Had a scare here

[Sherryg683]

I haven't had a mammogram in 2-1/2 years, since diagnosis. My oncologist said they were unnecessary since I was having pet/cts so often. This last visit to him, he said it would probably be good to get one. I didn't like the idea of having my breasts squished (they hurt so bad with scar tissue), so he ordered an MRI instead. I went to a local Womans Hospital not affiliated with the clinic or hospital my Oncologist works at. Well, the day after the MRI, I get a call from Womans Hospital wanting to know if I had a recent mammogram that they could compare the MRI to. I asked to speak to the radiologist personally and was lucky enough to get him to talk to me and tell me that a spot in my breast was suspicious, that a spot on the tumor bed had lit up slightly, and he needed further scans to compare, he felt it was probably nothing but was being careful. They called my oncologists office to tell him what they wanted to do. From talking to my oncologists nurse because he didn't return my call personally, he was furious that they had called me personally and not allowed him to give me the results. He refused to order the additional mammogram and ultrasound that they wanted. He said that I was his patient and he was aware of what was going on with me and that he had already determined this was scar tissue. He then told his nurse to tell me to get my scans and go see the surgeon who had performed my lumpectomy, she would know more of where the exact tumor bed was. I haven't seen this woman in 2 years and didn't like her anyway. I ended up calling the nice radiologist back and tell him my oncologist was having ego issues and wouldn't approve the mammogram and ultrasound. He said he would write the orders. It all came back fine, it was indeed just scar tissue but I am miffed with my oncologist. I see him tomorrow and am trying to think of a tactful way to tell him, I don't appreciate his actions. If he had problems with the hospital calling me then deal with them, but don't deny me answers that he knew I would want. It was just a mammogram for goodness sake and I had a clear answer. He has never denied me any scan that i have ever asked for. I am not sure what's going on. Sorry this is so long, just wondering if I am over reacting..sherryg683

[Joan M]

Sherry,

I don't think you were overreacting at all -- I think he was.

Hopefully this will pass especially if you feel that you have a good relationship with him otherwise.

Joan

[Bill]

No, Sherry, you are not over-reacting at all! It's your health at stake. I think you have a right to speak with the radiologist regarding your results and his interpretations of those results, but that's not the way it's "normally" done, so that's probably why your onc. got shook up. I'm glad everything came back fine! I wish I could help you more. Thoughts and prayers, Love, Bill

[Jean]

Sherry,
How awful for you.
I have an MRI/every other 6 months alternating with
Mammo, recently I have replaced the MRI with the new
Dilon test. My point is when I have the MRI the dr.
radiologist reports back to me and tells me the results.
When I have my digital mammograms the dr. at the
radiologist center gives me the results then and there.
Your onc. is way out of line. I am sure he was angry because he may have felt they upset you with the way they handled the reporting. But still, they were reacting correctly since they viewed it as something to check further. Maybe you can remind your onc. that you come first and your comfort zone is to have your reports ASAP. I have to wait a few hours after MRI to get results. Isn't the very point of having the different dr.
view the reports to make sure that nothing is overlooked?

I am glad that it all turned out well for you.
Best Regards,
Jean

[StephN]

Hi -
From what I understand the MRI does NOT take the place of a mammogram. Don't know where your onc gets THAT idea. My onc says I need BOTH. There are things that the digital mammo can see that the scan does not.

There are new scans that do not squeeze the breast tissue as much and you just stay in that position for a flick of the switch and you are freed up. Maybe you could take some sort of mild pain med for the mammo.

Anyway, Pet/Ct will not see everything that can go on in a breasts either, so that is NOT a good substitute for a mammo.

To address your onc's asserting himself to the other radiologist. I think he was overreacting, and maybe there is something behind the scene between these two institutions that is not clear. I think you need to tell him that you really don't doubt his opinion, but it had been so long since you had a good breast study, that you felt it was the right thing to do at that point.

[Jean]

Steph,
True - True, regarding MRI/and/Mammo...
That is why I alternate every 6 months...
The painless test is the Dilon and it is just great - where once again you see the entire breast and can have results before you are dressed. MY thoughts on this type of program checking is that hopefully if anything is happening it can be caught early.

Regards,
Jean

[hutchibk]

I haven't had a mammo of my well-breast in 3 years, either. I think we also assume that since I am regularly MRIed, CTed, and PETed that I am OK, but I think I will ask for a 1/2 mammogram (LOL) next time I see the doc, just for safety sake. I wonder if a 1/2 mammo is cheaper?

[harrie]

Sherry, I don't think you are over-reacting. I had an issue with the oncologist who administered my chemo. When I finally went in to see him right after our "episode" of communication from h-- which was the following Mon after a weekend of thinking about it, I just started out by telling him I meant no disrespect, but I laid it out as to what I wanted and why. The issue was the dosage of chemo he was going to give me. My gut feeling was that he had issues and he became very defensive at our encounter. In our followup conversation, he was much more open and relaxed and ended up agreeing to what I wanted. He actually apologized to me for our encounter saying the he prob just was having a bad day.

Jean, do you have an MRI done routinely for any other area in your body besides your breast?

Maryanne