Mammogram Panic

Hi K., I wish I could tell you to quit worrying and that you will be fine. I had the very same thing happen to me. I could not sleep, I was sick, I told everyone that would listen to me and the biggest shock I could not eat. Then after the biopsy it was nothing. Just a irregular shaped cyst. Also, it was documented and now I have a sort of blue print that is a map to go by when ever that particular lump is shown on any following mamograms. They can see if it has or has not changed in size or shape. And all that worry and crying was a real waste of time. Take it easy, it is probably like me just a cyst. GL K. K.

K.,
You really shouldn't be worried. This is very routine and the doctor is being more safe than sorry. I to have fibro cystic breasts, Lucky us:). Worrying about it is more likely to cause cancer than anything else. I am sure you will be fine especially since your OB-Gyn didn't feel the same thing. Just be glad you are getting it checked out so that you will know in the furture when this happens again, and it will, that you just get a few more test than most to make sure everything is ok. I have a friend who goes through this every year. Don't worry and enjoy the holidays.

Years ago I also went through this. I have cyst and went and had a mammogram done and the doctor after looking at the test decided he needed another one done so it really scared me. Turned out just fine, so don't borrow trouble...forget about it til time to go get it done. When you have cyst they will double check sometimes to make sure they don't miss anything.

Last year I had a worrisome lump in my breast. I wasn't THAT worried because i had had two cysts before. I never had those cysts checked out but they popped on their own and killed, but i was okay. This was a bit bigger but i was still pretty convinced that it was another cyst. But my doctor wanted me to get an ultrasound. So I did. That's when i started to worry because they told me it was definitely NOT a cyst. They said it could be benign but it could not. So I had to do a biopsy. Waiting for that test was torture. Like you, I was coming up with the worst possible scenario. My husband was concerned too. What did I do? I kept telling myself there was no point in worrying because it wouldn't change the results and the odds of me getting breast cancer are pretty low, due to my age and family history. But still its hard not to worry. So my husband and I prayed that I would be okay. that helped the most because i was able to feel peace, even when I still though of the worst I had an overall feeling like everything was all right.
Waiting for the results was worse than waiting for the test.
Well it turned out to be a lactating atenoma (or atenoid I can't remember), benign, due to my pregnancy. They said it should go away when i am done nursing and to just watch it and see if it gets any bigger because if it gets too big they will take it out just to be safe.
If you are religious at all i would suggest you pray, or maybe even if you are not. It helped me find the comfort that I needed.
If it helps my mom also has had to have multiple mammograms because she has crazy breast tissue and she is always getting weird lumps that come and go and she is always fine.
Good luck. I empathize with you.

Take that deep breath my dear,
It's probably because you have been doing too much caffine.
There is probably a little ball of fluid and they would rather remove it than to leave it to cause problems.
I had this done in the clinic Potomac and 6th - it was sucked up in a needle, I was able to see it. They biopsyed it to be sure but it was not cancerous.
(Now, I also could have held off on the caffine for 6 months - and the lump would have gone away on it's own)
My insurance was billed 6K for this stupid little procedure! I paid $50. It was an outlandish amount of money for what they did!

There are lots of nice no-caffinated teas out there and it has replaced my caffinated craving. I rarely will have a Coke or Pepsi. (But when I need it - I still do coffee without thinking twice - sometimes you need that energy!)

Cheers to you and yours!
Sharon

I wish I had time to fully respond to you, as I can lend insight and potentially comfort at this overwelming time. December 16 marks my 13th "re-birthday" ... the day my stem cells were given back(bone marrow transplant but fortunate enough to be my own donor) ... a lot of my "story" is documented on my web site www.run2infinity.com and feel free to email with specific questions. Just know that when I decided to be a survivor I became a survivor!

Dear K.

I too have fibrocystic breast tissue. I found my first lump at 21 years of age. My GYN told me not to panic if it didn't show up on ultrasound because many fibrocystic lumps do not. Sure enough, it didn't show up. I tracked it for many years and this year (I am now 31) it started to be painful so I had another ultrasound done, which didn't show the original lump still but did find another fibroadenoma. I decided to have a biopsy to remove the painful lump and it turned out also be a totally innocent fibroadenoma. I continue to get ultrasounds every six months for the next year to follow the other fibroadenoma and if it shows no growth in the next year (it hasn't over the past year) then I will stop with the ultrasounds.

