Today was a special occasion for me.
I had my first mammogram. And a half. They took a second set of scans of my left breast for thoroughness. I am not sure if they charge extra for that or not.
I now understand why women put this off. It sucks. It hurts. Your breast gets pressed between two plates then you hold your breath while the image is preserved for posterity. There is pretty much no part of the experience that is pleasant except for the relaxing music being played in the exam room, which is probably based on research of alpha brain waves and lowering anxiety or some such nonsense.
The mammogram is important, though, and since I have been having quite a bit of tenderness on the left side, I went to the doctor yesterday and she recommended getting a baseline mammogram done.
I have known for several years that I have fibrocystic breasts which are always lumpy, worse before my period. It makes breast self examination more difficult but still important. The doctor found several lumps on each side, which today I was told are just cysts that are normal for my kind of breast tissue. I had ultrasounds done following the mammogram which did not show anything that needed to be removed or large enough to be drained. Because after squishing my boobs between two plates, I was really wanting someone to rub a wand all over them, too?
Avoid caffeine, wear bras that provide good support (even when you sleep), and try some heating pads for the pain. That was the advice I was given. No caffeine? Are you serious? Did you not see my post about caffeine? Here: http://open.salon.com/blog/nurseliz/2009/06/28/how_my_hardcore_addiction_ruined_my_life_last_week
It's better than a cancer diagnosis, but after two hours in their office, and more pain now than when I walked in their door, I am considering telling them they should rename their office the Breast Torture Center.
Go torture yourself, too. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
P.S. This woman is only smiling because she has been drugged.
Below: Okay, hold still while I lower that plate down until your breast has less than an inch to breathe. Great. Thanks.
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As for the caffeine, I heard years ago that caffeine is bad for women's breasts. I later read that the rumor was so prevalent that a major multi-year, multi-country epidemiological study had diverted some effort to looking at it, and found there is no statistical link between caffeine consumption and breast cancer. On the other hand, people who drink decaf have more heart attacks.
In high school, when I played sports they used to make the basketball team lineup in the gym in our underwear only and have nurses go around and do the squeeze and cough test. Now what the hell were they thinking?! Oh, and it didn't matter how cold the gym was!
Rated
It's got to be done, it's just too bad it hurts so bad. They should really recommend pre-medicating for pain or at least acknowledging that it is an uncomfortable procedure.
But they're just as necessary. Cancer sucks worse.
Liz, not to scare you, but a word of warning. My mother also died from (complications of) breast cancer. When she was diagnosed, she said "I knew there was something going on. For the past three years, they made me come back a week later to re-do the one on that side." By the time they decided it was something important, the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes, making it much harder to treat. She was a "breast cancer survivor" because she lived past the 5-year mark. It was 6 years after her diagnosis that she died (after it spread to her liver).
Two of my sisters have had masses detected, and both had an immediate biopsy. So far, not cancer. I'm certainly expecting my turn, where I plan to do the same - immediate biopsy. Screw the "watchful waiting" madness.
catnmus - the main reason I went to the ob in the first place was to rule out cancer, but now that the 'gram is over, I still have my original problem with no solution. The tech said I just have lumpy breasts, which I have been told before anyway. Well, now they are lumpy *and* they hurt (a change in the last couple months) but other than a heat pack, I am not sure what I am supposed to do.
P.S. I may be headed toward your area next week on my way to Kansas!
Anyway, I'm very surprised that they wouldn't at least do a biopsy. If it were me, I would get a second opinion. It just doesn't sound right to me. Only one side? Sudden onset? And all they're saying is "cut out the caffeine"? Wouldn't caffeine affect them both similarly?
Are people who drink decaf more likely to kill their co-workers? No, on second thought, probably not because they lack the fortitude.
Ha! I think the HIGHLY caffeinated people are the most likely, the ones who twitch and jitter.
Caffeine or no caffeine. My breasts say, "Caffeine! Caffeine!"