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I have very dense breast tissue. The denseness makes it more difficult to interpret the mammogram. That's not a bad thing. And it's certainly NO REASON to avoid having a mammogram. You are absolutely wrong about being warned against having a mammogram if you have dense breast tissue. As a matter of fact, people with dense breasts have a higher incidence of breast cancer.
Mammograms are rough. I'm not going to lie to you. And no handler is more gentle or rough. If you have dense breasts or small breasts, it's going to hurt no matter what. You'll live through it, I assure you. I can't assure you that you'll live through breast cancer that isn't detected until late stages because you avoided having mammograms.
What improves the accuracy of mammograms is having a past mammogram for comparison.
Do you want to know what's scariest about breast cancer statistics? They promote family history as being so vitally important, but people with family history of breast cancer make of a small percentage of the people who have breast cancer. That means that many people walk around with false sense of security because they don't have a family history. Meanwhile, YOU have family history which is a super big deal.
I think it's irrational crazy to believe mammograms cause breast cancer. It reminds me of people who think flu shots give the flu. It's easy to come up with a random article that supports your beliefs. But it's your life. If that's how you want to die, so be it. The sad thing is that you could live. If you have breast cancer and it's caught early, you won't even have to lose a breast. It's your choice to risk a terrible death. I wish you the best with that.
The last time I had one the machine stopped working in the down position. I haven't had one for several years as I think I would rather have the ultrasound done instead of going through that again. Kaiser uses very old equipment and their workers act like it is a big joke.
I had my overdue mammogram 2 weeks ago. The results were "normal - no density." I wasn't surprised, but I was glad to get the confirmation. It'd been 3 years since I'd had one. That one was also normal. But the one before it was abnormal and there was a lump. They went to do a needle biopsy of it, but by the time the appointment came, the lump had dissolved. Thankfully, it was just a little cyst. Two years before THAT, I had three lumps -removed- in a lumpectomy. The doctor had only planned on removing the ONE lump that she had seen in the mammogram and ultrasound. But when she made the cut, she saw two more and yanked those too. All three were benign. But - one of them was big enough that if it had grown much more it would've started pressing on some lymph nodes and I would've been pretty sore.
What gets me is all those TV promos that show the woman getting a mammogram. Where do they get those people? Does some guy just follow patients around with cameras, and there you find yourself on the 6-oclock news? Really, do we need to see it over and over? I really prefer my privacy. wonder if they get a discount or should get the test for free for being a part of the advertisement!
I started at age 40 and got a couple or a few (can't recall) before I wised up. I did some online research and concluded for myself, that it was counterproductive for me to believe my breasts were ticking time bombs. I would rather think of myself as healthy.
I also have a colonoscopy due and do not want to do it (have had several) . . .have read negative stuff about the scope and the chance of damaging the intestines and the negative effects of the drugs they prescribe for the clean-out (prep) on kidneys.
I usually get one every year or every other year. I'm high risk for it. I had a friend on HRT that missed a year and guess what? Yep she had stage 3 breast cancer. If she would have gotten her annual screening it would have been detected early. I'll be surprised if she makes it to the five year mark cancer free. I'll be getting my mammogram soon.
You have to decide for yourself.
I'm 70 and I had one.....once...can't even remember how many years ago.
That was back when I 'mostly' did whatever the doc said to do....must have seen the doc that year for some reason..
I don't like them but I get one every few years and always have. I'm 70 now and no cancer. My first colonoscopy found 2 pre-cancerous polyps. I do my recommended screening.
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