The overwhelming majority of lumps are not cancerous. I don't know how old you are, but until you hit 50, the chances are even smaller. It is always wise to have lumps investigated because the possibility is there, but even with a painful lump like I had, the chances of it being cancerous were 20%....meaning I had a 4 out of 5 chance of being fine and the odds were with me.

Take comfort in the odds. You most likely don't have breast cancer. Most lumps are something besides cancer. I know it can be hard to not think "Worst Case Scenario" but the vast majority of women who investigate a lump do not have cancer.

My mom had the exact same thing happen a few years back. Her mammogram results were inconclusive so they did a needle biopsy on it. Turns out it was exactly what the doctor thought -- just some fibro-cystic breast tissue. It was a huge scare for a while and very stressful for all of us. Just remember that if it is cancer that they might have caught it early which means the best possible outcome for you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Good luck!

If I were you, I would be very careful about getting a mammogram. I have been down this exact same road, and I have had a cyst in my breast (reported benign by two mammograms) for the last nearly 6 years. I have a story that I would really like to share with you on my web site...http://agriculturesociety.com/2009/11/25/to-mammogram-or-...

Please read this before you make any decisions. It's really important to be informed, and I believe doctors don't tell women (or people in general) all they need to know about health. Nutrition through traditional, real, whole foods is paramount, as well as removing toxins and other harmful substances from your life. And doctors don't seem to be very informed about these subjects. Also, you may or may not know about the recent decision that was announced all over news and media that doctors are now telling patients to avoid mammograms until after the age of 50. When I was getting mine, I was worried about radiation and compression of the breast tissue, and they kept dismissing my fears as though they were nothing. Now the truth is coming out, and I knew it all along when I was going through my scare with my cyst. Also, there is another FDA approved, totally safe procedure called Thermography - no radiation nor compression and can detect cancer much sooner than a mammogram. Check out my web site and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Good luck!

-R. Saunders
www.agriculturesociety.com

Hi, I had the same thing. I got a mammogram and they spotted not one but three seperate lumps and then said, don't worry, we'll do an ultrasound and they're likely nothing. Then they did the ultrasound and two lumps were nothing but one needed a biopsy. So then I was scheduled for surgery (to get the lump out) and it was indeed a fibroid cyst and it was all fine, just a small scar and a sore breast for a week or so. My mother also has fibroid breast tissue and has had three different lumps removed, all of which are fine. So while there is nothing that will make you feel 100% better until you are actually given a good result, note that even with a bad ultrasound AND a bad mammogram, there is still only a small chance you really havea problem. If you do have a fibroid cyst, you'll almost certainly need an ultrasound after your mammogram so try not to panic if that happens. The ultrasound tells them more because if the edges of the cyst are regular and even, it's likely benign, but if the edges are all ragged and irregular, then there might be an issue, but even though my edges were smooth, they STILL took the lump out because they didn't want to take any chances, so really, try not to worry (easier said than done I know).

My sister in law had a prob with this. She had so many that they had to do surgery to remove them. She now has more and they want to do another surgery.

They have only one child right now, but they want to have another. She had trouble breast feeding her first so she is afraid they may cut more ducts and she will not even be able to breast feed at all on her next. You may be already done with having kids and not even consider this a problem, but she has been fine other than it happening again. She doesn't seem to be worried about surgery for the most part other than she is worried about the ducts being cut.

It was hard for her the first time, but I think since she knows what it all involves she isn't as nervous. I wish you all the best and hope that things go well!!

K.,

You are perfectly okay to be going a little bit on the crazy side. But you are right, you are going to be fine no matter what the results are. I have fibro-cystic breast disease for almost 10 years now and have had one lump removed for biopsy and another biopsied via needle (while lactacting, not exactly a good idea). All benign. BUT that doesn't mean I wasn't and still am not a little bit scared about it all. I just went in to my OB and he re-examined my lump from mastitis and he said it needs to be looked at again. I thought this would be over just because it was biopsied and was benign. phooey! All that said, I know it is nerve wracking, and the nervousness is probably causing more stress in your life than actually having a lump in your breast should cause. You attitude of positivity is going to get you (and your loving husband) a lot further than being a mess. Although taking the occasional shower just to sob is no harm done, right? By the way, your a psychologist! Is it very healthy to be this upset about it?? Maybe visiting with someone could help you iron it all out. Just a thought.

I'm headed down to our University hospital in the next few weeks to have mine looked at. If my lump has to be removed, it is about the mass of half of my breast... and it is my littler breast of the two. SO I'm not looking forward to my visit either. bah humbug!

