Mammograms

Chazz

small town beck wrote:

I heard that the bigger your girls are, the more it hurts :eek:

I actually heard the opposite...? smaller boobs = less to squash in the machine.... i also heard from a friend who had one done recently that its like putting your boob by the edge of the fridge door then having said door slammed real hard onto it.....ah the joys of being female

Sian-of-the-dead

I literally pulled THIS face ----> :eek: when I read this:

my_small_self wrote:

ts like putting your boob by the edge of the fridge door then having said door slammed real hard onto it

kcherub

my_small_self wrote:

I actually heard the opposite...? smaller boobs = less to squash in the machine.... i also heard from a friend who had one done recently that its like putting your boob by the edge of the fridge door then having said door slammed real hard onto it.....ah the joys of being female

I think it just really depends upon the person. I have heard different things from different women. I have mid-sized ones (yes, still), and it is mildly painful. Plus, I have some scar tissue which pulls a little more. Ouch!

It is done very slowly, so not like slamming anything onto them. Don't want to scare anyone off from it. I actually know women with lumps who refuse to go because they are scared!!!

pearljamjen

my_small_self wrote:

I actually heard the opposite...? smaller boobs = less to squash in the machine.... i also heard from a friend who had one done recently that its like putting your boob by the edge of the fridge door then having said door slammed real hard onto it.....ah the joys of being female : o

:eek: :eek: :eek:

My mom said that the clinic she goes to uses a new type of machine that is SO much more comfortable than in years past...so that gives me hope for when it is my turn :eek:

small town beck

my_small_self wrote:

I actually heard the opposite...? smaller boobs = less to squash in the machine.... i also heard from a friend who had one done recently that its like putting your boob by the edge of the fridge door then having said door slammed real hard onto it.....ah the joys of being female

oh maybe you are right

Ouch that does NOT sound like fun :eek:

small town beck

justam wrote:

Yes, I really was impressed with them when I fed my babies.

Must be an amazing thing to do. I hope I get to experience it.

Although if I do I daresay shortly thereafter I will be getting a reduction... I could probably use one now

decides2dream

i am glad you went justam!
i'm a bit surprised tho that this was your first. my gynocologist said that EVERY woman should go for their 'baseline' mammogram by age 35. meaning, you get your first mammogram so they have pictures of your healthy breasts to compare future mammograms to. i've had 2 thus far, and really...i am overdue for my third. since i have my one sister as a survivor of breast cancer, i should get one every year since it ups my risk. otherwise, i'd not need to do annual mammograms until 40...but hell, that happens this year in any case.


anyhoo....i remember having this exact same convo with my sister, b/c she was over 35 and had not yet had her first baseline mammogram, and telling her she really should, as i had and she is older than me. she was *just* planning on scheduling her first while at the gynocologist, had a breast exam and her doctor found a suspicious lump! she sent her for a mammogram THAT DAY. and it went onwards from there. lucky, lcuky her they caugt it SO early...and happily celebrating 4 years cancer free....and the 2 of us 'celebrate' doing the annual american cancer society walk for a cure this october.


so then...please, please, please ladies: get your FIRST mammogram, your baseline, at 35. obviously, if you have other risk factors, you may need to do so earlier. however, if not, 35 for the baseline...and then annually from 40 onwards. take care of your girls, girls!

small town beck

decides2dream wrote:

i am glad you went justam!
i'm a bit surprised tho that this was your first. my gynocologist said that EVERY woman should go for their 'baseline' mammogram by age 35. meaning, you get your first mammogram so they have pictures of your healthy breasts to compare future mammograms to. i've had 2 thus far, and really...i am overdue for my third. since i have my one sister as a survivor of breast cancer, i should get one every year since it ups my risk. otherwise, i'd not need to do annual mammograms until 40...but hell, that happens this year in any case.


