Monthly Breast Examinations

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Monthly Breast Examinations

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Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
Do you all check regularly?

Before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I did not very often. Now i try to be a little more diligent about it.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Yes! Once a month, like clock work
12  (14%)
When I think about it.. every so often
56  (66%)
I should do self exams?
17  (20%)
Total votes: 85
Poll is closed
09/22/2010
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Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Jobthingy
Do you all check regularly?

Before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I did not very often. Now i try to be a little more diligent about it.
I check at different times during the month as per my Dr.s recommendation. I also never skip a well woman check.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
I check at different times during the month as per my Dr.s recommendation. I also never skip a well woman check.
Seconded. I check more than once a month, probably about once a week because things do change along the month and I do it in the shower so it kind of becomes routine.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Kim! Kim!
I can't really do them too thoroughly, my doctor even agreed. I have rather dense breast tissue and it makes it rather difficult. :/
09/23/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
I'm a Lactation Nurse, so breasts are my Thing. I never miss an exam. More than once a month. One can certainly learn to examine dense tissue, many women have dense breast tissue, and that tissue is going to be MORE familiar to you than the doctor. YOU know what your "baseline" feels like. Kim, you are the expert on YOUR breasts. You know what they feel like through the month, and you have more experience with them than your doctor does. Most breast cancers are caught by the woman herself than by mamograms, exams don't hurt, they don't give you any radiation, and every woman should KNOW her breasts intimately. I have friends who have lost breasts or parts of breasts from breast cancer, and most of them had excuses for not doing exams. It ISN'T that hard to learn the density of your breasts shouldn't make any difference. You just have to use a little more pressure and maybe spend a little more time on the exam.

Years ago, I was "diagnosed" with "Fibrocystic Breast Disease." It has since been considered NOT a "disease" because it doesn't cause illness, and more than half of the female population have it. Dense breasts are a sign of good ductal tissue, and one should NEVER miss and exam due to simply dense breasts. My breasts are as dense as Medical silicone! And a lot more lumpy. We are all different, which is why personal exams are SO important. Your doctor only knows what "Textbook Breasts" look like and feel like. The owner of those breasts knows the every breast on it's own terms.

I LOVE my breasts and would do anything to keep them healthy.
.
.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I was never taught how to check mine, nor to know what I'm looking for.
09/23/2010
Contributor: SexyySarah SexyySarah
I never do it, and I probably should, it's just I've never been showed how to do it correctly, so I guess at my next annual I will be asking my doctor to demonstrate to me how to do a self exam, I think about it all the time because my mom just went through some scary stuff with it. She has crystals in her breasts, and now she has to go back every 6 months to check them to make sure they don't develop into anything.
09/23/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Envy
I was never taught how to check mine, nor to know what I'm looking for.
Goth, Sarah, here is a REALLY simple way to do it. You can go to Planned Parenthood and they will teach you how to do it for free. Or, the next time you see your GYN (if you are sexually active, you should have a GYN exam and PAP smear every 12 to 24 months) and she or he will show you.

It isn't difficult, it's just part of being aware of your body. I usually do my exam while lying down, after simply looking at my breasts in a full length mirror. Any mirror in which you can see your chest and underarms is OK, if you don't have a mirror large enough, just go on feel alone.

Here's a good site. Breast Exam Lesson The video is short, to the point and covers all the salient points. Looking for swellings, "puckering" (where the skin looks like it's been pinched inward) long term redness, nipple discharge (some women have clear, white or yellowish discharge mid month, dangerous discharges are black, bloodlike, green or very large amounts of discharge, when you are not pregnant or nursing) and then feel the breast from the nipple outward, in enlarging circles, going all the way to your back under your arm.

It isn't hard, and you can do it in less than 15 minutes a month.

Sarah, the crystallizations your mother has are most likely nothing to worry about. I am assuming she has had several children and breastfed them? These are normal, and rarely develop into anything other than simple crystallizations in the ducts. Very little to worry about here. I know it's scary, but these are common. I'm sure she has a doctor who knows the situation, and they keep an eye on her. A good proportion of women who have had children have these and they rarely turn into anything scary.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
P'Gell is the boobie queen! Thanks for all the info babe!

I am glad that my little post could help remind or teach
09/23/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Great thread, jobthingy!

On an other site, long ago, under my avatar it said, "Boob Czar" or "Breast Goddess." I didn't put it there, the Head Moderators gave people nicknames.

My life it tits.
09/23/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Um, I plead the fifth. *looks embarrassed*

This a great and timely thread, jobthingy, especially since October is Cancer Awareness Month. Kudos to you for creating this. And to P'Gell for her wonderful and spot-on advice.
09/23/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I'm a Lactation Nurse, so breasts are my Thing. I never miss an exam. More than once a month. One can certainly learn to examine dense tissue, many women have dense breast tissue, and that tissue is going to be MORE familiar to you than the ... more
I, too, was diagnosed with FBD years ago. I was told it was important because it could later develop into cancer and that I should have it checked yearly. Which I *cough*haven't done*cough*.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
Thanks ladies.

@P'Gell One of my best friends is a LC so she is my go to boob girl. I have learned a lot from her over the years.

I have mad respect for those in the boobie business.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I'm a Lactation Nurse, so breasts are my Thing. I never miss an exam. More than once a month. One can certainly learn to examine dense tissue, many women have dense breast tissue, and that tissue is going to be MORE familiar to you than the ... more
LOL I wish I had dense breasts, mine made breastfeeding epic fail three times despite the best councelors and consultants. My hormones are just crazy messed up and I got mastitis so bad with my first that it affected the following pregnancies, even though the Dr. was sure it shouldn't have. That's why he wants me to monitor my breasts, he's not sure WHY I had such trouble getting and maintaining a good milk supply. I pumped, I fed every hour, I ate brewer's yeast, drank a beer you name it and still I dwindled to nothing just when my little ones demanded the most. When they lost nearly half their birth weight I finally admitted defeat. Still I got the experience and they got the colostrum and first few months, so I figure I did my level best it wasn't meant to be.

