Mammograms - please spread the word

mamolady
mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I have been hearing from patients that doctors are discouraging getting mammos before 50 and every year. Most people will put off a mammo for any excuse. Personally, I was diagnosed at 47 just a month after my little sister's doctor told her she doesn't need a mammo every year just because our older sister was diagnosed at 30.

Please, please tell women that the ACS still recommends women over 40 get a yearly mammo. Stay up on the clinical breast exam and monthly self exam. Most of the women I know personally with breast cancer were diagnosed before 50. All but mine and my sisters were caught with the mammo. Hopefully, the government will change their story before too many cancers are missed.

Thanks,
Cindy

Comments

  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #2
    You know, this makes me so angry
    Perhaps those politicians would change their tune if one of their mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, or perhaps themselves was diagnosed before age 50. Oh, no, wait--a lot of them wouldn't have the same healthcare benefits as we do--they all have their "special" plan which covers basically anything for the rest of their lives. Sorry, don't mean to get political, but I've seen way too many young woman diagnosed with this disease.

    It seems criminal to make such a suggestion.

    I, for one, would oppose this in any way I can. We women (and responsible men) have got to make our voices heard. Thanks for bringing this up, Cindy. Two of my best friends in California are mammo techs and the number of younger women they are seeing with breast cancer on a daily basis is appalling--I'm sure you deal with the very same thing.

    Hugs, Renee
  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #3
    If You Have Breast....
    Since there isn't any age qualification, if you have breast you can develop breast cancer. It is hard to believe that they are still saying over 40. If there is any family history, stay diligent and have a scan.

    I agree.

    Doris
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #4
    I too was under 50 when
    I too was under 50 when diagnosed
  • fighting4five
    fighting4five Member Posts: 71
    #5
    disneyfan2008 said:

    I too was under 50 when
    I too was under 50 when diagnosed

    I am only 38 years old...I
    I am only 38 years old...I did weekly self breast exams. Went to my PCP Doctor a few times over the years because I felt lumps and he never once sent to for a mammogram or ultrasound. He even told me that Breast cancer lumps will not move and they do not hurt.Which I have found to be the wrong information.I changed doctors and when I went for my lumps she sent me immediatly for mammogram and ultrasound. It angers me that Doctors give incorrect information. I think that at the least a Breast ultrasound should be given when you go for your physical.
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #6
    missrenee said:

    You know, this makes me so angry
    Perhaps those politicians would change their tune if one of their mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, or perhaps themselves was diagnosed before age 50. Oh, no, wait--a lot of them wouldn't have the same healthcare benefits as we do--they all have their "special" plan which covers basically anything for the rest of their lives. Sorry, don't mean to get political, but I've seen way too many young woman diagnosed with this disease.

    It seems criminal to make such a suggestion.

    I, for one, would oppose this in any way I can. We women (and responsible men) have got to make our voices heard. Thanks for bringing this up, Cindy. Two of my best friends in California are mammo techs and the number of younger women they are seeing with breast cancer on a daily basis is appalling--I'm sure you deal with the very same thing.

    Hugs, Renee

    they wont change their tune, they work for the Insurance companies! I was diagnosed at 42.
    I am waiting to hear them make the announcement that men should wait to have their prostrates checked till they are older!

    This for me goes along with the bill boards stating that breast cancer is 99% curable, which I guess would explain why there is so little research and funding for advanced breast cancer(less than 3 % of all the monies collected goes to adv research).

    Thanks for bringing this back into the spotlight, unfortunately our numbers are growing and it will take each of us helping to educate other women on the importance of mammograms!

