Mammograms and breast biopsies

[Pilsy]

I understand it's really common to be called back for additional imaging after a first mammogram, and that's what happened to me recently. Now, I've been scheduled for a biopsy as well. Is that pretty common, too? 

To help ease my anxiety, would anyone like to share positive outcomes from similar situations? 

[bex1973]

I had one after my first mammogram and it ended up being nothing. I think they said fibrous material or something like that. I don't know if it was because they didn't have anything to compare my boobs to like they would now that I've had a number of mammograms.

I was nervous of course but the procedure itself ended up being nowhere near as painful as I made it out to be in my mind. And it was pretty quick.

[redpenmama]

I'm more of a lurker over here but wanted to say that I'm going through the same thing right now after my first mammogram on Monday. They said I have extremely dense breasts and the imaging was unclear, so they need more pictures of one area that appeared to have asymmetrical density but no visible mass. I'm going in next week for more images and possibly an ultrasound and understand a biopsy could follow if warranted.

I am incredibly anxious about all of this and had a good cry today even though I know the odds are that it's nothing. Following along for positive stories and wishing you the best.

[outnumbered]

Jan 13, 2022 16:46:42 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

I had two mammograms and went for a needle biopsy.  My mammogram showed increased micro-calcifications in one spot.  I had the biopsy.  The most unpleasant part of the biopsy was trying to relax and take deep breaths with the mask on.  My husband could not go in with me due to Covid.  It would have been nice having a support person.  My biopsy showed NO cancer.  The week waiting for results was really hard!  I am thinking of you.  Let us know how it goes.

[wanderlustmom]

I am sorry you are going through this. It was very stressful for me and I had a good outcome.  

In 2012, I found a lump on my own.  I went to my OB, they ordered a mammogram and then I went to an ultrasound and then they scheduled a fine needle biopsy for the next week.  It was not painful. I had to wait a few days for my results and it ended up being a cyst that was smooshed in there (don't you love my clinical language )  with jagged edges and that's why it looked like cancer.  They tattooed it and over the years it eventually went away. 

Last year, 2021, I was called back for a second mammogram that needed an ultrasound.  They didn't have to biopsy that one and I was cleared for a year. 

I have dense breasts and had breast reduction so I may need to do this again.  They gave me the advice to go for my initial mammogram not at the OB but at a center so if they do call me back it can be the same day.  

Keep us posted, it is very common. Lots of my friends have been called back 

[Pilsy]

Jan 13, 2022 16:50:44 GMT -5 bex1973 said:

I had one after my first mammogram and it ended up being nothing. I think they said fibrous material or something like that. I don't know if it was because they didn't have anything to compare my boobs to like they would now that I've had a number of mammograms.

I was nervous of course but the procedure itself ended up being nowhere near as painful as I made it out to be in my mind. And it was pretty quick.

Quick and relatively painless sounds good to me! Thank you for sharing.

He said something about calcifications in both breasts and went on to say something about one especially large cluster. I had an ultrasound and biopsy many years ago, before I'd ever had a mammogram, and he confirmed the fibroadenoma identified then isn't one of the spots he wants to biopsy.

I kind of wish I had taken notes, but I wasn't expecting the news, and I guess I'll know more soon enough! 

[Pilsy]

Hugs, redpenmama!! Wishing you the best! Even though statistics are on my side, I understand the anxiety. My appointment is nearly two weeks from now, and that feels like a lifetime of waiting.


Thank you, outnumbered and wanderlustmom!

[Bad Dingo]

The wait is going to be torture. I'm sorry you have to deal with this. Fingers crossed for good news.

You may want to search Amazon for little circle ice packs, they work well to slide between layers of the ace bandage.

[InBetweenDays]

I had to have a core needle biopsy 6 years ago after getting a call back from a mammogram. Turned out to be a fibroadenoma. They had me come in 6 months later for another mammogram just to be extra careful, and everything has been clear since then.

