Breast Biopsy

[Anonymous]

I'm also waiting for my biopsy next week. To the poster who said she didn't know what Birads are - Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System - it's a scale of 1-5 that describes your results. I have access to my patient portal so I've seen all of the comments about my results.....from the first mammo (said previous calcifications now looked suspicious, they were going to pull previous mammograms to compare) and also ordered a 3-D mammogram to get a better look at the tissue since the breasts are dense. It was surprisingly easy to follow. Same info came in a letter to my house.

Had the follow-up 3-D mammo - still inconclusive. They did an ultrasound biopsy - still not convinced that the new shape of 2 calcifications is okay so they want to do the needle biopsy. That makes me a Birad 4 - suspicious looking something but not sure if it's harmful yet or not.

Thank you for all of the thoughts about bruising and the positioning. For me, knowledge of what to expect is comforting. The images of the table on google are also pretty amusing.

Best to you OP.

[Anonymous]

I think breast biopsy experiences depend a lot on individual circumstances.

I had one recently at Hopkins imaging in north Bethesda. Circumstances similar to those described by OP. The radiologist was insensitive and frustrating when she initially told me of the "need" for a biopsy. However, the biopsy itself was handled very sensitively and was essentially painless.

Results were completely okay, and I do wonder if biopsy was necessary. Especially since I was told future mammograms won't be of the "screening" variety and will include ultrasound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I am going to do the biopsy. They wanted to schedule me more than two weeks out (I had to wait three weeks to get the follow-up mammogram) and I had them schedule me for a different office so I could get in sooner. The wait is killing me. I'm much less worried about the pain than the results.

OP, since it was found on a routine mammogram, even if it is something (very unlikely), it will be okay; catching it early means cure and no o beside treatment, and moving on with your life. You will be okay. But again - it is almost definitely nothing.

[Anonymous]

^^no *invasive treatment

[Anonymous]

I’ve had several biopsies at WRA - none were painful. They told me what to expect every step of the way. Mine were in Potomac, Chevy Chase and NW DC.

[Anonymous]

OP, any updates?

[Anonymous]

OP: Biopsy was benign!

I also wanted to share that my third visit this year to Washington Radiology (and my first to the Chevy Chase location) was MUCH better. The radiologist was lovely and explained everything to me. She told me after the procedure that she really did not think it was cancer, but they had to be sure. She called me back with the good news a week later.

The whole experience was not fun, obviously, but a caring doctor who takes the time to talk to you really makes a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

I’m so happy for you. I had a biopsy this past summer and also was completely freaked out, lots of tears. WRA was horrible and made me wait many weeks between appointments. I switched to another place and have been much happier.

[Anonymous]

So glad I found this thread and share the frustration with WRA. I had my annual mammo in early November and WRA called the day before Thanksgiving saying I needed .a diagnostic mammogram because of new calcifications that were not present at previous mammograms. The first appointment available for that was just before Xmas and came back as Birads 4 and a biopsy recommendation. The first appointment available for that is at the end of January. I've called asking for any opening, at any office, and so far no earlier options.

I know the odds favor a clean bill of health, but I'm the same age that my mom was when she was diagnosed with the cancer (ovarian) that killed her so I'm pretty anxious. And very fed up with WRA just around the logistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad I found this thread and share the frustration with WRA. I had my annual mammo in early November and WRA called the day before Thanksgiving saying I needed .a diagnostic mammogram because of new calcifications that were not present at previous mammograms. The first appointment available for that was just before Xmas and came back as Birads 4 and a biopsy recommendation. The first appointment available for that is at the end of January. I've called asking for any opening, at any office, and so far no earlier options.

I know the odds favor a clean bill of health, but I'm the same age that my mom was when she was diagnosed with the cancer (ovarian) that killed her so I'm pretty anxious. And very fed up with WRA just around the logistics.

This was exactly me last year (not WRA though). Found out there was something suspicious right before Christmas and could not get in for a biopsy until mid-Jan. Was also BIRADS 4 but thankfully in my case it was benign.

I know exactly what you’re going through - I was so anxious and on edge the whole holiday season thinking this was going to be my last.

I wish you peace until your next appointment.

[Anonymous]

I had this and had a biopsy and it ended up being atypical hyperplasia which is not cancer but has a high probability of becoming cancer. I had it removed at Sibley. I will warn you that if this is the case for you there is no support in terms of getting support for women with these conditions. I am now followed by MD Anderson and found reconstruction is covered as well as custom made bras every 6 months. I was told of none of this at Sibley. It would have saved me a lot of money and the support would have been nice.
DC is very odd when it comes to patient support. They will assume you are wealthy and will pay cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had this and had a biopsy and it ended up being atypical hyperplasia which is not cancer but has a high probability of becoming cancer. I had it removed at Sibley. I will warn you that if this is the case for you there is no support in terms of getting support for women with these conditions. I am now followed by MD Anderson and found reconstruction is covered as well as custom made bras every 6 months. I was told of none of this at Sibley. It would have saved me a lot of money and the support would have been nice.
DC is very odd when it comes to patient support. They will assume you are wealthy and will pay cash.

What kind of surgery did they do for ADH that needed reconstruction? They should just do an excisional biopsy, not even a lumpectomy. And not all ADH turns cancerous, it’s actually only 30% of women diagnosed with ADH develop cancer after 25 years. Don’t try to fear monger, you sound like an extreme overreacter. Many women are treated in DC and have good experiences.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who had biopsies and said they weren't bad, that was true of my regular biopsies. But the stereostatic biopsies I had were pretty miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad I found this thread and share the frustration with WRA. I had my annual mammo in early November and WRA called the day before Thanksgiving saying I needed .a diagnostic mammogram because of new calcifications that were not present at previous mammograms. The first appointment available for that was just before Xmas and came back as Birads 4 and a biopsy recommendation. The first appointment available for that is at the end of January. I've called asking for any opening, at any office, and so far no earlier options.

I know the odds favor a clean bill of health, but I'm the same age that my mom was when she was diagnosed with the cancer (ovarian) that killed her so I'm pretty anxious. And very fed up with WRA just around the logistics.

This is what happened to me. I called another place and got in the next week. I had to pick up my records from WRA. It was a pain but worth it not to have to wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had this and had a biopsy and it ended up being atypical hyperplasia which is not cancer but has a high probability of becoming cancer. I had it removed at Sibley. I will warn you that if this is the case for you there is no support in terms of getting support for women with these conditions. I am now followed by MD Anderson and found reconstruction is covered as well as custom made bras every 6 months. I was told of none of this at Sibley. It would have saved me a lot of money and the support would have been nice.
DC is very odd when it comes to patient support. They will assume you are wealthy and will pay cash.

What kind of surgery did they do for ADH that needed reconstruction? They should just do an excisional biopsy, not even a lumpectomy. And not all ADH turns cancerous, it’s actually only 30% of women diagnosed with ADH develop cancer after 25 years. Don’t try to fear monger, you sound like an extreme overreacter. Many women are treated in DC and have good experiences.

She is in the overtreatment cycle. BTDT. They will try to convince you that whatever thing you had biopsied needs to be excised for a full biopsy (a surgery+anesthesia for a lump already confirmed to be benign!!) and then will stick you with a reconstruction surgery oh and 6 month mammograms and ultrasounds for more money. For some breast tissue that you likely would’ve gone your whole life never having an issue with.