2024 has been a giant 12 months for me. I turned 40 in April. It’s an age I’ve dreaded for the previous ten years. Not for any specific motive, however I think it has one thing to do with wanting to carry onto my youth in any approach attainable. Significantly, I virtually obtained bangs. (Thanks to my pals who assured me it will be a mistake.)
One factor that wasn’t on my radar was getting a mammogram. In reality, when my major care doctor talked about writing me a prescription for one at my yearly appointment final fall, I used to be stunned.
I assumed to myself, “However I’m too younger for a mammogram!” My physician assured me that I used to be not too younger and, the truth is, on the excellent age to get my first mammogram. In response to the United States Preventive Providers Process Pressure (USPSTF), girls with a mean breast most cancers danger ought to start receiving mammograms at age 40.
I known as to schedule my mammogram for late April and didn’t give it some thought once more till I obtained the alert that it was developing. The alert additionally reminded me to not put on deodorant, fragrance, lotions, or oils on the day of my examination as a result of they may intrude with the screening machine.
Was I nervous? A bit of. Largely as a result of I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. I had requested a few of my pals, who all turned 40 this 12 months, and it turned out that I used to be the primary one taking the plunge. I additionally requested my mother, and her reply was, “Effectively, it’s uncomfortable, but it surely doesn’t harm. You’ll be superb.” The tone of her voice felt prefer it was a “ceremony of passage,” like a promenade, commencement, or marriage ceremony.
Once I arrived on the workplace, I obtained a clipboard of papers to fill out, in addition to a wristband. Then, I waited for about quarter-hour earlier than I used to be taken again. The tech led me right into a room the place I may change out of my shirt and bra and right into a robe that opened within the entrance.
The tech then took me to an examination room and positioned my breasts in between two plastic imaging plates. She talked me by way of repositioning every breast to take a number of photographs and angles. For me, it felt like my breasts had been being pinched. It was uncomfortable, but it surely was vital for her to flatten them as a lot as attainable to make sure she was capable of get a transparent image of your entire breast. I took deep breaths all through your entire course of. She informed me that my breasts had been dense, which meant that my breasts had comparatively extra milk glands, milk ducts, and supportive tissue than fats, which may generally make detecting a most cancers tougher. Due to this fact, she needed to take just a few extra X-rays than deliberate. Nonetheless, your entire course of took ten minutes in whole.
My outcomes had been obtainable in my on-line chart the following day, and a message from my PCP mentioned that my mammogram was regular and that I ought to get my subsequent one in a 12 months.
Yearly Mammograms Are Necessary within the Struggle Towards Breast Most cancers
Breast most cancers is the second commonest most cancers amongst girls within the U.S. It’s additionally the second-leading reason behind most cancers demise amongst girls within the U.S. For non-Hispanic Black girls and Hispanic girls, breast most cancers is the main reason behind most cancers demise. Concerningly, breast most cancers has been growing amongst youthful Asian American and Pacific Islander girls.
Whereas mammograms don’t forestall breast most cancers, they’ll save lives as a result of they’ll discover breast most cancers early. And the sooner it’s discovered, the higher likelihood there’s at beating it. In reality, discovering breast most cancers early reduces the danger of dying from the illness by 25 to 30 % or extra.
That’s why getting a mammogram annually is so essential to the battle in opposition to breast most cancers. For me, I’ve determined that I’ll name to make my mammogram appointment yearly on the week of my birthday. It’s a good way to recollect to do it, but it surely’s additionally a present of well being I may give to myself.
When to Get a Mammogram Earlier than You’re 40
Whereas breast most cancers screenings are advisable for girls starting at 40, about 4 % of all breast cancers identified within the U.S. happen in girls below 40.
So, in case you are in your 20s or 30s, it’s essential to carry out breast self-exams as soon as a month about one to 2 weeks after your menstrual cycle to turn into aware of the way in which your breasts usually feel and appear in order that will probably be simpler to determine any modifications or abnormalities, like lumps or pores and skin discoloration. For those who discover any modifications, contact your gynecologist immediately. They could schedule you for a mammogram. It’s additionally essential to go to your gynecologist for preventive care annually, as they carry out breast exams throughout your appointments, too.
No matter your age, breast self-exams and common gynecologist visits are instruments that assist detect breast most cancers early.
Suggestions for Your First Mammogram
Listed below are some useful ideas to bear in mind earlier than your first mammogram:
- Make the appointment earlier than you flip 40 so that you’re able to go after your birthday.
- Preserve your menstrual cycle in thoughts when scheduling. The examination might be extra uncomfortable proper earlier than or throughout your interval, when breasts are usually extra delicate.
- Don’t put on deodorant, lotion, fragrance, or oils, as it’s going to negatively have an effect on the machine’s means to take high quality footage.
- Put on comfy clothes, particularly footwear. You’ll be standing throughout the examination.
- Breathe and chill out. Sure, it may be uncomfortable, however tensing up may make it extra uncomfortable. So, take deep breaths throughout the course of, and will probably be over earlier than you understand it.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The technicians will information you thru your entire course of and can attempt to make the entire expertise as comfy as attainable.
