Thought that would get ya !

Ok, who isn't getting their yearly mammogram ?

Come on guys, you need to get tested!

Yearly Mammograms saved my sister, just a difference of waiting a few months and she would have died.


Mammography Rates Inch Downward Thu Jan 25, 7:00 PM ET


Summary: The latest report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that fewer American women are getting mammograms, a screening test that can find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. The finding troubles experts, who warn that skipping mammograms may eventually lead to higher death rates from breast cancer.


Why it's important: Getting regular mammograms has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths by 20%-35% in women between the ages of 50 and 69, and by about 20% in women in their 40s, according to the CDC. That's because the breast x-ray can often find a tumor long before it is big enough to be felt by a woman herself or by her doctor during a physical exam. The earlier a tumor is found, the better the chances of treating it successfully. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) and the second deadliest (only lung cancer kills more women each year). Regular mammograms are a key tool in helping women survive breast cancer.


What's already known: The American Cancer Society recommends that women who don't have any increased risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every year starting at age 40. Those with a higher-than-average risk (because of a family history of the disease or other factors) may decide to begin screening at younger ages or to have more frequent or different screening tests. During the 1990s, mammogram use rose, the CDC report says. But it dropped slightly between 1999 and 2002. The new study shows this trend continuing.


How this study was done: The current statistics for mammogram use come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a periodic phone survey of the US public. Between 2000 and 2005, women in the survey were asked whether they had ever had a mammogram, and if so, how long it had been since their last mammogram.


What was found: The percentage of women 40 and older who reported having a mammogram in the past 2 years was 76.4% in 2000, but had dropped to 74.6% by 2005. Though small, the decline was statistically significant.


"Although a 1.8% decline in mammography screening from 2000 to 2005 may not seem like much, it means that in 2005 about 1.5 million fewer women took advantage of getting this proven life-saving test," says Len Lichtenfeld, MD, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.


That's a real cause for concern, he says.


"We know that thousands of these women have a breast cancer that has not been diagnosed," says Lichtenfeld, who was not involved in the research. "By not finding that cancer at the earliest opportunity, these women risk having larger, more advanced cancers when they are ultimately discovered. They also risk poorer treatment outcomes and survival as a result of their delay."


The CDC report did not explore the reasons for the decline in mammography. But experts have some ideas about what might be behind it.


"Certainly lack of access to health care and lack of health insurance play a key role in screening rates for all cancers, including breast cancer," Lichtenfeld says. "Too few women are able to take advantage of programs such as the CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which helps women in need gain access to mammography and cervical cancer screening."


A shortage of radiologists and facilities that perform mammography may also be a factor. It's also possible that women are simply less concerned about getting their mammograms on schedule.


The bottom line: Whatever the reasons, the trend needs to be reversed.


"We need to redouble our efforts to be certain that every woman in this country is aware of the life-saving benefits from this procedure, and has access to high quality mammogram services," says Lichtenfeld. "If this downward trend continues, it is inevitable that deaths from breast cancer will eventually increase."

Mammograms and paps are two things that I put as priorities. I have to have a pap smear every four months due to cancerous cells that were found on my cervix and removed...we keep checking to make sure that they don't come back. I've been clear for eight months, and now I will only have to go twice a year! Too many of my friends have had breast cancer--one died from it six years ago and another is battling it now--so I stay on top of that. Thanks so much for posting your info and reminder! --Marilou

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If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting space.

Just got mine done at the 1st of the month

I don't do either, I have gotten the pap thing done during prenatal exams, does that count? I'm not old enough for the yearly mammograms I don't think. There are 3 generations of breast cancer on my mother's side (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother) AND my mother is an x-ray tech who is specializing in mammograms so I don't think there's going to be any way out of getting those done.

I always have a yearly pap...easy since I do not dread it at all. I love my GYN and she makes it so easy.


I have not had a mamogram, ever. I just turned 40. I will, however, make an appointment to get one done soon.

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Nutella,....
proving some of the best things in life come in a jar.

Thanks for the reminder....I'm do for the "yearly" in March, so I guess I better call soon to get a March appointment.

