Hi Barb,

I seem to have had major amounts of calcification in the breasts, as
well as cysts & fibro-whatever, for most of my life.
Uh, I did until the cancer & mastectomies.

Before that, the biopsies from surgically removing maybe a dozen(?)
lumps each time, were all benign.

The best I can remember, the lumps starting developing & growing when I
was about eleven or twelve, before my breasts did.

Back then, I'd also get hit in the chest, so this might have affected
things.

---------------------

After the left breast was removed, & the cancer treatments finished,
...... the calcifications started to multiply rapidly in the right
breast, so it was removed too.

There was no cancer found in it.

There were a lot of lumps (plus a new large-ish one), & the right breast
was so heavy & dense, ..... that they couldn't tell anything about the
lumps or the many calcifications, so I had the breast removed to be
safe.

The docs kept scaring me with: "If the cancer returns, you're a goner,
so you have to have mammograms, biopsies & such over & over."

I was so exhausted & sick, & so tired of wasting all my time, money,
resources & effort on cancer care, ..... that I said: "Forget that. Just
remove the breast."

The docs super-did-Not-want-to-do-that, but I kept insisting until it
was done.

It was much cheaper in the long run, in every way possible, for me & the
insurance company.

[Unfortunately, the surgeon wasn't any good, so about a third or so of
the breast is still with me, in various places. Mostly the middle part
is gone.]

--------------------

In other words, one calcification may be cancer, while another may not
be.

I don't remember how long the stereotactic test took, maybe thirty
minutes once they were set up & had me positioned.

I don't remember how long it took to get my biopsy results back, but
it's probably in the Google archives. I remember I asked for a second
opinion.

I'll try to search the archives, & try to remember more.

I wish you the very best of luck.

Susan, Su_Texas  my opinions

Hi Barb,

I had to have the stereotactic biopsy last year because they saw
"something" on my mamogram in my affected bc breast.  It is supposed to
be much easier on us than a regular biopsy.   However,   I must have had
some really bad technicians because they turned what should have been a
very easy 30 minutes into over an hour procedure and made it a very bad
experience for me.  I have a back problem and having to lie on my
stomach the entire time without moving was painful for me.  
I know others have had it and breezed through it without any problems
and you probably will too.   I don't think my bad experience is the norm
for this procedure.

You are awake during the procedure and there was no real pain involved.
You also do not have any drug after effects.  I think it took about a
week for them to give me the results.  It turned out to be benign
calcifications.  

I think you can do a search on the internet and it will give you lots of
details and information about how the procedure is done.

Best of luck on your test and with the results.

Bea