New here...concerns over mammogram.

Hi @mlsocci74. I wanted to post last night but chickened out and woke up to immediately check if anyone else posted. Some nights are quiet on here. Welcome. I’m really sorry you have something questionable from your mammogram that’s causing you worry. I know we cannot tell you not to worry, or tell you what it is. If it turns out to be something, I think you’ll find amazing support, understanding and comfort here.

I started Googling the precise words of your mammogram report - I wish I knew what it all meant and could speak intelligently but I’m sorry, I don’t fully understand the radiology language. That’s what I did while waiting for my biopsy and results, I spent too much time Googling the words of my mammo/US report and looking at ultrasound images. (In hindsight I see that it only helped me pass the time, it didn’t really help diagnose me.) Everyone warns us not to Google but I couldn’t help myself. Yet we found this site so some searching is beneficial 😊

Perhaps the technician performing your ultrasound will be willing to answer questions? I’m not sure if they are allowed to but I had one chatty one who described everything she was seeing as she went (benign cysts at the time) and I appreciated that because I was interested and it kept me relaxed. My most recent one was pretty silent the whole time and I could see what she was measuring and what it looked like (clearly not a cyst). I didn’t ask questions and I wish I had, I just silently watched it all, but I’m not sure she would have answered them, I suppose they need to concentrate. I don’t know how much the technician is allowed to say when it looks like cancer. But afterwards when the radiologist came in and said I needed a biopsy, I still was silent and just said ok. In hindsight I wished I was a little prepared and asked her something, anything. Like … how likely is this to be cancer? Besides the obvious tumor, is there anything else you see that is concerning? I don’t know … maybe it didn’t really matter but I would have appreciated a few more words than “I’m sorry, you need a biopsy”. I didn’t have anyone with me either and perhaps I should have. I was in a strange state of calm shock.

I truly hope this turns out to be a benign situation for you! Please let us know how you are doing. Each post on your thread bumps it up to the top of the Active Topics so it’s more likely to be noticed by the regulars on here. Hang in there!! These next couple of days might fly by or be slow as molasses for you. If you can, find something fun to indulge in and distract yourself. It won’t change the result of your imaging but it does create nice memories.

Hi @mlsocci74 This is the perfect place to pour out our anxieties! Everyone here is nodding as they read your words, remembering their own private moments when they first found a lump or got the callback. The way our brains reacted. The need for reassurance!

I found so much comfort in reading the posts of others who were in the same boat, at about the same time … I didn’t post initially but I spent a lot of time here, soaking up all the helpful advice of others. I’m glad you found us!

Welcome, though I’m sorry you’re in this situation. I wanted to address what I call “reading the tea leaves”. That is, attempting to ascertain what’s going on based on a tech/nurse/ doctor’s facial expressions. This rarely works. Those folks are all human and there could be a multitude of reasons for serious faces, impassive faces, concerned faces, etc. It’s likely that the vast majority of those “looks” have little to do with the patient. Additionally, radiology techs may have great training and experience but they are not radiologists and have not been trained at the same level as a radiologist in terms of interpreting imaging. It is simply outside the scope of their expertise regardless of their experience.
I know this is an anxious time for you but try to focus on what you know to be true at the moment and stay away from tea leaves!

Take care.

Hi @mlsocci74. Thanks for the update. I know in your report it said “probably benign” and that word “probably” is just not 100% reassuring. A biopsy makes sense ... sorry that probably gets all the nerves going again. Hopefully that will happen soon and all truly is benign. Take care!