I agree the waiting is the worst part. I didn't find the biopsy painful at all, but waiting for the results was torturous. Good thoughts to Pilsy and redpenmama

[bex1973]

Jan 13, 2022 17:18:37 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

The wait is going to be torture. I'm sorry you have to deal with this. Fingers crossed for good news.

You may want to search Amazon for little circle ice packs, they work well to slide between layers of the ace bandage.

They sent me home with a couple of these, I really only wanted them the day of and I just tucked it in my bra. I did not have any ace bandages - I'm sure it's just something some places do and others don't.

They also sent me home with a flower with a note that said something like thanks so letting us care for you. I thought that was sweet.

All in all I made it out to be a bigger deal in my head than it was (of course, we all do that!) which was a relief.

All crossables crossed that it's the same for you Pilsy and redpenmama!!

[whattheheck]

I’m on the other side of this and recovering from my lumpectomy. I had a regular screening mammogram which showed a focal asymmetry and some microcalcifications. I had to have additional views and an ultrasound and based on that I was scheduled for a stereotactic needle biopsy. The nurses and techs Who worked with me for the biopsy were amazing. The intake nurse explained everything that was going to happen and did an amazing job of listening to me when I was explaining why I was so upset with the radiologist who read my additional views. They were so caring and empathetic.

For the actual biopsy I had to climb a stepladder and lie face down on a table with my breasts hanging through an opening. Then - and this is what it felt like but I couldn’t really see it - my breast was placed in mammography plates and a mammogram was taken to make sure the area was visualized properly. Then I was numbered and a needle was placed in and another mammogram shot was taken to make sure yhe needle was placed properly. Once that was confirmed the biopsy was done and samples were taken. Then a small maker clip was placed.

After the actual biopsy I had to roll over onto my back and the nurse climbed up on a stepladder and held pressure on the biopsy spot for ten minutes (I’m on blood thinners so extra precautions had to be taken). Then I had another regular mammogram (standing up) to make sure the marker was placed correctly. I was then wrapped in an ace bandage with an ice pack tucked in - ace bandage was probably due to blood thinners.

I had some swelling and significant bruising (again - blood thinners) and had to ice for 48 hours and then switch to heat. I still developed a decent hematoma that took a while to resolve.

My pathology results were released while I was sitting in a waiting room to get my INR checked and it came back positive for DCIS. So if you think you can’t handle bad news on your own you can ask the facility not to release it to you. By the time my GP called me to discuss the results I already had an appointment with a breast surgeon set up. But it was tough to get those results through the portal.

I’m awaiting the results of my lumpectomy pathology and an oncologist will determine if I need radiation or not. I know that I have an excellent prognosis and am so grateful that it was picked up on a routine mammogram. Good luck and I hope it all turns out well for you.

[luv2rn4fun]

Jan 13, 2022 17:05:17 GMT -5 redpenmama said:

I'm more of a lurker over here but wanted to say that I'm going through the same thing right now after my first mammogram on Monday. They said I have extremely dense breasts and the imaging was unclear, so they need more pictures of one area that appeared to have asymmetrical density but no visible mass. I'm going in next week for more images and possibly an ultrasound and understand a biopsy could follow if warranted.

I am incredibly anxious about all of this and had a good cry today even though I know the odds are that it's nothing. Following along for positive stories and wishing you the best.

((Hugs)). I had my first baseline ultrasound in 2018 (not mammogram because I was still BFing). I have a strong family history of breast cancer so started early. Had another mammogram in 2020 and then again this year. I got called back this year for the exact same issue you mentioned (they even reviewed previous tests and said there was a change).

Just had my follow up last week and all was fine. I was very nervous, even more so when they focused on a specific area during the ultrasound.

[redpenmama]

luv2rn4fun, that's reassuring to hear and I'm happy that you got good results. Thank you for sharing, truly. 

[underwaterrhymes]

It’s super common after your baseline.

