’s what the breast care nurses are there for, so do call them.

Sorry you’ve got this worry to contend with - but I know you’ll get loads of support from this site, and I’ll be thinking of you

Sophie xx

5

Hi

My biopsy was not as high tech as Julie’s. I lay on the bed face up. They gave me some local anaesthetic and then they stuck the needle/apple corer thing in. It was not that bad just a bit sore. It was over in no time.

6

You will almost certainly get a local anaesthetic, and the injection is a lot less painful than anaesthetic at the dentist. I was advised not to take ibuprofen or aspirin afterwards, so if you need a bit of a painkiller after, use paracetamol instead.

Good luck, and we have fingers crossed that it’ll come back as a normal non-cancerous breast change.

CM
x

7

Thank you all so much
Nannadebs

8

Nannadeb,
make sure you ask for a local anasthetic, my younger sis had her biopsies done before she had chance to ask so didnt get one, where as I had mine done under an ultrasound and had lots of local before they took them, guess it depends on hospital/staff (we have same hospital different consultants/clinic days).

Good luck and I hope the results come back as normal for you

Tracey xxxxxxxx

9

I was not offered a local anaesetic when I had my biopsy, but it was not too bad at all. I wasn’t expecting to have it and walked to the hospital on my own and then had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy all together. Afterwards I was a little bit sore and was bruised for a couple of weeks, but it really wasn’t terrible.
Try not to worry and take someone with you if you can.
Jacqui

10

hi nannadeb,
I had biopsy with ultrasound,doctor gave me local a, then took biopsy, I didnt find it uncomfortable, not as bad as injections from the dentist, biopsy doesnt take long, but if you feel bad pain you must tell the nurse and the doc will give you a top up xx good luck xx

11

most of our biopsies are ultrasound aided however if there is only calcifications on mammo and nothing seen on ultrasound then we have to do a stereotactic biopsy which is when you are clamped in the mammo machine and is often done sitting up… its not too comfortable but sometimes its the only option available.

hope you got on ok.

jacqui im quite surprised they didnt give you any local for your biopsy that seems very mean as it can be very uncomfortable… all our ladies get local.

Lulu x

12

I nearly had to have the kind of biopsy that nannadeb is talking about…they put you in the mammogram machine and then biospy you whilst still in there, the mammogram helps then to get to the correct part as it is so small, can’t remember what it was called now but i was scared by the thought of it. Luckily I didn’t need it done in the end as the normal biopsies were good enough (mind you I had 10 of them all at once!) but my colleague had to have it done and she said it wasn’t too bad actually.
Hope you went on well with yours today nannadeb
xx

13

I had a biopsy with a mamagram in August. I couldn’t have it on the same day I was screened following my mamogram as part of the screening programme.
I presented with a small group of calcifications and the biopsy took place only 2 days after I had the ultra-sound (nothing showed on this.
The biopsy itself I was sat on a chair not lying down (it depends on where in your boob they need to get too). Anyway I had a nurse looking after me,(mainly to stop me looking I think) another nurse helping the doctor and the doctor herself.
There is a small click as the sample is taken (they took about 5 from me). I did have a local, & didn’t feel a thing.
Once you are set up the proceedure only took about 20 mins including the doctor having to x-ray the samples to ensure she had removed the right tissue, & had part of the calcifications to test.
After that I had a dressing put on and the nurse advised me on the care of it to avoid infection etc. Bruised for about 2/3 weeks but not sore, didn’t need to take any paracetamol.
Worst bit waiting for results. Hopefully yours will show nothing to worry about, mine was “inconclusive”, so I needed treatment to be sure. I ended up with low grade in-situ stage 0 early breast cancer(DCIS). This has been removed & to reduce possible recurrence currently waiting to have radiotherapy.

Hope all is going well for you.

14

Hi everyone ! new girl here ! just got diagnosed today…wasn’t expecting it but then who ever is ? I couldnt feel a lump, but things showed up on my routine mamagram so was called in and had a biopsy which was not at all painful, so don’t worry about that! the local obviously worked ! I went back today and have breast cancer, lumpectomy in 2 weeks, as well as lymph node removal… can’t believe that 2 weeks ago all was well in my life and now I don’t know which way to turn, just want to stay indoors and not see any one…is that normal ? Also very worried about telling my daughters as all 3 live in Australia and New Zealand, is it best to tell them now or wait till after the op when I know the extent of the cancer, sorry very confused and no one to talk to !!!

15

Hi S1,
I’m sorry to hear your news. I think it is understandable that you close yourself off a bit. We are all different and react differently to such news but you’ve had a dreadful shock and need time to come to terms with the diagnosis.
As to whether you should tell your daughters I can’t really help as I don’t have children.I think you need to get your head around it first and then decide what to do. I think if I had children I’d probably tell them before, I’d want to know if it was my Mum, but you know your daughters …
I wish you a successful op and a speedy recovery, with every good wish to you, Julie x

16

Hi S1. Sorry to welcome you, but welcome anyhow.

Something to think about when deciding when to tell them - once you’ve said it, you can’t ever unsay it, so have a think about what you want to tell them. You might want to have a chat with your breast care nurse (BCN) just to get things clear in your head before you say anything, so that if they ask any questions you’ll have a better chance of being able to answer them. If you’ve had a biopsy the results from that probably have a little more detail, so ask for a copy of the biopsy results or get the nurse to explain them more fully.

Only you know your daughters so I can’t offer any suggestions about when you tell them, but you might find it easier to tell them before surgery so that they can get used to the idea themselves.

Hugs to you and yours

CM
x

17

Hi S1 and welcome to the BCC forums

In addition to the support you have here please feel free to call our helpline where you can talk things through with one of our team on 0808 800 6000, weekdays 9-5 and Sat 9-2.

I am posting a link to the BCC publication which is a resource pack for those newly diagnosed which you may find useful:

breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/diagnosed-with-breast-cancer/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/82/

Take care
Lucy

18

Hi Nanadebs, sorry you find yourself in this position. However, this site is wonderful for information and support. Just wanted to add that I had no pain or discomfort during my own biopsy, I think I had three taken from the breast and two from my underarm. The worst part (apart from having to be there) was the loud noise it made!! The waiting is the worst, take care of yourself. Dxx

19

Hi S1, I’m sorry you have found yourself on this site, but the ladies (and men) on here are very supportive. Apart from you dx it’s a difficult decision you need to make about when to tell your daughters. It must be more difficult with then living so far away. I think your bcn might be the best person to discuss it with, if you feel more comfortable discussing it with someone outside your family or group of friends. It would be very tempting not to tell them till after the operation and pathology report, as not to worry them until you have the full picture. Mind you, you know your daughters best, mine would be able to tell there was something wrong by my voice (not very good at hiding things!) Ultimatley its a decision you have to make, one that you are comfortable with. Give yourself sometime to think about it and get over the initial shock. Be good to yourself, and to what is best for you! Donna xxx

20

Hiya

I had the mammogram biopsy. It was uncomforable but not particularly painful as you are given a local anaesthetic. The worst bit was where my armpit was getting pulled and stretched so that they could get access to the right area. A nurse distracts you whilst the procedure is being done which helps. I did look once and wished I hadn’t as my poor boob was squashed flat as a pancake and I could see that there was a bit of blood about. Mine took about half an hour as they put ‘markers’ in as well to make it easier for them to find the suspect areas again.

I think it’s fair to say that the thought of what’s going to happen is worse than the procedure itself and although half an hour sounds a long time (yours may not be that long) the time flew by.

Best wishes
Janx