Mammograms for mtf women

[Emily michelle]

I had a check up with my endocrinologist yesterday and I mentioned that my right breast was painful and it had a mass on it. She looked at it and said let’s reexamine I’m a month so I said that was fine. Later on she messaged me saying she talked to a women’s center and that I need to be seen pretty quick. I get a call from the women’s center and they want me to get a mammogram and an ultrasound. Which I said let’s do it I already have a cancer history, so let’s get it checked and be sure it’s nothing. The nurse did tell me that the new guidelines say that women undergoing hormone treatment need to get a mammogram done once a year. I just thought I would spread the word about taking care of your breasts.

[Jani]

Yes they do need care!  I had a mammogram upon recommendation of my primary care doctor.  I hope it turns out to be a non-issue for you.  We do tend to have denser breast tissue. 

 

Jani

[VickySGV]

My HMO has me on a two year cycle and now up to my 5th one.  I can't find the post to link it, but I posted about 5 days from hell here in April 2013, three months after my GCS when my first mammogram came back with a suspicious mass in my right breast.  The technician saw the mass and had the Radiologist review the gram immediately.  I was walked over to another area of the clinic where they did an ultra-sound and decided I was going to need a Needle Biopsy to see what the tissue was.  The biopsy was two days after the ultra sound confirmation.  Needless to say I was a mental wreck by that time.

 

The biopsy, while scary was not physically that bad.  A shot of Novocaine near my chest, and the "Needle" was guided to the site of the mass and there was a click and the center of the needle drawn out.  The center of the needle went back in and the needle pushed in further, another click, and repeat the procedure deeper.  Then a small marker chip was put into the site, and I was done after they gave me another x-ray of the chip.

 

Two long days after, I got a phone call saying the tissue had been examined and it was benign, and the bandaid on the incision could come off.  For half an hour after the phone call, all I could do was sit in my chair and relearn how to breathe, and then go and dilate for my second time that day. Back to normal heart rate. It could have been terrible and turned out to be a sharable moment for other Trans women. 

 

As @Jani observed, we do have breast tissue that is dense, as do a very large number of Cis women, and we do need to exercise the same breast care as Cis women which is self breast exams and calls to the doctor if something is not right as @Emily michelle did. 

 

I was privileged to later meet one of the foremost medical experts on women's breast care and breast cancer, Dr. Susan Love who is a friend of my former priest, and she was happy to hear my story as a Trans women, and gave me a brief word or two about my breast care, and with a grin pointed out that it is one place that  I for very surely share the experience of all women.  Every October I am wearing my Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirts happily and meaningfully.

[Mmindy]

20 hours ago, Emily michelle said:

Which I said let’s do it I already have a cancer history, so let’s get it checked and be sure it’s nothing.

Prayers, positive thoughts, and any other good hope to you Emily.

 

Gentle Hugs,

 

Mindy???

[Emily michelle]

Well I had my first mammogram today it’s not the most comfortable test lol. Anyway all of the staff was great I was treated like every other woman there. I got my results and everything checked out ok the lump was nothing to worry about. It was gynocamastia which I had before I started hormones the version I had before was enlarged male breasts and this lump was triggered by the estrogen creating the dense tissue and lumps. But at least it was nothing. All the doctor said was come back next year.

[Dinaki]

I have breast augmentation ( I am cup C). The silicones there have been for I don't know how many decades ago. I have never thought to make a mamo until I read this post.

Do I really need to do one?

 

 

[Emily michelle]

I was told by my doctor that if you are taking hormones it is a good idea to get one once a year 

[ValerieRun]

Need to? That is really up to you, especially if you have any suspicions. But you strongly should consider it as a prophylactic measure to make sure your body is not generating silent surprises.

 

Be safe.

 

XOXO

Valerie

[Dinaki]

I thank you Emily, I shall discuss it with my doctor  when I visit her.

[Susan R]

I got a notification a few days ago in my Medical Online Portal that it’s time for my paps smear and mammogram. I think I can safely pass on the paps smear LOL. The mammogram  might be something I’ll have to do sometime this year.

 

My wife doesn’t like them so I’m not looking forward.

 

Susan R?

[Jani]

@Susan R My wife isn't enamored by mammograms either but she is larger than I.  I found it to be a non-event that wasn't really uncomfortable.  I would recommend having it done, if for nothing else to get a base line for later tests.  

 

Jani

[Emily michelle]

It’s not horrible, but it’s definitely uncomfortable. I wonder how it will feel next year when I hopefully have bigger breasts

[Carrie]

Yes it is uncomfortable and even a little painful.  I talked to the lady who was doing my mammogram she told me I was lucky because if I had implants they would have to do it twice. I never told them I was trans and when I got my first test back they told me to go to the West Mead Hospital Cancer clinic.  They said it was nothing to worry about but it is a bit scary.  We do them every two years in Australia they send me a text whenever the next test is due..