I do hope you have a Merry Christmas. Put a smile on, enjoy the holidays because they are happy times love!!

V.

Please call Michelle Weaver Knowels at Community Medical Center if you have not already. Also any of the mammo techs there would be happy to answer any concerns of yours. Hospital number is ###-###-####. Michelle, however, is a nurse/ breast cancer survivor hired specifically to see patients through all this type of stuff as our Montana Breast Health Coordinator. It is amazing the depth of knowledge and compassion she has. Regardless of where you live or seek health care, she is a wonderful resource. The Montana Breast Center at Community Medical is filled only with such compassionate people. It is certainly stressful to await tests and results but is well worth it to hear the all clear or the caught it early that comes with these types of procedures. I am glad to see you seeking comfort with others as this is what we are here for. As a tech also at CMC I will be thinking of you and praying for the best results.
Best in Health-
S.

Hello K., Your doctor is most likely being careful. It is pretty standard to have an ultrasound and mamo for a lump & fortunately at the moment, most insurance companies will pay for a mamo regardless of your age if you have a "lump". Based on the ultrasound they can probably tell if they need to do further testing like a biopsy or MRI. I have "lumpy" breasts myself & found a lump this year; went through the same exact testing you are going to & it just turned out to be fibroid tissue. I was very thankful as my mother has had a very aggressive type of breast cancer & I am only 30. It gave me a baseline mamo at least & peace of mind. It sounds like you are really on top of your health so you can catch anything (negative) early, should it arise- which means the very best outcome for you. Try your very best not to stress over the "what-ifs" or you will drive yourself completely crazy & it doesn't change the results anyway (although I know that is easier said than done). My mother waited almost 4 - 6 months before saying anything or having her lump checked out because of fear & fortunately, has been cancer free for 5 years now; so I kept telling myself I know that no matter what the results were, I could work through them with the support of my family & friends. I don't know if this helps you out at all but I wish you the best. Take Care. :)
P.S. Please let us know how everything turns out!...

Dear K.,

I totally understand ... I am a breast cancer survivor. It doesn't run in my family so I really didn't think I was at risk. It's not necessarily a death sentence.

Secondly, I've accompanied two girlfriends to follow-ups after their mammos. It was scary for all of us. They follow-up showed that everything was fine.

It would be silly for me to tell you to calm down ... it's nervewracking and scary! I hope I've brought you some encouragement though. If it's positive, there's hope. If you need a follow-up, don't freak.

If you'd like to email me, please feel free to!

L.

I just had one done, it wasn't at all bad. I had a lump too. I am a worrier and I was the one who found the lump so I think that made it worse because then I had to wait to get into the doctor too before I could be referred for an ultrasound or a mammogram. My doctor told when he felt the lump not to worry about it and I trust him. If he thought it was something that needed to be worried about or thought it was a malignancy he would have told me and he did tell me that, that day. He said it did not feel like it was cancerous and I believed him. If you are really stressed about it you could call his office and just let him know that you are really stressed about everything and have him reassure you. He can tell you just by feeling whether he thought it felt cancerous keeping in mind nothing is for sure until the test results come back. But he would be alot more concerned and have you in for testing alot faster if you were symptomatic so I think you are safe to assume the tests are just precautionary. I have had 2 ultrasounds that couldn't show the lump in my right breast and then a mammo. The mammo is complimentary to the ultrasound and shows alot more. It did show the lump and it turned out to be nothing more than a cyst.
Don't hesitate to call your doctor for reassurance.

I had a diagnostic mammogram last year. You don't say how old you are. I'm 42. There was definitely a lump there on one side, nearly under my arm, not painful, of a shape to be suspicious - turned out to be a swollen lymph node. I had had a cold/sinus infection the month before, and learned that lymph nodes can take quite some time to drain after an infection, and that lymph nodes all over you can get inflamed if you have a significant infection.

I understand how hard it is not to be worried sick about this. I found prayer helpful. Also, remind yourself that the odds are still in your favor. Fibrocystic breast tissue is so common that it is considered pretty normal. 20 years ago when my mom had a biopsy for a scary-looking lump, they called it "fibrocystic breast disease." Now it's not classified as a disease - they figured out that many, many women have lumpy breasts.

