this is why I hate the daily mail potential trigger

[Weasley123]

Articles like this
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4217718/Courteney-Cox-52-fit-black-bikini.html

I'm torn between terror and amusement at the tasteful photo. I had a mammo last year after feeling a lump and though the lump was nothing I got a letter required by ny state law that my breasts where dense. I don't know how dense. I know it's common and very common u set 50 and I don't know if ,one where extremely dense. Or moderately. The lump was nothing and went away. I am still scared by the letter. I know my mom has dense breasts she's 70 and my aunt had bc at 50. Not much family history that letter is a constant scare at the back of my mind. I've read a ton on msmmograns and the new recommendations suggesting starting at 45. My inclination is to start then rather then 40 due to my terror of the test and false positives. Is dense tissue meaningful if your under 40 what do you guys think. I think my Dr thinks everyone should be screened yearly at 40 but that's against new guidelines

[PASchoolSyndrome]

I guess I don't understand the point of the article? Did you mean to copy and paste that one?

I have dense breast tissue and I'm 23. My mother also has breast dense tissue. It's a normal variant of breast tissue and I wouldn't hold any significance to it. Just stay diligent and get any new lumps checked out (as you know 95% of the time they're nothing!) (:

[Weasley123]

Yes. I think my point is why scare mongering at every turn in the media. It really freaked me out

[Sphincterclench]

with the media if it bleeds it leads....they LOVE scaring the hell out of people.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It sells. That's the only reason.

Not everything in the DM health section is bad, they do sometimes post legitimate sources that are reported elsewhere but a lot is the rare to sell papers.

The same reason we have the media telling us it's going to be WWIII in politics.

[Sparky16]

I was just thinking earlier this evening that hypochondriacs like us should never read the Daily Mail!

Dense tissue is very common, and the letter is meant to prompt a discussion with your doctor about what he or she recommends for screening. You might end up having ultrasounds for screening instead of mammograms. However the new 3D mammography is another good alternative for dense tissue, and around here even if your insurance company won't pay for 3D, you just have to pay the difference, which is about $60.

I talked to my NP about the age recommendations, and there can be a difference between what the recommendations are and what your doctor is comfortable with. Your doctor may want you to be screened earlier because of your aunt. I started getting screened at 35 because of my family history, but mine was a lot more than just one aunt.

[Sixpack]

I live in NY state as well. I have gotten that dense breast letter a time or two. I have dense breast too. I guess I always have. I am 53 now. I usually end up with mammo and US right after. Dense breasts are very common with women under 40.

[swajj]

Mammograms become harder to read when the individual has dense breasts. Here in Australia it is common to be sent for a mammogram and ultrasound. In Australia we have a free screening program which is available to women over the age of 40. The problem is that you have to wait weeks for the results. My doctor writes me referrals to an independent practice which has 3D mammograms and you are routinely given a breast ultrasound following the mammo. I have my results within a few hours. I don't think 40 is too young to have a mammogram and ultrasound.

[SwedishGirl]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4207214/Having-dense-boobs-DOUBLES-chance-breast-cancer.html

I think this was the article in question. (Not Courtney Cox in a bikini ;-) )

[Weasley123]

Im.39. I'm really thinking to wait unt8l 46 as per ACS and get the 3d then. Have yoi guys followed the ny times articles on mammograms not reducing deaths and not benefitting until.45 or 50. I was t9kd one Aung is not a history. Also I'm not syre how meaningful dense tissue a 37 is I was that age wheh k had diagnostic. Mammogram

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Ladies please remember that it's normal to have dense breast tissue while you're younger and become less dense as we age. Many women have this "finding". Look at the bright side it helps keep your girls up!

[MyNameIsTerry]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4207214/Having-dense-boobs-DOUBLES-chance-breast-cancer.html

I think this was the article in question. (Not Courtney Cox in a bikini ;-) )

I'll be spending more time in these threads if the links are all to things like the OP posted! :roflmao:

[swajj]

I did not feel the lump in my breast and neither did the doctor. It didn't show on the mammo but it did on the ultrasound. The recommendation is that if you discover a lump you should have a mammo regardless of age. But how do you know if you have a lump if you can't feel all lumps? They are advising that unnecessary mammos might increase your risk of developing cancer because of the exposure to radiation. Elsewhere it is stated that there is no link between X-rays and cancer. It's a dilemma.