What was your stereotactic breast biopsy experience like? How painful was it extreme anxiety going into mine and I have to wait six weeks for it as the facility is booking that far out. The videos on YouTube and the size of the needle is absolutely fucking terrifying.
34F PCOS. Discovered enlarged lymph nodes spring of last year stopped fertility treatment did a whole work up was told possible lymphoma they were continuing to grow steady so the doctors skipped the biopsy and went straight to surgery(November). That resulted in it not being cancer but an ugly neck scar and nerve damage with and no explanation as to why the lymph nodes in my neck were swelling. Restarted fertility treatment(February) continue to have some weird rash appear randomly all over get sent to dermatologist who is thinking I have a possible auto immune issue and leaning towards lupus (March). Then fertility doctor ordered a mammogram back in February (due to many women in my family line having breast cancer scheduled in Feb earliest appointment available was mid April). 1st mammogram ever and they asked me to come back into the room for additional photos then asked me to go same day for a breast ultrasound. Mammogram showed a small spot of pleomorphic slightly branching calcification about 9mm in size and the ultrasound showed a small .4cm mass possibly a complicated cyst labeled Birad 4 not even a subclass. They then ordered a biopsy waited for the call to schedule which took three days then was scheduled out two weeks for an ultrasound biopsy because “the calcifications are possibly in the same location of the mass” and “should be able to get them if not we will have you come back for a stereotactic biopsy”. I asked if I could schedule one now as they are booking WEEKS OUT. They stated no they will not until they see if the calcifications are picked up on ultrasound biopsy. Again stopping fertility treatment for a possible “you might have cancer” deal. Went to the ultrasound appointment stressed to the max and anxiety so high I was flip switch crying and angry. They couldn’t find the mass…. Just unable to locate it. Now I understand it’s a different facility and it’s different people doing the imaging but how does a mass just disappear? Is someone incompetent? Do I have a mass or do I not have a mass? We know there are still calcifications. Doctor came in and explained “unable to locate it so we can not do the ultrasound guided biopsy we will have to reschedule you for a stereotactic biopsy” now I have waited two weeks for this appointment was declined to schedule the other type now I need it and it’s booking 6 weeks out. 8 weeks of 1 stressing is this cancer again! We did this not even 8 months ago now. 2 do I have a mass and they are just missing it? 3 stopping fertility treatments yet again. 4 I now have six weeks of anxiety left for getting this biopsy done and then getting results. The fear of being restrained and unable to move is awful. With my neck surgery I requested to not be restrained until I was out they didn’t listen and instead held my shoulder down when I started to fight and the last thing I remember them saying was “you’ll be okay you could get out of them if you needed.” Knowing that I now have to be squished and essentially restrained while they impale me for a biopsy has my anxiety over the top and affecting both home and work life and I have another SIX WEEKS of struggling with this. Not my proudest moment but I did get very upset in the office thankfully my husband was with me and logically I know it’s not the doctors fault but how does a mass disappear? Why is it protocol dictated ultrasound first when they were more worried about the calcifications then the mass? Then to use the excuse “booking out longer due to a national shortage on supplies” it doesn’t excuse the fact that I asked to book it two weeks ago I could be in two weeks earlier instead I’m waiting longer. If this is cancer it’s growing if it’s not then it’s 2 months total of wasted fertility treatment time and stress PLUS still leaving me in the dark with the skin issues and enlarged lymph nodes. I’m so tired of bouncing specialist to specialist and the only thing I have done is rack up medical debt, obtained a nasty three inch scar on the front of my neck for the world to see, receiving at this point most likely permanent nerve damage unable to feel from the scar half way down my neck to my jaw with zero answers as to why other then it’s not lymphoma. I’m lost, I’m scared and I’m venting. Has anyone ever had something like this happen to them? What was your stereotactic biopsy like?