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Well, something to think about again. I'm still in the same place, no mammograms here. But do the breast health I feel is right for me. I had a couple in my early 50's and none since, I'm 80.
My wife is real regular about hers. It caught her breast cancer early. She had been getting them yearly despite some saying every two years was fine. I’m thankful she was conscientious about it.
She did self exams and could not feel anything. After the mammogram came back the docs examined her and could not feel anything. They did an ultrasound and couldn’t see anything either. They finally did a biopsy and it was definitely cancer but low grade/stage so they did a simple lumpectomy. The surgeon however routinely takes two “sentinel” lymph nodes....what do you know. One of them also had a tumor, the same size as the primary and it had already eroded through the wall of the lymph node. Back in for a second surgery to remove more lymph nodes and tissue. Anyway, she’s 4 1/2 years out now, still has 5 1/2 more years of hormone therapy after the chemo and radiation treatments.
All these preventative/screening type things involve risk vs. benefit assessments. Like I said though, I’m very thankful she was conscientious about it.
My wife is real regular about hers. It caught her breast cancer early. She had been getting them yearly despite some saying every two years was fine. I’m thankful she was conscientious about it.
She did self exams and could not feel anything. After the mammogram came back the docs examined her and could not feel anything. They did an ultrasound and couldn’t see anything either. They finally did a biopsy and it was definitely cancer but low grade/stage so they did a simple lumpectomy. The surgeon however routinely takes two “sentinel” lymph nodes....what do you know. One of them also had a tumor, the same size as the primary and it had already eroded through the wall of the lymph node. Back in for a second surgery to remove more lymph nodes and tissue. Anyway, she’s 4 1/2 years out now, still has 5 1/2 more years of hormone therapy after the chemo and radiation treatments.
All these preventative/screening type things involve risk vs. benefit assessments. Like I said though, I’m very thankful she was conscientious about it.
Whatever your wife chooses is just fine...she and a huge majority of women. But not for me.
And MAYBE as I've said if thermography were insurance covered I MIGHT do them, but I have good faith that I'm fine with what I do....grape seed ex and iodine. Does your wife do those 2? Do some research on these two and breast health...it's out there. What the mamm world doesn't want women to know.
I fear the mamm tests and don't want chemo and radiation in my body. There is plenty of info on the harm from these iron lung tests as I call them. Smashing our breasts like pancakes.
None of mother and sisters were put thru these, they were not part of medicine then. It's us, their daughters that were born when mamms were born.
A friend who is now 92 did them until probably 85 or so and dreaded everyone of them and once we met and got to talking about it all, and what I told her, she could only say, oh I wish I knew you earlier and we discussed this . I believe there is even a cut off age when they stop doing them but they continued to do them on her, making every buck they could.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 01-14-2019 at 01:55 PM..
I am 70. Never had a mammogram. How long do I have????? lol As a genealogist, I know of no woman in my family who ever died of breast cancer.
I have had two friends who died of breast cancer. They got mammograms in their 30's because of family history of breast cancer. It did neither of them any good getting mammograms early in life. One died in her 40's and the other in her 50's. There is NO CURE. Maybe they will invent some vaccine (?) in the future future for ALL females to take. Bye, bye.
I am 70. Never had a mammogram. How long do I have????? lol As a genealogist, I know of no woman in my family who ever died of breast cancer.
I have had two friends who died of breast cancer. They got mammograms in their 30's because of family history of breast cancer. It did neither of them any good getting mammograms early in life. One died in her 40's and the other in her 50's. There is NO CURE. Maybe they will invent some vaccine (?) in the future future for ALL females to take. Bye, bye.
Breast cancer is curable. Mine was cured. It just needs to be found early enough. Mammograms help with that.
Getting or not getting mammograms will neither increase nor decrease your life expectancy if you are one of the 88% of women who never get breast cancer.
Statistically you have about 14 years left. Bye, bye.
Breast cancer is curable. Mine was cured. It just needs to be found early enough. Mammograms help with that.
Getting or not getting mammograms will neither increase nor decrease your life expectancy if you are one of the 88% of women who never get breast cancer.
