Breast screening recall

'Tynsall' i have a friend who experienced what you have. . Covid has had no impact on her appointments at all, thank goodness. Try not to worry.

Hi everyone I have just had the dreaded letter after a routine mammogram, the hospital has asked me to go back for further tests . They say that I need further investigations but didn’t give any other reasons, needless to say I am now very anxious especially during this covid crisis.
Has anyone else been through this recently?

Thank you MillieBear and Luckygirl.

It must be frustrating to be waiting longer before conclusive results. I do hope it all gets sorted soon.

Jane43 I recently underwent further tests, cyst removal and a biopsy (with titanium implant for future reference), and the bruising lasted several weeks. I was quite sore and terribly bruised and I still have the scar of the biopsy. I hope things go well for you.

Thank you fiorentina51. It is just frustrating that the bruising is taking so long to heal. I just want the second biopsy over and done with so that I can hopefully get an answer. I’m glad all went well for you.

My first biopsy was inconclusive too. They expected to find cyst fluid or cancer cells apparently. I had my second biopsy about a week later and straight away you could see the lump on the screen collapsing as they withdrew the fluid. It was sent away for analysis and a few days later it was confirmed as a cyst.
I did, unfortunately, suffer a bout of cellulitis in the area of the procedure which was cleared up with the help of antibiotics. Other than that, all was well.
Hope all goes well for you too. ?

Thank you Annanymous and Izabella. I went for a day out shopping yesterday to take my mind off today. While I was having a coffee DH phoned to say the hospital wanted to speak to me so I called them. Apparently the result is inconclusive so the biopsy has to be repeated. They cancelled today’s results appointment and re-booked me for a biopsy next Thursday. However there is still a very bad bruise and she said the area has to be completely healed before another biopsy can be done. So I will see how it is on Tuesday and let them know if It isn’t healed.

I spoke to a friend who is the same age as me and discovered a small lump in her breast in January and the biopsy showed it was malignant. She has had a lumpectomy, reacted very badly to the chemotherapy, declined radiotherapy and is now recovering well. She was horrified that my healing after the biopsy is taking so long as hers healed in four days and her general health is much poorer than mine. However they only took one sample from her whereas they took five from me. Perhaps the difference is because her lump, which was only 3.8 mm, could be felt whereas mine can’t.p

So unfortunately I have no clear answer yet.

Hope all is well today

Hello Jane

Just to wish you well for tomorrow. Fingers crossed for you.

Hello Margrithea, thank you for asking. I actually logged on to report back on my experience. I was called through exactly at the appointment time and when removing my top clothing the nurse told me that there was an area in my left breast that needed investigation so I knew straight away that it wasn’t just that the mammogram was unclear. After a short wait I had several x rays on the left breast only and almost immediately I went in for an ultrasound. The practitioner was brilliant and told me there was a small area at the bottom of the breast that needed investigation and that it was only 3mm in size. She showed me the X-rays and then I had the ultrasound on both breasts. She said she was going to arrange a biopsy but wanted to consult with the nurses first. At this stage my main reaction was relief that the area was only 3mm. When she returned she said the nurses had confirmed her thoughts that they would do the biopsy using the mammogram machine as the area was so small. They would take five samples and afterwards would insert a small pellet, I think it was titanium, to mark the area for future reference. This procedure was uncomfortable but bearable because they used a local anaesthetic and the nurses were wonderful. After that I had two more x rays of the left breast and was given a date for attending for the results which is September 13th, the day before my birthday. I was given the opportunity to ask questions at all stages but to be honest it was very difficult to think clearly. I suppose I should have asked what possible explanations there were for the suspect area but it is not too long to wait for the results, just over a week.

DH and I had a long discussion about his planned trip to Canada on September 17th and have agreed that he should go ahead as if I have to have surgery it will probably be a lumpectomy which I think is day surgery and in the unlikely event of it occurring while he is away my younger son and daughter-in-law would help me as they have no children and although they haven’t been told anything yet I know for sure they would help if necessary.

Jane43 how are things going? I hope you've had the call back now and that whatever needs to be done is happening. It's all a bit scary but better to know than not know I think.

