Does your doctor call you with mammo results?

[Neesy228]

Hope you are doing well. They called and I have to go for more pics.

I just wanted to offer some reassurance that "more pics" isn't a bad thing....it is stressful though. A few years back they called to tell me to come back in for more views and they determined it was a "shadow" on the original mammogram. I'm pretty sure I lost several days of my life worrying - my mom is a two time breast cancer survivor, so I was beside myself - but it was totally fine. At the follow up appt. they reviewed the images immediately and let me know before I left.

As for your original question, I get a letter in the mail if all is well. A phone call if there is something they need to follow up on because they usually call to let you know and schedule the new appt at the same time.

 

[Christine]

The place I go to will not give you the results right there and I hate that. They do the mammo, then you leave. If you need additional images taken, they call you a couple of days later to come back in. If all is well, they send a letter.

I like it places where they do the mammo, send you back to the waiting room, then call you back if they need additional images, and give you the results if all is clear. I see no reason to make women worry and fret for the results, but that is they way many places do it. I wish more places would do 3D mammos, they say they really cut down on call backs.

In my area, that is called a "comprehensive" mammogram. You can have that done if your doctor just checks that box on the order form.

I've been to a few radiology places and if "routine" is what is checked, you go in, have the pictures done, and leave. Your pics are read when the radiologist can fit them in. If your doctor checks "comprehensive" then the radiologist has to read them while you wait. Most places want to know when you make your appointment if you need that done so they can schedule your appointment appropriately. They often only do this types of exams if you have a history of breast issues. That way, if there is something, they can get the pictures right away or whisk you off for an ultrasound. The fee for this is a bit higher than a routine mammo.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm suddenly feeling very fortunate to have the imaging center we do here. They shoot the images, then you wait in your dressing room while the radiologist reads them. If they want more photos, they do them right on the spot. If they see something that needs to be biopsied, they tell you that on the spot as well. Either way you walk out the door with a clear understanding of what comes next. If you get the all clear, you walk out with a note to that effect.

I'll never forget going in for my first baseline mammogram 13 years ago and having my doctor call me on the cell phone to tell me I needed a biopsy. Nobody wants to hear "Don't worry, if it's cancer we caught it early" while they're driving with their toddler in the car. Since then I started going to this other facility. HUGE life improvement.

OP, none of this is as uncommon as I'm sure you feel it is right now. Just take a deep breath and proceed. Odds are its nothing. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I get results on the spot from the radiologist the. My doctor's office clad to confirm.

 

[Prose]

I always go sit in "the room" while they read it and they give me results on the spot, but that's only been the case since my diagnosis. Prior to that I always just got the letter a week or two later. Believe me, once you've been through cancer, waiting in the room for results is MUCH more fraught with tension.

My GYN now gives me a little card with an 800# I can call a week or so after a pap to get my results - otherwise it's "no news is good news."

 

[Handbag Lady]

I get a letter a few days later but my medical group also has online communications. If I was worried before the arrival of the letter, I can log-in and either leave a message for a nurse or my doctor to communicate back to me. I've had my same doctor for about 15 years now, she'll call me between her next set of patients.

I don't know how women can stand that call when they say, "OH, you need to come back for more pictures."

 

[anniemae]

I get a letter a few days later but my medical group also has online communications. If I was worried before the arrival of the letter, I can log-in and either leave a message for a nurse or my doctor to communicate back to me. I've had my same doctor for about 15 years now, she'll call me between her next set of patients.

I don't know how women can stand that call when they say, "OH, you need to come back for more pictures."

It is terrifying. even though you KNOW many many women get called back for additional images and most of the time it is "nothing." But when you get that call, then have to wait 2-3 days to go back, it is torture and your mind goes to the deepest, darkest place it can. I cried for 2 days waiting. I thought I was good as dead. I really wish all places were like the place mot2rtk described. Or, I wish all places did 3D mammos, which greatly cut down the call backs.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I remember the call as it was after my very first mammogram. What a hideous mess I was. But it turned out to be nothing. HOwever, I had to do a biopsy as well.

There has to be a better way to do it. At my next mammo, a year later, they did the mammo, did an ultrasound and then informed me at that very same appointment all was well. Why could;t they all be like that.

 

[DebbieB]

The place I go to has 2 levels of mammograms. If you don't have issues, they do a screening mammogram, it is not read right away, it's cheaper. If you have a diagnostic mammogram, the doctor there reads it right away and if they see something, they do it right then. They only do diagnostic if you have a prescription that lists a problem, they claim for insurance purposes. If you have a screening, they give you a number to call for results in 3 or 4 business days. I have been called back for more views, they usually call me before I have a chance to call them. All of the times I went out it turned out to be cysts or dense tissue. When you have a call back, the doctor is there to read it right away.

