Has Anybody Else Refused Mammo Follow-Ups ?

Lisa123456

After a year and a half of mammos, MRIs, and biopsies, I refused to have any more mammos and am now only on annual MRI schedule. The reason is, obviously, radiation. They say the amount of it in mammo is very small, but I'm thinking even though it might be safe for regular people, it could be just enough to trigger cancer in someone like me, whose cells are already wonky. Am I going overboard, or does anyone else feel the same way? If so, have you found anything else to replace mammos with? I asked my doctor about the automated whole breast ultrasound, but she said it was only done in conjunction with mammos (which is contrary to what I read, btw).

marijen

I would like to refuse mammos and would prefer an MRI. Don't know if it's justified. I have plenty of time to think about it, until April. I just think the MRI is more likely to catch something. Not sure. I wonder if breast edema would be a good reason?

Jons_girl

Lisa I realize this is a very old threadbut I completely agree with you! Regarding what you said about ultrasound. Automated whole breast ultrasound is what I'm getting now at least once a yr. I get diagnostics every 6 mo. I have extremely dense breast tissue. I have been refusing mammos. It missed my cancer. I felt my tumor. So they had also ordered a ultrasound. I'm one of the 40% of women with dense tissue. I don't trust mammos for my diagnostics