It's breast cancer awareness month-- it is important to get proper screening, but this is why I don't get mammograms.
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My mom had breast cancer. She did everything the doctors told her to do. 5 years later, she got leukemia. The oncologist told us she probably got it because of the breast cancer treatments that she probably didn't need 😡 Before my mom got leukemia, doctors told me I needed to be screened regularly. I used to get mammograms and have had 5 lumps removed (starting at the age of 20) -- all benign, thank God. I have fibrocystic breasts, which about 50% of women have. This makes mammograms difficult, if not impossible, for radiologists to differentiate cancerous masses from dense breast tissue because they look similar in the images. Breast density laws exist in some states (CA included) that require radiologists to inform patients with dense breast tissue that a mammogram is not helpful for them. When I realized mammograms were useless for me because they were producing false alarms, resulting in surgery, I stopped getting them.
Most breast doctors won't even see you if you don't first get a mammogram-- they will shame you and coerce you (makes me wonder how much they're getting paid for this service). I recently switched doctors and told them that I would not be getting a mammogram. They put me in a room and asked me to put a gown on-- normal procedure as I thought I'd be getting an exam. Then the nurse lead me into a room for a mammogram 🤦🏻♀️ I told her I wouldn't do it. She asked me to leave and I did.
So what do I do for screenings instead of mammograms? I get ultrasounds. Most insurance companies will not pay for an ultrasound unless you first get a mammogram. (Interestingly enough, if they see anything irregular on the mammogram images, the next step is an ultrasound.) I pay out of pocket to skip the mammogram and go straight to the ultrasound. Because I have dense breast tissue, I also use these castor oil packs. I pour about 1 tablespoon of castor oil onto the middle of the pack and spread it around. Then wear it over my breasts for a couple of hours once a week. Taking this supplement daily has also been life changing-- I have estrogen dominance (which contributes to fibrocystic breasts) and this helps to improve estrogen metabolism. I no longer have hormonal headaches, breast tenderness or PMS symptoms.
Of course, I also try to avoid eating the foods that can contribute to cysts. Remember, this is not medical advice, but just me sharing my personal experience with breast health with you. My advice is— do your research and determine what will be best for you!
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