Well I had the biopsy a few weeks ago and the Doc says for sure there is no cancer. Just a fibro- adenoma. Not even a pre-cancerous thing. Come back in a year and get another mamo.

Question now is ( for those that have been there maybe?) How long for the swelling to go down? I have a knot the size of a large hen egg on the place where I had the biopsy and general swelling around the area.Sort of makes everything look deformed;if you know what I mean.Thanks to all for the prayers and advice.

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), December 15, 2000

Answers

Bonnie, I have had three breast lumpectomies which were all fibroid tumors and not cancer. In all three cases I did not have any swelling or lumps as you describe. Even if there was swelling it should have subsided by now. Is the lump soft. I'm wondering if you have a hematoma (collection of blood) in there from the surgery since it has been a few weeks and any swelling should have gone down. I would go back and have it checked.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), December 15, 2000.

After I posted I had another thought. Did you go back and have the stitches removed or were they dissolving stitches. If they weren't the dissolving kind and you didn't have them removed that could cause swelling as well.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), December 15, 2000.

Colleen, I had staples. 11 in all. They were taken out Monday of last week. They put those sticky strips on and said leave for 3 or 4 days. I think I may have to go to my family doctor, surgeon charges a lot more for an office visit.The swelling seems pretty firm. I asked the nurse in surgeons offic who took the staples out about the swelling and she said it should go down, that it was normal. But I thought it should be doing that by now. I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this. I really don't know what to expect.

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), December 15, 2000.

Great news Bonnie!No cancer,yea!!

I had a core-needle biopsy this spring(also a mammogram-I was only 28 at the time).The Dr. wanted to do the Scintimammography;but as I was still nursing my son and unable to supplement for three days(how long I'd have radioactive)we opted to try the others procedures first.The core-needle biopsy left me with a small blood clot,and quite a terrible lump(worse than the fibroadenoma-which is what it was determined to be)-it took quite a while to heal.Actually a couple of months!!Finally,more than half a year later the original problem(the Lump)is shrinking some.I'm hoping when my son is fully weaned to have it disappear!Still,there is no harm in mentioning your concern to your Dr.That's what I ended up doing-for peace of mind.

Well praise the Lord you're ok!God bless you,

~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), December 15, 2000.

Bonnie,

forgot to mention:no harm done unless you're easily embarassed!My Dr. was not too many years older than me.I know I was in the for very serious concerns-even so,my face was fiery red to be sure throughout everything...

Blessings&G'night

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), December 15, 2000.