Mammograms

Sian-of-the-dead

Fifthelement wrote:

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

What is the baseline age?

anaesthetic?! Is it really that painful?

decides2dream

Fifthelement wrote:

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

personally, i really don't know HOW an anaesthetic would truly help. they are squishing your breast. HARD. i would think even with an anesthetic, you would still feel pain. perhaps not as much, but i think over medicating is unwise, personally. and seriously, it doesn't hurt THAT much....and it doesn't last long....but cancer is fuckin' scary...so to me, well worth the very short-term pain! for me, it's just another annoying appointment to try and set up each year, that's the 'biggest' annoyance imo.


sian...preferably 35.

Sian-of-the-dead

decides2dream wrote:

personally, i really don't know HOW an anaesthetic would truly help. they are squishing your breast. HARD. i would think even with an anesthetic, you would still feel pain. perhaps not as much, but i think over medicating is unwise, personally. and seriously, it doesn't hurt THAT much....and it doesn't last long....but cancer is fuckin' scary...so to me, well worth the very short-term pain! for me, it's just another annoying appointment to try and set up each year, that's the 'biggest' annoyance imo.


sian...preferably 35.

I'm good for another 10 years or so then

Not that I don't check my breasts, I think all women should regularly. It's better to be safe than sorry. I only learned how to do it properly about 2 months ago

iamica

My mom's in her 50s and she absolutely refuses to get a mammogram every year. It makes me worried. :(
I told her that I wouldn't go to the dentist until she went and got checked out. It's a long shot, but it might actually work (she's a dental assistant).

decides2dream

iamica wrote:

My mom's in her 50s and she absolutely refuses to get a mammogram every year. It makes me worried. :(
I told her that I wouldn't go to the dentist until she went and got checked out. It's a long shot, but it might actually work (she's a dental assistant).

that's so sad. :(
my mother is 80 and she hasn't had one in years and years and years. :( very, very sad. however, at this point i think...she IS 80, it's her choice. personally though, i just don't understand it. ANY cancer is just NOT the way i would want to go out........

angie76

I really should get one, there is a family history
Im not very good with going to the doc in general. Do mammograms hurt?they kind of look like they are uncomfortable.

kcherub

angie76 wrote:

I really should get one, there is a family history
Im not very good with going to the doc in general. Do mammograms hurt?they kind of look like they are uncomfortable.

Yes, they are uncomfortable. But...treatment hurts worse.

You'll be fine. Make the appointment.

angie76

kcherub wrote:

Yes, they are uncomfortable. But...treatment hurts worse.

You'll be fine. Make the appointment.

Yeah that's true. I should really know better.

small town beck

Phantom Pain wrote:

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

You don't have to tell me Do I at least get a foot rub?

I read that sometimes giving yourself an exam can you a false sense of security?? Always good to check them out though I think and still have them examined during a yearly.

wolfbear

Just so those of you who are afraid of pain/discomfort know, I get one every year, have had probably 15, and never had any pain or discomfort. I know some do, but I also know several like me who have no problems at all. It really isn't bad, and even if it is painful, it's only for a few minutes.

Cuntified C

Mammograms hurt??!
I didn't know that, shit!
Having a smear test is bad enough.
God, the things you've gotta go through as a woman.

WildChildRose

justam wrote:

Apparently it makes it hurt more if you don't, but also it makes the x-rays easier to read. At least, that's what the tech told me today.

Weird! They never bothered to tell me this. I had a really bad experience the last time I had one done which was last month. The whole thing took almost 4 hours! I was pissed! I missed a 1/2 day of work. I have a lump in my breast that you can actually FEEL and when they did the mammogram and sonogram they claimed they saw nothing. What the heck?? I can't still feel it, it's right there. What would you do if you were me? Just ignore it? They said to come back when I was 40. I'm 31 now.

kcherub

WildChildRose wrote:

Weird! They never bothered to tell me this. I had a really bad experience the last time I had one done which was last month. The whole thing took almost 4 hours! I was pissed! I missed a 1/2 day of work. I have a lump in my breast that you can actually FEEL and when they did the mammogram and sonogram they claimed they saw nothing. What the heck?? I can't still feel it, it's right there. What would you do if you were me? Just ignore it? They said to come back when I was 40. I'm 31 now.

Um, get a second opinion. Could they feel it? When I found mine, they couldn't feel it and had to really work the US to see it. Did you have an US, too? Telling you to come back in 9 years is retarded (using the dictionary's definition of the word, no offense intended). At the very least, they should have you come back in after your next cycle to see if it has gone away.

