Ladies, this is a MUST READ!!!

So today I went in for my annual mammogram.  They asked the usual questions:  Any changes since last year?   Any history of breast cancer in your family since your last appointment?  Any concerns?  I answered no to all of these questions, got my mammogram and was on my way.  A few hours later, they called my cell phone and asked me to come back in right away for an ultrasound.  They said there were extreme changes on the images they just took compared to last year's mammogram and they were very concerned.  So I went in for the ultrasound and the lightbulb finally went off in my head and I told the ultrasound technician that I had recently lost 100 pounds and asked if the radiologist needed to know that.  She said she would definitely tell him.  

So she did the ultrasound and told me to sit tight so she could show the images to the radiologist.  About 10 minutes later, the radiologist came in personally and wanted to do the ultrasound himself just to make sure.  After he was done, he was 100% confident that the area they were concerned about was just breast tissue that had changed from the recent major weight loss.

So the moral of this story is to be sure to tell your mammogram technician that you have recently lost a large amount of weight.  It might save you the heart attack I had today when I had to go back in for a "rush" ultrasound.  It makes a big difference in how they will read your scans and is a documented reason for changed breast tissue according to the radiologist.

Terri

Hi Terri,

Thanks for the information. And I hate you had experience that scare. I could only imagine what you were thinking or going through at that moment. I pray that things are all good. 

Thanks for the info!  Sorry, you had to go through that scare but I am glad that everything turned out fine.

How timely, Terri. I'm going for my first post-op mammogram next week. Good information to know. Thanks!

psychoticparrot

  I just had a Mamogram and one of the first questions they asked was, Have you had any significant weight loss in the last year? She was nice enough to warn me that any fiberious tissue could show up more now and make the scan look really different. She told me not to worry if I had to come back and be scanned again. When they called me I was kind of expecting to have to go back, but everything came out fine. 

 I had a total freak out too I'm doing self exam and found lumps everywhere .  Got my mammogram and ultrasound and it was OK .    I totally understand that 

Please understand that not all lumps felt and/or mammogram call backs, after losing a significant amount of weight, turn out negative!  This happened to me this year...I had a positive diagnosis of a very fast growing agressive breast cancer.  

Moral of the story...have a yearly exam by a doctor, have a yearly mammogram, do regular self exams, and have all lumps found checked by your doctor.