Sign the Petition Against the new Mammography Guidelines

Mammo showed "pre-cancerous" indicators with microcalcifications.   My breast exams had zero lumps.  So far I've had bilateral mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and will see my onco for treatment in one week.  With out the mammo showing the microcalcifications, by the time I would have been "old enough" to get the mammo, I would have been in serious trouble.  The mammo started because i had some nipple discharge.  The doctors thought the mammo would  "put us at ease".  Now, one month later....here I am, up at night, cant sleep and have drainage tubes coming out of my body.  Let's keep up w/ early detection!

Elizabeth A. Rumpf...

Erin Armstrong.  Diagnosed at age 43.  Found by annual mammogram.  No lump or other indication of cancer prior to mammogram.  No close family history of breast cancer.  If I'd had to wait until 50 for a mammogram I don't think my cancer would be at this early stage and my life expectancy would be significantly shorter -- if I'd made it to 50.

I am a 40 year old female that went for her first mammogram and I was diagnosed with DCIS Breast Cancer, If I had not have gone for a mammogram it would have been way to advanced for me at age 50.

Diagnosed at age 43 - No history of BC, don't carry the gene.  Regular mamos, but dense breasts.  Self exam resulted in diagnosis of Stage II.  Doctor told me the cancer had been there a long time. 

As a person diagnosed at the age of 43 after dealing with 4 years of mixed opinions as to whether or not I had breast cancer, I would say leave this alone, we need people to continue getting mammograms no later than age 40 for the baseline, this is crazy what the so called experts are doing. How many insurance companies do they have paying them to make these decisons????

I found my lump myself 8 months after a clear mammogram. I was 52 at the time. If I had not found the lump and waited another year before my next mammogram my prognosis would have been very poor, as I am triple negative. I was surprised by how many younger women, both in their 30s and 40s that I saw while I was undergoing chemo. I was physically ill when I read the new recommendations for screening. It is a huge step backwards and frightening to think how many of these women would have died if they had waited until 50. Also breast self exams are extremely important. Many triple negatives found the lump themselves.

Please don't change the guidelines.  I was diagnosed by mammogram at age 47.  In one year, I went from a clear mammogram, with never a call back, to a bilateral masectomy for multifocal DCIS, with microinvasions that were Her2 positive.  In another 3 years, I would likely have been in a much worse situation, with Her2 being more aggressive and the microinvasions likely to have invaded lymph nodes and outside of the breasts, decreasing my chances for survival and increasing insurance costs to treat the cancer on a long-term basis, with less liklihood of ultimate survival anyway! NUTS!!!!

Rhonda kay   age at time of dx 46, FIRST mammo ever,totally blindsided by this.   no prior family history of bc.  Had I waited another 4 years............I don't even want to think about the ramifications.

"we are made strong by difficulties we face and not evade"
Diagnosis: 11/17/2008, DCIS, 1cm, Stage 0, Grade 3, 0/2 nodes, ER-/PR-

Theresa Maschino dx 53 no family history

Lisa O.- Age 39, diagnosed about a month ago.  Found lump during a breast self-exam.  Thank goodness my doc sent my in right away for a mammogram/breast ultrasound.  NO family history.... in the fight of my life now, with lots to live for. 

Sue Genau

Diagnosed at age 44 - DCIS discovered during regular screening mammogram (no lump or mass), no prior family history. 

If the new guidelines had been in place I would not have known I had a stage three agression breast cancer. I had a clear  yearly mammogram in January and in April found a lump that was over two centimeters, and I found it simply by taking a shower and I felt it while washing. In four months it went from 0 - over 2cm. My doctors sent me in immediately for another mammo and unltrasound. The urgency due to a clear routine mammo 4 months before. By the time I found it and had it removed it was in the lymph nodes. I see no reason to fool around with the mammogrm guidelines. One reason I read was that it keeps women from needlessly worrying and upseting them. Another spot was found in Ocotber of this year that resulted in negative biopsy results. That week or so of worry was worth it to find out there was nothing wrong. I would rather worry for a few days and find nothing was wrong, or even find out something was wrong and this is how we are going to take care of it. Like what happened to me. Fear and worry is an assinine reason.

I totally disagree with their new guidelines.  If it weren't for the old ones I wouldn't be here.  This sounds to me like the GOVERNMENT is already trying to interfer in our health care and our LIVES.  If the the new guidelines go into effect I will still follow the old ones and pay out of my pocket for this life saving step.  I agree something needs to be done about health care but not the current proposal.  IT SUCKS!