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Mammogram question

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:38 pm
by sunny
Has anyone ever heard of getting mammogram results back on the same day you have the test performed?

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:13 pm
by JonathanBelles
not usially but it can happen, it happened to my mother last year in late december when there was nobody wanting mamograms done.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:16 pm
by sunny
fact789 wrote:not usially but it can happen, it happened to my mother last year in late december when there was nobody wanting mamograms done.


Did she get her results the same day?

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:56 pm
by JenBayles
If the doc orders the results reported "STAT", they will be available the same day. Usual protocol is the films go to the radiologist for interpretation and a written report. The report then goes to the doc and then to the patient. If not ordered STAT, just depends on how busy the staff involved are on a given day.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:48 pm
by msbee
when I have mammos done, the radiologist always tell me right there that everything is ok or everything is not ok. the writen reports with all the details take longer, but I know when I leave the lab whether I have a problem or not.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:45 pm
by Cookiely
My sister had a mammogram and was referred for a biopsy. We went upstairs waited 30 minutes, she had the biopsy (almost broke my hand), went to lunch, came back an hour later and the Oncologist told her everything was A-okay. A lot depends on which hospital or center you go to. My mother went for a mammogram, they did the mammogram but had her wait, then a few minutes later wanted to do another which scared my mother to death because she thought they saw something on the first one. She had to wait two days to get the report from her primary physician to be told everything was A-okay. I had a mammogram and immediately they told me that I needed a sonogram and took me upstairs where it was done right away. I could tell by the look on the technicians face that it wasn't good. The report came back the next day requesting a biopsy because there was a forty percent chance of the tumor being malignant. I shopped around (3 different surgeons) trying to get a needle biopsy but no one wanted to do one as they had done on my sister. The tumor was fixed so they knew it was malignant and needed a larger biopsy. It was malignant and I had a lumpectomy seven years ago. The large cancer centers give you fast service and fast answers, and their good because its what they do 24-7.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:46 pm
by sunny
Thanks Jen and msbee :D They don't tell me anything, my results always come from the doctor. This is my office hypocondriac......oh could I tell you stories! I still don't believe her about this though. I've caught her in too many other things.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:19 pm
by JenBayles
Truthfully, if a technician gives you verbal results, they are breaking the law. Results MUST come from a physician, i.e., radiologist or your own physician.

I've seen a few of those in my office career myself Sunny! They're always good for entertainment purposes - just make sure they don't drag you down into their own misery. :D

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:25 pm
by Stephanie
I usually get a report a few weeks later. I take the "no news is good news" approach if I don't hear anything back immediately.

Which reminds me - I need to make an appointment. Changing jobs means changing health care plans - pain in the butt!

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:15 pm
by Lindaloo
sunny wrote:Thanks Jen and msbee :D They don't tell me anything, my results always come from the doctor. This is my office hypocondriac......oh could I tell you stories! I still don't believe her about this though. I've caught her in too many other things.


It took me a while to get my results. You know that!

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:20 pm
by southerngale
I dread the day I have to get a mammogram. I have a fear of walking out, looking down, and seeing pancakes for boobs. Ease my fear, ladies! :P :eek:


I hope you get good results, sunny.

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:23 pm
by Dee Bee
Yesterday at my yearly GYN appointment, my doctor said she wanted me to have my regular mammogram at a place where they do digital mammograms. Has anyone here ever had one? What's the difference? :?:

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:24 pm
by Lindaloo
The difference is you do not have to have that fear like Kelly does. :lol:

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:34 pm
by Dee Bee
:uarrow:

Are you kidding me??!! I've been having regular mammograms for 16 years now and every last one of them has involved that unbelievable squashing. The comparison which always comes to mind is that of having my breasts run through a old-fashioned washing machine wringer. Gosh, it just won't be a mammogram without that feeling of "deflation".... :wink:

Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:34 pm
by JenBayles
Now you've piqued my curiosity: what IS a digital mammy? It's been over 5 years since my last one (been more occupied with more immediate health issues to keep up with regular maintenance), so I'm sure there are new technological advances since then. I'm interested to know the difference between an old-timey mammy and a digital mammy myself. :D

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:48 am
by Lindaloo
I was kidding. Here is more info on it.

http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/digital_mammo.asp

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:52 am
by angelwing
I wish that my last mammo was a digital, my first one in 2001 was "abnormal" and I've been getting one every 6 months, just had another one a few weeks ago and no change but man every 6 months I fell like someone put me thru one of those car presses, like the ones in the junk yard when they flatten a car, ouch!

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:34 am
by sunny
JenBayles wrote:Truthfully, if a technician gives you verbal results, they are breaking the law. Results MUST come from a physician, i.e., radiologist or your own physician.


See, that's what I thought! I had a scare myself back in March, but the tech did not utter one word to me! I knew something was up from the physical exam, and then the tech came out and said she wanted to do another, but different shot on the same side the doctor concentrated on. I asked her if something was wrong and she told me she was not allowed to give me any information that it had to come from my doctor. That took almost a week.

This one comes in the office yesterday telling us that she had hers done on Thursday (and here she told the boss she was at the doctor with her husband - AGAIN) and they called her at home and told her she HAD to get back there yesterday morning because they found something. Then she comes up with this story that they discovered it was only tissue and the rolled and flattened it out? I've never heard of that in my life. But this is a person who missed three days because she was diagnosed with hypo-glycemia and she was jittery, one week because she was diagnosed with moderate high-blood pressure and she was "sick", orders a hospital bed to sleep in at home for months after she was in a car accident. She was out on Family Leave fore 7 weeks when her mother had knee replacement surgery. Then has the gall to go around questioning the timeline of things when my aunt was murdered. Wanda and I sat down yesterday and figured it up - out of 52 weeks she has worked MAYBE 32 weeks this year. But if someone else is out sick, she has to make sure she gets her time as well. I am flabbergasted that she still has a job :eek:

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:00 am
by BreinLa
I have had Digital mammys for the last couple of years, the feeling is the same squash lol but the pictures are much better.

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:26 pm
by JenBayles
Good Lord Sunny! You've got an honest-to-God nutbar on your hands! I'd love to know how she keeps her job, although I'm sure you have a few ideas on that topic... :lol: Seems like there's always at least one hypochondriac in every office, and they have to tell everyone every last little detail of their symptoms, treatment, and supposed recovery. Talk about wasting medical resources. Jeez!