K.,

I work in registration at the mammogram dept. There are women who come in everyday with Fibro cystic breast tissue that do not have cancer. There are a few things to think about that should worry you, If you have any family history, if you have any change in size or shape, if you noticed any pain or discharge before your doctors appt. If you didn't have any of these concerns before, then I wouldn't be too concerned about it now.

Hope this helps,
B.

I wouldn't worry (or atleast try not to) until you actually go in and get a bad result. I had a small lump show up in my breast when I was about 21 (so yeah, I'm a lot younger lol) and finally got it checked out. They used the ultrasound to look at it and determined that it was just fibrous tissue, just like your doctor said your probably is. They said that women who are thin often have a lot of fibrous tissue in their breast and that sometimes it just gets a little twisted up on itself. They told me to just keep an eye on it and to let them know if it changes in size or anything.

I've never had a mamogram and I hear they can be very uncomforatble, but for me the very worst part of getting the lump looked at was when the ultrasound tech left to take the pictures of the lump in to show the specialist to see what he said about it, and I was left in the room on the table all by myself, imagining the very worst possible results. about 20 minutes later when she came back I got good news, but those 20 minutes of stting there thinking about the worst was pretty awful.

Good luck!

Hi K.,
I was in your shoes a couple of months ago. They performed another mammogram, then did an ultrasound, and then came back with the news I'd have to undergo a biopsy. I started to freak out a little bit too - I have 3 little ones at home that depend on me 24-7 - so I had to remain calm. I did some research on the internet and found out that even if you get to the biopsy stage, 80-85% of the time, the results are benign. But even if you fall into the 10-15%, chances are they've caught it in time and although the medical procedures are not fun, they beat the alternative:)
I can't say don't worry... Who wouldn't freak out a bit? But I can say it does help to talk to someone or try to distract yourself with something you love. Good luck!

They say that "worrying is interest paid on trouble not yet earned." However, what you feel is so very normal. If there is a change, and bad news at that, we feel a need to prepare ourselves for the shock so that we don't go running through the first window pane when it lands at our door step.

That being said, I'm sure that you can look back on life and realize that the things we worry about the most don't usually happen, but rather come at us sideways at 500 mph and completely blindside us. This is not one of those things. You've clearly found this early, your Dr. is doing the preliminary tests to rule out the unlikely event that you sprouted cancer in the last little while, and he expects good news.

If I had any advice to give, it would be to follow the traces of your fear to their logical end. Would this be bad news because a)you don't have a will/insurance/medical directives in place should things go bad or b)maybe there's so much in life that you meant to do and haven't or c)a medical disaster just wouldn't really fit into your schedule right now.

If you can find the root of that fear, then take steps to give yourself that peace of mind. Write out what you want to do most in life "Kades revolving list of 25 things I want to do before I die", get a will in place, and take a look at what resources you would have available to you should you need help to get through things.

Then, come what may, you are still in control and set to handle anything. Batten down the hatches! K. is on the prowl and ready to kick WHATEVER in the tookas! *Pat pat.* You're gonna do great. Lets take a breath and not waste any more time on "what if's" and switch gears to "what I would do if, " it gives you so many more options and confidence in the future... which is bright!

Suggested reading: "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pauch, and anything by they guy who wrote "Everything I Needed to Know in Life I Learned in Kindergarden." Great for living, and living well. :D Lets get going! And perhaps start it all with a bowl of your favorite ice cream. :D

I know it is difficult, but try not to worry too much right now. There are so many things it could be...many are not bad. I also have fibrous breast tissue and, at 21, the Dr. found a lump and wanted to biopsy it. I was, of course, nervous...but it turned out to be a fibroid adinoma. Nothing bad.

It is a shame you can't get in for 2 weeks. Maybe talk to the Dr. and explain how you are feeling and see if there is any way you can get in sooner - just for peace of mind.

There is a good chance there is nothing serious wrong...but you do have to have it checked out. I was raised by a terrible worrier...and went through a good portion of my young life (I am 31) worrying a lot. Then I talked with others and thought a lot about it and realized that it was doing me NO good! Worrying doesn't help you get through something, or over something, or fix something....it just prolongs it and makes things worse than they usually need to be. There is no use worrying about something that is not within your control. (Remember the serenity prayer?) I know it is extremely hard to NOT worry...but if you can, it will be so much better for your mind, body, and soul.