Do all of you do the self-exam? I'm really bad about not doing it... I remember about once every 6 months of so. Not good.

Too young for mammograms. I don't do the self exam either.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

I do my self-exam
I'm only 38.
But my Mother, about 3 years ago she had to get her left breast removed because of breast cancer
I told my doctor about my Mother, I had one mamogram ( it hurt ) when I found out about my Mom,
They didn't find anything.
I have to go back when I'm 40

If there is a history of breast cancer in your family you should get your first mammogram at age 35, then if everything is ok you start your yearly mammogram at age 40. Because my sister had breast cancer in both breasts at age 48, making it more of a chance of being hereditary, my DD's doctor insisted that she get her first mammogram at age 32.

My sister didn't have a lump, her cancer started in the milk ducts then spread outside the ducts, there was a large mass on her left side that spread to the 2 lymph-nodes under her breast. Her yearly mammogram saved her life. She's 54 now and doing good, with a perky new set of b**bs.

Most hospitals now have digital mammogram machines, they are much better at finding cancer early, especially if you have dense breasts.

That's how my mother's was, I don't think it had spread anywhere. She had that breast removed and an implant put in, and insurance covered having the other side done to match.

We have or had AFLAC insurance, I had my husband cancel it but perhaps we should keep the cancer coverage going... I'm not sure it pays enough to make up for what we pay per paycheck for it though.

What does the cancer coverage cover ?

When it comes to breast cancer most insurance companies pay for it all, I think. My sister's HMO paid for all her reconstruction, all her medical, even paid during Chemo when she had to spend time in the hospital in Quarantine because her resistance went really low.

She got 6 months of temporary disability, then went on to federal long term disability, until she was able to go back to work.

I just had my pap smear last week and currently waiting for an appointment for a mamogram (the GYN schedules it for you and they mail the appointment time to you).

Had my first one in December. Not fun like a day out shopping with the girls but certainly worth doing!


Ok ladies... get off your butts and get squished!!!

Darlene

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Sell crazy some place else, we are all stocked up here.

I have one every year since 2004 when I got ovarian cancer. Not my idea of a party, but a necessary evil, nonetheless.

Holly

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Forgiveness is love in its most noble form. -Anonymous

I used to get them faithfully, then my gyne retired. I have yet to find a replacement who will order an ultrasound as the initial mammo (my original gyne did it consistently after the baseline had to be redone -- twice) and I can't afford a second, third, or fourth test every year just because some idiot doc can't pull his head out of his rear long enough to realize that maybe, just maybe, I know my own body better than he does..... My insurance will pay 100% of ONLY ONE mammo per year (doesn't matter which kind) unless a mass is found, additional tests are out of pocket and I'm on a fixed income! It took me nearly five years of skimping on other things (like meds/utilities/food) to pay off all the bills last time an arrogant bozo decided that I had to be wrong (begging him to order the proper test for my body), that heavily sagging breasts couldn't possibly be too dense for the regular mammo to get a read.....even though I pointed out to him that they fell down after the birth of my first child when I was 18 and all the too dense to read tests began over a decade after my seventh child was born....with the most recent being the year before ~I had THREE regular ones that year before the doc got a clue~! This new doc had my complete file but it didn't matter -- he was all-knowing. Two additional tests later, including the insisted upon ultrasound that he refused to authorize until neither of the regular ones could be read, he still didn't understand. Ask if I ever went back to him again?!? They tried to entice/cajole me in the next year -- Apparently my rage the year before didn't quite register so I gave them another huge piece of my mind. Every gyne I've had an initial appointment with has said -- "that won't be necessary" sometimes stating they never do that and other times citing my droopiness as a reason to refuse the ultrasound as a first line of defense. I respond with "thank you - goodbye". I don't need a pap, my cervix is long gone. Someday I'll get a mammo again but not until I find a doctor whose brain tissue is not quite as dense as my breasts, will actually review my history AND order the correct one up front OR I've saved up enough money for at least two additional tests.

My doctor said that starting next year, I will have my baseline one done, and then from then on the fun begins!

