Blood test to replace mammo
Has anyone else heard or read about this? A research centre in England have successfully detected breast cancer using blood tests earlier than a mammogram would. They are currently doing further trials. How awesome would that be! I wonder if it will also detect metastatic. The blood test can apparently detect it up to five years before any symptoms appear. I am thinking the mammogram centres will try to block these trials ever coming to Australia. Oops, that is probably not a nice thing to say.
Sore breasts post treatments (lumpectomy)
Hi guys had my first year mammogram February 2nd 2021 all clear thankfully Apparently I have skin thickening post radiation and quite a bit of scaring etc but I was wondering does anyone still have tenderness in their Breast 9 months post surgery my dog jumped on me the other day and landed hard on my operated breast which really hurt will they ever feel normal again? or is this part of the new normal I also find if I stop stretching my arm for a few days my armpit feels tight again
CEM - Contrast Enhanced Mammography - anyone heard of it? Supposed to be good for Dense Breasts
I found this in one of my news feeds last week ..... and going by the pics (below the 'normal' Dense Breast Tissue Images) the CEM appears to show the cancer much more specifically in size and shape ..... Some people don't like having contrasts/injections - if it gave a clearer picture 'straight up' of your cancer .... would you say 'yes' to CEM? https://densebreast-info.org/screening-technologies/contrast-enhanced-mammography/?fbclid=IwAR2HggizaLVzYsSfROdCqhAO0fy-Ni9nnZNRZMRl637qVL-FVQDDrRsrJ9o If you have dense breast tissue - it would be worth checking out the rest of the site too!! https://densebreast-info.org/Refused mammogram because I had one six months ago
I had my annual mammogram in November 2019 where they found a small lump and biopsy revealed it was breast cancer. I had been having annual mammograms because my mum had breast cancer. December 2019 I had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes tested but the cancer had not spread. In January 2020 I had daily radiology treatment and no chemotherapy was required. My surgeon checkup requested I have a mammogram in November 2020 which was booked and a follow up appointment set for two weeks later May 2020 I had rib/chest pain and an mri was undertaken. It showed abnormalities in the breast so a mammogram was undertaken and all clear. The pain was probably due to the radiology treatment. November 2020 I attended foe my mammogram and the mamographer refused because I had one six months ago to do the mammogram and she left the room and rang my surgeon who allegedly agreed I should wait six month for my mammogram. I said I wanted to have the mammogram because I never felt the original lump and I wanted to celebrate 12 months of being breast cancer free. The mammographer was a bully and made me feel humiliated. I wanted to have my annual mammograms every November because this is the milestone of my journey. When the mammographer rang my surgeon she should have done it in the room with me and gave me the opportunity to discuss my feelings with the surgeon i cried the half an hour trip home and cancelled my surgeon appointment because I no longer trust him and are hurt how he didn’t consult me Since this episode I have advised my GP that he is no longer to discuss my case with the surgeon or my oncologist. I am devastated and said I will sue them if breast cancer is detected in my mammogram in six months which will be undertaken at another facility in another town because I can’t ever face that mammographer again My appointment had a referral and I was a full fee paying private patient and should have control of my care as it’s my body and I wasn’t concerned about the radiation that the mammographer said she was saving me from and I told her I had daily radiation treatment so I wasn’t worried about that Then I received a phone message from the breast care nurse saying she was returning my call when I didn’t even ring her i can’t ever go through the humiliation of attending a mammogram with the fear of being refused again so I will now be undertaking a double mastectomy by a surgeon in another town or Melbourne
Contrast enhanced mammography
Another year down and happily another clear scan. My surgeon said that from next year Peter Mac are doing contrast enhanced mammograms where they pop an iv in, inject the dye then take the pics. Royal Melbourne has been doing it so PM have decided to try it too. Done in conjuction with tomosynthesis it gives a far clearer picture of any early stage breast cancers that can sometimes be missed particularly if you have dense breast tissue, like me. Also it can lessen the need for further ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies. Don't know whether anyone here has had one yet? If you want to know more there are several good sites on the net. I looked at www.breastimagingvictoria.com.au It gave a pretty good overview.Had my Yearly Scans & MRI today - 2 years since detection ... the waiting game begins ... yet again!
