To mammo or not? As if we don't have enough unanswered questions at this stage of life!
I realize this is a "Women Only Over Fifty" site, but we also have a lot of women readers who are approaching this golden age. Not to mention that women over fifty may now have the option of getting mammograms every other year, if I read right.
So, what's it to be, WOOFers? How do you feel about the new guidelines? My first thought was, Yaaaaaay! The discomfort and anxiety of having my boobs squished every other year and and foregoing a, possibly, unnecessary x-ray, sounds like a win-win to me! But, since I'm "slightly" over fifty, I wanted to get an opinion from one of my not-yet-fifty friends, Chris.
"Thanks for asking me! It's such an important topic. Well, as you know I'm heading on 44 in a couple of months. For the past 4 years, my doctor has written a prescription for me to get a mammogram, but I've been putting it off. Not out of fear, but because our lifestyle over the past several years has been in and out of the country, so I haven't had a block of time to schedule and hold it (these appointments typically needing a couple of months).
I'm scheduled for my yearly visit in January and will ask her for another prescription, and I have a good feeling she'll give me one. This time, I will go. I have no idea if insurance covers this anymore given the new guidelines, but I feel it's an important part of women's health. I don't really understand the technology, and if the current technologies used are somehow antiquated, but every breast cancer survivor I see on television is upset about the new guidelines, and many doctors are openly calling for women to still get them. This is a good sign. But healthcare has been set back years."
What are your thoughts? We'd love to hear from all WOOFers and Pre-WOOFers.
I realize this is a "Women Only Over Fifty" site, but we also have a lot of women readers who are approaching this golden age. Not to mention that women over fifty may now have the option of getting mammograms every other year, if I read right.
So, what's it to be, WOOFers? How do you feel about the new guidelines? My first thought was, Yaaaaaay! The discomfort and anxiety of having my boobs squished every other year and and foregoing a, possibly, unnecessary x-ray, sounds like a win-win to me! But, since I'm "slightly" over fifty, I wanted to get an opinion from one of my not-yet-fifty friends, Chris.
"Thanks for asking me! It's such an important topic. Well, as you know I'm heading on 44 in a couple of months. For the past 4 years, my doctor has written a prescription for me to get a mammogram, but I've been putting it off. Not out of fear, but because our lifestyle over the past several years has been in and out of the country, so I haven't had a block of time to schedule and hold it (these appointments typically needing a couple of months).
I'm scheduled for my yearly visit in January and will ask her for another prescription, and I have a good feeling she'll give me one. This time, I will go. I have no idea if insurance covers this anymore given the new guidelines, but I feel it's an important part of women's health. I don't really understand the technology, and if the current technologies used are somehow antiquated, but every breast cancer survivor I see on television is upset about the new guidelines, and many doctors are openly calling for women to still get them. This is a good sign. But healthcare has been set back years."
What are your thoughts? We'd love to hear from all WOOFers and Pre-WOOFers.
As for me, my annual mammo is due in January, so I guess I'll call the doctor to see what her recommendations are. No sense in calling the mammography clinic because they have a "dog in the hunt." Think they're going to turn down my money? Ha!
Mary (Milkbone)
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1 comment:
I personally think it is a ploy. If government run health care passes, yearly mammograms will not be covered. I think the powers that be are trying to get us used to the fact that it will be "okay" not to get a yearly mammogram. Like, every other year will workjust as well. I say it is not okay! I will continue to get one--even if I have to pay for it myself. I know too many women who are alive today because of early breast cancer detection. But let's not forget that heart disease kills more women than breast cancer, so those screenings are important too.
Melinda
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