I had my first one yesterday.They said I would receive a letter in 5-7 days. Is this normal? They asked what dr I wanted the results to go too, I said my PCP..I guess I was just nervous being my first time, I wasnt sure what I was suppose to say, or where I was suppose to have it sent too.
If they saw a problem, would I be notified before the letter got here?
Of course I always think the worse(I know bad habit).

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 10:58 am:

Your doctor is who would notify you *if* there were any problems. As for the time frame.......it varies, dependent upon your area, how quickly the testing facility gets their reports out, etc. If you don't hear anything in a week, I'd suggest calling your doc for the information.

By Kay on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 11:43 am:

It depends on the place where you got the mammogram. I'm pretty sure all of them ask to whom you want the report sent....as well as send out a letter following the test.

If there's something questionable, our radiology clinic sends a letter asking you to call back and make another appointment so that they can look more closely at anything that strikes their eye.

By Kaye on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 02:09 pm:

Just as a warning, mine said the same thing, but called me two days later. Everything was fine, but boy did a get a fright with their number on the caller id!

By Kate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 02:23 pm:

This is so interesting to me, because I used to work at a mammogram clinic. At our place, the films were read immediately and news was thus given immediately. Any questionable spots were redone right then and there, and if needed ultrasound was also done on the spot, along with needle aspirations and stereotactic core biopsies, with rush results coming in within the hour if the doctor felt it was warranted. 99% of our patients left their appointment knowing if they were healthy or not. The ones who didn't were the ones who the docs thought did NOT have cancer, so they did not rush a specimen, and thus they found out the next day that it was malignant. The letters to docs were mailed out the very same day the patient was seen, so the docs had the letter the next day. I didn't realize other places were so very different!!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 02:31 pm:

I found out, right after my mammogram was done!

By Jackie on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 02:59 pm:

How intersting.Like I said, it was my first one. The dr didnt order it. I just called and made the appt. I wonder if I had gone in and said I felt a lump or was having some sort of problem, that I would know results sooner.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 09:33 pm:

I've had several mammograms, and have always been told the results before leaving. They also send a letter to me and to my GYN.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 07:01 am:

My experience is that the technician asks me to wait to be sure there was no glitch with the procedure, and if that's OK, the films are sent to a radiologist to read. A report is then sent to my doctor's office, and they send me a letter. It takes maybe 5 to 10 days, tops. If there were a problem, the radiologist would probably call your doctor's office immediately and your doctor's office would call you to go for a re-check. So generally, no immediate news is probably good news.

By Jackie on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 07:29 am:

Yes, my Technician did ask me to wait a few minutes to make sure the films were ok.After that I was told I could go, and that I Would receive a letter in 5-7 days.

By Pamt on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 08:44 am:

I work at a hospital that is just for women, so there are A LOT of mammograms done there. You did not get immediate results, which is a good thing. The tech does ask you to wait to make sure that the images turned out well, but each mammagram is read 3 times---once by a computer (we now have digital mammography) and then by 2 separate radiologists. You have to wait a couple of days for your report, but you also have the peace of mind that the xray has been thoroughly evaluated.

Even though you just called and scheduled the appointment your doctor likely has standing orders there or you wouldn't have gotten in because you have to have a doctor's order for a mammogram.

By Jackie on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 09:27 am:

According to our insurance, when you are 40 and over you do not need a referal for a routine mammogram. I read that in my insurance booklet. I also called the insurance company on the phone to verify that, and to verify where I could go for a mammogram. We have an HMO, and not everybody takes all insurance. When I called the breast clinic she said I did not need a referal. She did first ask me what dr refered me. I told her nobody did, I just thought it was time to get my first. She said that was perfectly ok,after she found out my age. She then went on to say they would send copies to my PCP.I wanted to stay close to home. I went to the local hospital, which has a "breast clinic". I was in and out in about 30 minutes.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 10:39 am:

Absolutely the same for me, Jackie. But, Jackie, if you haven't already, you should alert your doctor's office that the report will be coming.

By Mommmie on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 11:22 am:

Same procedure here, Jackie. Letter later on. I used to always get "the dense letter" as I call it, but since I started taking Vit E and Evening Primrose now I just get the "nothing seen" letter.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 03:19 pm:

I always have to see my doctor, for a breast exam, before I go to the mammogram. I can't just show up, for the mammogram. I have a physical coming up in June. So, will probably get one done, after that.