Ok, back from Mammo and Ultrasound with initial results

[bicentennial_baby]

Whew...so glad to be done with that ordeal. The diagnostic mammo wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, painful, but not killer. Ultrasound was rough, simply b/c I kept looking at the screen and freaking out over what I was seeing.

So, the radiologist says several definite cysts (big and black on the u/s, well defined as far as I could see. He said one has some debris in it that is most likely protein or cholesterol deposits, and that I need to come back in 6 months for a follow up just to keep an eye on that one.

For those of y'all who also have this condition, what do you think? What were your experiences?

[ewagner]

1. My wife just went through this

six weeks ago.

Doctors found "something" and proceeded to scare the crap out of her and ordered a biopsy. Fortunately everything was okay.

Scary stuff and you have my sympathies and compassion while going through this.

[bicentennial_baby]

2. Kick

Damn the lounge is moving fast today! :kick:

[July]

3. Stay calm.

I say this as someone who's gone through countless mammograms, ultrasounds, an attempted Mammotome, surgical removal of fibrous cysts, numerous aspirations of fluid-filled cysts, and two biopsies.

Your cysts sound like (I'm not a doctor, just going on my own experience) the fluid-filled ones -- mine looked like black amoebas on the ultrasound screen. Did they tell you if they are? Those are easy to deal with; they aspirate the fluid with a needle (it's really not too bad, unless you have large ones, which take a while). The cysts themselves can cause discomfort, and I've had one mammogram that was unbelievably painful because of cysts.

If you have "dense" breasts, they may have trouble reading your mammograms. That was my case, and I had two biopsies in the same spot because of clustered calcifications. I now regret doing that, because I've got a painful scar and a dent, and because the experience itself was fairly unpleasant, especially given that I was fine but felt as if I would be diagnosed with cancer any minute. I actually stopped going back for followups because I felt it was making me act like I was always on the brink of disaster, when in fact I was well. And after having difficult-to-read mammograms for 25 years, I'm just going to go with ultrasounds, which they always seek after every mammogram I have. It's not a perfect arrangement, but I feel I get a net negative effect with mammograms, and I'm willing to take the risk (for now; I do plan to have a mammogram about once every three years).

Did they want to aspirate or remove cysts? Do they want you to go back for mammograms or for ultrasounds? You may want to have any fluid-filled cysts aspirated BEFORE a mammogram to avoid my experience when I saw God (most painful mammogram I have ever had; I was actually doubled over trying to breathe for 5 minutes -- and I was already VERY used to mammograms).

Good luck.

[bicentennial_baby]

4. Yep, fluid filled cysts

They did'nt mention aspiration or removal, but I'll talk to my Doc once she gets the report from the hospital. Yes, they look exactly like black amoebas.

They want me to come back in 6 months for follow up mammo/ultrasound.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Kick

:kick:

[dawg]

6. Hang in there!

I don't know much about all of that "girl stuff", but I can sure sympathize with you on having an ultrasound and freaking out about all of the things you see (and imagine you see). Also, the technician always has this serious, "this guy's gonna' die", look on her face.

[bicentennial_baby]

7. Kick

C'mon people, I need some feedback!!

[nini]

8. same stuff here...

nothing has ever gone beyond what they are now.. just keep regular exams as part of your routine and you'll be fine. Sometimes they hurt more than others - I've just learned to deal with it.

glad to hear you can breathe a little easier now.