2024 has been an enormous 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 cause, however I believe it has one thing to do with wanting to carry onto my youth in any means attainable. Critically, I nearly obtained bangs. (Thanks to my associates who assured me it could be a mistake.)
One factor that wasn’t on my radar was getting a mammogram. In actual fact, 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 believed 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 good age to get my first mammogram. In response to the United States Preventive Providers Activity Pressure (USPSTF), girls with a mean breast most cancers threat ought to start receiving mammograms at age 40.
I referred to 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 little bit. Principally as a result of I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. I had requested a few of my associates, 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, “Nicely, it’s uncomfortable, however it doesn’t harm. You’ll be advantageous.” The tone of her voice felt prefer it was a “ceremony of passage,” like a promenade, commencement, or wedding ceremony.
After 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, however it was vital for her to flatten them as a lot as attainable to make sure she was capable of get a transparent image of the whole breast. I took deep breaths all through the whole course of. She instructed 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 might generally make detecting a most cancers harder. Due to this fact, she needed to take a number of extra X-rays than deliberate. Nonetheless, the whole course of took ten minutes in whole.
My outcomes had been out there in my on-line chart the subsequent day, and a message from my PCP stated that my mammogram was regular and that I ought to get my subsequent one in a 12 months.
Yearly Mammograms Are Necessary within the Battle In opposition to Breast Most cancers
Breast most cancers is the second most typical most cancers amongst girls within the U.S. It’s additionally the second-leading reason for most cancers demise amongst girls within the U.S. For non-Hispanic Black girls and Hispanic girls, breast most cancers is the main reason for most cancers demise. Concerningly, breast most cancers has been growing amongst youthful Asian American and Pacific Islander girls.
Whereas mammograms don’t stop breast most cancers, they will save lives as a result of they will discover breast most cancers early. And the sooner it’s discovered, the higher likelihood there may be at beating it. In actual fact, 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 every year is so necessary to the combat 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 an effective way to recollect to do it, however it’s additionally a present of well being I can provide to myself.
When to Get a Mammogram Earlier than You’re 40
Whereas breast most cancers screenings are beneficial for ladies starting at 40, about 4 % of all breast cancers recognized within the U.S. happen in girls beneath 40.
So, in case you are in your 20s or 30s, it’s necessary to carry out breast self-exams as soon as a month about one to 2 weeks after your menstrual cycle to turn out to be aware of the way in which your breasts usually feel and look in order that it is going to be simpler to establish any modifications or abnormalities, like lumps or pores and skin discoloration. If you happen to discover any modifications, contact your gynecologist instantly. They might schedule you for a mammogram. It’s additionally essential to go to your gynecologist for preventive care every year, 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 remember earlier than your first mammogram:
- Make the appointment earlier than you flip 40 so that you’re able to go after your birthday.
- Hold your menstrual cycle in thoughts when scheduling. The examination will be extra uncomfortable proper earlier than or throughout your interval, when breasts are typically extra delicate.
- Don’t put on deodorant, lotion, fragrance, or oils, as it should negatively have an effect on the machine’s capability to take high quality footage.
- Put on snug clothes, particularly sneakers. You’ll be standing through the examination.
- Breathe and loosen up. Sure, it may be uncomfortable, however tensing up may make it extra uncomfortable. So, take deep breaths through the course of, and it is going to be over earlier than you realize it.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The technicians will information you thru the whole course of and can attempt to make the entire expertise as snug as attainable.
