Hey kids! Been training hard? Hope so!
Well, since I'm going to be 42 this year, and they say women should start getting mammograms at 40,I am about to schedule myself my first one. We all know the importance of mammogram, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death-and early detection would be a key factor in recovery.
Now, this is a scary venture for most woman because, well-it hurts! But I am almost petrified due to the fact that I have breast implants.
I have done a little research and found this blurb...
Mammograms require breast compression, which could contribute to implant rupture. According to the FDA adverse event database, there were 41 reported cases of breast implant rupture during mammograms, reported between 1992 and 2002. An additional 17 cases of breast implant rupture during mammograms were reported in the medical literature. RUPTURED?! That's scary!
I did also read that the implants can interfere with the reading...I kind of figured that-but the rupture thing has got me quite worried. My implants have been in for quite a long time too-I wonder if that would make them even more vulnerable? I am also aware that most experts will say that the benefits of mammography in the early detection of breast cancer outweigh this risk of rupture.
In light of all of this-I will still go through with scheduling the mammogram, after all there is more to being healthy than eating right and working out-like getting regular exams! But, I would really love to hear from anyone out there that has implants and has had a mammogram-or knows of someone who has.
Any feedback would be most appreciated!!
Cheers mates!
School Lunches Made This Child Sick
17 hours ago
14 comments:
I have implants but aint going anywhere near mams just yet - ouch!
Sorry, can't help u out there.
oh my god! that sounds scarey. I have been considering implants, 9months of breastfeeding has taken it toll, now I am definetely thinking twice! Especislly as there is a history of breastcancer in my family.
I am sure you will be fine, the stats seem old maybe???? 2002
No implants but have had a mammogram and they don't hurt at all.
Especially not if you're used to lactic acid in your thighs at lunge #25 on your second leg!
Us warriors are tougher than the average 40 year old housewife!
xx
Raechelle,
Depending on the placement of your implants you can actually have an MRI done instead of a mammogram which is what I will do when I hit 40.
Hugs (I nearly typed "jugs"!
Liz N
Hi,
I have implants and have had a mammogram. The technician was very skilled in dealing with implants and while there was some pressure and discomfort there was no real pain. The clinic keeps you there to make sure they were able to get a clear view of the breast tissue before you can leave.
I was told it was less painful than ladies with no implants.
It was s non event really.
Lisa
LOL SHELLY-very helpful ;-)
Hi SAM-I found similar more recent reports in research after I did the blog-The risk of rupture is there-though small. And of course the reading is more difficult.
Hey KATIE-Well done on those lunges! But my boobs are a whole different ball-game than my legs-LOL!
Thanks LIZ-I am looking at alternatives now-such as ultra sound and the MRI's. HAHA-JUGS! ;-)
I'll keep that in mind LISA-of course, the key phrase that sticks out to me is "skilled technician"...don't know how skilled they are with implants up here in Cairns.
Cheers and thanks all!
Hi Raechelle.
I don't have implants but I have very dense boobs and they are also very lumpy.
My mum who is 70 has same problem (well not a problem!) but she can't have mammograms as radiologist says she has the boobs of a 20 year old!
So, we have ultrasounds on our boobs. I need them regularly as mine are so lumpy I don't know what's what. The ultra sounds are also very good. They found a deep growth (was only a fibroadenoma so not a problem) but point is they have show some things that mammograms can't (and vice versa). Ideally both can be used but I imagine ultra sounds would be heaps less stressful for you as far as your implants go.
Hope this helps.
Frankie
Thanks FRANKIE! Ultra sound is actually on the top of my list of alternatives to take to my GP. Your information has confirmed my thoughts about it-cheers!
I found your blog, as I have implants and am having my first mammogram next week. I am nervous about it as well. I had my implants (saline, above the muscle) done when I was 24 and am now 41, so they are "old" relatively speaking. From what I understand, the implant itself isn't squeezed, but is kind of pushed out of the way so that a photo can be taken of the actual tissue. I'll post back and let you know how it goes.
Hi Rochelle...thanks for that! Mine are about 20 years old as well...so I've actually decided to go for an ultrasound. I'd still love to hear about how you go with your mammogram...are you located in Australia?
We have such similar names! I actually get called Rochelle from time to time as my name is pronounced 'Rashell'.....anyway-thanks again!
Hi Raechelle! It's Rochelle from a couple of comments ago. It's cool how we almost have the same name. LOL
I had my mammogram last week. I live in the US in the state of Colorado. The clinic I went to is a well-known breast clinic locally, but still I was just petrified before going! I know that there have been very few cases of rupture relative to the many many women who have implants, but I had totally convinced myself before going that I was going to be one of those cases.
Now that I have been through the experience, I really do believe that my fears were unfounded. They do 4 pics of each breast, which is twice as many as they do for a woman without implants. 1 from the top, 1 from the side, and then the same shots using what is called Eklund displacement where the implant is shifted out of the way. The machine had plastic plates that the breast goes between. The shots where the implant was in the shots used very light pressure on the breast, just enough to hold between the plates. The ones with the displacement used more pressure but the implant wasn't between the plates then. I looked at my finished xrays and the implant really wasn't in the displacement shots.
I didn't feel like it mistreated or endangered my implants in any way. I asked the technician who performed my mammo if she did a lot of women with implants and she told me that I was the 7th one this week. She said that in states like California in some clinics over half of the women mammo'd have implants. There was no sort of legal waiver that I had to sign prior to having the procedure.
This clinic also offers ultrasound and MRI, so I asked about those as alternatives. She said that they were used for other diagnostic cases, but that the mammo was the "gold standard" for cancer screening as it could see tiny calcium deposits which are often the first sign of something wrong.
The whole process took about 15 minutes all together and my results came back all clear.
This is getting really long, so I'll wrap it up now. if you want to ask me anything feel free...I hope everything goes well for you with your own testing!
Thanks for that Rochelle! I can't believe you live in Colorado...that's where my husbands folks live! We are both American...I grew up in Oregon.
I'm glad your testing went so well. I wish I lived near an area that had a better reputation for medical stuff...Cairns in North Queensland just doesn't have the best overall track record. Though They say they are confident with the implants...they do have a special "form" for people with implants to sign so that we know they have nothing to do with it if a gal gets a rupture from the scan. Hmmm...does make one wonder. And I got told the same thing about mammograms being #1...but my doctor gaver me referral for an ultra-sound which I'm doing next week. I may change my mind in the future and go ahead and do the mammogram...your descritption does help! Thanks again!
I don't have the guts to have my breast augmented. Could you tell me what are the risk? Thank you. I'd appreciate your response very much! Thank you in advance!
I had implants when I was 24, at the age of 35 I had to have a mamogram, a few years later I found out my implants had both ruptured, NHS would only remove the implants but would not insert new ones, so I had to go private and had to pay over £5000 to have the ruptured ones removed and new ones inserted, If I had known this at the time of the mamogram I would not have had it done.
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