Statistically you have about 14 years left. Bye, bye.
My aunt has a family history of breast cancer as well. At around 65, women in her family tend to get breast cancer. So she got screened regularly and sure enough, she had breast cancer at around age 65. She is now about 75 and doing fine, although she is a little weaker after the chemotherapy. She and my uncle travel internationally to places with more limited medical care and are fine. I am sure she is happy that the testing options are there for her so she could live a longer, healthier life.
My wife is real regular about hers. It caught her breast cancer early. She had been getting them yearly despite some saying every two years was fine. I’m thankful she was conscientious about it.
She did self exams and could not feel anything. After the mammogram came back the docs examined her and could not feel anything. They did an ultrasound and couldn’t see anything either. They finally did a biopsy and it was definitely cancer but low grade/stage so they did a simple lumpectomy. The surgeon however routinely takes two “sentinel” lymph nodes....what do you know. One of them also had a tumor, the same size as the primary and it had already eroded through the wall of the lymph node. Back in for a second surgery to remove more lymph nodes and tissue. Anyway, she’s 4 1/2 years out now, still has 5 1/2 more years of hormone therapy after the chemo and radiation treatments.
All these preventative/screening type things involve risk vs. benefit assessments. Like I said though, I’m very thankful she was conscientious about it.
I just have to ask. If neither your wife, or her doctors could feel any lumps or abnormalities, couldn't see anything on a mammogram or ultrasound, how could they know where to do the biopsy?
But to go ahead after the breast digital exams, as well as the testing gave negative results, they must have had a high index of suspicion that there was some abnormality there. I'm wondering what that could have been. Otherwise they'd have just reported all results as "normal", or negative.
I am 70. Never had a mammogram. How long do I have????? lol As a genealogist, I know of no woman in my family who ever died of breast cancer.
I have had two friends who died of breast cancer. They got mammograms in their 30's because of family history of breast cancer. It did neither of them any good getting mammograms early in life. One died in her 40's and the other in her 50's. There is NO CURE. Maybe they will invent some vaccine (?) in the future future for ALL females to take. Bye, bye.
There's always a first. No one in my known family diagnosed with or died of breast cancer either. I was diagnosed at age 36....no known risk factors, healthy as a horse, and yes, BEFORE I'd even had any of those evil mammograms. Who the heck knows why and frankly, it doesn't really matter does it? Have to say I'm pretty pleased having those extra 20+ years because it was found when it was.
I just have to ask. If neither your wife, or her doctors could feel any lumps or abnormalities, couldn't see anything on a mammogram or ultrasound, how could they know where to do the biopsy?
Unfortunately ultrasounds don't always find them just as mammograms don't. Neither test is infallible. Many early stage tumors are so small they can't be felt. They may have found a "suspicious" area with micro-calcifications on a mammogram, but confirmed the biopsy location using stereotactic guided imagery. It can be very precise.
Last edited by Parnassia; 01-14-2019 at 03:16 PM..
I am 70. Never had a mammogram. How long do I have????? lol As a genealogist, I know of no woman in my family who ever died of breast cancer.
I have had two friends who died of breast cancer. They got mammograms in their 30's because of family history of breast cancer. It did neither of them any good getting mammograms early in life. One died in her 40's and the other in her 50's. There is NO CURE. Maybe they will invent some vaccine (?) in the future future for ALL females to take. Bye, bye.
Jo, my good friend is 76 and never done one and as I said none of the women in my family in generations before me.
And thanks for the lovely rep on congratulating me on being 80....it is quite a crossroad in my one's life.
Unfortunately ultrasounds don't always find them just as mammograms don't. Neither test is infallible. Many early stage tumors are so small they can't be felt. They may have found a "suspicious" area with micro-calcifications on a mammogram, but confirmed the biopsy location using stereotactic guided imagery. It can be very precise.
Thanks for the explanations. This, as well as the info in your previous response to my questions, make sense. A "suspicious area", or possibly microcalcifications seen on the mammogram, marking the location, which is confirmed by stereotactic guided imagery.
Must read about stereotactic guided imagery.
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