Mammogram questions

[kokoro]

I had my annual at my gyn today and he recommended I start annual mammograms now that I'm 40. I didn't realize mammograms were recommended for women 40 and up. I thought it was 50. I have a few questions. I wonder if 40 is the standardly recommended age to start them. Also, it sounded like he was recommending I do them annually. Is that standard at my age? Also, is there any risk to doing them if one is nursing? Any risk in general from the radiation? (They involve radiation, don't they?)

Also, do they hurt as much as everyone says? Everyone I know says they are painful and a PITA but the gyn said they are no big deal.

Thanks for any info!

[gfrach]

40 is the standard age. I've had some done but this year I'm looking into doing breast thermography instead:
http://www.breastthermography.com/

I have dense breasts and mammograms are pretty dang uncomfortable but not as painful as I expected. The less dense your breasts are, the less painful they are.

I don't know the answer to your nursing questions, but I know I would really be making sure about that, too.

[JaamE]

they told me 35, but because i knew i was going to be nursing Josh when i was 35 i tried to get one earlier and my insurance said no. I'll never have a baseline now. If I'd waited till 40 I'd have had major problems. I dont think they hurt so much as it's uncomfortable but I'd rather get squished and see what's in there. And i have fairly dense breast tissue too. The drs dont like to do them when you're nursing because it's harder for them to see things.

[kokoro]

Thank you both. Wiki says that between 40 and 50 is debated. I don't think I will do it until DS weans unless I learn more about its safety in that case. I guess I'll call LLL. I don't know if I have dense breasts or not. I would assume *not* but I have no way to know.

[Nancy]

Much less painful, IMO, than an acrobatic nursing toddler!:razzberry: I just had my first (at age 45) this week actually, there was discomfort but absolutely no pain for me, but I really do think it's because of having nursed so long, and into the toddler/preschool stages.

40 is the recommended age to get a baseline, it's just something I put off, I didn't delay for any particular reason, just laziness.

I personally think the tech makes a big difference, mine was really good, quick, professional, no pain, just squooshing.:shocked:

[sarahs]

Much less painful, IMO, than an acrobatic nursing toddler!:razzberry: I just had my first (at age 45) this week actually, there was discomfort but absolutely no pain for me, but I really do think it's because of having nursed so long, and into the toddler/preschool stages.

40 is the recommended age to get a baseline, it's just something I put off, I didn't delay for any particular reason, just laziness.

I personally think the tech makes a big difference, mine was really good, quick, professional, no pain, just squooshing.:shocked:

Ditto.

[Cat]

40 was the recommendation my doc had (with a baseline at 35 but I was nursing). They recommended waiting until 6 mos after nursing because it gives a better reading, but I dont'remember ever seeing anything about danger while nursing.

It was squooshing, but I didn't find it painful AT ALL. I do not have dense breasts, though, I don't think.

-Cat

[Nancy]

I asked my sister, who is a mammo tech, here's her answer: You CAN do it while nursing, but the tissue is more dense, so the reading is less accurate, less of a true baseline.

She has done them, and nothing is different really, other than getting squirted! She said she really wouldn't recommend it unless you are having an issue/concern, OR you are going to be nursing for a long time past 40. If you are close to done, it would be a more accurate reading if you waited until you finished. However, if you or your Dr. have concerns or there is suspicious tissue, you should DEFINITELY get one, no matter what.

[indigo]

I had my annual at my gyn today and he recommended I start annual mammograms now that I'm 40. I didn't realize mammograms were recommended for women 40 and up. I thought it was 50. I have a few questions. I wonder if 40 is the standardly recommended age to start them. Also, it sounded like he was recommending I do them annually. Is that standard at my age? Also, is there any risk to doing them if one is nursing? Any risk in general from the radiation? (They involve radiation, don't they?)

Also, do they hurt as much as everyone says? Everyone I know says they are painful and a PITA but the gyn said they are no big deal.

Thanks for any info!

I don't find them painful in the least. Not even really uncomfortable. The key is to never ever do them when your breasts are sensitive! So I always schedule them for after my period. Never before.

[kathy caribe]

Much less painful, IMO, than an acrobatic nursing toddler!:razzberry: I just had my first (at age 45) this week actually, there was discomfort but absolutely no pain for me, but I really do think it's because of having nursed so long, and into the toddler/preschool stages.

40 is the recommended age to get a baseline, it's just something I put off, I didn't delay for any particular reason, just laziness.

I personally think the tech makes a big difference, mine was really good, quick, professional, no pain, just squooshing.:shocked:

my exact same experience. I had my first a couple weeks ago - one side was uncomfortable but the other was no problem. I got an ultrasound at the same time (SOP) and had last nursed about a YEAR (said week, sorry) ago.

Now I need to get my skin checked for cancer. Sigh. Getting old sucks.

[Jengirl]

xx

[victoria]

I had one recently, last fall I guess, because I had some breast pain and I also have lumpy breasts.... I'm 34. It was *totally* not a big deal and not painful. Slight discomfort for about one second per x-ray (there were 4 x-rays taken, total). I also had ultrasound done the same day. I had a much more traumatic experience when I had to get 20 separate x-rays done of my teeth last summer at the dentist (I'm totally serious).

My mammogram results were all normal and looking back I believe the pain was due to weaning.

[Storymama]

Ditto that. I had my first one at 35 because I have a first degree relative with it. (Well, had :sob:. . . she subsequently died from complications of leukemia treatment, unrelated to the breast cancer. And it's thought her breast cancer was likely not a familial sort . . . but it's still good to be cautious.)