I plan on having my left breast resized so that it matches my right breast because it will make my back stop hurting and my bra fit better but they have to be healthy enough to do that and I have to be done having babies...I'm just not sure when that will be! So I make sure I know exactly what is going on with my breasts all month long.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Persephone's Addiction Persephone's Addiction
I've always had a problem with that. As my doctor so eloquently put it, I have lumpy breasts. I don't know where each little bump is, but I would notice if something was out of place. I check them out visually all the time (what can I say, I'm vain) and they definitely aren't ignored when it comes to tactile inspection, but I'm not what I would call a breast exam. If something new cropped up, I would notice it. I had a small fluid filled cyst in my breast about 9 years ago, and I noticed it as soon as it cropped up (it's not that I knew where all my lumps were, I just knew it didn't feel "right")
09/24/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by gone77
I, too, was diagnosed with FBD years ago. I was told it was important because it could later develop into cancer and that I should have it checked yearly. Which I *cough*haven't done*cough*.
Luckily, women with thick, lumpy "Fibrocystic" conditions are no longer thought to be at any higher risk of breast cancer than anyone else! YAY!!!! It IS harder to read a Mammogram with a woman who is Fibrocystic, but seeing as more than 60% of the female population has this "condition" it is not considered a "disease" anymore. It's just the way some breasts are. You have a lot of ductal tissue and connective tissue in your breasts, which is GOOD!
09/24/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Jobthingy
Thanks ladies.

@P'Gell One of my best friends is a LC so she is my go to boob girl. I have learned a lot from her over the years.

I have mad respect for those in the boobie business.
Aw, thanks. I boobies. (I have actually have a wrist band which says this.)
09/24/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
LOL I wish I had dense breasts, mine made breastfeeding epic fail three times despite the best councelors and consultants. My hormones are just crazy messed up and I got mastitis so bad with my first that it affected the following pregnancies, even ... more
Aw, sweetie. I'm so sorry this didn't work out for you. I know you have a hard to treat thyroid condition, that probably has something to do with it. Sometimes we just don't know why breastfeeding doesn't work out. You worked hard to do it, you did it as long as was feasible and you are an awesome Mommy.

Don't beat yourself up over it. The whole "Mama Package" is what is important.
09/24/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
Ah okay, thanks.

I do remember my mother having green discharge when i was little though.... Too little to understand.
09/24/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Luckily, women with thick, lumpy "Fibrocystic" conditions are no longer thought to be at any higher risk of breast cancer than anyone else! YAY!!!! It IS harder to read a Mammogram with a woman who is Fibrocystic, but seeing as more than ... more
Well, that's a relief! Thanks, P'Gell!
09/24/2010
Contributor: Hot'n'Bothered Hot'n'Bothered
When I think about it. I really should do it once a month though since breast cancer is rampant in my family.
09/26/2010
Contributor: UrNaughtyaAngel UrNaughtyaAngel
I honestly forget to check, and I know that is not good of me.
09/30/2010
Contributor: Danielle1220 Danielle1220
Quote:
Originally posted by Jobthingy
Do you all check regularly?

Before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I did not very often. Now i try to be a little more diligent about it.
My MIL had breast cancer. She's fine now but I do check them more often now, because of her diagnosis, still probably not at often as I should though.
10/12/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by UrNaughtyaAngel
I honestly forget to check, and I know that is not good of me.
If you consistently forget (and this is not hard to do, we're all so busy that things like this can be forgotten) put the date on the calendar, about 7 to 14 days after the start of your period. You don't want to do it right before or during your period, because you may be sore, or more lumpy and bloated. Right after is best.

If you menstruate on the 10th and flow for 5 days, put a reminder on your calendar for about the 17th to the 20th. Then DO it!
10/12/2010
Contributor: Sera Sera
Quote:
Originally posted by Jobthingy
Do you all check regularly?

Before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I did not very often. Now i try to be a little more diligent about it.
I don't really examine them, but I am constantly looking down so I always notice if something is a little different.
10/12/2010
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by Sera
I don't really examine them, but I am constantly looking down so I always notice if something is a little different.
You can't find small lumps and subtle changes visually. I highly recommend that you get your doctor to show you how to a proper self-exam. It's common sense - for many women - life saving common sense!
10/19/2010
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
Im shocking - just do it now and then when I think about it.
10/19/2010
Contributor: CynicallyYours CynicallyYours
i try to do exams monthly...lol they get felt a lot throughout the month either way!
10/19/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Sera
I don't really examine them, but I am constantly looking down so I always notice if something is a little different.
I hope you don't rely on this. "Looking" at the breasts will tell you nothing about what is going on inside and will not warn you of dangers, lumps or cancerous growths!

Feeling and manipulating the breasts are necessary for a proper exam. By the time visual changes show up, usually in the form of dimpling of the tissue or black, green or bloody discharge, any condition is advanced and very dangerous. Also, even in some cases of very advanced breast cancer there are NO visible changes to the outside of the breast!

You may want to ask your doctor or a lactation consultant for a demonstration on how to do a breast exam. I also included a video breast exam earlier on this thread.

Breast Exam Lesson

.
10/19/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
When my boyfriend is around, he handles my boobs enough for both of us, and he would more readily notice anything weird than I would. I get the standard exam when I go in for my yearly PAP, and my gyno always asks "Have you been checking your breasts for me?" while he does the exam.

Uh. No. What?

Awkward small talk/minimizing silence with creepiness, FTW
10/19/2010