So... I've had four "lumpectomies" over the years. The first one when I was 19! It was a lipoma (fatty tumor). Looked like chicken fat and felt like gristle (yes, my surgeon asked me if I wanted to see it and touch it--so of course I did)! I don't even remember how old I was for number 2. Maybe my early 20's. I felt a lump. Went to my doctor/surgeon. He said "let's take it out". I had not had a mammogram ever--yet. This one wasn't even a tumor at all. Just a knot of fibrous tissue. I have extremely fibrous tissue. Third one... I don't even remember what it was. Then at 40, I started the FUN yearly mammogram program. Always, always, they say my breasts are extremely dense and could prevent the detection of a lesion, etc., etc. So then I had a lump that came on suddenly and was hot and red and hurt like hell. I was married then. It just happened that my yearly gyn appointment was in a few days. My nurse practitioner thought it was either an infection or a cyst. She sent me in for my first ever diagnostic mammogram. What fun they are! They just squish them more and take more pictures. I then had an ultrasound (since my tissue is so dense--duh). They confirmed a cyst. It was already getting smaller and feeling better so when the radiologist asked me if I wanted him to drain it, I was like, um, that's ok!
I think the next year I had another diagnostic mammogram due to my history and it was ok. Next couple years I just had regular screening mammo's. I did skip about 3 years after my divorce. Opps. Bad me. On my next mammogram, the tech saw a very tiny suspicious spot and they called me back for the diagnostic mammo. I wish they would just skip them and go straight to the ultrasound! Argh. This "tiny" spot was not normal and they wanted me to have a "wire-assisted biopsy". Won't ever do that again! Basically, they do a really intense mammo--numb your boob and insert a HUGE needle that sticks a wire into the spot that needs to be biopsied. It's too small to see with the naked eye! I had this done and the pathology report said it was just some abnormal cells--not even the type that can become cancer. Relief. However, since that biopsy in 2009, I've had incredible pain in that breast a week or so before my period. It hurts to even just brush something against my boob! I've mentioned it to all my doctors and they've never known why.
A couple weeks ago I had the usual pain. Even a bit worse then normal. I was poking around and that's when I thought I felt a lump but I wasn't sure. I'm pretty lumpy all the time but especially before my period. I was "exploring" a bit more and found another lump (almost on my nipple) that I had no doubt about. Fast forward--called and scheduled a mammogram and when I told them I had a lump, they said I'd need a diagnostic. yeah! I knew that would happen. Again, why not just go straight to the ultrasound? Well, it's because insurance won't pay! Mammogram showed nothing. No lumps. Nada, Zero. Just extremely dense fibrous tissue (it looks like white spiderwebs on the ultrasound). The ultrasound tech said she could feel the one lump (the one I wasn't even sure was a lump) but nothing showed on the screen. She could feel it when the ultrasound wand moved over it. Weird. I showed her where the other little pea-sized lump was and she couldn't see anything there either. The radiologist came in and ran the wand over me and he could also feel the other bigger lump but nada showed. He said it was most likely just another mass of tissue but that I should watch it. He did finally find the other smaller, harder lump. He pushed the wand a lot harder than the tech did. He said it was a cyst. Again, watch it.
Now aren't you glad you checked in today? No really, I'm not 100% convinced that neither of these are anything to worry about. I am keeping a close
My point here is just that I don't understand why I have to go through the mammogram process when every single one I have say's the same thing. Too fibrous to see anything!
Of course, I am also relieved that they didn't find anything suspicious.
Why the whole history? I just wanted you to know where I was coming from and why I didn't freak out when I felt something. My mom also had several lumpectomies over the years. I'm so much like her it's scary!
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