mammograms

[shootingstar]

I had a mammogram twice, with last one about 15 yrs. ago or less. I'm fibrous in 1 boob. That was all. Was I stressed while waiting for testing? No.

Maybe I'm just dull in the head but after working in a hospital for a few years , where patients were paraplegics & quadriplegics, paralyzed for life and then hearing stories from siblings who work in health care about all sorts of deaths and accidents, a mammogram visit and results wait...needs to be taken into stride.


I'm 48...it has been recommended that I have another one. I found out the booking appointment list is several months long. But will book soon..after Christmas.

Velogirl...if I was in your position, it wouldn't be the mammogram waiting rm. stress but the fact that you are not covered by health insurance plan for other sudden accidents/diseases that may happen.


I'm Canadian....and most definitely prefer the Canadian health care insurance system if something wrong. occurs.


Best of luck velogirl!

[Velobambina]

Sending you good thoughts, Velo. As others have put it well, chances are good it's nothing. If they saw something disturbing, I'm betting they would have found a slot for you sooner.

I had a breast tumor removed when I was in my early 30s. Thank God, it was benign. The lump was very evident, but I didn't do self-exams. My gyn found it during my annual pap/pelvic. I had to go through two-three months of tests (needle biopsy, ultra sound, mammo, visits w/surgeon, etc) before surgery was scheduled and it was out of my body. It was a hellish time of uncertainty, especially since I could feel the the damn thing.

I'm supposed to have a mammo every year, primarly because of the lump (I'm almost 45 now). My gyn will hold my BCP script "hostage" if I don't get in for a yearly exam, so I have the mammos done as ordered. I readily admit having them done every 18 months--not every 12 months--but I don't want to subject my body to radiation, small dose that it may be. Having them done is not optional, nor is having a yearly pap smear.

Try to think positive. Please let us know how it goes.

This is a little bit of a threat highjack but I was wondering if it were more or less painful for larger breasted gals? I'm not well endowed, to put it mildly, and well, I don't dig that whole mash thing. It's like the xray tech has to gather then smash. So would it be easier to xray someone with more meat on them in the breast area?

[silver]

Velogirl, I hope the visit goes well for you. And I hope they give you lots of info.

This is a little bit of a threat highjack but I was wondering if it were more or less painful for larger breasted gals? I'm not well endowed, to put it mildly, and well, I don't dig that whole mash thing. It's like the xray tech has to gather then smash. So would it be easier to xray someone with more meat on them in the breast area?

I answered this in another thread. I found the two mammograms that I had pre-implants to be HORRIBLE. but the one after was pleasant. I was very flat chested with tight skin across my chest. It appeared that the technician was trying to scrap skin up from my legs to smoosh between the plates. I left with red streaks all over my chest from my collarbones to my navel. Afterwards, no problem.

[velogirl]

thanks, everyone! I had my call-back today and they did another mammogram and an ultrasound. apparently I have a bunch of liquid-filled cysts in my breasts and the ones in my right breast create a pretty large mass -- not uncommon for someone my age.

the good news is now we have a baseline.

and BikerZ, thank you for the healthcare tip -- I'll definitely look into it.

Lorri

[bmccasland]

Yaaayyy!!!! So glad to hear smushed things weren't anything major to worry about.

[KnottedYet]

HOT doggies!!!!

[snapdragen]

Excellent news! It sound like you have the same issue I have.

[RoadRaven]

Great news Velogirl, glad all that stressing is sorted and they got you in well before Christmas

Now... lots of arnica is in order I would imagine...?

[velogirl]

Velogirl...if I was in your position, it wouldn't be the mammogram waiting rm. stress but the fact that you are not covered by health insurance plan for other sudden accidents/diseases that may happen.

ShootingStar, trust me, I do stress about not having health insurance right now. I had insurance until about a year ago and then left my part-time job (bike shop) and had already applied for and been accepted for insurance so I didn't take my COBRA. Then, the insurance carrier turned me down. Unfortunately, I have a pretty robust medical history (5 surgeries for various things + on-going treatments for other various things) and in California an insurance carrier can deny you coverage for any of these various things. I just tried applying for insurance again last week and was denied. Luckily I have accident insurance and cheap prescriptions, but I pay everything else out-of-pocket (and it ain't cheap).

[KnottedYet]

ShootingStar, trust me, I do stress about not having health insurance right now. I had insurance until about a year ago and then left my part-time job (bike shop) and had already applied for and been accepted for insurance so I didn't take my COBRA. Then, the insurance carrier turned me down. Unfortunately, I have a pretty robust medical history (5 surgeries for various things + on-going treatments for other various things) and in California an insurance carrier can deny you coverage for any of these various things. I just tried applying for insurance again last week and was denied. Luckily I have accident insurance and cheap prescriptions, but I pay everything else out-of-pocket (and it ain't cheap).

The US healthcare business drives me nuts. And I work in it, so I'm allowed to say that!