mammograms

Hi,
I am supposed to scheldule my yearly mammogram and I have a couple of questions hoping someone can help me out here..I got my first mammogram at age 34 after feeling what I thought was a lump on my breast. After the mammogram came back okay, they did an ultra sound and it was also clear, they said that what i was feeling was a fatty rib..I got my next mammogram at age 39 and another at age 40 both clear..Last year at age 42 I got another one and was called back a week later and told that they found something on my right breast..I am now 43, I have no history of breast cancer..When they called me, they scared me..I thought for sure I had breast cancer and that I would die..Maybe it sounds silly, but those phone calls are very very scarey..even traumatic..filling you with anxiety and fear..

I was lucky to get an appt right away for an ultra sound, and had my friend drive me to the hospital..Physically I felt fine, but emotionally I was falling apart..They made me wait downstairs for about an hour because they were having trouble with my insurance or something..and then I had to wait another hour upstairs before they finally called me in..A technition checked it first and found nothing on the ultrasound..Then the doctor checked it, they went up and down and all over and found nothing..

I asked her what she saw on the mammogram and she said she saw what looked like a pretty big cyst...She checked her chart again, checked my right breast again then sent me down for another mammogram..Nothing on the mammogram..I was happy, a little confused and exhausted, but releived..Then went I got home I got a terrible thought,, what if the cyst was on my left breast and they made a mistake..so i called the hospital and asked, they said that is unlikely..

I have to go back again soon but I dont want too..I dont trust mammograms..I have heard of women having clear mammograms and getting breast cancer anyway..and then other women like me, being scared to death and told that something was found and then nothing is there..How odd..The doc told me that it probably dissapeared on its own..But in a week..??? Is that common? Could they have read the charts wrong and it was really on the left breast? Who knows..all I know is that if I didnt get my mammogram last year I would still be fine now..I couldve avoided all that anxiety and fear...


Can anyone relate???? and does anyone know if mistakes like reading the wrong breast have ever happened or could that happen..I do not feel any lumps in either breast..

Anyway thanks for reading..

[Jaquta]

It's possible that mistakes are made, but highly unlikely.  I once read a comment that recommended people get tested in an approved place and where lots of tests are performed.

It's normal to be anxious.  I expect if you weren't to get tested then your anxiety would be equally as high.

I would strongly recommend you attend your annual mammogram.
If there was something there last time and was missed, for whatever reason, it's possible it would be picked up this time.

Maybe with a positive and stress-free mammogram you will feel more comfortable and confident attending future ones.

Perhaps you could ask a support person to go with you.

Not sure about cysts, etc but if the doctor thought that was a possibility I would trust that.


Best wishes
J