Reply to How bad is it to not do a mammogram?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This thread is insane. According to the ACS, mammograms at 40-44 are optional and you should just discuss with your PCP whether they are necessary based on risk profile.

I started mammograms at 45 and it's fine. I have no family history and [b]lower-than-typical risk because I have never taken hormonal birth control. [/b]I know other women who have been doing them annually since 35. It just depends.

OP, you're fine. Talk to your PCP about getting one ordered, since it's something you want to do now. But it's not "bad" that you haven't had one yet. Do you have any family history? Don't let your anxiety go haywire based on the "Cancer Horror Story Storytime" people have decided to turn this thread into. It's fine.[/quote]

Did you actually find a doctor who admitted this is true? Because in my experience they insist it is 100% safe and roll their eyes if you don't want it.[/quote]

I mean this is the conclusion of current studies and literature -- HBC slightly raises risk of breast and cervical cancer. But more than that, HBC can encourage the growth of existing breast cancer. Which means if you are taking HBC, it makes sense to pursue early screening and be very good about getting it annually. Because if you do have cancer, the HBC could make it progress faster. Also, one of the first things you will be told to do after diagnosis is STOP taking HBC and switch to a non-hormonal method. If you are not taking HBC (or HRT), then this is less of a concern. Obviously you still have cancer risk, but not this specific risk of faster growth rate.

Any doctor who rolled their eyes at me if I said I didn't want to take a completely optional drug like HBC wouldn't be my doctor anymore, by the way. And I have no issue with HBC -- it's a godsend for many women. But it's a pharmaceutical, it is not the only way to prevent pregnancy, and it is and should always be 100% a personal choice whether or not to take it.[/quote]

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