I was called back after my first, as well, and wound up having a core needle biopsy. I was super nervous, but after the numbing needle, it was almost painless; you just feel a little bit of pressure. The noise the machine makes is the worst part. They’ll also insert a clip and do a gentle touch mammogram after to make sure it’s in the right place.

In my case, it was a fibroadenoma, which is also very common and the usual cause for being called back after your first mammogram. They’re just getting to know what your breasts look like.

Now, it turns out my boobs are a whole hot mess, and in the two years since then, I’ve also had a surgical biopsy and been called in for an MRI-guided biopsy that they ultimately didn’t do because they couldn’t find the areas of concern on that occasion.

But usually getting called back after your first just is them becoming familiar with your breasts and learning what they look like on a mammogram.

[underwaterrhymes]

Jan 13, 2022 17:11:59 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

Jan 13, 2022 16:50:44 GMT -5 bex1973 said:

I had one after my first mammogram and it ended up being nothing. I think they said fibrous material or something like that. I don't know if it was because they didn't have anything to compare my boobs to like they would now that I've had a number of mammograms.

I was nervous of course but the procedure itself ended up being nowhere near as painful as I made it out to be in my mind. And it was pretty quick.

Quick and relatively painless sounds good to me! Thank you for sharing.

He said something about calcifications in both breasts and went on to say something about one especially large cluster. I had an ultrasound and biopsy many years ago, before I'd ever had a mammogram, and he confirmed the fibroadenoma identified then isn't one of the spots he wants to biopsy.

I kind of wish I had taken notes, but I wasn't expecting the news, and I guess I'll know more soon enough! 

When I went in for my most recent mammogram, they saw something that concerned them so they called me back for another with the radiologist right there to give the report. They weren’t as concerned about that first spot, but they saw microcalcifications behind the nipple. Because of the location, they had to do a biopsy surgically rather than via needle, which also involved placing a radioactive seed in advance.

The biopsy was benign (columnar cell change with microcalcifications and microcysts).

Happy to share more if your biopsy is surgical too.

[RitzyHeifer]

I will echo others that your experience will vary depending on the type of biopsy (fine needle, core needle, surgical…)

And getting results may be as fast as that day or take several days or a week - personally my biopsy was right before a holiday weekend so results took an extra long time but quite honestly I knew it was bad from how the mammographers had acted when they saw my films.

Good luck, the waiting is awful! Probably worse than any other part of it.

[fluffycookie]

I have extremely dense and lumpy breast which always gets me ultrasounds and I've had three core needle biopsies and they have all been clear. In all of them I did end up bruising after and had some soreness the first 24-48 hours so I would ice on and off and take motrin as needed. Good luck!

[Pilsy]

Likes are thanks.

whattheheck, underwaterrhymes and RitzyHeifer, I appreciate the input and shared experiences. Ritzy, I'm sorry for what you've endured. I post somewhat sporadically and don't know where you are with the whole process now, but I hope things are looking up. whattheheck, I hope you don't need radiation! I'm scheduled for a stereotactic biopsy, too.

I'm not particularly worried - at least not consciously. It's just tough not to think about it constantly. I think I've now read everything the internet has to offer re: breast cancer. lol

[jt657]

Long time lurker, but felt compelled to jump in here as I'm also on the other side of this. I got called back after my first mammogram (age 41) this past February. Additional imaging was performed that confirmed extremely dense breasts as well as micro calcifications throughout my right breast, including 2 small cluster areas of concern. Core needle biopsies were performed same day. Results were received the next day showing DCIS (Stage 0 breast cancer, a non-obligate precursor to invasive breast cancer) in both areas.