It's heartening to read of all those who are fine years on from original diagnosis as that's always the nagging doubt in the back of the mind. My SiL had a mastectomy in her 50's and is fine 20+ years on and another friend had a lumpectomy at a similar time followed by chemo and radio in her 40s and is fine. A friend of similar age to me had the works last year so is now OK but worries

I was recalled after my first mammogram but I wasn't too worried as I knew I had a sebaceous cyst on the left side if my breast. But it showed I had breast cancer in another area. Two weeks later I had a lumpectomy and two months later 5 weeks of radiotherapy. The worst part was the 5 years of tamoxifen which messed up my metabolism totally. But hey ho 22 years later I am still here and enjoying life. I am now 74 and pay every three years for a mammogram and ecogram for peace of mind as my Grandmother had breast cancer at the age of 81.

Margrithea. Yes I am 75 in two weeks’ time. I had a screening when I was 68 and apparently should have had a final one when I was 71 but it was overlooked. That is one reason for my concern as it means I haven't had one for 7 years. I suppose I should have realised I should have had another one at 71 but I had a lot of family issues including a house move and my DH having two hip replacements during that period and we women do tend to put our needs at the back of the queue. DH does have travel insurance so he could cancel his travel plans but he is desperate to see his sister who is 80 and her husband who is terminally ill. He also has two aunts out there who are in their early nineties. His first reaction was that if it is bad news he would cancel his trip but he is only away for 12 days so we will cross that bridge if and when we come to it. Thank you for letting me know about the time period you had as it is helpful to know.

Jane43 I've just read your other post - don't worry about DH going to visit in Canada. I waited about a month for surgery and then a further 2 for radiotherapy. I was seen quickly for the radiotherapy planning meeting as we were going away so it started about 10 days after we got back.

fingers crossed that it's a cyst and nothing more

Jane43 I suspect you are older than me if you missed your final screening. I had a call back in March (I'm 61 btw) and biopsy showed that I had a very small (8mm) tumour that I couldn't feel but was definitely there. Fortunately I only had to have a lumpectomy as a day case followed by 3 weeks of radiotherapy a couple of months later (you have to be healed up completely before they will start the radiotherapy)

It is scary but the consultant and support nurses were fantastic and the radiotherapy didn't give me many side effects . You will be told the whole range of what can happen but don't think it will!

Harris27 was it you or the nurse in tears? I hope not the nurse but can understand you being upset!

I hope all goes well for you

Had 3 recalls whilst living abroad, further tests showed all clear. Since being in UK no recall - either they are not as thorough here or I had needless tests, still not sure which.

Neither did my sister. Dead of breast cancer at 61.

Apologies...it's about recall not first screening.

I have never taken up any of the 'offers' such as mammograms, smears or bowel cancer packages that you send away.
Half of them aren't accurate, even the NHS admit that.

I got recalled some years ago. Worried myself sick but all was fine. They were just being super careful. Hope the same happens for you

My sister was recalled but it was due to blurred xrays.

I've been recalled twice - the xray came back clear on the recall the first time and they said I may have moved. The second time it was a small tumor which was removed along with a few lymph nodes, and I had 16 radiation treatments and am now on Tamoxifen. Do I wish it had been different? Of course! Am I glad I had the mammogram? Of course! - The alternative doesn't bear thinking about. I remember the anxiety of those days that you are experiencing. Be kind to yourself. Even if it is Breast Cancer, the survival odds get so much better all the time. Good Luck

I, too, had a simple cyst removed long years ago (1975, after finding a pea-size lump), and in 2008 was recalled after a mammogram because a shadow showed up, causing a bit of panic. But a needle aspiration procedure was done and it was found to be old scar tissue from my original cyst-removal, which was removed under a general anaesthetic in hospital as an overnight patient. Hopefully, your callback turns out to be nothing more serious than old scar-tissue from your old cyst removal, Jane43. To all those who've been recalled after a mammogram, I send you all best wishes for good outcomes.

Harris, just reading your experience, like you I am big breasted. The first mammogram I had, the pain was excruciating, so much so, I thought I was going to pass out. I was recalled and was worried that there was something wrong but also worried about going through the painful experience again. I was told the first result was unclear. The follow-up one was absolutely fine, just the usual discomfort, and so was the result. Hopefully just a blip with the screening.