Forum Discussion
Scanxiety - does it ever REALLY go away?
Does Scanxiety ever really disappear? I think not.
It is 4 years in Nov since my ILC tumours were found, by accident, by my GP - as the rural BreastScreen Bus screens totally missed it ..... TWICE. Rural breastscreen buses do not have 3D mammograms - only 2D ones - and they are unlikely to pick up Invasive Lobular Cancer (that does not present as a 'lump' ....) and any cancer is almost impossible to 'see' in those with Dense Breast Tissue. If you don't know what breast tissue type you have, get your Surgeon/Oncologist to tell you - as Breast Screen NSW refuses to do so.
If you are able to pull up a pic of your Mammograms .... you'll actually SEE if you have dense breast tissue, as much of the breast will showing as 'white' (rather than fairly clear) and as cancer also shows up as 'white' ..... the dense breast tissue hides the cancer.
What followed was 2 years of anxiety as I had a recall on my first anniversary scans, which luckily, were benign .... but being rural, things all take longer to happen. Altho I had my surgery within days of seeing the surgeon (10 days after my diagnosis on Jan 5th was confirmed) it had taken 2 months to get to the diagnosis, with my biopsy being done between Xmas & New Year. The following year, the biopsy was on Xmas Eve .... so 2 x Christmases/New Years - totally stuffed!! For this reason, I brought my scan dates a month early to October - so that if anything needed doing (ie biopsy) I wouldn't be in the Xmas Rush!
SO .... I head north today for my annual Mammogram and Ultrasound (luckily, having the resident specialist breast Cancer Radiographer doing both!) I'll take hubby with me & will probably even take him into the clinic room with me (if allowed) to keep an eye on him as he has mod-severe dementia. Otherwise, I'd need to arrange someone to sit with him, if I left him at home.
Up til this morning, I hadn't really 'thought' of the scanxiety .... but then it raised it's ugly head again! grrrr.
I am not expecting any adverse results - but with this beast, you just never know!
I see my Rad Onc next week, also up north - my 2nd last visit to her - next year being Year 5 since detection.
Wish me luck!!
It is 4 years in Nov since my ILC tumours were found, by accident, by my GP - as the rural BreastScreen Bus screens totally missed it ..... TWICE. Rural breastscreen buses do not have 3D mammograms - only 2D ones - and they are unlikely to pick up Invasive Lobular Cancer (that does not present as a 'lump' ....) and any cancer is almost impossible to 'see' in those with Dense Breast Tissue. If you don't know what breast tissue type you have, get your Surgeon/Oncologist to tell you - as Breast Screen NSW refuses to do so.
If you are able to pull up a pic of your Mammograms .... you'll actually SEE if you have dense breast tissue, as much of the breast will showing as 'white' (rather than fairly clear) and as cancer also shows up as 'white' ..... the dense breast tissue hides the cancer.
What followed was 2 years of anxiety as I had a recall on my first anniversary scans, which luckily, were benign .... but being rural, things all take longer to happen. Altho I had my surgery within days of seeing the surgeon (10 days after my diagnosis on Jan 5th was confirmed) it had taken 2 months to get to the diagnosis, with my biopsy being done between Xmas & New Year. The following year, the biopsy was on Xmas Eve .... so 2 x Christmases/New Years - totally stuffed!! For this reason, I brought my scan dates a month early to October - so that if anything needed doing (ie biopsy) I wouldn't be in the Xmas Rush!
SO .... I head north today for my annual Mammogram and Ultrasound (luckily, having the resident specialist breast Cancer Radiographer doing both!) I'll take hubby with me & will probably even take him into the clinic room with me (if allowed) to keep an eye on him as he has mod-severe dementia. Otherwise, I'd need to arrange someone to sit with him, if I left him at home.
Up til this morning, I hadn't really 'thought' of the scanxiety .... but then it raised it's ugly head again! grrrr.
I am not expecting any adverse results - but with this beast, you just never know!
I see my Rad Onc next week, also up north - my 2nd last visit to her - next year being Year 5 since detection.
Wish me luck!!
44 Replies
- Got an early call from the Rad Onc today instead of tomorrow - she has a cold & needs to have a covid test & self isolate, so I got an early call today!!
She said everything is fine on the US report with nothing looking sinister and no change from the earlier one ..... so absolutely nothing to worry about - but .... they will still be acting cautiously & suggested a followup US in Feb! So that's where we are at. All good! - Sounds great @arpie. Let us know how you go next week.
- Good news @arpie. Hope it is reconfirmed by the Rad Onc.
- OK .... so I had my 're-scan' ultrasound on Monday - the wonderful ultrasound lady said - "What are you doing here!! I didn't expect to see you again!!" She did the US & showed me exactly where & how big the 'bits' were ..... one at 2 o'clock that was there last year, the 'new one' at 4 o'clock - no growth since 4 weeks ago (and she said she wouldn't have expected it to!) ..... and also said that it is nice & smooth & doesn't have blood going to it & in her opinion it is probably a fatty deposit ...... and nothing to worry about it! So that is what I am doing .... not worrying about it. I have a chat with the Rad Onc next Thurs to (hopefully) 'confirm' what the US lady said! The Rad Onc had already told me that they were just being ultra cautious & 'covering their arse' ....
take care ladies, have a good weekend xx - 10 fingers and 10 toes that it’s nothing 🤞🤞🤞, which it most probably isn’t. You will not have another Xmas/NY ruined arpie 🍀💟
- Hi @arpie, hmmm sounds like they aren't concerned but super cautious which is good. I guess if you wanted a biopsy you could ask them to do that. But if the rad oncologist isn't concerned sounds all ok. Let us know what happens next month with this.
- Why are they waiting another month ???? I guess if it has been seen and ignored for a few years they are not too concerned ? If they wanted you back tomorrow I would be concerned. As you say, the mention of an ultrasound in a month is not as worrying as a biopsy. Keep our fingers crossed. 💖
- Damn!! Well, it ain't over til it's over .......Back from my Rad Onc report on the scans ..... I have to go back in a month for another ultrasound on my OTHER boob as they saw something 'small' that they want to have another look at. It was there last year apparently & first seen the year before ..... My Rad Onc said it is nothing to get concerned about - probably a cyst .... (she knows me well as she was on the receiving end of a melt down on my 1st year anniversary scans when I had to have a biopsy & the appts got stuffed up - eventually done on Xmas Eve!!) So they are being ultra cautious .... just an US so far with a phone consult the week after (so that is a good sign) ..... no biopsy mentioned ..... fingers & toes crossed another xmas/new year isn't ruined! Ai yi yi!!
- All the best @Arpie.
I don't really get the scanxiety anymore. Quite possible due to the volume of close together scans. Kind of like desensitisation lol. The only time I get a bit antsy these days is right before I walk in to get my results.