I have no significant family history and no genetic mutation that was confirmed via testing. I had no palpable lumps and no symptoms. Upon meeting with the surgical oncologist, she recommended a mastectomy due to my young age, having two areas of DCIS, and my smaller breast size. As she stated, having a lumpectomy would've resulted in disfigurement of my breast that would necessitate reconstruction if the desire was to have a more "normal" looking breast. Additionally, a lumpectomy would've required radiation therapy and taking Tamoxifen for 5-10 years. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction that occurred in April. The final surgical pathology stayed true to the initial biopsies confirming DCIS only with no invasive cancer. No additional treatment is needed beyond the bilateral mastectomy to treat my case of DCIS only. 

This could absolutely be looked at as a bad outcome, but I instead prefer to think of it as a good outcome of what could've been a much, much worse situation. While this year has been challenging both from a physical and mental health perspective, I am beyond thankful that my initial (and now only!) mammogram did what ideally we want them do to and caught this early. 

[underwaterrhymes]

jt657 Big hugs to you. I’m also pursuing (preventative) bilateral mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction due to a high risk genetic mutation. I was supposed to have it earlier this week, but it’s been postponed due to high COVID rates. I’m glad you’re doing well. ❤️

[lab7979]

I had a couple of areas show up on my first mammogram and had to go back for an ultrasound. I was told from the look of the ultrasound they suspected it to be fibroadenomas and that I would need to get imaging done every six months for two years to monitor them. I'd almost rather have a biopsy just to be 100% sure and not draw out the waiting for years. I'm not sure why they do it this way but the hospital I work at is also a major cancer center so I guess I have to trust that they know what they are doing. I go for my next mammogram in March. Hopefully no changes on that.

[mrsslocombe]

I'm currently waiting on results from a core needle biopsy.

The biopsy itself was more uncomfortable than painful. They recommended wearing a sports bra for 24 hours after for support. FYI I was told I couldn't lift more than 5 lbs for 48 hours. Thank god I don't have a baby to take care of! Also no showering for 24 hours.

I was told 3-5 business days for my results, the waiting definitely isn't fun.

[Pilsy]

Jan 14, 2022 10:46:32 GMT -5 jt657 said:

This could absolutely be looked at as a bad outcome, but I instead prefer to think of it as a good outcome of what could've been a much, much worse situation. While this year has been challenging both from a physical and mental health perspective, I am beyond thankful that my initial (and now only!) mammogram did what ideally we want them do to and caught this early. 

Thank you so much for sharing. So many hugs to you! 


lab7979, I know what you mean about just getting an answer! I hope things continue to be ok for you. 

mrsslocombe, we are all thinking of you. 

[liverandonions]

I noticed a lump and had a breast exam, then my doc felt it and sent me to US, that showed something so they sent me to mammogram. Then they wanted further testing and send me to biopsy. This was all done in a 2 day time frame so I was panicking a bit. Plus it was all in my last days of maternity leave. Turns out I had a lactating adenoma. My breasts are really dense as well so lumpy/bumpy.

Fingers crossed for everyone waiting or dealing with results right now...Sending good thoughts!

[Nonny]

I hope everything goes well for you. Lots of good thoughts.

I just had my 3rd mammogram yesterday and got a call late this afternoon to come back due to focal asymmetry so I may be back and re-reading these posts next week, depending on how that appointment goes. I know I'm getting more imaging, and maybe an ultrasound, depending on how the second imaging goes.

Previously I've had "scattered areas of fibroglandular density" in both breasts, but even with my baseline they didn't seem concerned about this. The nurse I talked to when I asked some questions about the follow up for next week seemed pretty breezy and matter of fact, so for now I'm not too freaked out.  

[underwaterrhymes]

Jan 14, 2022 21:43:12 GMT -5 Nonny said:

I hope everything goes well for you. Lots of good thoughts.

I just had my 3rd mammogram yesterday and got a call late this afternoon to come back due to focal asymmetry so I may be back and re-reading these posts next week, depending on how that appointment goes. I know I'm getting more imaging, and maybe an ultrasound, depending on how the second imaging goes.

