Hi all,
I’m totally new to this and now a bit worried.
In February, I found a lump in my left breast. I’m 44 and never had lumps before. I went to the GP a few days later and he found another lump. He referred me straight to the breast clinic and I was lucky enough to get an appointment that week. Unfortunately, the mammogram machine had broken down the day before so I was unable to have any tests. The consultant found another lump but thought they were cysts and booked me to have my mammogram and ultrasound.
On Monday I went to my appointment. The radiologist did the normal mammogram then a magnified one as she had found an area of concern. I had my ultrasound and the dr confirmed that the lumps were cysts but she could see an area of blood on the ultrasound where the radiologist had seen the area of concern. I had biopsies and a metal marker placed and then another mammogram.
When I got home, in shock, pain and real discomfort, the radiologist called to say that they had not been able to get what they needed with the ultrasound biopsy and I needed a mammogram guided biopsy as they needed to test the calcifications that they had found. The next available appointment was 20th March but she said that I was top on the list for a cancellation.
As the pain I was in on Monday and Tuesday has worn off, I have started to feel scared. It feels like every time I go they find something new. Will the mammogram guided biopsy hurt more than the ultrasound biopsy? Even though I had a local I still felt a lot of pain afterwards. I feel like a wimp saying that when people on here have been through so much worse. Has anyone else been through similar? I am worried about what they have found.
Thank you for listening
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Hi, I had one. They do it lying on your side and it’s a bit awkward, but not painful. You can bleed abit afterwards, so they put quite a paddded, firm bandage on me. I didn’t bruise. Despite widespread calcifications on my mammogram, they all came back negative. Hope it goes smoothly for you and your results are ok. Best wishes.
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Hi Candy5
First of all welcome to the forum.
I cannot comment on a mammogram led biopsy. Mine were done via an ultrasound scans.
I must say the first ones were painful however the radiologist hadn’t injected any pain relief I found out. The second lot I had pain relief and was much better.
As I say yours is slightly different I presume. But make sure you mention it to your breast care nurse as they will listen to your concerns and put your mind at rest. I’m sure some bcn on here will be able to walk you through the process.
Do make sure you speak up when you get into the appointment and ask them to tell you what’s going on. I know how difficult it is when you’re anxious/ nervous and feel like you cannot question the professionals. You can and you should. It’s your body and you need to know the process.
Please keep us posted as I’m sure there will be others who will be told they need to have the same and can learn from your experience
Take care
Lynn x
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Thank you edp. Hearing your experience really helps. It sounds just like the ultrasound guided biopsy that I had apart from being squeezed into the mammogram. I’m so glad to hear that yours were all negative. Thank you for replying 
xx
Thank you Lyn for replying and reassuring me. To be honest, I was in total shock. I thought I’d prepared myself for biopsies but then when the radiologist said that she had found an area of concern and needed to use the magnified mammogram to take images it totally threw me. I tried to hold it together during the ultrasound and biopsies and then cried when having the mammogram again as I was so sore and in pain and shocked. They did say that they put a local in and I felt the stinging of that. Maybe it’s a hard to reach place. I’m still bruised and sore 10 days later.
I have my mammogram guided biopsy next Thursday. It seems ages away and another 2 week wait after that for results.
At least I’m more prepared this time for what is to come and I’ll ask more questions about what they have found.
Thank you again for replying. Your message really helped me xx
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Hi candy5
I’m always here so please do reach out. If I can talk you down from the ledge I will!!
My god I’ve been on too many to count…
You’re doing so well just going to the appointments and speaking about it all. It does help to talk. I hope you have a good support network around you.
I have great family and friends but I found that unless someone is navigating this they haven’t got a clue.
So carry on doing what you’re doing! You are bloody amazing so remember that. You’ve made it through the initial stages and omg yes I was the same as you regarding the pain. If anyone came near me 
If you find out you have to go down the surgery route it might be good to get yourself a heart cushion for after the operation. I didn’t get offered any so I made my own and a few spare and gave them out to the sister on the ward.
They just help to take the pressure off
Or failing that I’ll make you one 🩷
Anyway keep on chatting and we are all routing for you
Take care
Lynn xx
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Hi, thank you for your supportive messages.
Today I went for my vacuum assisted stereo mammogram and biopsy. It was the most horrendous experience. After an hour of a doctor and two radiologists trying to position me; lying on one side, then sitting up, then on the other, having mammograms each time, with this machine with needles and a vacuum right in front of my face, they decided to abandon the procedure as they couldn’t get to the area of concern.
So, now I’m going to have to have an MRI scan and possibly a vacuum biopsy under MRI to see if it’s cancer. The doctor said that they are concerned it’s cancer. After the hour in the room trying to get the right position, having mammograms and being moved around, I was initially relieved that the procedure didn’t go ahead. But now I feel frustrated that they cannot get to the area to find out.
I discovered during my ultrasound biopsy they drained a cyst. They were waiting for the results of today before discussing it at the multi professional meeting but that will now go ahead and I’ll get an appointment for those results.
I’m drained by all the tests and waiting without results and each appointment feels worse.
The vacuum assisted etc is a procedure that only a man could have invented - and when I mentioned this to my female consultant she nodded in silent agreement.
The challenge with calcifications is that on mammograms - ultrasound etc they appear white. If you have dense breasts (do ask if this is the case too for you) this also appears as white. Therefore, radiologists are trying locate a white object (calcifications) within other white (e.g. dense breast) features. It’s like trying to find a snowball within snow - so it is hard.
If it is of any comfort I had a procedure stopped due to a similar challenge. The way I framed it to myself is that I respected the radiologist even more - she said it was not “good enough” and she wasn’t happy. I really respect people who aren’t satisfied with “good enough” when it comes to my health I know you’ll feel frustrated - nervous etc but think of it as the MDT (Multi disciplinary Team) are not settling for “good enough” and that’s really important and positive for you.
Wishing you the very best.