MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Cookie, I hope you continue to feel beter each day.
Carollynn, I'm taking no meds, and I have the same sore joints, that leaves age and gardening.
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Well, it's not the worst news...
I had my annual mammo today. That would be my second follow-up one since the lumpectomy. At the last one, I asked about getting an Ultrasound screening, since my breast density tends to hide things on the mammos. They said they are better for diagnostic purposes than screenings, but maybe next time. So, today, I did get an Ultrasound as part of my imaging on both breasts. Righty, the so-called "bad" breast that betrayed me with IDC a year ago, looked great. Lefty, who had been portraying an innocent by-stander the whole while, was hiding two naughty lumps. One is a tiny (<5mm) fluid-filled cyst; the other is a tiny (~5mm) solid mass in the characteristic oval shape of a fibroadenoma. Oh, the treachery! Oh, the skullduggery of my diabolical breasts!
Way long time ago, I had a excisional biopsy on a fibroadenoma. I was in my twenties (when it is common for young gals to grow such things, and when it was also common to get full-blown surgeries to cut them out.) The doctor said this one could have been there since my twenties and just been hiding in the dense tissue like most everything else has. I was given a choice...Have a core needle biopsy to 99.9% determine what it is OR get another Ultrasound in six months to see if there was any change to the lump, which she gave a 90%+ chance to be a fibroadenoma. Which did I pick?????
I don't think I'll answer just yet. Go ahead and GUESS, my B/C buddies, if you care to. I will give you the answer tonight.
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Needle core biopsy because that's the way I would roll!
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Needle Core Biopsy because that's what I did when my left mammo showed something in March!! Edited (deleted) Good luck Elimar - I'm thinking good thoughts for you.
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Elimar I'm guessing NCB, but I respect the choice to do the ultrasound in six months, if that's what you prefer.
Feeling just fine btw, thanks for all the good wishes.
Oh and spine MRI was clear! I told the fellow I'm glad there was nothing suspicious there and he said so were we!
I may very well have a new home and/or a job by the end of the week, which is great, except that the location of the two in relation to each other don't work...so we have tough decisions to make.
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Oh, ELIMAR!!! What a pain in the boob! What did you choose? 90% chance of being a fibroadenoma - which you've had before - is pretty high. It's not like "Birads 4" or something. Still, you've been caught harboring crazed cells in the past, so it would be good to be "sure." Not sure what I would do - I suppose it would depend on how sure the radiologist sounded about what the lump looked like... they KNOW you're under surveillance, so I can't imagine them not insisting on a biopsy if something looked suspicious...
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Here is a random question, how do they decide what sort of biopsy they are going to do?
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Me, personally, in that situation would skip the needle biopsy, skip the follow up screening and have the d@#! thing taken off. Let the pathologist figure it out later and quit torturing me with needles and tests.
I'm betting you are going for the biopsy.
And, by the way, this whole think SUCKS OUT LOUD! I am so sorry, Elimar!
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Good question cookie! Idk
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Good news we are moving! Job is still up in the air for another month, which is just fine with me.
Elimar, good luck with your proceedure decision!
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http://www.peanutpetshelter.org/ShelterChallenge.html
a favor please-- will you go to this site, type in Peanut Pet Shelter and vote. This shelter was started by a group of gringos who relocated to Playa del Carmen Mexico. We've been there several times and these folks are really great. Lenny the Wonder Dog thanks you
He's a shelter adoptee -- way cool pooch..0 -
Elimar...if it was me I would take the Biopsy whatever kind......
This 6 months wait and see is a torture.
I experienced a situation like that before I was DX. I had stereo-tactic biopsy. It was benign but I had a peace of mind.
Good Luck no matter what your choice is.
Cookiegal..I always followed your journey with all the difficulties you were having.
Hopefully everything will be behind you soon.
Sheila
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Good Evening, and Welcome to B/C Mystery Decision Quiz Bowl, where even correct answers do not receive cash prizes..
