Mammogram call back - Page 6

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

On 11/27/2014 lousgirl84 said:
I am going through that right now. I was called back because of some calcification in the left breast. They took more pictures and two ultrasounds but because of the nature they sent me for a stereotactic needle biopsy. I had to lay on a hard lead table with my left breast dangling through the hole and they squeezed the breast more so they could see this minuscule calcification. and know where to put the needle Their concern was it was in a cluster. It was painful and it took over an hour (I had a local lydocaine anesthetic)but it was still painful and uncomfortable. That was Monday the 24th and I do not have any results yet.

If you haven't gotten your results yet, you need to contact them.

Someone I know just went through this. They send those biopsy results out and they either come back positive or negative and you should be told that as soon as the results are in.

Someone I know had a biopsy that came back negative but her mammo was so bad looking (clustered microcalcifications), that her doctor told her she wanted a second opinion. The doctor who gave the second opinion said a stereotactic biopsy needed to be done. The first doc did an ultrasound led biopsy.

This second biopsy was done on a Wednesday and the results were in Friday which turned out to be positive. Apparently, the first doctor who did the biopsy didn't pull any tissue from the microcalcifications. She pulled all good tissue.

It is really scary what goes on out there.

HappyDaze · ‎06-13-2012

regarding online reports- results are sent to your doctor who reviews the results and then releases them to the online portal. They are not just posted by some admin or by the place that gets the results- they HAVE to have the release by the doctor before they post.

HappyDaze · ‎06-13-2012

On 12/2/2014 Laura14 said:
On 12/2/2014 HappyDaze said:
First off, glad your friend's results were positive!

All of the doctors I see have the online medical chart portals. I truly hate them, as I think they cause more anxiety than not but your doctor is never suppose to post results on the online portal before speaking with you if the results require further testing (i.e. the results are not normal or are not benign). If they post them first, then that means it isn't serious. Well, that is what they are SUPPOSE to do but I've read that some said their results posted and they were NOT normal. This is TERRIBLE and should never happen.

Well in her case, thank goodness for them. Her doctor still has not called her and I doubt at this point she will. Totally agree had those results been something other than what they were, I can't even imagine her reading it on her own Sunday morning. Absolutely wrong and horrifying.

The Imaging Center and the doctor need to get on the same page. It's outrageous that the Imaging Center refuses to divulge results of such an important follow up exam and then the Doctor just tosses the report in the medical file and never contacts the patient leaving her wondering if she has a serious illness or not. And over a long holiday weekend!!

I am still so angry at the whole ridiculous situation I can't stand it. Heads up for the rest of us so we never go through something like this.

This happened to me recently. I was going in for surgery and was having all kinds of weird issues that seemed to come on all of a sudden. In order for them to do my surgery, I needed to be cleared by my doctor and a cardiologist. They did a bunch of tests- blood, EKG, urinalysis, etc. My doctor NEVER contacted me about the results (still hasn't and that was back in August or July), she just released the results into the portal. I was freaked out reading everything as some were out of the normal range and it even showed I had hyperthyroidism! Fortunately, I know a little about these types of things and once I calmed down, lol, I realized that the ones that are slightly out of range are not a big deal since they were not out of range enough to cause concern and can be normal considering what I was going through. However, the hyperthyroidism is still of concern and, no thanks to my (former) Primary care doctor, I will be going to a endocrinologist to further investigate the possibility of hyperthyroidism. But just think how the average person would feel reading what I read with no explanation, not even a simple call or email from the doctor saying, "all is well, you are cleared for surgery" from your primary?? It is not acceptable and I think these online portals make our doctors lazy honesty. I know they are often overworked but we all deserve to have our issues addressed and be treated with respect by having an "all clear" or "not all clear" message from our doctors!

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

I am very late to this discussion, but I was in the same situation as your friend. After my follow up mammogram was looked at, I was taken to another room for an ultrasound. The technician then left to show the ultrasound to the radiologist. After awhile she came back and told me everything was okay and I should just continue with my annual mammograms. I was so convinced I had cancer that I asked her if she was sure. I didn't really want to get up and leave cause I was a bit shocked by how uneventful it all turned out to be. The real problem I had was with how my doctor's office originally informed me that my initial mammogram was not right. Some gal called and told me that the mammogram showed I had a "mass" in my right breast. MASS?!! To me that meant huge, definite, massive...the Big C! I was so convinced I had cancer.....and I had to wait almost three weeks to get in and have the follow up tests. By then I was practically writing my own obituary. ${#emotions_dlg.scared}$

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

Wow, I am so glad you guys finally got your results and they were positive or negative I guess is the word. Three weeks? I have been strung out over my friend's 3 days. I couldn't even imagine!

And reading that the doctor does review the results before they release to the portal....I am not even going to go there. How do you not call someone over a followup exam good or bad? Even just an email since I know phone calls take time. Make up a form email if you have to but leaving patients in suspense or having to interpret their own results is just not okay.

Thank you again to everyone who has been so helpful and supportive over this past week. I knew you guys would have some great advice and/or opinion and you did and it's nice to know that strangers can help when you or a friend is in trouble or worried. It is so very much appreciated!! ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

goodstuff · ‎03-09-2010

Medical reports should NOT be posted on patient-accessible online portals until they have been reviewed and signed off by the ordering physician. I can't imagine the madness that would ensue if this were done. As a patient, I want my results to be discussed with me by my physician. I don't want to see results online before my doctor has reviewed them with me; I don't want to discuss them with a radiologist I don't know. I want to talk with my doctor.

BlingQueen022 · ‎09-23-2012

On 12/3/2014 GoodStuff said:
Medical reports should NOT be posted on patient-accessible online portals until they have been reviewed and signed off by the ordering physician. I can't imagine the madness that would ensue if this were done. As a patient, I want my results to be discussed with me by my physician. I don't want to see results online before my doctor has reviewed them with me; I don't want to discuss them with a radiologist I don't know. I want to talk with my doctor.

Welcome to medicine of the future! You can kiss the old days of a Doctor discussing test results to your face a thing of the past.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

Just to complete the saga, she got a letter from the imaging center (same people who said the personal doctor would have to give the results) on Wednesday confirming no cancer. Today, over a week later and two days after the imaging center, the nurse from her doctor's office called and told her that her personal doctor just wanted her to know she had cysts. Nothing to do about them but you have them. Thank goodness for the internet. It's the only thing that communicated with her when she desperately needed information. How sad technology outdid the humans.

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

My dad had a carotid Doppler done 10 days ago. The technician told him he had severe stenosis and called his ordering physician who in turn called his cardiologist. I am in another state and naturally, I felt anxious for him. Well, a few days later I called the doctor and she told me the radiologist downgraded the results to moderate stenosis. The tech should have zipped her lip!