Mammogram today :(

[kmm111]

I've been doing so well with my HA but today is tough because I have my annual mammogram today. In the past I've had benign calcifications and cysts. I am so scared they will find something that needs to be biopsied. I just turned 40 so how do I deal with this every year for the rest of my life? I felt my breasts last night and my left breast felt a lot lumpier than my right.

Just looking for reassurance, please.

[nicole97]

How did it go?? I have mine today. I have the same as you, cysts, lumps, etc. Also just turned 40 a few months ago. Had one last year that was clear (I mean, I have a LOT of scarring and fibrocystic lumps, but clear of anything suspicious). Still kind of freaking out.

[Weasley123]

I have aot of the same fears. Im 39 no kids by choice and like my wine and am on bcp pills . Ive read alot of the new research indicating mammograms dont prevent deaths. Ive already decides to forgo screening until im 45 pr 50 if at all regardless of what my gyno says. Msybe its my iatrophobia, fear of drs, but mt mind is made up

[kmm111]

How did it go?? I have mine today. I have the same as you, cysts, lumps, etc. Also just turned 40 a few months ago. Had one last year that was clear (I mean, I have a LOT of scarring and fibrocystic lumps, but clear of anything suspicious). Still kind of freaking out.

How did yours go? Mine was normal, thank goodness. I know to never again schedule mine for 4pm. Waiting all day was torture!

[NancyW]

I'm with you on that. I have never had one and I'm 57.

I'm more concerned with the repeated radiation, false positives and emotional torture.

And now research is finding out that many of the dcsi cancers never would have amounted to anything. May even resolve themselves.

I have a bit of an issue with over diagnosing and over treating.

[Weasley123]

Nancy W im so glad someone agrees with me. My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer she found between mammograns at 51 that along with what i read makes ne wuestion. Now i have a co-worker abd dear friend age 60 diagnosed with stage 0 cancer whose being told she must take tamoxifen for 5 years and possibly get radiation. That and my severe doctor phobia and the fact that my blood pressure will sky rocket at any drs office and im not taking meds for that as its anxiety makes me tend to avoid svreenings. If i feel.unwell ill go

[NancyW]

Weasley .. my sister had a clear mammogram in March, felt a lump 3 months later, it was breast cancer. In the end, they told her it took approximately 10 years for this to develop. What the hell?

That said.. I know 3 women personally that got breast cancer after taking progesterone, (including my sister) so no hormones for me - ever.

Is it a guarantee? No - but I'm not going to risk it.

[Weasley123]

I am on bcp so that worries my but im so scared of going throygh perimenopause

[nicole97]

kmm, so glad yours was normal!!! I won't know about mine until tomorrow. They did a 3D one because that's what I had last time (lumpy and dense plus a lot of scar tissue from previous surgery)

I don't intend on doing mammograms every year, that's for sure, but probably every few years.

[NancyW]

I am on bcp so that worries my but im so scared of going through perimenopause

(I'm sorry to thread jack :-( )


Weasley why are you so scared of perimenopause? It's a normal occurrence? It's not particularly fun, but it's doable and it's self-limiting.

[Weasley123]

Im scared ill overreact to the symptoms so the gyno prescrubed me bcp because i wont experience itbtyen he says. I never have had symptoms i went on bcp about 3 years ago age 36 also he says they protec5 against ovarian cancer which i was nervous about at thevtime. Also i dont wantbkids and still neef some form of birth cintrol

[AussieWorrier]

I'm with you on that. I have never had one and I'm 57.

I'm more concerned with the repeated radiation, false positives and emotional torture.

And now research is finding out that many of the dcsi cancers never would have amounted to anything. May even resolve themselves.

I have a bit of an issue with over diagnosing and over treating.
I agree. Im 51 and Ive had 2 mammgrams and the last one was 2 and half years ago. I refuse to do it anymore. My mother is 75 and she has breast cancer and they scare me into having a mammo (my mum never had one in her life). I was told it makes no difference and Im not exposing my breasts to radiation anymore !

[kmm111]

I personally think the recommended (in the US at least) annual mammogram over age 40 is a bit too much. I have read about so many people who are diagnosed after having normal mammograms! And the exposure to radiation and stress it causes...
I have extremely dense breasts so I am pretty much convinced that if I ever do have a problem, it won't show up on a mammogram anyway.