I have a friend that had breast cancer in her late 20s, then got it 25 years later on the other side. She is still around so get your exams. Also ladies make sure your dh gets his PSA checked. The PSA (a blood test) checks for prostate cancer. 50 is the age to start but if it is in your family history it should be sooner.

I'm only 33, so I haven't had to have a mammogram yet. Hopefully I don't end up like my mom. She has a lot of cysts in her breasts (not cancerous) and has to have them aspirated (with huge needles) a few times a year becasue they fill with liquid. I do get my yearly pap though. Yuck! Mine's coming up in March. I don't care how much I like my GYN, it's just not a pleasant experience.

Gee..I happen to be having a pap tomorrow at 2pm. I haven't had one done for about 6 years. 11 years ago I also had the cancerous cell removed along with a few layers of cervix and did the many many paps. I stayed up on them until DH had a vasectomy and I didn't need birth control anymore. Bad I know.
I am almost 33 so I haven't had a mammogram yet. I do dread the squish though with these big ol' thick saggy puppies. LOL

I do what I need to stay healthy and ontop of things. I just got my 1st Mammo 2 weeks ago. I just turned 40. It really wasn't as bad as I've heard it to be. (sigh of relief). My insurance is BCBS of FL and they are HORRID when it comes to Women's Health care coverage . They treat OB/GYN visits as a visit to a specialist, even though it is a "necessary" medical visit. Pregnant, and need to see the OB every month? Well, ching... ching... pay the copay EACh time, as if you were seeing a specialist, EACH time. And, G-d forbid you have complications and need to see the OB 2x/month like I did.... Well, do the math!

In addition, my insurance DOES NOT cover Mammo's. You have to pay out-of-pocket and it gets deducted from the annual deductible. After that, they still only pay 80%. I know, I shouldn't complain, because that's far better than many people's insurance plans. But, what gets me mad is if they don't cover things like mammo's then alot of women won't do them and then the cost of late-detection breast cancer costs them SOOOO much more to cover!

It is recommended that Mammo's start at age 40. If you have a mother or g-mother who had BC before 44, you "should" get screened 5 years earlier than when they detected theirs, and then every 5 years, until you reach 40. So, if a mother had BC at 38, the daughter should be screened at 33, then again at 38, then 40. This is the info I received from my SIL, who is a BC survivor and an OB/GYN.

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~LOL~
ladyoleisure@lycos.com

Your heart understands what your head cannot yet conceive; trust your heart..

I just had my first one last year (a week before I turned 40) and have been following up with monthly ultrasounds since then. Mammograms really didn't do a thing for me since I still have such dense breasts. Anyway, I just had bilateral lumpectomies less than two weeks ago. One was benign, one was precancerous. I have NO breast cancer in my family but I am thankful I took care of myself.

The radiologist kept saying the precancer lump was a lymph node but my surgeon (I'm a nurse and work with him) just wouldn't believe it. Even when I went in on the 18th to have the guide wire placed before surgery (via ultrasound) the radiologist said, "It's a shame you're going thru all this for a simple lymph node." Well, I'm still livid about the whole thing and so is my surgeon. He sent him a copy of my path report and I will have a few words to say in the hospital survey I just received.

The surgeon knew when he opened me up it wasn't a node so I have a huge scar on my little breast. It's about 3" but is covered by my bra. The other breast has only a 1" scar (he removed a huge 3cm fibroadenoma). When I took off my bandages two days later my eyes welled with tears but I'm now healing really well and the incisions are looking great.

Because of my path report I now have to have ultrasounds and/or mammograms every 6 months for the rest of my life. Fine with me.

Please ladies, get your mammograms and if you're breasts are still dense, please demand an ultrasound. Being a nurse I can not tell you the number of times my patients have told me their breast cancer was detected by ultrasound and totally invisible on mammogram. It happens way more than you know.

A note of self exams in lieu of mammograms. This has been proven NOT to work. the precancer lump they removed from me was 8mm and could not be felt by my surgeon or myself and I'm only a 34B. My surgeon said that a lump is usually 1cm by the time it is able to be palpated and at that size, it's been there for quite a while.

Sure, you should still do self exams but mammograms/ultrasounds are way better for breast care.