Good luck, K.! You CAN get through this! No worries! :o)

My hubby actually found my lump. I've got very lumpy breasts too & my doc wasn't worried, but did want to know exactly what was going on to see if/how it needed to be treated. I had an ultrasound done which just showed it was a solid mass. She suggested a surgical biopsy to make sure it wasn't cancerous (my family has a history of various cancers) but she also told me that she guessed it was a fibroadenoma (think I spelled that right). Talk to your doc again, talk w/the person who does your mammogram, look up some breast cancer support groups online & see what they can offer you. Hopefully it's nothing but if you're this upset about it, I'd talk to "been there, done that" women who have had everything from just a lump removed like me to full breast removal-they can offer you support that nobody else can because they've gone through it before. Share your worries too! I kept my biopsy to myself, really nobody but my parents knew-besides hubby- because I didn't want to worry everyone else until I had something to worry them for. I went between absolute panic & a feeling of "eh, it'll all be okay". There were a lot of hurt feelings when I told everyone a couple of days before that I was scheduled for a biopsy & not all of them understood my reason for not wanting to tell them earlier.
Good luck to you, I hope it turns out okay for you!

I went through this several years ago. I too have fibro-cystic breast tissue and this time I felt the lump. I had the mammogram and the ultra sound and my doctor (a specialist in breast cancer) told me she was sure I did not have breast cancer. However, we have a history of breast cancer in the family (seems to hit every other generation and I am in the "other" category) and I couldn't let it go. We decided to do a needle biopsy and found that it was a fatty tumor - truly nothing to worry about. I feel and understand your worry on this, but you and your doctor are doing everything right. I'll be thinking of you. Hang in there and focus on a good prognosis.

K.,

I know exactly what you are going through.

I believe the worst case scenario would be to ignore your doctor's suggestion and then find out later that was not a wise decision.

Most breast lumps are benign, but as far as I know, the only way tofind out for sure is to have the proceedure(s) your doctor recommends.

Of course you are thinking about all of the possible outcomes - that is perfectly normal. Try to concetrate on relaxing and a good outcome to all of this.

I send you my best wishes and positive thoughts.

E.

Don't worry!!! As hard as that is to do, you have to be thrilled that you have a doctor that is so attentive. If you just had an exam in May and your doctor is suspicious about something this soon after then you are in good shape.

Let's say it is worse case scenario, you already know that you have found whatever it is early. If it is something like breast cancer then your chances are nearly 100% survival with early detection. That is why we check them all the time.

You will be fine, treat your body right and do your best to calm down. We sometimes forget that how our mind reacts can effect how our body reacts.

Take deep breaths, stay busy and the two weeks will just fly by.

Good luck.

I have had lumps from time to time since I was a teenager. About five years ago I had one looked out, removed and biopsied - It was fine! And, I'm going through it again because I had a Mamm. when I was nursing, because there was a suspicious lump and they want me to come back for more - though the doc said he didn't think it was a problem. Just relax. Chances are that it's ok. If the Doc isn't too worried it's probably because it doesn't have the typical signs of a dangerous lump - ie, does it move under your touch? That's a good sign. The other thing is that you should have it looked out ASAP to address your anxiety and to catch anything early if it is a problem. Good luck.

Hi K.,

I used to work for a general surgeon who's practice was about 50% or more breast issue. More than half of the people who came to him for breast biopsies had benign results. And these are from the people who even made it to the surgeon. Many are ruled as benign just from the mammogram itself. Hope that helps!

A.

I had something similar happen a few years ago and it all turned out fine (dense breast tissue). Better safe than sorry. I was anxious up until the time they could get me in. Unfortunately, they make you wait weeks and weeks and it does not help. However, you need to realize your freaking out is not helping your health in general. Don't try to make decisions now since you do not have the complete information. Focus on today and cross the bridge if you ever have to come to it. Stress and trapped emotional energy are huge components of disease. Just saw you are a psychologist, so you already know this. Deep breathing, mediation and prayer are always good when you get really stressed.

Hang in there!
S.

Hi K.,

I had two fybroid cysts in my breasts (one in each). I too have lumpy breasts so it is hard to do a self exam. You may want to explore having a fine needle aspiration of the lump. It really doesn't hurt and may give you peace of mind. Basically the doctor will take a long needle and place it in the lump to gather cells. The lab will then determine whether or not the cells are cancerous. I had this done and it was determined that the lumps were not cancerous. However, the doctor still had them surgically removed due to their size. Biopsies were conducted on them just to be certain.

Women can have lumps in their breasts that are not cancerous. The best thing to do is to get it evaluated as soon as possible.

I wish you the best of luck.

