First Mammogram?

susie09
susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I won't have my first mammogram for a few months yet. I am still too new from surgery, but, they said usually 6 months after surgery you have one done. That seems a little soon to me and I don't even want to think about the pain it will cause. Has anyone waited longer and postponed it? I would like to. Thanks!

Comments

  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #2
    Hi Susie
    Don't cancel, you need to keep a check on things. Tell the tech that you are just 6 months from surgery and that you are still very tender. They will be gentle with you. Hope every thing goes good for you. Six months is pretty routine.

    Hugs
    Jadie<3
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    #3
    Jadie said:

    Hi Susie
    Don't cancel, you need to keep a check on things. Tell the tech that you are just 6 months from surgery and that you are still very tender. They will be gentle with you. Hope every thing goes good for you. Six months is pretty routine.

    Hugs
    Jadie<3</p>

    mam after 6 mo?
    I think I had a MRI, not a mam. Of course, that was 2 years ago. I would ask your onc if a MRI would be equivalent to a mam. Just a thought.
    dmc
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #4
    first mammo
    I didn't have mine until two years after surgery, but they did want me to have one after a year. The first is usually a diagnostic, which is a little easier than a regular one (from what I have been told). Six months does seem soon, but if you can't handle it, yell loudly.

    =^..^=
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #5
    Here's a shocker....
    I will be having one 3 months after surgery!! I see my Surgical Oncologist in 2 1/2 more months and he would like to do one if I am up to it. Even if I don't want to I have decided to pop a pain pill and go for it! I don't want to miss any opertunities for anything!! :) Pammy
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #6
    Akiss4me said:

    Here's a shocker....
    I will be having one 3 months after surgery!! I see my Surgical Oncologist in 2 1/2 more months and he would like to do one if I am up to it. Even if I don't want to I have decided to pop a pain pill and go for it! I don't want to miss any opertunities for anything!! :) Pammy

    wow Pammy in 3 months? I
    wow Pammy in 3 months? I know I would not be ready for one that soon. I am still so sore. I can't even begin to think that I will at 6 months. I will do it, but, just probably not that soon. They have to understand the pain we are in. Good luck to you Pammy!
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    #7
    susie09 said:

    wow Pammy in 3 months? I
    wow Pammy in 3 months? I know I would not be ready for one that soon. I am still so sore. I can't even begin to think that I will at 6 months. I will do it, but, just probably not that soon. They have to understand the pain we are in. Good luck to you Pammy!

    Pammy and Susie...
    these mams, so soon after surgery, are very new to me. Is this a new practice, or is every onc that different in his/her approach?

    I wish you both well. If this was me, I know I would be popping more than one pain reliever. I would have to be carried in and then held up for my mam. I hate pain, my threshold is extremely low!
    dmc
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    #8
    dmc_emmy said:

    Pammy and Susie...
    these mams, so soon after surgery, are very new to me. Is this a new practice, or is every onc that different in his/her approach?

    I wish you both well. If this was me, I know I would be popping more than one pain reliever. I would have to be carried in and then held up for my mam. I hate pain, my threshold is extremely low!
    dmc

    No-Way!
    My onco (Dr. Charisma-Bypass) ordered me to take a mammo just over a year out of surgery. I sat here and panicked for hours, then phoned to cancel my onco altogether..I spoke to his nurse and she told me not to have the mammo if I knew I couldn't handle it but to keep the scheduled appointment. So I did, I fully expected him to toss me out on my ear for not following his instructions... But he was really nice about it, he said to just go for one when you think you can stand it...BUT he did say that it was beneficial to my health ... I'm still mulling it over 6 months later.

    Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #9
    tasha_111 said:

    No-Way!
    My onco (Dr. Charisma-Bypass) ordered me to take a mammo just over a year out of surgery. I sat here and panicked for hours, then phoned to cancel my onco altogether..I spoke to his nurse and she told me not to have the mammo if I knew I couldn't handle it but to keep the scheduled appointment. So I did, I fully expected him to toss me out on my ear for not following his instructions... But he was really nice about it, he said to just go for one when you think you can stand it...BUT he did say that it was beneficial to my health ... I'm still mulling it over 6 months later.

    Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    My oncologist said probably
    My oncologist said probably 6 months after my lumpectomy. But, if I am not ready for it, I won't do it. You can always delay it.
  • Derbygirl
    Derbygirl Member Posts: 198
    #10
    My first mammogram was
    My first mammogram was scheduled six months after radiation (nearly 10 months post-surgery). I would let the technician know if you are concerned and especially if there is discomfort - they're usually pretty understanding. It wasn't too painful for me and compression only lasted a few seconds. What a relief when it was done and there was no evidence of disease!
  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #11
    Derbygirl said:

    My first mammogram was
    My first mammogram was scheduled six months after radiation (nearly 10 months post-surgery). I would let the technician know if you are concerned and especially if there is discomfort - they're usually pretty understanding. It wasn't too painful for me and compression only lasted a few seconds. What a relief when it was done and there was no evidence of disease!

    Ouch!
    I don't want to even think about that first one yet. Although, my oncologist keeps bringing it up. But, as he said, we will have it done when I feel comfortable about it. He would like it to be done 6 months after my last rads treatment. Good luck to you when you have it done and if you don't feel like it, just cancel. Do it when you feel ready. And, I am sure the tech's will be gentle with us. If not, I do know how to kick. :)
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #12
    dmc_emmy said:

    Pammy and Susie...
    these mams, so soon after surgery, are very new to me. Is this a new practice, or is every onc that different in his/her approach?

    I wish you both well. If this was me, I know I would be popping more than one pain reliever. I would have to be carried in and then held up for my mam. I hate pain, my threshold is extremely low!
    dmc

    Does sound soon, but
    I know it does sound soon, but I have usually had a mammo 3-6 months after each one of my lumpectomies. They were never much sorer than normal. Of course, how would I know? I usually had them done while I was pretty blasted!! But I would do them monthly if they wanted to only because I would want to catch any new or reoccurent BC the minute it could be spotted. I must be a sucker for punishment!! (ha, ha) :) Pammy
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #13
    Kristin N said:

    Ouch!
    I don't want to even think about that first one yet. Although, my oncologist keeps bringing it up. But, as he said, we will have it done when I feel comfortable about it. He would like it to be done 6 months after my last rads treatment. Good luck to you when you have it done and if you don't feel like it, just cancel. Do it when you feel ready. And, I am sure the tech's will be gentle with us. If not, I do know how to kick. :)

    Mammo?
    I am suppose to have one 6 months after the finishing of my rads too. It

    isn't scheduled yet, but, that is the plan. So, I still have several months to heal more. I

    will also just wait and see how I feel. If I don't feel ready or still am too sore, I will

    delay it also a little longer. They also want me to have another MRI. Hated the first one,

    so, not looking forward to that one hour again. Hopefully, my hubby will stand there again

    and rub my foot and leg. That did help! : ) Good luck!
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #14
    Jeanne D said:

    Mammo?
    I am suppose to have one 6 months after the finishing of my rads too. It

    isn't scheduled yet, but, that is the plan. So, I still have several months to heal more. I

    will also just wait and see how I feel. If I don't feel ready or still am too sore, I will

    delay it also a little longer. They also want me to have another MRI. Hated the first one,

    so, not looking forward to that one hour again. Hopefully, my hubby will stand there again

    and rub my foot and leg. That did help! : ) Good luck!

    My oncologist said to have
    My oncologist said to have my first mammo done around the same time that I was diagnosed. This would be about 6 months after rads ended. I know they vary on the time frame. It might have to do with stage, grade, how agressive the the cancer is, or it might just be the various opinions of the different centers, doctors, etc. I agree that we should go when we are comfortable but not delay too long. Stef
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #15
    fauxma said:

    My oncologist said to have
    My oncologist said to have my first mammo done around the same time that I was diagnosed. This would be about 6 months after rads ended. I know they vary on the time frame. It might have to do with stage, grade, how agressive the the cancer is, or it might just be the various opinions of the different centers, doctors, etc. I agree that we should go when we are comfortable but not delay too long. Stef

    Yes, I agree too about
    Yes, I agree too about waiting until we are comfortable to do one. So, I will see. If I feel ready, I will do it, but, if I don't, I will just delay it. Right now, there is no way I could do that. Thanks all!

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