mmelindas update on breast mass(es)!
Hi Ladies, here's the latest on the lump in my right breast I posted about a week or so ago, and the telephone radiologist report I told you all about, and my Twitwaddle dingleberry doctor I hate.. (Yes, I do know what the official definition of a dingleberry is!!). I took all of your advice!!
When I received the official written radiology report, turns out I had several lesions and lumps in the right breast and two in the left breast. The radiology classification was a "3." A "1" is "negative". A "2" is "benign". A "3", which mine is, is "probably benign, follup in short period of time" - which he said six months. :eek: (a "4" is "suspicious, suggest biopsy" and a "5" is "you're dead meat" or something similarly ominous....)
From what the radiologist report said, he didn't know what these lumps were except for one of three in the right breast. He was guessing they might be fat deposits, etc. but clearly stated he didn't know exactly.
Now, I do think he's the expert on interpreting x-rays! But what if the x-rays don't show all there is in there?
So.... here's where the story gets interesting: I have this girlfriend who had the same classification "3" on her ultrasound and mammograms.... and the same recommendations to wait six months...... and her lumps were not palpable and were smaller than mine are... She was newlywed at age 70 some years (yes, isn't true love wonderful?) and so her new hubby insisted she get a surgeon's opinion. Which she did - not one cancer surgeon but three.
The first two said they couldn't even feel the lump, and thought she didn't need surgery and should wait six months and re-x-ray. (She had the original x-rays with her.)
The third cancer surgeon, who specializes only in breast cancer surgeries, wanted to go in and actually "eyeball" the lumps in that left breast. When this lady surgeon went in - she found a large cancerous mass, folded like a taco and only the two outside edges of the folds were showing on the mammograms and ultrasounds!!
The absolutely malignant mass that comprised the bulk of the tumor was invisable on the x-rays and ultrasound! Had she listened to the first two surgeons, she'd be almost too far along in the cancer by the time the mass got large enough to detect on x-rays and biopsy or operate on!
My girfriend had a modified radical left mastectomy with lymph nodes removed and got a clean margins report, so she was saved by this astute lady surgeon. I am going to see the same cancer specialist, since the ultrasound tech that did my films after the mammogram also raved about her from personal experience with a malignant lump that was grade 3! I am taking the original films along with the written report to this great lady surgeon.
Next big bad news: I am dumping my regular ditwad doctor! Since I last posted, I have begun hemorraghing heavily, going on 10 days now, and I am several years postmenopausal. I haven't had sex for a while before it started, and not since, and have had no unusual stress, didn't lift anything heavy, have been taking it easy mostly due to a bum leg.
The most common reason for bleedingt in a woman in my age group, in my risk groups, is uterine/ cervical/ endometrial cancer! I had some problems in my 20's with cervical cancer and had surgery. Breast cancer often, if not caught early enough, can spread to the uterus! :eek: :(
I had been in to see this ditwad doctor of mine months ago, complaining about low pelvic and back pain, pain on intercourse.... and she told me to go home and buy some Astroglide jelly for lubrication during sex and start using my estrogen cream vaginal stuff! Estrogen makes cancer grow!! No abdominal ultrasound, no paying attention to my complaints. She blew me off! :mad:
Now, I am having worse low back pain, bleeding like a stuck pig and she wants me to come in and "discuss" it with her! Yeah, and if she thinks I'm going to let her biopsy my uterus in her office, she's an idiot! :eek:
Girls, I have a new doctor as of Friday! Tomorrow is the last time I am going to see this quack, and just to get referrals to the Gyn I chose and the breast cancer specialist I chose! Then I am outta there! If she doesn't want to give me those referrals, then I am sure my new doctor will! Hah!! My DH says that "Medical Science" is an oxymoron and this doc is evidence that in some physicians that's the truth! :D
Whatdaya think of them apples? I feel good and so does DH that we both are dropping this boob of a doctor and getting the new one. Hey, I am paying her for her service and she is trying to call the shots, not letting me choose what I want done and who I want to see to do it and she gave me bum advice and is incompetent! :mad:
Thank you wonderful TE gals!!
Your feedback and support made all the difference.
I was really on the fence until I got so many good comments and suggestions... This group is awesome and I will keep you posted all the way! Love to all of you!! ;)