 

[TLSnell1981]

No, my doctor does not call me because where I go to get it done, they tell me the results on the spot.

Same here.

 

[anniemae]

I have read that 3D mammos would cut down on call backs but many insurances will not cover them.

 

[aprilgail]

I have read that 3D mammos would cut down on call backs but many insurances will not cover them.

Its only like an additional fee of 75.00 if you wanted to get the 3D one, I just pay that portion out of pocket while insurance picks up the basic fee.

 

[ronandannette]

Grrrr... no. He makes me book an office visit for any type of test results (FYI, other than very minor issues the results of any test have never been problematic.) I did get a letter with the mamogram results from the imaging facility but it arrived weeks and weeks afterwards.

 

[ols386]

No my doctor does not call me with results.

The place where I have the mammogram done notifies me by mail, and it usually takes about two weeks to get results.

I hate that it takes so long, especially since a couple years ago I had something show up, and now when I have the mammograms done I'm really anxious to get the results.

 

[mom2rtk]

I hate that it takes so long, especially since a couple years ago I had something show up, and now when I have the mammograms done I'm really anxious to get the results.

I totally know how you feel. It's like once you've had a bad result your mammogram innocence is gone. My first was just a baseline, the "you're almost 40 so it's time" mammogram. I left the office that day marking it off my "to do" list and moved on. But once you get one of those calls, it's impossible to look at the process the same way again. Now I only schedule my mammogram at a time when if life stops for 2 weeks, it will be ok (because it did indeed stop for me those 2 times).

Not sure how I'll handle things this year in the brave new world of my $6K deductible plan. Maybe I'll skip a year. Maybe I'll schedule right before open enrollment so I can swap to the crazy expensive lower deductible plan if someone sends me for another biopsy.

What I've been told is that as you age, breast tissue gets less dense, so hopefully fewer false positives. I hope anyway. Knock wood. There has to be SOME up side of aging, right? It will be 10 years this fall since my last biopsy.

OP, hang in there. Big hugs as you work your way through this.

 

[tvguy]

DD/DW's Doctor used to call. But all the medical groups do everything on line now. You get the Radiologists report the same time as the Doctor via e-mail. You do get a call if there is something abnormal, but you already know that.

 

[magsmum]

I have read that 3D mammos would cut down on call backs but many insurances will not cover them.

The center I use for mammograms has switched to 3D. I had no insurance issues, but, of course, I ended up with a call back. And the technician had been raving about cutting way down on the number of false negatives with the 3D technology. Fortunately, all was well.

 

[aprilgail]

I don't know how women can stand that call when they say, "OH, you need to come back for more pictures."

When I got my call back it wasn't even a phone call, a letter from mammography center comes in the mail and it said "abnormal, please call for further testing"- really didn't stress out about it, called and got an appointment for a few weeks later and it was actually like a pea sized something but they just watched it for 2 years and I had to go for mamo's every 6 months for those two years but that was like 20 years ago and nothing since then. I figured if it was something really bad they would have called me on the phone right away to come back.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Please do not skip a year mom2. My breast cancer was very aggressive and had grown in the 11 months since my previous mammogram, when nothing was there. (We went over it with a fine tooth comb.) Two of my axillary lymph nodes were positive, so it had already spread locally. Had I waited another year, I might not be here today. Fortunately, we got it early and I had the most aggressive treatment available. My twins were just five years old at the time, so I know the feeling you're talking about.

I suggest people choose carefully where to get their mammograms. It's not something we often think about - a mammogram is a mammogram, right? Well we can see here, there are differences. I used to go to my health care group's radiology dept, but after a major screw up (that left me pretty devastated for almost a month), my oncologist had me go to a comprehensive breast center where, before I leave for the day, a radiologist has discussed my results with me and I leave with a copy. It is such a relief to walk out of there. This year I would up with an ultrasound but again, the radiologist did it herself and discussed her findings with me during the course of the exam, so I left with no worries. So if possible, really take a good look at where you get your mammograms.

 

[ThistleMae]

Wow....yeah...this can be scary. I got a call from the tech at the hospital saying the radiologist wanted me to come in for a repeat mammogram. Then when I got there, she said the radiologist will look at this again and decide if he wants an ultrasound. So I'm waiting...and she came out and said he wants you to have an ultrasound. Then he told me, you have a small mass and it looks like cancer. The good news is....I'm glad I had the mammogram done! I was in the doctors office a week before for my physical and there was no lump detectable by touch. This is why they do them because they can catch things very early. I had the lump removed. It did not spread to my lymph nodes...thank god! I'm going for radiation treatment to make sure everything is gone. I am considered a cancer survivor. So...thank you science....for detecting things early. I know it's hard to wait...and believe me I had lots of waiting in between surgery. Most times you will just get a letter.