Today, I had my 'yearly' mammogram, ultrasound & a new one, MRI - as I've been having numb/tingling in my left leg/foot & arm/hands - I almost thought I had 'dropsy' at one stage, as my left foot kept 'dropping' & catching the ground as I walked! grrr Fingers crossed all is good - could be compressed nerves. Maybe it is a side effect from my meds - or could be the result of an old injury raising it's ugly head after 20 years .... My original 'lump detection' was in Nov '17 & Xmas/New Year was totally stuffed until I received my positive diagnosis on Jan 5, 2018. I had my surgery in mid Jan '18, then radiation leading up to Easter & hormone treatment ever since with 3 changes in meds. Currently on Arimidex with the least side effects, so far! Long may it last. Late last year - I had a call back in Nov after my 'first year reviews' but I didn't actually have the biopsy til Xmas Eve due to a major stuff up by the Imaging Company! Once again, Xmas & New year was totally stuffed!! So this year, I organised my 'yearly tests' to be a month earlier - so now they can't blame the 'Xmas Rush' for any stuff ups this year! Fingers crossed I don't get another call back! My Ultrasound specialist today (who I have total faith in!) actually confirmed that from July - Oct, the Ultrasound/Mammogram numbers are LOWER (maybe due to the cold or the rain) and then increase again from Oct-Dec, putting pressure on the services! Weird, eh? Take care - all the best for your own treatment ..... xxx
So much for good vibes. Scan day sucked . They've called me back.
This may come out not making sense as I am somewhere in between being scared shitless and f*/#&%g furious. So after the mammogram and u/sound the doctor popped her head in (obviously they could see I was starting to freak out) and said there was no changes to last years scans. Gave me a smile and said goodbye. Phew. I was feeling quite positive after that until the receptionist rang and said I needed to come back for another targeted ultra sound as the MRI had picked up something. The other two hadn't, yet again! Oh and the doctor wanted me to go tomorrow and follow her to their other facility as she is only in Ipswich on Thursdays and wanted to talk to me. So my head is in a mess and the tears are starting, my heart is pounding and I've got the shakes. I don't know if I can do all that again. I know I am over thinking and not to freak out totally before I know for sure. But FAAARRRKKK this shit,
Tomosynthesis biopsy shenanigans
Hi beautifuls, just putting this here to get a confusing day out of my brain more than anything...but also: Has anyone had a tomosynthesis-guided vacuum assisted biopsy? I am willing to bet my only $2 that you probably have. I saw my surgeon today and it was confusing. The powers that be want me to have a TGVA biopsy so I got my referral and called imaging people to make appt. They said I have to have a consultation appt with the breast specialist doctor/radiologist first, separately to the actual biopsy. Is this normal? What happens at the consult?? and why do I have to end up paying $390 for the biopsy when I have a health care card and my surgeon requested that Imaging bulk bill me? Blah. Bad day. Was having a good day before I plunged into biopsy anxiety land. Oh and im assuming the TGVA thing is bloody painful and stressful?? How bad is it? Don’t sugar coat it lol xoxoxoCosts of follow up scans and how many is too many?
I had my 18 month post surgical review yesterday. I still find these appointments rather depressing. Each time you see a different doctor (my surgeon is on long service leave) they have to trudge back over things that I have mostly tucked away at the back of my mind. Quote. "18months with the invasive cancer you had and no recurrence. You've done well." unquote. WTF. That was inspirational. Seriously what goes through some doctors heads? Isn't that why we get chopped, poisoned, nuked and hormone manipulated??????????? There needs to be a class at med school on "how to not be an unsympathetic dick" Anyhoo. The point is back for another mammo, u/s and MRI. I haven't rung up for this years prices yet but last years costs were: Mammo gap between $180 and $220 depending if there is any need for biopsy. U/s gap $125 MRI $575 no medicare rebate. Seems I am no longer in the high risk group...hahahahaha so nothing is bulk billed. So if you think you might have cancer or a strong family history you can get bulk billed, if you have had cancer you no longer fit the "high risk" check boxes so you get to pay I also wonder how many tests is it safe to have? I counted up in the last 18 months I have had 7 mammograms, 6 u/sounds I think, that could be more and 3 breast MRI's, 2 brain MRI's, 2 CT's and 2 bone scans and 1 bone density test. Whack the radiation on top of that and am I nuking myself into more problems??????
