Freaking out now

[taratru]

Sooo...yesterday I had my first mammogram.  The tech said since it was my first, they might call me back in for additional images and that I shouldn't freak out if they do. 

But they did just call.

And now I'm freaking out. 

Someone tell me this happened to them before and it's no big deal and my brain does NOT need to go to the bad place. 

[ECB]

I've been called back a few times and it's never been bad.

[downtoearth]

I'd be freaked also - I hate follow-up stuff like that. I hope it's just that your boobs wiggled during the scan.

[IIOY]

I've had three mammograms, including my very first, in the past six months "just in case." I am not at all convinced they are all necessary, but I know of so many women who get multiples, especially when they first start getting them. There is a school of thought that hospitals do this on purpose and that they aren't actually that useful. Don't freak; you are most likely just fine.

[pixy0stix]

Stop freaking out!

[orangeblossom]

Deep breaths, deep breaths. It will be okay. Lots of people get call backs and nothing comes of them. Don't go down the google rabbit hole.

[compassrose]

If you have fibrous breasts, they will always want more images. Deep breaths.

Once I freaked the fuck out because I had a huge lump in my breast...turned out just to be a cyst.

There are a million possibilities and most of them mean it's nothing.

[chickadee77]

I get called back frequently for follow-up u/s. Yes, I freak out a bit, too, but talk myself down by saying *if* it is something bad, I want to know ASAP. Not knowing is where the danger lies.

Thankfully, it's always just been cysts and nothing major.

[KateAggie]

It's happened to me twice. Follow ups were nothing. I was scared shitless, but it's very, very common. It will be OK! (((Hugs)))

[AJL]

Don't freak out. My good friend had her first mammogram this year and her #1 piece of advice was NOT to freak out because you'll most likely get a follow up call for additional images. They're trying to establish a baseline and they need as much info as possible.

[scout8]

I have been called back a couple of times. They would take additional images and do an u/s. In both cases, it was a cyst. I know it is scary, but try not to worry too much. Chances are very high that it is nothing.

[ladyk]

Never got called back for multiple issues but had to wait around in a robe while they read them. I had gone in for swollen glands in the armpit and after the ultrasound, they went ahead and did the other breast for a baseline. Then 2 years later (aka 2 months ago), I had to go in again for a lump. They did that breast, made me sit while the doc read it then went and ultrasounded it.

My best friend has been called back repeatedly.

[Deleted]

I started mammograms in either my late 20's or early 30's (it was a while ago) because of my family history with breast cancer. I've been called in before - while it's nerve wracking (we do it to ourselves) it's always turned out to be nothing.

[icechalk]

How old are you? Are you pre or post menopausal? Did they do any additional views initially or just the standard mammogram? Was this a screening or for a problem?

[InBetweenDays]

I had my first mammogram about 9 years ago (my doctor thought she felt a lump that wasn't anything). I went in June '13 for my first "annual" mammogram and got called back in for a closer look. For me there were calcifications that they didn't see on the one from 9 years ago. They said they may have been there before and weren't picked up (it was amazing the difference in clarity between the ones from 9 years ago and the ones now), may be from nursing two kids, may be more apparent since I've lost 20lbs since the first ones, etc. But they just wanted to take a closer look. I then had to go back in December and again this past June just to make sure they didn't change. I'm now back on an annual schedule. My sister had the same thing happen too.

Easier said than done, but try not to stress and know that it is VERY common to get called back in. Also don't be alarmed if they ask you to come back in 6 months as the doctor said that too is very common.

[taratru]

Okay, you guys are helping so much.

icechalk, I'm 40, first time screening, so it sounds like this is pretty common.

[kitty63]

Mostly lurker but I got called back after my first too. So I called back and scheduled an appt for the following week. Then maybe 20 minutes later the office calls back asking if I can come in sooner because "they don't want me to wait so long"!!!!! So of course I proceed to freak out because what besides cancer can't wait 7 more days, right?
Guess what, turned out to be nothing!
Easier said than done but it's not worth stressing over. Worrying wont change anything anyways. Good luck!

[icechalk]

Common, especially in younger patients because their breasts are more fibrous tissue and less fatty tissue. That means it's harder for the x-rays to go through basically. Sometimes they'll use ultrasound to help. Sometimes one of the radiologists will do a clinical breast exam as well. Good luck!