What I Wish I Knew Before My Mammogram

I Wasn’t Expecting That

When I got my most recent mammogram, I hadn’t thought that I’d get a call back. I never had before and life was finally settling down. In less than a year, I’d managed to keep my family safe in a pandemic, homeschooled my 4-year-old and lived in four different homes in two states.

What to Do If the Call Comes

I had a five day wait and here’s what I wish I had known:

• Ask if you can call back in 30 minutes or an hour after you’ve processed the initial shock of hearing there is a concern
• When you call back ask them to read the report to you and be ready to take notes (Pen and paper in hand)
• Size may seem like an important detail, but there are three other things you will want to know
  • Is there skin thickening around the “density/lump”?
  • Is there nipple retraction?
  • Are there microcalicifications?
• Mammograms are rated, so ask what yours is rated
  • 0 – Incomplete, they can’t tell what to score it and need more images
  • 1 – No cancer
  • 2- Non cancerous growths discovered
  • 3-Probably normal, but chance of cancer
  • 4- Suspicious for possible cancer

During that five days of waiting, I went skiing, I made Valentine’s cookies for my son’s class party and I NEVER stopped thinking about “what if”.

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The More Information the Better

I’m a journalist. Information makes me feel less scared, even if it is scary information. The unknown leaves me way more crazy.

So, once I had more information from my regular doctor and she took me step by step through the information from the initial mammogram, I felt a little better as I faced the next day’s scan.

As I walked in the next day, one of the things that I felt so thankful for was the mammogram technician. She was honest. “I know this can feel scary,” she said. She also walked me through every step before we even got started. Since I’m the girl who wants information up front, I was grateful!

Steps For Follow Up Mammogram

• Focused pictures on the questionable areas
• May be more uncomfortable because of the manipulation of the breast
• New pictures will be analyzed immediately
• If need more detailed view, will do an ultrasound
• You will leave today knowing a preliminary finding (non-cancer, cancer, something to watch)

After all of my stressing, I was shocked when she came back in and said that I was free to go. I didn’t even need the ultrasound. It turns out lots of women have been in this same position.

Getting called back after a screening mammogram is fairly common, and it doesn’t mean you have breast cancer. In fact, fewer than 1 in 10 women called back for more tests are found to have cancer. (Source: American Cancer Society)

Your Advice for Other Women

If you have been through a mammogram call back, what is your advice to women who face this? Please share your thoughts in the comments so that we can lift each other up during an anxious time.

Truly,

Julie

Your. Soulful. Spaces.

Soulful Side Note: A special thank you to Linda at Women’s Wellness at NVRH in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. She was the kind soul who helped me manage my anxiety the day of my follow up mammogram. She is one of those special medical professionals who truly knows the value of being present as a caregiver – a giver of medical care the way it should be. Thank you!

Mammogram – Part 1