I forgot I started this thread after my first two threads, one where I was trying to avoid radiation and the other where I was trying to avoid Tamoxifen. I did end up doing both. Yet surely you remember last Fall, when I decided I didn't want either of those flu shots. (I did not get a flu' by the way.) So, I've established a pattern of wreckless irregard and foolhardiness already, or at least a pattern of really hating these medical procedures.
I think I will WAIT and have another Ultrasound in six months.
But there is one other possibility that I have to check into. That is to have a Fine Needle Biopsy. I would not mind that so much as it is not nearly as invasive. When I had my core needle biopsy last year, I swear the bruising was worse than my actual lumpectomy surgery. There is more research and logic in my choice, but I am keeping the post brief. I feel comfortable with "wait and see."
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Seyla888, your avatar now matches my picture at the top. I love flip-flops and wear them all summer long!0
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My original bx was a FNA. My tumor was extremly dense and he had difficulty getting any tissue, but he got enough, and it was literally a little bandaid and no bruising. My SCNBx last September left 1/3 of my breast black and purple.
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Well I was going to say NCB but after reading all the additional post, I don't know now. I guess I'm the person who just wants to know, so I know what to worry about and what not to worry about.
Do I win a Boobie Prize Elimar???
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We ALL win the Boobie Prize, P-Mom!0
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Can I win TWO boobie prizes please?
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Oh man. I wanted a shot at the boobie prize. That's what I get for slacking. Either way Elimar you will know what to do because you will choose what feels best to you.
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Who's handing out boobie prizes? I get a twozie boobie prize like Barbe! Does that make it an unboobie prize? Hmmmmmm...0
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Hope I'm not too late to claim one of those duo-boobie prize packages.
I'd like the velcro inflate-able sort that gives natural cleavage with a tan that looks good with cheetos and a glass of wine. I don't even need them to be polka-dotted.
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Keep us posted, E.
I was on the wait and see plan for six months followed by an additional extension of another six months before my surgery in January. The river DaNile is a lovely vacation spot and served me well while we kept an eye on my 'suspicious' area. It wasn't my choice to 'wait' but the opinion of my team. We do what we must.
Will send you good thoughts of support for your decision-making and the best of possible outcomes.
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One more week of waiting for me, to have my "second opinion" appointment with 'new' surgeon.
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I did call today, and found out that the FNBx is not available at my Breast Center. They don't do them. She claimed that some physicians or offices may do them, but that they are a "dedicated breast center" and only do procedures with consistent results. Now that begs the question to you ladies (Meece!) if you have had a FNBx ... was it at a so-called Breast Center? I've heard that they ARE accurate and comparable to the core needle biopsies, but I'll check that again just for my own info.
Anyway, guess I'll wait the six months. She did say that if it were worrisome to the doctor, I would not have been offered the choice (as Kleenex had guessed.)
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Aw, so glad I still fit this forum, just by 6 months, but then, there is the ...ish...so guess I can still jump in.
I was diagnosed in August 09, in England. Wonderful doctors, but opted to return to the US for treatment and family and friends. Had a mastectomy, 5 cm angry and aggresive tumor with extensive lymphovascular invasion...all things I never dreamed I'd be learning about. I've got 3 daughters,the oldest is mother of my two grandchildren, the middle one is a photographer and has chosen to move from Boston to LA to pursue her career and to be available to sit with me during chemo, which she did unfailingly. The youngest just graduated from college, so it's a good feeling knowing that they are all launched. I will say though, that the most amazing aspect of having BC is the bond that has formed with my children, not only among themselves, but with me. I've seen them grow so much, are so strong and loving, and I am so enormously proud of each of them. Wouldn't have chosen this as a way to have them grow, but they will be stronger women for it, of that I'm sure.
I've just finished 6 months of chemo, have this month off and will begin 33 sessions of radiation the beginning of July. Good news is that I will be done mid-August and hope to return to the classroom, if only to substitute for now until I get my feet on the ground again. I love teaching, have been teaching elementary science and get to go to work and play, play, play all day long. Plus, I put a garden in every year and love being outdoors and exploring with the children. Am hoping that the fatigue won't be too big of an issue, and my hair has started growing back...just so baby soft and mostly silver. I think at this stage of the game, I'm just going to let it be and keep it pretty short because it is really curly.
