POLL Regular breast exams

NannaBaby

POLL Regular breast exams

NannaBaby

How many of you received, or didn't receive, a routine physical breast exam from your health care provider? (Family Dr., GP, OBGyn. etc.)

I am curious because in Canada, they don't mention any screening guidelines for women under 40.

mags20487

I go once a year to an ob/gyn and she does the breast exam  Then she sends me for a mammo because here it is any woman over 40 once a yr.  I missed last yr because I did not have insurance and did not feel the need.  I found the lump myself so it would have been there til the end of this month at least when I would have seen her for my yearly.  Glad I was feeling my boobies that night!

Maggie

sheila888

Mammo Guideline is age 40 or earlier if you are high risk.

My GYN and MY DR examines the breasts once a year.

It does start a younger age when you go for your pap test.

Nanna was this the answer you were looking for?

NannaBaby

seyla88 - Thanks!

mom2twins34

My doctor did a breast exam annually...  But that didn't help me.  I found my lumps myself and since my annual appointment was coming up, I waited to show them to her until I went in.  She did my regular exam, feeling the lumps herself.  She said they didn't feel like cancer to her and that since I was so young (32 at the time), I probably didn't have anything to worry about.  She had sent me when I was 29 to get the other breast checked out for what turned out to be fibroadenomas and cysts and said she was pretty sure these were the same things and not to worry. 

I trusted what she said and stopped doing self exams because I figured that I obviously didn't know what I was feeling.  Until a year later when the lumps had grown so large that you could see them sticking out of my breast and my nipple was leaking fluid--turns out they were cancer all along & the cancerous area was so large that it was considered inoperable by that point.  I went back to tell the doctor that you can't "feel" the difference between cancer and 'not cancer' and that there is no such thing as too young.  

I remember laying on the table that first time, hearing her say I was too young, and thinking, "This will come back to haunt me."  Now I always tell young women to get things checked out.  I hope at least someone learns from my mistake & trusts their instincts...

Probably more of a story than you were looking for, NannaBaby!  Sorry!  Looks like it turned it into a mini-therapy session!   

Can I ask, was your diagnosis at 28 difficult with no screening guidelines in place in Canada?

NannaBaby

Hi mom2twins - yes it was difficult to get diagnosed! I don't know if it's because of Canadian standards of care, or that my doctor was incompetent!  Sad to say, I was erlieved when I got my diagnosis! Because I thought, Geez! now I FINALLY know why my boob is sooo huge and bleeeding!!!!!

mom2twins34

Sorry it was so difficult for you, too.  It's never a good thing when you feel relieved to get a cancer diagnosis--but, unfortunately, I hear that a lot--and I felt that myself because I finally knew what was wrong with me when somebody actually looked past my age and took the time and expense to scan me.  Once I knew, I felt like I could at least start doing something about it--I'm sure you thought the same! 

I hope you have better doctors managing your cancer care than you had before diagnosis and that things are going okay... 

P.S.  Is that a mini daschund in your picture?  I have one that just turned 1 today who looks identical--I thought that was her!  :-)

NannaBaby

Yup thats my doxie Bruno! He's 6 months old. He's an angel