With an amazing husband, two incredible children, and the blink of an eye later, I’m here, at the age of 40. Turning 40 has also been a series of first for me. From incorporating a healthy lifestyle, friend detoxing and going through my first mammogram.
So today I thought I would share a little more about what to expect at your first mammogram! I’m sure that some of the procedure and equipment varies from clinic to clinic, but here’s a general overview of Mammogram 101:
The do’s and dont’s of scheduling your first Mammogram!!!
- If you are 40 (or older) and you have not had your first mammogram yet, make the appointment today, not tomorrow! If you are between 35 and 40, ask your doctor what they recommend for you. It is always best if they have a “baseline” scan on record for you so that they have something to compare later scans with.
- Do not schedule a mammogram during pregnancy. The scans are done using low-dose xrays, so if you’re pregnant you need to wait.
- Do not schedule a mammogram while you’re nursing. They cannot get a clear image.
- If you have breast implants you need to have a different type of mammogram done, so inform them when you are scheduling your appointment so you are scheduled appropriately.
- If your breasts get tender at a certain point in your cycle, plan accordingly and try to avoid making your appointment during these days of the month.
Now that you’ve made your appointment, here’s what to expect behind the infamous door:
- Don’t stress out, it’s not worth it. Most clinics now are able to detect any potential problems right away and will take whatever steps necessary to ensure that they (and you) know if there is a problem before you leave that day. If they see a potential problem area they will call you back for another round of scans, if they still see problems they will send you immediately for an ultrasound. (Note: not all clinics do it this way, but most breast centers do, just ask if you want to know.)
- Don’t wear deoderant, perfume, powder or lotion prior to your appointment. Most clinics are prepared and will provide you with a wipe that you can use to remove everything, but they aren’t all that pleasant, so just don’t wear any.
- Make sure you wear a two piece outfit … do not wear a dress ladies, you need to be able to take off your top and wear their … um … ‘lovely’ smock shirt (not full gown) that wraps closed in the front.
- Getting the mammogram isn’t exactly painful, just uncomfortable. To be honest, most of the discomfort was from the strange positions I had to stand in for the placement to be just right.
- After the technician took a series of 6 images..the procedure lasted no more than 10 minutes. The tech reassured me I had done a fine job of facilitating her job of getting good images of my breasts. Weirdly, I was looking for her approval and was happy to get the praise.
So you see, it’s not that bad. It didn’t hurt a bit (just uncomfortable). Although I’m a teensy bit apprehensive about getting the results, as is natural, I suppose, certainly my logical side reassured me that it was the right thing to do. After all, knowing is always better than not knowing.