If you are like me and get anxious over medical exams like this, there is one thing I can tell you: “It’s probably not as bad as you imagine.”
Through my teens, twenties and thirties I heard stories of cold clamps smashing your tatas. I had visions of a barbaric system that would put my breast tissue into a painful vice like grip – Like for hours. Yep, my imagination ran wild. So, when I turned 41 and my gynecologist told me it was time, I cringed.
After a brief attempt at hiding my head in the sand, I reluctantly called the Imaging company my doctor referred me to and made an appointment. A little advice, if you don’t know your family history start researching it before you schedule the appointment. My imaging company sent me a health history questionnaire with multiple questions:
• Did I drink alcohol?
• How often did I drink?
• What relatives had cancer?
• When did they get cancer?
• Did I get the gene test?
I knew the answers but not down to the exact details of age when diagnosed and I wasn’t about to call my mom at 10pm the night before my appointment (insert face palm emoji)…. 2nd word of advice, don’t procrastinate.
Things to know before you go:
- Don’t wear deodorant: Yep, you heard it, be prepared to be all natural. If you wore deodorant the day before your appointment, make sure you wash off all the residue before the appointment.
- Don’t wear any lotion: I am a bit of a lotion junkie. Sunscreen, serums, body lotion, etc. So I had to remind myself not to apply the day of.
- Wear a 2-piece outfit. Yep, SURPRISE, you will be taking your top off!
- Best time to schedule a mammogram is a week after your last visit from Aunt Flo (Apparently your breasts should be less tender at this time).
- Don’t wear neck jewelry. It can sometimes interfere with the x-ray images.
- Note there are 3 different types of Mammograms you can get: The conventional, digital and 3-D version. Most everyone I talked to recommended the 3-D version.
- Bring your ID and Insurance Card to the appointment. (This probably is second nature if you have been to other doctor offices recently but it’s always a good reminder).
The day of my appointment, I was taken back to a changing room and given a fashionable blue shirt with an open front. It is just like the gown you get at your gynecologist appointment. Nice and breezy with easy access.
The mammogram itself was pretty simple. Stand next to an upright machine, lean forward and put your boob on a metal like platform. The nurse makes adjustments and then lowers a press down onto your chest/upper breast tissue. Yes, I know it sounds a bit like a vice but I promise it isn’t that bad. I felt a slight pull on the skin in my chest but no squashing of my the melons! (Disclaimer: My breast size is is somewhere between a B and C and have not been surgically enhanced so I cannot attest to what it’s like for those with larger breasts.) Once I was in position, I was told to take a deep breath and hold it in while the machine took the images. Afterwards, the nurse had me come back to the monitors where I got to see some very fancy white and black images. The most interesting thing was seeing my lymph nodes. I didn’t know they would show up in the image, so cool!
All and all, I was in and out of the office in 30 minutes. To be honest, this was sooooo much easier then any of my yearly gynecologists’ appointments.
If you are hesitating let me encourage you to talk to your women’s health doctor to determine if a mammogram would be right for you. For more information on screenings check out www.nationabreastcancer.org. They have loads more information, including a free booklet you can download.
Finally, don’t forget to give some love to your boobies!
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