Forum Discussion
So ... I received a Breastscreen NSW reminder for my 2 yearly mammogram!
Who else has received their Mammogram Reminder after being diagnosed & treated?
Last week, I was a bit surprised to receive a reminder to have my 2 yearly mammogram as I thought there might be some sort of communication between the various health professionals & the organisation .... then again - why WOULD they know about my ILC BC?
So far, I've received a written letter, an email & an SMS to my mobile phone - so they are really keen to get me back!!
I thought a letter explaining why I wouldn't be going back would be in order. This is what I wrote. I'll let you know if I get a reply!!
Hi guys,
I’ve received my reminder for a mammogram, but I was diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer 6 months after my previous mammogram, which wasn’t picked up by it.
There is no breast cancer (or any cancer) in my family, so this was (and still is) a real shock to me. I’ve had surgery (Jan 2018) and also radiation and am now on hormone tablets for the next 5 years+.
Apparently I have dense breast tissue, but I wasn’t advised of this by Breastscreen NSW and that it would be beneficial to have an ultrasound for earlier and better detection rates.
Breast Screen Western Australia advises their clients with dense breast tissue to do this.
It is time for Breastscreen NSW to do the same.
I will be having yearly mammograms and ultrasounds as a part of my ongoing breast cancer management, so would request that you remove my name from your reminder lists.
I only hope that I am not one of the 30% who then randomly go on to develop metastasised/Stage 4 breast cancer, irrelevant of the ‘good outcome’ of my surgery, Rads and tabs. It really is a lottery.
Much more research is needed in this area, to determine WHO will get Stage 4 and WHY? Tissue and bloods should be taken from all having surgery, to provide material for researchers to work with!
I would be interested if a radiographer could take a closer look at my last mammograms with Breastscreen NSW in 2017 ... to see if, in hindsight, anything could be detected on them, now that we know it was there all along? It was in my right breast.
What do you reckon? Not too rude??
Last week, I was a bit surprised to receive a reminder to have my 2 yearly mammogram as I thought there might be some sort of communication between the various health professionals & the organisation .... then again - why WOULD they know about my ILC BC?
So far, I've received a written letter, an email & an SMS to my mobile phone - so they are really keen to get me back!!
I thought a letter explaining why I wouldn't be going back would be in order. This is what I wrote. I'll let you know if I get a reply!!
Hi guys,
I’ve received my reminder for a mammogram, but I was diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer 6 months after my previous mammogram, which wasn’t picked up by it.
There is no breast cancer (or any cancer) in my family, so this was (and still is) a real shock to me. I’ve had surgery (Jan 2018) and also radiation and am now on hormone tablets for the next 5 years+.
Apparently I have dense breast tissue, but I wasn’t advised of this by Breastscreen NSW and that it would be beneficial to have an ultrasound for earlier and better detection rates.
Breast Screen Western Australia advises their clients with dense breast tissue to do this.
It is time for Breastscreen NSW to do the same.
I will be having yearly mammograms and ultrasounds as a part of my ongoing breast cancer management, so would request that you remove my name from your reminder lists.
I only hope that I am not one of the 30% who then randomly go on to develop metastasised/Stage 4 breast cancer, irrelevant of the ‘good outcome’ of my surgery, Rads and tabs. It really is a lottery.
Much more research is needed in this area, to determine WHO will get Stage 4 and WHY? Tissue and bloods should be taken from all having surgery, to provide material for researchers to work with!
I would be interested if a radiographer could take a closer look at my last mammograms with Breastscreen NSW in 2017 ... to see if, in hindsight, anything could be detected on them, now that we know it was there all along? It was in my right breast.
What do you reckon? Not too rude??
112 Replies
- Thanks @Blondy I don't think my records were accessed, though I'm not sure if it would have helped. But it would be good if they were reviewed. My regular GP is on sabbatical so I can't ask if she made contact. That's good yours were passed on.
- @shs14. I do know that my surgeon requested my last mammogram pictures from breastscreen from the 2 years previous and got them.
- I had my reminder last month, two months into treatment. I also had a pap smear reminder after an op to remove what turned out to be a benign polyp :/
My breast cancer lump was very far round, below my armpit in the top quadrant.
I wonder if the Breastscreen would have seen it on my last mammogram, nearly two years ago, as when I went in to have the lump screened they made me do a second mammogram and turn a bit more to get it in. I'd like to share this information with Breastscreen, but I'm also angry that there is no communication between the health records to tell them I have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and it sounds like that is across the board?! Surely that would help with statistics etc? - I'm just gobsmacked @Queendonut , Makes you wonder how many other people she has spoken to that way. She is clearly in the wrong job. I truly hope you follow it up and make a formal complaint. I can sure understand at the time why you didn't though as we have enough shit to deal with and if you are anything like me it's not until after you think "you know what I should have said this to her and told her where to get off" but I literally would have been speechless as well. When you feel stronger do it. Imagine other newly diagnosed women having to put up with crap like that. Makes my blood boil. Grrrr.
Like Sister I had wonderful caring staff all the way through breastscreen. Its amazing how one person can either make or break your day. xo - I'm appalled by everyone's experiences with Breastscreen. I have nothing but praise for the staff at Breastscreen SA. I would be facing a very different future if not for them and I was treated with nothing but gentle respect by all but 1 doctor (who burst into the ultrasound room during my callback visit to tell me I had to sign something and have a biopsy). However, everyone else was excellent and I think, watched me for cues as to how to treat me.
- Definitely write and seek clarity. It's not her role to undermine the surgeon nor to make the newly diagnosed patient feel worthless
Best wishes
Take care - That's disgraceful, @Queendonut - definitely needs reporting if you haven't done so far - in writing is SO much easier than by phone too - you can go over it again & again til you're happy with it. It is also a written record that they have to respond to by law. If you get someone on the phone, it could be the cleaner!!
BreastScreen are now going to review my Mammogram films against the one the local radiographer took - even tho THEY didn't see it either - it was the ultrasound that picked it up. Tho the surgeon could see it on the films, when I saw him on my first appointment in Jan 18.
The Nurse Counsellor is one of the ones I've been emailing and was a tad 'off' to start off with but when I shot her the email about the disgusting review letter - she had to agree & then became more 'chatty'. - Am definitely looking into making a formal complaint today- even if she is not still there. Breastscreen also need to be aware and accountable for their staff!
- Off with her head @Queendonut .
She's probably been pulling similar shit on people for ages, relying on her victims to be too shellshocked to call her out.
I know it can be exhausting, stressful and upsetting to make complaints, but her behaviour was disrespectful bordering on abusive. You wouldn't take that from someone behind a supermarket checkout, don't put up with it from her either. Mxx - @PattiJ. I've used breastscreen for as long as I can remember. I was diagnosed after finding my own lump just short of my 2 yearly screen. If I hadn't of found it or ignored it, it would have been picked up for sure What a horrid experience for you to have at the bra shop. I've gone to Debras in Sydney for many years and after my surgery they couldn't have been more caring. @ queendonut, it makes one wonder if these heartless people choose to work in a profession where they have access to the vulnerable so as to inflict the most pain. Verbally or otherwise. If you let it affect you still, then she has done her job. I hope you can rid yourself of letting it still affect you as it's not good for your well-being and at this stage you are number one, it's all about getting you better, mentally as well as physically.
