I voted AND had my first mamogram!

[Pedal Wench]

Oakleaf, it's amazing how differently we view things. I've had quite a few biopsies, and while I don't take them lightly, I view them as blessings, because each one is my finding something early enough to perhaps save my life.

The scars DO go away, and the breast tissue DOES refill the spaces. I've had 5 lumps removed,and the only scar that's visible is the last one that was just a year ago.

Attitude is everything. You viewed (and still view) yours as an incredibly traumatic event. I view mine as an empowering, taking charge of my health kind of thing, granting me peace of mind that I'm not allowing cancer to grow unchecked in my body.

Also, removing the lumps that were biopsied make it easier, after healing, for me to feel new lumps that might develop.

Attitude is everything, and again, I hate someone reading this put off getting a suspicious lump looked at and possibly removed because of one negative experience. Had your biopsy revealed different, more tragic results, that early diagnosis could have potentially saved your life. We like you here - we think that life is worth saving. No one likes doing things that are uncomfortable, but we do them. Most people think exercising is just too uncomfortable - that's their excuse not to. But we do it, because it's good for us.

Edited to add: I gotta say -- finding a lump and NOT doing anything, to me, is much more stressful. I would much rather have it biopsied than feel it in there, hoping and praying it's not cancer growing unchecked.

[OakLeaf]

...I hate someone reading this put off getting a suspicious lump looked at and possibly removed because of one negative experience. ... finding a lump and NOT doing anything, to me, is much more stressful. I would much rather have it biopsied than feel it in there, hoping and praying it's not cancer growing unchecked.

Thanks for the reassurances PedalWench

I said it before, but I really do have to reiterate that I would not hesitate for a second to have another biopsy if I had a palpable lump and a sonogram was inconclusive. I wouldn't suggest that anyone else hesitate to do so, either.

My comments are related ONLY to mass screening of asymptomatic individuals, and to biopsy of non-palpable radiographic lesions, and my experience alone.