anyhoo....i remember having this exact same convo with my sister, b/c she was over 35 and had not yet had her first baseline mammogram, and telling her she really should, as i had and she is older than me. she was *just* planning on scheduling her first while at the gynocologist, had a breast exam and her doctor found a suspicious lump! she sent her for a mammogram THAT DAY. and it went onwards from there. lucky, lcuky her they caugt it SO early...and happily celebrating 4 years cancer free....and the 2 of us 'celebrate' doing the annual american cancer society walk for a cure this october.


so then...please, please, please ladies: get your FIRST mammogram, your baseline, at 35. obviously, if you have other risk factors, you may need to do so earlier. however, if not, 35 for the baseline...and then annually from 40 onwards. take care of your girls, girls!

My big year this year so I shall take your advice and ask to have my first one. Thanks, M.

Phantom Pain

small town beck wrote:

My big year this year so I shall take your advice and ask to have my first one. Thanks, M.

Your first time is very un-eventful I hear and may be painful

decides2dream

small town beck wrote:

My big year this year so I shall take your advice and ask to have my first one. Thanks, M.

good!



and sure, it hurts a bit...but certainly bearable. it's just really.....bizarre. i never imagined they could be so...........flattened :eek: hahaha. so, so, soooooo well worth it!





sidenote - *just* yesterday i was reading an article about breast caner in real simple magazine. do you remember how it was advised to do monthly self-exams? nowadays it seems it is considered optional, b/c it has not proved truly 'beneficial' to catching cancer earlier and/or survival rates. still suggested to be familiar, etc.......but just not so 'necessary' to do a full exam monthly. for me, that's good....b/c i admit i rarely did so, even after my sister's diagnosis. not out of fear or anything,it just seemed fruitless imo. and as to my sister, the radiologist was AMAZED that her doctor felt her lump b/c of it's position and size, being sooo miniscule. lucky, lucky.



ahhhhhhhh...we both have *big* birthdays this year! yay us!

kcherub

decides2dream wrote:

sidenote - *just* yesterday i was reading an article about breast caner in real simple magazine. do you remember how it was advised to do monthly self-exams? nowadays it seems it is considered optional, b/c it has not proved truly 'beneficial' to catching cancer earlier and/or survival rates. still suggested to be familiar, etc.......but just not so 'necessary' to do a full exam monthly. for me, that's good....b/c i admit i rarely did so, even after my sister's diagnosis. not out of fear or anything,it just seemed fruitless imo. and as to my sister, the radiologist was AMAZED that her doctor felt her lump b/c of it's position and size, being sooo miniscule. lucky, lucky.

ahhhhhhhh...we both have *big* birthdays this year! yay us!

Hey...not to jump all over that article, but there has been a lot of flack on the part of women who have had BC and found it while doing a BSE (like me). I had no family history, no risk factors, and would not have been scheduled for a mammogram for another 6 years (I was 34 when I found it). I wasn't scheduled to see my GYN for almost another year. I did a blog about it (see a few posts up for the link). While you said it very well ("being familiar") the article (which was actually originally put out a few years ago the first time) has been making the rounds telling women to just not bother at all.

Touchy subject for me.

Steve Dunne

i've said before, and i'll say it again,

THIS thread is USELESS without pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(.)(.)

decides2dream

kcherub wrote:

Hey...not to jump all over that article, but there has been a lot of flack on the part of women who have had BC and found it while doing a BSE (like me). I had no family history, no risk factors, and would not have been scheduled for a mammogram for another 6 years (I was 34 when I found it). I wasn't scheduled to see my GYN for almost another year. I did a blog about it (see a few posts up for the link). While you said it very well ("being familiar") the article (which was actually originally put out a few years ago the first time) has been making the rounds telling women to just not bother at all.

Touchy subject for me.

understood.
i was just putting the info out there. and i am sure there have been other articles, etc....was only mentioning it b/c the article is in the october 2008 issue, so i was just reading it yesterday, and here's this thread. with a sister as a breast cancer survivor i am ALL about self-awareness...and early detection. anyhoo...it IS a good article, even if you disagree with that one point. it's about Q&A all about the issue, being prepared, arming yourself with information, etc.