    ~Carol
  • Toni_W
    Toni_W Member Posts: 2
    #7
    I agree!!!
    Cindy,

    I couldn't agree with you more. My mother was 41 years old when she died from Stage IV breast cancer. As one of her three daughters, I reeled about that fact for a couple of years before I got it together. I was 23 years old when I first complained to my MILITARY DOC that my left breast ached for no reason. His prescription was "lay off the caffeine." Admittedly, I was a caffeine junkie back then, but I was also in tip-top shape and very young. Did I mention that my Mom died way too young and for a southern woman with generous hips, she was also in good shape??? Yeah, so I snapped at my Military Doc and they threw some pain meds at me that I refused to take. After a while, I wondered if it was just in my head. The pain was off and on, and then the lump was here one month and gone the next. I was afraid that I was getting paranoid because I lost my Mom so young. Fast forward to my 35th birthday and I am singing the birthday song to myself in the shower, when lo and behold, I feel another lump. Not just the "maybe it is, maybe it's not" lump, but the biggest lump that I ever felt. I left the shower and made a same-day appt with my OB/GYN. Needless to say, two follow-ups, a mammogram AND a MRI later, it was Stage II. There I was 35 years old, hearing "no, no it's all in your head" for TWELVE YEARS; and now, it's cancer. My battle was awful; a pure pain in the butt. Chemo, blood transfusions, rads, hysterectomy, no HRT (triple negative bc, of course), genetic testing, etc. Five years later, I am here; just now at the age that we are ENCOURAGING folks to get mammograms and I have already lived a full life of cancer treatment. My thoughts are: REGARDLESS of your age, NOBODY KNOWS YOUR BODY BETTER THAN YOU. It is your right to survive and to MAKE THEM LISTEN TO YOU!! I pray long life to all of my fellow survivors and know that no matter what crap this world throws at you, you are in this to WIN!!!

    Thanks,

    Toni
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #8
    Cindy,
    I have always been an advocate of Mammograms, early and regularly. I think 30 would be a good age to start annual mammos, although I know cancer strikes younger women. A base at 18 should be the norm.

    My daughter is 23 and I have encouraged and begged her to ask for a mammo. She is very big breasted - doesn't get it from me! - and has had a few issues. She has had lumps in her underarm and had an ultrasound today - all clear! Phew!!! I think it has made her aware of what if now that there is a history. No one in the family except me.

    Sue
  • Tkitty
    Tkitty Member Posts: 56
    #9
    sbmly53 said:

    Cindy,
    I have always been an advocate of Mammograms, early and regularly. I think 30 would be a good age to start annual mammos, although I know cancer strikes younger women. A base at 18 should be the norm.

    My daughter is 23 and I have encouraged and begged her to ask for a mammo. She is very big breasted - doesn't get it from me! - and has had a few issues. She has had lumps in her underarm and had an ultrasound today - all clear! Phew!!! I think it has made her aware of what if now that there is a history. No one in the family except me.

    Sue

    mammograms
    I was diagnosed at 50. My screening mammogram reports stated I had dense breasts and a sonogram was advised. My doctor didn't order, but neither did I insist on it. I found my lump by self examination and went in for it to be checked. I've been undergoing treatment ever since. I will never be complacent ever again on this. I don't know how anyone can determine that mammograms aren't necessary. Have they really looked at all the women with breast cancer?
    I am the first in my family to have breast cancer. No family history. I have alerted any of my family that will listen that they need to have their mammograms, but also need to self check.
  • pscheer
    pscheer Member Posts: 56 Member
    #10
    My mammogram is how my
    My mammogram is how my cancer was found. Year after year, I got my mammogram. One year, it found cancer. I was getting chemo when the news started saying mammos weren't needed. I was too sick to do anything at that time, but months later, I did something. I looked in the local newspaper and noticed that one Dr. who I happened to know wrote a weekly article. I emailed him that and asked him to tell people to get mammos. He told me to write a 500 work or less article and he published it in place of his article the next week. He also made the title about cancer, attitude and mammograms. Then he put my article and he finished it with a comment that he I was his friend and I continued to work even during treatment. It made me very proud. I had several strangers contact me after the article. Then, I posted a link to the article on facebook. You are right, we should tell everyone we can to get mammograms.
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    #11
    fighting4five said:

    I am only 38 years old...I
    I am only 38 years old...I did weekly self breast exams. Went to my PCP Doctor a few times over the years because I felt lumps and he never once sent to for a mammogram or ultrasound. He even told me that Breast cancer lumps will not move and they do not hurt.Which I have found to be the wrong information.I changed doctors and when I went for my lumps she sent me immediatly for mammogram and ultrasound. It angers me that Doctors give incorrect information. I think that at the least a Breast ultrasound should be given when you go for your physical.

    There are so many young
    There are so many young women that are getting bc now, that I have always believed that every woman should at the least, get a baseline mammo at 30 and follow up with another one every five years.

Discussion Boards