Constant worry about test results
I'm 44. Have had scans every 6 months due to extremely dense breasts. Have had multiple biopsies. Results of those are pash and fibroadenoma. My sister has passed from breast cancer 6 years ago. She was only 40. I'm not sure why this time I'm so scared! I've never had an mri or ultrasound mention these so I'm freaking out! I go for a core biopsy in 3 days. Mri said rapid enhancement with wash out. Of course I Google so that might not help at all. Then second look ultrasound today said indistinct solid mass. So I'm just sitting here freaking out while everyone says don't worry about it!
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Heather - as you know - don't look at that fake 'dr' google. The information may be old or totally false. I'm sure you're scared but sounds like you've been following a good protocol of testing for awhile. We are not doctors so the only thing you can do it talk to your GYN - or whoever is monitoring your breasts & scans. Of course if you are a woman & have breasts, you are at higher risks even w/o hereditary issues. Hopefully you have a breast specialist following you. Good luck.
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heather, you're doing all the right things by being screened and following up. At some point you need to trust this process. It's in place for you to be monitored carefully. Try to not read into things what is not known. Let them do their jobs & wait until you know what's happening.
Hang in there - I know it's hard but you can do it 🤗
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thank you!! I can tell myself not to worry till I'm blue in the face. I wish I could stop. I just moved to SC and in NY I had the best breast doctor ever! Right now I don't have one. We're going on my regular doctor ordering everything. They said based on results we'll put you in touch with a breast surgeon after. But thank you again!!
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PASH is Psedoangiomatus Stromal Hyperplasia, which is most common in pre menopausal women, as is fibroadenoma. Sorry your doctors never explained this to you. Or maybe they did. IDK Never hurts to ask specific questions when your talking to your physician. These are benign conditions. Since you have a first order relative who had breast cancer, your doctors are probably being extra careful. Only 30% of breast cancer is caused by a genetic mutation. I had some braca testing done 6 years before my diagnosis which gave me a false sense of security. I didn't always get my mammos on time. I got lucky. I applaud your diligence. Keep it up.
Rapid uptake and washout can mean alot of things, so don't fixate on that. If your report says words like spiculated mass or hypoechoic or lacks basement membrane or architectural distortion, then that is one thing, as one or all of these are positive predictors for breast cancer. If it doesn't, and only says what you mentioned, then likely a benign tumor which only a core biopsy can rule out completely.
I see nothing wrong with Googling as long as your looking at legitimate studies from JAMA, Mayo or NCIB, for example. I am sorry about your sister and I can imagine it causes you alot of anxiety about your own health. What helps is asking alot of questions from your doctor, or researching in alot of places. Knowlege is power and can alleviate alot of your anxiety about these tests. It helped me, but I am a bit of a control freak and need to know exactly what is going on. Also come from a family of doctors to guide me, too. And I have an advanced degree myself.
Whether what you have got is benign or not, it never hurts to research to get further information so you have knowledge of your condition and also so you can advocate for yourself. Trust me on that one. You have to trust your doc, too, so being you are in a new city, if something doesn't feel right, get a second opinion.
Good luck with the core biopsy:)
Hope that helps.
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