It is most likely nothing (80% of lumps are nothing), but call your doctor and tell him you want a referral to a breast specialist. Don't take no for an answer, if for nothing but piece of mind.

WildChildRose

kcherub wrote:

Um, get a second opinion. Could they feel it? When I found mine, they couldn't feel it and had to really work the US to see it. Did you have an US, too? Telling you to come back in 9 years is retarded (using the dictionary's definition of the word, no offense intended). At the very least, they should have you come back in after your next cycle to see if it has gone away.

It is most likely nothing (80% of lumps are nothing), but call your doctor and tell him you want a referral to a breast specialist. Don't take no for an answer, if for nothing but piece of mind.

Yes the OBGYN could feel it. The breast people said they could feel it, but it didn't show up on anything so it must be nothing. Which I'm cool with, but what if they are wrong. They didn't do any other tests. I can totally feel it, its not hard to find. I have been trying to call to schedule another appt with the OBGYN but of course they are soooo busy they can't even talk to me right now. :(

stuckinline

WildChildRose wrote:

Weird! They never bothered to tell me this. I had a really bad experience the last time I had one done which was last month. The whole thing took almost 4 hours! I was pissed! I missed a 1/2 day of work. I have a lump in my breast that you can actually FEEL and when they did the mammogram and sonogram they claimed they saw nothing. What the heck?? I can't still feel it, it's right there. What would you do if you were me? Just ignore it? They said to come back when I was 40. I'm 31 now.

ask for a diagnostic mamogram, please get a second opinion. do not ignore this.

from the national cancer institute's site:
What is a screening mammogram?
A screening mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. It usually involves two x-rays of each breast. Mammograms make it possible to detect tumors that cannot be felt. Mammograms can also find microcalcifications (tiny deposits of calcium in the breast) that sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer.

How are screening and diagnostic mammograms different?
A diagnostic mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that is used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other sign or symptom of breast cancer has been found. Signs of breast cancer may include pain, skin thickening, nipple discharge, or a change in breast size or shape. A diagnostic mammogram also may be used to evaluate changes found during a screening mammogram, or to view breast tissue when it is difficult to obtain a screening mammogram because of special circumstances, such as the presence of breast implants (see Question 13). A diagnostic mammogram takes longer than a screening mammogram because it involves more x-rays in order to obtain views of the breast from several angles. The technician may magnify a suspicious area to produce a detailed picture that can help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis.


http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/screening-mammograms

WildChildRose

stuckinline wrote:

ask for a diagnostic mamogram, please get a second opinion. do not ignore this.

from the national cancer institute's site:
What is a screening mammogram?
A screening mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. It usually involves two x-rays of each breast. Mammograms make it possible to detect tumors that cannot be felt. Mammograms can also find microcalcifications (tiny deposits of calcium in the breast) that sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer.

How are screening and diagnostic mammograms different?
A diagnostic mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that is used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other sign or symptom of breast cancer has been found. Signs of breast cancer may include pain, skin thickening, nipple discharge, or a change in breast size or shape. A diagnostic mammogram also may be used to evaluate changes found during a screening mammogram, or to view breast tissue when it is difficult to obtain a screening mammogram because of special circumstances, such as the presence of breast implants (see Question 13). A diagnostic mammogram takes longer than a screening mammogram because it involves more x-rays in order to obtain views of the breast from several angles. The technician may magnify a suspicious area to produce a detailed picture that can help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis.


http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/screening-mammograms

They did already know about the lump when I went in. But the lump is close to the outside of my breast and I have small breasts, so I have a feeling it wouldn't have made it in the picture when they were squishing them in there. I don't know though bc they did do a sonogram too.

Linda

justam wrote:

I had my first one this morning. It hurt!

I can't believe I was stressed out about this though. It was really no big deal.

The hardest thing about it was giving up caffeine for two weeks ahead of time. (And really, that wasn't so bad...)

whatever you do, JUST DON'T LOOK!!!!!!

kcherub

Linda wrote:

whatever you do, JUST DON'T LOOK!!!!!!

Hahahaha! That's soooo true!!!

PJaddicted

This is what I'm getting from now on....

http://www.thermologyonline.org/Breast/breast_thermography_what.htm

kcherub

PJaddicted wrote:

This is what I'm getting from now on....

http://www.thermologyonline.org/Breast/breast_thermography_what.htm

Yeah, it would be nice if they offered that up consistently. Even with my history, I haven't been sent for one. Or, an MRI. However, the MRI can give a lot of false positives, so it's not routine. I suppose I could ask for one, as they will pretty much give me any scan I ask for now, but I don't know if I want to go through another week of being scared sh*tless.

I may ask about the thermo test when I have my next mammogram. Um, in about a week!