Here is to all of you, my inspiration, my hope, and my guides through this journey. Blessing and light to all of you,
Diane
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Six months here is like two years on another thread! Aha-ha-ha!!!
Greetings drich51! Sounds like you have had one good side effect so far ... the bonding. Your tumor was quite large, and aggressive. I think you are lucky that it was only in one of the nodes and I hope the chemo did the trick on any other B/C cells that were looking to branch out. The radiation is no picnic, but you can do it. (I also had 33x.) We have lots of combined radiation experience on this thread. You may also want to find your "Rads group." That is listed by the month you begin the rads. Look in the pull-down menu above (under treatment,) click Radiation and there probably is one for July already, or will be soon. (p.s. -- Feel free to extend your stay here as it suits you...just show up with Cheetos and wine from time to time and no one will be showing you the door.)
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Elimar, my situation was that I found the lump, showed it to my GP, who scheduled a mammo, US and a visit to a surgeon because she knew whether it was BC or not, it had to come out (It was large 1 1/2 cm and near the surface.) She had sent me to a General Surgeon, who, upon examining me suggested a FNB right then and there. He had a tough time getting the needle to draw anything because the lump was hard. Anyway, he scheduled me to have the lump removed, and the night before surgery he called to cancel because the path report came back and he needed to see me in his office before surgery. The rest...is history. So I would say the FNB was accurate in my case.
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i was diagnosed with an FNB done by my breast surgeon in her office. She also used ultrasound, but since the lump could be felt, the US wasn't really necessary. FNBs, done correctly, are accurate in diagnosing, but because they take only a small amount of tissue there is a higher risk of "missing" the target area. If the target tissue is very hard, as in Meece's case, it can be hard to get a sample with the very small needle. The needle is the same size used to give flu shots and other immunizations, and easily bent. Local anesthesia usually makes FNBs painless, core biopsies usually cause some pain even with local anesthesia. I've had both, and will NEVER have another core biopsy while I'm awake again.
Also--if the target turns out to be a fluid filled thing like a cyst, the doc can drain it with the FNB needle, and sent the fluid for testing if necessary. If they target is fluid filled it has to be drained with a fine needle before a core biopsy can be done, so it becomes a mutilple stick procedure--2 or 3 shots of local, stick to drain, then stick to get the biopsy. Been there, done that, and that's part of the reason the remaining breast is coming off in 10 days.
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The CNB is a stressful procedure, at least it was for me. The poor intern assisting, was wondering why I was crying. Well, you'd have to have been through one to understand how uncomfortable and intense it can be.
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Yeah, with the CNBx, it is kind of like a leather punch being jammed thru' your tissues, and it packs a punch, too. The first punch they did on me did not get any tumor, so I ended up getting four walloping punches with that thing. I do bruise easily, so half my breast was purple. Now, a year later, I have no surface scar, but the tissue underneath the insertion area is still tender.
I'm not saying the procedure is bad. I'm just saying, given a choice, I'm going to avoid it. If my "mystery lump" does grow or act up in any way, I will see if I can have an excisional biopsy and be done with it.
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Since they were trying to biopsy calcifications, I had to have 5 or 6 punches of the CNBx. They weren't bad after having what seemed like 2 hours (reality was 20-30 minutes) of continual compressions in Mammography (ended up had to have it done in ultrasound!). The last 2 "punches" though the local was wearing off and it did NOT tickle. Elimar - the techs that day told me to refuse the FNB as it was not accurate (probably because it was not an actual tumor, just calcifications). Not sure what I would do in your position either cause I think I would ask for them to just remove it and be done with it also!
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I had a fnbx at the radiology facility where the little bastard was first found. I really think they are pretty common, and a lot less painful. They also inserted a metal tumor clip, and I think the whole thing was ultrasound assisted.
Good luck!
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