Steve Dunne

all kidding aside, take care of yourselves pearl jam girls!!! this subject hits home for me too.

kcherub

decides2dream wrote:

understood.
i was just putting the info out there. and i am sure there have been other articles, etc....was only mentioning it b/c the article is in the october 2008 issue, so i was just reading it yesterday, and here's this thread. with a sister as a breast cancer survivor i am ALL about self-awareness...and early detection. anyhoo...it IS a good article, even if you disagree with that one point. it's about Q&A all about the issue, being prepared, arming yourself with information, etc.

Hey! Oh, yeah. You said it very well. I have just been worried that women who may or may not have been doing BSE's in the past would think that going once a year to the GYN is sufficient. I don't do the "shower card" instructional thing, but I do know what's what in there. I was only 2 seconds into feeling myself up when I found it. I INSTANTLY knew it was bad. I can say with 100% certainty I would not have wanted that thing in me for even one more day than necessary.

I don't know any of my friends (we are all around 36 now) who have been offered a baseline MAMMO. Even those with first-line history. Are you in the US?

kcherub

Steve Dunne wrote:

i've said before, and i'll say it again,

THIS thread is USELESS without pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(.)(.)

I have photos...but they are more clinical than fun. Interested still?

Steve Dunne

kcherub wrote:

I have photos...but they are more clinical than fun. Interested still?

(in best charlie brown voice...)


"Well, I, uh..."

kcherub

Steve Dunne wrote:

(in best charlie brown voice...)


"Well, I, uh..."

LOL! Too bad we can't add pictures in our mail, but I have a great understanding why that is NOT allowed here.

Fifthelement

I was watching the news the other day and they were saying that a bit of local anaesthetic [sp?] would encourage way more women to have a mammogram done. So why isn't that offered? Btw, thanks for the baseline age info., I'll be sure to schedule one this week

decides2dream

kcherub wrote:

Hey! Oh, yeah. You said it very well. I have just been worried that women who may or may not have been doing BSE's in the past would think that going once a year to the GYN is sufficient. I don't do the "shower card" instructional thing, but I do know what's what in there. I was only 2 seconds into feeling myself up when I found it. I INSTANTLY knew it was bad. I can say with 100% certainty I would not have wanted that thing in me for even one more day than necessary.

I don't know any of my friends (we are all around 36 now) who have been offered a baseline MAMMO. Even those with first-line history. Are you in the US?

REALLY?!

yikes!
yes, i am a NYer. perhaps my gyno is a bit more forward-thinking...but she is VERY good and very cautious. i had ZERO big risk facotrs, it was simply 'you're turning 35...you go for your baseline mammogram'...period. AFTER i had my baseline...perhaps a year? later....was when i had the discussion with my sis, who was then 39, turning 40. i think there are docs who say 40...but i do believe it is more and more common to suggest 35. personally, i would always suggest pushing for 35 for the baseline.


without risk factors, after that baseline....annually after 40 absolutely makes sense. and sure, self-exams and/or coupled with annual exams at the internist AND the gyno office....good ideas.

i DO live on long island, i used to smoke...a lot and a long time....i have never had children(and definitely not before 30).....all are 'risks' to some degree....but never considered 'high-risk'. now that my sis is a survivor, i still don't know if i am considered 'high-risk'.....just moreso about being diligent and watchful.

i've also read alcohol consumption, a drink or more a day....may have some link. i didn't drink a lot in my younger years...perhaps that helped some given all the other 'risks' i have....but i do drink more today. eh well, have to live and enjoy.



btw - i tried to find a link to the article online, but alas....since it is in the october issue, and it's still september, it's not online yet. however, the title of the article is the breast defense...in real simple...october issue, 2008. not very long, but filled with some good info.