Mammography for anyone on female HRT

[SoupSarah]

2 weeks ago I had my regular mammography scan.. I have had a couple now. No big deal. You go to a place, you plop your left then right breast on a xray plate - its flattened and they take a picture.

Mammography holds significant importance for transwomen as part of their overall health care regimen. While the focus of transition often centres on gender affirmation and related medical procedures, it's crucial to remember that certain health screenings, including mammograms, are essential. It is also, strangely affirming.

The day after my scan, the phone rang. A doctor informed me they had found a lump on my right breast. They wanted me to attend a clinic, as soon as possible. So they can look at it in more detail.

Right then my world froze... 

I had been here before. A brain tumour a decade ago. A doctor advising me to get 'my affairs in order'...

I don't think I breathed while the doctor told me the address of the clinic, especially when the first line included the word 'oncology'.. I guess he was used to this type of call.. he reassured me and told me the address would be emailed to me as well.. good, I had not heard the rest of it.

for 24 hours I did not tell anyone. Then I approached my husband and told him the news.  His face drained of colour, he tried to smile.. he put his arm around me.. but no words came from his mouth for quite a while. Yeah, this was happening.. oh gosh.

4 days passed and hubby had to cancel an important appointment, because I just could not take myself there.. I don't think I could cope if it was bad news. Then, I don't think he could either. But I needed my rock. So off we set.

The one thing about the US health service is their hospitals are great (the ones I have been in) and the people are lovely. I was taken through first for more xrays.. then sonograms and other tests.. these test hurt.. they took a while.. and then one of the nurses said 'I will get the main doctor now to talk to you'.. I had already braced myself. The doctor walks in - 'Nothing to worry about' she says with a grin.. 'Its quite benign - we are sure'... 'it is just your genetics.'

She goes on to tell me they have good images of it, will look at it each year carefully and keep and eye on it but it seems just to be part of how I developed.

A week of hell evaporated.. I walk out to hubby, he looks pensive.. 'all clear' I whisper.. and he exhales. Relief means we don't actually talk until we are in the car.

I will be back next year - I now have to go to this clinic for my tests as they recommend me to have the xray and sonogram at the same time and have someone on-site to look at them. It was scary, it was stressful but it was also potentially life saving..

I just want to stress that everyone who is on hormone therapy should have their mammograms from the age of 40. If you have a prostate, get that checked out too regularly.. these things can kill you, please look after yourself.

[Kay226]

I am glad that you are all clear!
I have battled cancer two times in my lifetime. Get checked, eat your veggies, try to live a healthy lifestyle.

[Lilis]

@SoupSarah

I can't imagine the fear you must have felt after that phone call. It's amazing you stayed so strong through all the tests. I'm so relieved to hear everything came back benign.

Sending you lots of positive vibes as you move forward. 

[KathyLauren]

OMG!  I am so glad that the test showed all was good.  Reading your post had me holding my breath!

I am scheduled for my third mammogram in August.  The standard here is normally every two years.  But because my breasts are "heterogeneously dense", I have to have one every year.  You can be sure I don't hesitate to schedule them. 

Sure it's a little bit uncomfortable, but not as much as the big C would be.  And you can have a bit of fun with the nurses and technicians.  Like the time I was asked if I still had my uterus.  "Um, I never had one of those."  The double-take was priceless! 

[Lori Dee]

Like the time I was asked if I still had my uterus.  "Um, I never had one of those."  The double-take was priceless!

I once had a new nurse asking routine exam questions. She was just going down the list and asked when was my last period. We stared at each other for a minute and she said, "Right. No uterus." We both got a laugh out of that one.

[LurkinLiz]

 Getting my first mammogram this summary was almost anti-climatic for me. The imaging center was nice and polite, the staff was perfect.
 The only hitch I has was my evil wife telling me horror stories.
 But really, get them done folks. Especially if you have started HRT. Messing around with hormones can place us at higher risks.

[Myranda]

I literally just came home from my first mammogram.  I'm still processing the experience, and obvious waiting on the results.  While I was of course nervous and walked in with trepidation, over all the experience was nowhere near what I feared, and honestly not really physically uncomfortable, or at least not to the extent that the cis-women in my life lead me to believe/fear.

[Faith]

Both my endo and my primary tell me that I can get a mammogram if it makes me feel better but, due to my late age start and current age and risk factors, I don't really need one.

Although, it was funny when the nurse's assistant asked me if I'd had one and I said never, they're barely 6 years old  .. the look on her face 

[Devlyn]

Both my endo and my primary tell me that I can get a mammogram if it makes me feel better but, due to my late age start and current age and risk factors, I don't really need one.

Although, it was funny when the nurse's assistant asked me if I'd had one and I said never, they're barely 6 years old  .. the look on her face 

 

[Devlyn]

I just got back in the UK for a couple weeks, and there's a reminder to schedule mine (second time around for me).

Hugs, Devlyn

[Lori Dee]

I was getting one every year and usually this time of year. My doctor said the criteria have changed. She said now it's every two years instead of every year. I got a pass this year on the mammogram, but am due for my every-five-years colonoscopy. yay?

[Devlyn]

I was getting one every year and usually this time of year. My doctor said the criteria have changed. She said now it's every two years instead of every year. I got a pass this year on the mammogram, but am due for my every-five-years colonoscopy. yay?

I'm still on the "mail in some poop" screening program....it's not fun but better than going to the hospital for a procedure.

[Lori Dee]

I'm still on the "mail in some poop" screening program....it's not fun but better than going to the hospital for a procedure.

They found polyps on my first one so had to go back after three years. In this last one, there was a very small polyp but they decided it was inconsequential, so moved me to every five years. They have a very good team here, so the worst part of the whole thing is drinking a gallon of lemon-flavored snot and sleeping in the bathroom the night before. 

[KathyLauren]

She said now it's every two years instead of every year.

Here, the default is every two years.  But if you have heterogeneous breast density (I do, as do many trans women), it is every year.  This is because of the difficulty in finding lumps when the breast tissue is naturally lumpy.

[Myranda]

I was getting one every year and usually this time of year. My doctor said the criteria have changed. She said now it's every two years instead of every year. I got a pass this year on the mammogram, but am due for my every-five-years colonoscopy. yay?

I myself would rather get a mammogram everyday that ever have to go through a colonoscopy ever again

[Faith]

I myself would rather get a mammogram everyday that ever have to go through a colonoscopy ever again

that's for certain .. I had one over 10 yrs ago, due to the "after age 50" requirement, I never recovered. That particular area is still messed up when there were no issues prior.  never again.

[ChrissyRyan]

Taking health precautions as noted in these posts is a wise thing to do for sure.

Self done breast exams are good too.

Us women seem to have complicated bodies but I guess guys do too in their specific ways.

Being proactive with medical care is important. 


Chrissy