I had a really good experience. The technician was a 50-ish woman who had been doing them literally since the technology evolved. She had been a contributor to the development of the fancy new digital machine!! She let me look at her monitor, the high resolution is astonishing. She was a huge breastfeeding advocate, and was so tickled to know that I nursed for 6 years straight! She pointed out some difference about my breast that she said is a sign of someone having lactated a lot (withered ducts, I think??) and that was very interesting.

In terms of comfort, it was squeezy but not uncomfortable EXCEPT for one scan she did where I failed to follow her precise instructions and accidentally had flexed my pectoral muscle (I think I was subconsciously trying to hold the breast more still?) . . . be very very mindful of totally relaxing your chest wall muscles!! I have large breasts (DD) and honestly, it was fine.

Let us know how it goes!

[Anne]

The technician was a 50-ish woman who had been doing them literally since the technology evolved. She had been a contributor to the development of the fancy new digital machine!! She let me look at her monitor, the high resolution is astonishing.

My favorite cousin in the world was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. (It was caught fairly early and she's doing great after some surgery and finishing a course of radiation.)

She had someone show her the difference between images from the digital machine and the normal one and said it really was absolutely astonishing how much more detail is in the digital images.

So the only thing I really have to add to this discussion is to make sure you're getting a mammogram with the latest technology.

[Jeb]

Statistically, for those not at a genetic risk for breast cancer, the "average" age one begins to be at risk is in your 40's. But here, like there, they don't cover having mam.grams until you are 50. My dr told me that that was stupid because if you ever look at the ages of the women in the obits that died of breast cancer, they are most all in their 40's. I've been doing them since I was 35 because b.c. runs in the family.

Do they hurt? Some likened it to slamming your breasts in a the fridge door. Yep...only I'd make that the freezer door. Those machines are cold! I have very large breasts (J cup) and it's hard to get the whole breast in the machine so I have to do it in parts. (I'm a candidate for a breast reduction but it just doesn't seem to be coming fast enough!).

Remember to NOT wear deodorant the day of the test!

[kokoro]

Statistically, for those not at a genetic risk for breast cancer, the "average" age one begins to be at risk is in your 40's. But here, like there, they don't cover having mam.grams until you are 50. My dr told me that that was stupid because if you ever look at the ages of the women in the obits that died of breast cancer, they are most all in their 40's. I've been doing them since I was 35 because b.c. runs in the family.

Do they hurt? Some likened it to slamming your breasts in a the fridge door. Yep...only I'd make that the freezer door. Those machines are cold! I have very large breasts (J cup) and it's hard to get the whole breast in the machine so I have to do it in parts. (I'm a candidate for a breast reduction but it just doesn't seem to be coming fast enough!).

Remember to NOT wear deodorant the day of the test!

Really, does deodorant block the ability to scan?

[kokoro]

I still haven't called LLL. Is it safe for one's child to have this done while still nursing? Anyone know?

[Jill]

Really, does deodorant block the ability to scan?

The problem with deodorant (or lotion or powder on the breasts) isn't that it *blocks* the scan, but it can show up on the film and appear as a tissue abnormality. At least that's what the tech told me when I had mine done.

[kokoro]

Thanks! :)

[Jill]

I still haven't called LLL. Is it safe for one's child to have this done while still nursing? Anyone know?

From everything I'm reading, yes it is safe.
http://www.breastfeeding123.com/x-rays-and-mammograms-for-lactating-women/

[kokoro]

Thanks. I'm not sure I want to disclose that I'm nursing, though, to the tech/doc, etc. I wonder if the amount I nurse will affect things. DS hardly nurses at all. It is just before bed a few times a week.

[stickcow]

Thanks. I'm not sure I want to disclose that I'm nursing, though, to the tech/doc, etc. I wonder if the amount I nurse will affect things. DS hardly nurses at all. It is just before bed a few times a week.
What if you just said your breasts haven't dried up?

[Jeb]

My mother had b.c. 4 times previously and religiously went to her mamograms. Once she went in, did the mamogram, went home, and then remembered she had forgotten to not wear deodorant. She called the hospital and they said to come in again the next day to re-do the mamogram. The re-dos showed cancer!....her 5th time with it. Since then she's had a double mastectomy and hopefully there won't have a 6th time!

[Nancy]

I think you need to disclose it to the tech, at least. From what my sister said, it's common for milk to express (in lactating women) during the mammo, I would think it's a bit rude NOT to warn the tech of that, so they can be prepared to clean their equipment.

[Storymama]

This is a good idea if you're not comfy disclosing that you actually still nurse - I've known women who hadn't completely dried up a couple YEARS after they stopped nursing, especially with cycles.

[Storymama]

Um, duh. I have to ammend that to say "...at 37." Clearly I can't remember how old I was in January :rolleyes: LOL!

[kokoro]

Wow!

[kokoro]

This is a good idea if you're not comfy disclosing that you actually still nurse - I've known women who hadn't completely dried up a couple YEARS after they stopped nursing, especially with cycles.

Thank you both. :kiss:

[kokoro]

I think you need to disclose it to the tech, at least. From what my sister said, it's common for milk to express (in lactating women) during the mammo, I would think it's a bit rude NOT to warn the tech of that, so they can be prepared to clean their equipment.

I don't know how much milk I actually have left. I think I will say what Jaymee recommended. I could be very wrong but I doubt any milk will express. I was not ever good at getting much out and I hardly nurse at all. Maybe I will surprise myself on this. Yes, you are right, though. Woudln't want that to happen unexpectedly.