It is great that your PCP is sending you for a mammo/ultrasound. Most would tell you not to worry and send you away for a year. (not a good practice).

Most lumps are not cancerous. I dont' know exact percentages, but majority are cycsts.

If it is cancerous, please feel free to email me. I am a 2 year cancer survivor. :)

Well, all I can say is that YOU NEED TO JUST DO IT!!! Let me explain. On Nov 8, I had this massive pain and large lump in my breast. I went to the ER on the 9th. They said I had an 8 cm "mass". Saw a surgeon the next day, she tried to drain it, it wouldn't drain. Had surgery to remove the "mass" on the 11th. The mass contained infection, staph, and they got it out. However, in the process of doing the pathology, they found cancer cells. Now I am only 33 and there is no other way necessarily that I would have found this out. I had an MRI and mammogram on the 23rd, another two biopsies the 24th, with another mammo of the the infected breast. I then had surgery on December 2nd, a mastectomy, because they had found more invasive cancer. While the mammo was not the most pleasant procedure in the world, it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I will admit it saved my life. I will tell you too, I shared my story, with everyone, and everyone prayed, for me, for my family. That has helped me to get through much of this. I am not done, I have to find out what chemo and such I will be doing, but prayer, it's a big help too. Good luck and best wishes and God bless, B.

K.,

I had/have fibrocystic disease, diagnosed in my 20's. In my 50's, I had a bad mammogram, and had a biopsy. It came back as cancer. I had a the lump and two lymph nodes removed and did chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and herceptin therapy. It took about a year. I lost my hair. During this time, I also remained employed (I was able to cut down to half time during the chemo), continued working on my PhD, and began teaching as an adjunct university professor.

Since then, (three years ago), I have long hair, my strength and energy are back, I am working a crazy schedule, and (knock on wood) there is no sign of a recurrence. My health and energy are great.

Moral of the story: It can be awful news and still come out ok.

Good luck!

I didn't read all the responses, but wanted to mention (in case no one else did) that hormones at certain times of the month can create lumps and bumps that are only there pre-period that leave with the onset of your period,that are not a concern at all. Any chance you were pre-menstrual?

K.,

Breast cancer runs in my family; my Mom has had it twice. So when I felt a lump while I was nursing my 6 month old I was quite distressed. I had to get it checked out too. Fortunately the Dr. had the foresight not to do a biopsy bc. then I would have leaked milk from that day on through the biopsy site & this would have no doubt shortened my enjoyable & lengthy breastfeeding experience with my daughter. It turned out the lump was nothing.
How did I get through? I can honestly say, I had to force myself to stop worrying until the results came. I tried to save my energy bc. I knew I would need all of my it if the test came out positive. I didn't want to start running myself down with the wondering. It felt like that wasn't efficient energy expenditure. Yes, it was a very mental block that I put on myself. I had seen my Mom go through cancer & chemo/radiation twice & I knew how much it took to get through. Even if it was my last opportunity, I was hoping for the best. I figured that was better for my body and mind than spin dialing the worry.
Either way, you will get through.
Oh, and how lucky your mate is a comical one. Perhaps he can help with this in these situations.
I'll be thinking of you & wishing you the best.
K.

Try not to worry! I have been diagnosed with fibrocystic breasts and it is common to find lumps and have them further evaluated by mammogram. Stats show that women with fibrocystic breasts are less likely to have cancerous lumps. Your doctor is just ruling out any possibility. This is one of the reasons the ruling was changed to only do mammograms yearly after 50 and to avoid self exams because of the stress and expense of finding false positives. Take one day at a time. Worrying about something that hasn't occurred is a waste of your time and energy.
Karen

I wanted to let you know i went through this same exact thing when i was 25 yrs old I KNOW how you are feeling and that is a normal reaction, but on the bright side, I had the Mam. and all was fybro, I had to have mam's every year for three years just to make sure, but all was fine. Let me also tell you, STOP drinking caffeine of all sorts yes even chocolate and the lumps and pain will go away. A bit of decaf is ok , and yes you will get used to it. Good luck to you hope this eases your mind a bit.

Don't worry-- fibro-cystic disease is not serious (just uncomfortable). Chances are it's a cyst but your doctor is right to get it checked to be on the safe side. I've actually heard that people with fibro-cystic disease are unlikely to get malignant lumps. So relax. I do think it's terrible that they can't get you in for 2 weeks, though. You should demand to get in sooner...if only for the sake of your nerves.