I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I have had regular mammograms for several years now. My last one was July 2007. It's very likely the tumor was there in July, but the mammogram did not pick it up. The reason for that is that I have very dense breast tissue, which mammograms are not good at imaging. My point here is that - had I been doing regular BSEs, which I had not, I may have discovered this thing much earlier than I did. It has been there for a while. 1.9 cm is about 3/4". (That's the size it appears to be on ultrasound - actual size may be smaller or larger.)
When I went in for the clinical exam (hands on exam by a nurse) on 12/31, I was allowed to feel a model of a breast that had models of tumors in it. The "tumors" were hard and deep. I had never felt one of these before, and I highly recommend that you ask to feel this model next time you have an exam - it's very educational. My own breasts - thanks to the dense fibers - have always felt lumpy and bumpy to me, which made self exam a rather frustrating and discouraging process - which bumps are old/new? which are good/bad? which are me/not me?
Bottom line - please don't put off your BSEs, and please learn to do them properly (see video linked below), and please ask to feel a model and get input on how best to examine your own breasts. If you have any concerns despite a clear mammogram (expecially if you have dense tissue), ask for an ultrasound.
So many women I've talked to recently have admitted they don't examine regularly. All of this is up to you. No one else is going to do this for you.
Okay, I'll stop preaching. For now. Have a happy day! :o)
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