**UPDATE** Today, I had my very first breast biopsy after a mammogram.
Last edited Thu Jan 16, 2014, 10:01 PM - Edit history (1)
Instead of being scared, I'm grateful. I'm so grateful we have healthcare that covers most of the cost of preventive tests. My yearly mammogram (2013), which I've scheduled since I was 40 years old due to my family history, found microcalcifications in my right breast that weren't there last time (2012). I told the radiologist, "I didn't feel ANYTHING!" and he assured me there was no way to feel these because they were tiny. While I won't have the results until tomorrow evening, every healthcare professional who has helped me to this point has been supportive and stressed how "early" these findings are. They're all gone now due to the stereotactic biopsy, but of course we'll find out our next steps, if any, after pathology makes a determination.
I may be delusional right now, but I see the results as a gift, whether or not it's cancer. Five years ago, my husband was the beneficiary of early detection of prostate cancer that would have killed him if not for a rising PSA found via a routine test (he had no symptoms). I hope to be as fortunate.
So, trite as it may be, schedule your mammograms and your preventive tests and keep going to get them, year after year.
Sore, but truly grateful 
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Update: Early breast cancer, ductus carcinoma in situ. Radiologist said, "This is when you want to find it - early."
So, I'll deal with next steps as they come. 
= new reply since forum marked as read
They really couldn't visualize it well via the ultrasound, so I went to a different facility for the stereotactic biopsy which is guided by an x-ray.
The machine was actually down yesterday and they almost rescheduled me, but they got the machine working, and then right before my procedure it stopped (it was evidently a problem with a plug). So, they would have had to resort to using an ultrasound today if the machine continued to malfunction (or until they pushed the plug in)
I had breast cancer so have tried to keep up with my remaining boob. 
It was calcification, all was/is well.
You have a great attitude! 
The radiologist was extremely nice when he called, and said the results did not come down at the expected time, and that the pathologist is doing a few more tests. I hope I can answer the phone when he calls 
Having caught this so early, you're already on the road to it being behind you!
My family has some history with all this. My mom had breast cancer and survived nearly 40 years after the initial diagnosis. She was one tough cookie.
A year or so after she passed, I had my annual mammogram and they found calcifications. I was the same age as my mom when she was originally diagnosed. Had a needle biopsy and they told me it was benign. Scared me a lot, scared my sis a lot more, as she had been recalcitrant in getting her annual. She went in and they found the same thing as you, ductus carcinoma in situ. That was many years ago and she is doing great. Like you, she caught it early. I still wonder if my calcifications might have caused mischief if they had not removed them. Had a second biopsy later which also was a completely different type of benign tumor which could also have turned into something unpleasant.
There was a big controversy a while back about cutting back on women getting mammograms, because there were so many biopsies being done on benign tumors. Thought it was pretty unscientific, since they did not account for all the tumors caught before they turned into something bad.
I am very glad you are so careful about your annuals. Mammograms are not perfect, but they do save many women's lives. I think the ACA is going to really save a lot of women, by getting many more women annual checkups. We all need to remind all your friends and family to get their annual checkups!
Sorry for the long response. Will be keeping you in my thoughts!