Previously I've had "scattered areas of fibroglandular density" in both breasts, but even with my baseline they didn't seem concerned about this. The nurse I talked to when I asked some questions about the follow up for next week seemed pretty breezy and matter of fact, so for now I'm not too freaked out.  

The “scattered areas of fibroglandular density” is not a bad thing. It just means your breasts are mostly fatty tissue with some areas that are more dense.

The more dense your breasts are, the harder scans are to read. There is also an increased risk for breast cancer with increased density. They’ll note density in scans to aid the person reading the results in determining action plans.

[Leeham Rimes]

I had my first mammogram last year, I was called back and then I had a needle core biopsy---core needle biopsy? Anyway, it was pretty easy and didn't hurt at all, just felt pressure and like a couple of clicks. The women were so kind and supportive, which was awesome. We joked so much they said "you know, we're hiring for front desk.....you should apply" lol. 

All turned out fine, I just need a mammogram every 6 months vs yearly. The good thing is that had there been a problem, it would have been VERY early to catch it which put the odds in my favor of a good outcome.

Which reminds me, I need to make my appointment.

Good luck. I know it's nerve wracking. 

[Pilsy]

Jan 15, 2022 6:43:58 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

I had my first mammogram last year, I was called back and then I had a needle core biopsy---core needle biopsy? Anyway, it was pretty easy and didn't hurt at all, just felt pressure and like a couple of clicks. The women were so kind and supportive, which was awesome. We joked so much they said "you know, we're hiring for front desk.....you should apply" lol. 

All turned out fine, I just need a mammogram every 6 months vs yearly. The good thing is that had there been a problem, it would have been VERY early to catch it which put the odds in my favor of a good outcome.

Which reminds me, I need to make my appointment.

Good luck. I know it's nerve wracking. 

Thank you for sharing this! Did they specify what it was about your films that warranted the biopsy? Just curious. 

And yes, make that appointment! They you get to see your buddies. lol  

[Leeham Rimes]

Jan 15, 2022 10:39:27 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

Jan 15, 2022 6:43:58 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

I had my first mammogram last year, I was called back and then I had a needle core biopsy---core needle biopsy? Anyway, it was pretty easy and didn't hurt at all, just felt pressure and like a couple of clicks. The women were so kind and supportive, which was awesome. We joked so much they said "you know, we're hiring for front desk.....you should apply" lol. 

All turned out fine, I just need a mammogram every 6 months vs yearly. The good thing is that had there been a problem, it would have been VERY early to catch it which put the odds in my favor of a good outcome.

Which reminds me, I need to make my appointment.

Good luck. I know it's nerve wracking. 

Thank you for sharing this! Did they specify what it was about your films that warranted the biopsy? Just curious. 

And yes, make that appointment! They you get to see your buddies. lol  

I believe it was calcifications and fibrous tissue. I could see little scattered spots in both breasts' mammogram/ultrasound and I think that's what was concerning to them.

[RockNVoll]

Jan 14, 2022 11:13:53 GMT -5 lab7979 said:

I had a couple of areas show up on my first mammogram and had to go back for an ultrasound. I was told from the look of the ultrasound they suspected it to be fibroadenomas and that I would need to get imaging done every six months for two years to monitor them. I'd almost rather have a biopsy just to be 100% sure and not draw out the waiting for years. I'm not sure why they do it this way but the hospital I work at is also a major cancer center so I guess I have to trust that they know what they are doing. I go for my next mammogram in March. Hopefully no changes on that.

FWIW, you might consider asking for the biopsy. I just had a follow up six month mammo and ultrasound to re-examine an area they want to keep an eye on. Spent at least 1.5 hours at the facility each time. They told me this time that it didn't really look like there were any changes but they wanted to check again in six months. I asked if we could just biopsy it and be done, because ain't nobody got time to keep doing imaging that doesn't tell you anything conclusive. The radiologist was like, "Oh, sure, I'd be fine with that." No idea why they didn't suggest it in the first place.