What to do?

[tzimmermann]

Close family friend, age 64, smoker, history of cancer in family, has had the following symptoms over the past few  years.
first started with swelling and a yellow watery discharge from her one nipple(this was a couple of years ago already)
then she started feeling pain in her breast and has been getting worse since then.
Now the discharge has become bloody and her arm becomes numb.
No lumps can be felt but the pain is also getting very bad now. She has finally gone to see a doctor and had a mammogram taken but now she refuses to go back and find out what the results are( I think she is scared)
what do you think is wrong and how do you get through to a person that is being difficult without scaring her even more?

[mamaboulet]

I've never had a mammo tech do any kind of clinical exam before the actual mammogram, and I've had quite a few mammograms.

[japdip]

I'm not sure your friend will have much choice about getting the results of her mammogram .... as a rule the pt. gets at least a letter from the Institution where the mammo was done OR a follow-up call from her Physician. Breast pain is rarely associated with breast cancer ... you might tell her that for one thing. There is one type (inflammatory bc) where the breast becomes red, hot and swollen but this would have been discussed when she had her mammogram ... the technicians usually do a clinical exam before doing the actual mammogram. When it comes right down to it there's not much you can do to convince the reluctant patient .... it's really up to them as to what course to follow. I do think she will be given the results of the mammo though .....one way or another.

[Babs39]

You did not say if the doctor is someone she has seen before.  But maybe he or she would be willing to send her a letter giving her the results or saying follow-up is needed.  I am sure most doctors have seen it all so this will not be the first time he or she has had a reluctant patient.