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Doing Self Breast Exams

Heather said: "It sounds unpleasant, but thanks for the reminder about colon cancer. Definitely something you should have an examination for. I'm glad to hear that your tests came out Okay, Spectra.."

Heather said: "Did you know that [URL="http://www.cdc.gov/omh/AMH/factsheets/cancer.htm"]cancer is the leading cause of death in America[/URL] and 41% of women will be afflicted with one form of cancer or another? I just wondered if everyone here is doing regular breast exams to recognize unusual growths or masses that might be the precursor to breast cancer? If you don't know how to self test, our friends at [URL="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sister/SelfExams.html"]Columbia University have taken the time to provide instructions[/URL] on how to do it. I hope all the ladies here will take the 15 minutes to protect their own health.."

Heather said: "..good call on the pap smear, Unique.. I'm glad that your cancer free and that you caught it in time.. Had you not known it could have turned into cancer.. :( and now you have your eye on it, too."

UniqueMystique said: "I'd also like to add that every woman needs to go for her yearly physical. Get that pap test! I have went for my yearly physical without fail since I was a teenager. I had never had any problems and then two years ago I was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix. If I had not went for my scheduled exam it could have easily turned cancerous. It has been a nerve-wracking two years. I had surgery to remove the pre-cancerous cells and then had to go back for monitoring every three months. TWICE my results came back as "abnormal" after the surgery....luckily, there were no pre-cancerous cells and I've finally been cleared to go back to yearly physicals. That doesn't mean that I have nothing to worry about....cuz I do. This problem came out of nowhere and it can happen again. I know that many of you have probably seen the commercials and ads for cervical cancer that states that the main cause of cervical cancer is a virus known as HPV, a sexually transmitted disease (about 98%). I did not fall into that category. I was in the minute category of the "unexplained". I was tested for every sexually transmitted disease and virus that's available and I'm free and clear. Try explaining those tests to your husband of 16 years! My message is: Do self-breast exams! Get your yearly physical! Get your mammogram if you are over 40 or have a history of breast cancer in your family! It could save you a lot of grief in the long run. Even though I've had to have surgery and play the waiting game....I'd rather have done that than had to have had major surgery and chemotherapy!"

spectrachic311 said: "Excellent advice for all women. Another one to be on the lookout for is colon cancer. If it's caught early, it's very treatable but if it isn't, it's very lethal. So if you're over 50, get that colonoscopy done. It's not pleasant, but it's probably really well worthwhile. UM--I had a scare with one of my pap smears too. It came back "abnormal" and since I was a virgin at the time, I knew it wasn't HPV or anything. They rescreened me and found out my birth control pills were making the cervical cells grow in weird. Luckily, it was nothing, but the thought of having cancer so young really freaked me out. I do my BSE's every month too, even though I'm young and breast cancer doesn't run in my family. I usually do it in the shower and it's always pretty painless. (Ha, considering I don't have a heck of a lot to "examine", LOL)."

HDales said: "I just had my yearly pap and breast exam from my family doctor. As unplesant as it is it has to be done. I always do my own breast exams in the shower.. That is where my aunt found her lump. When she was showering. She actually had lost a lot of weight in the previous 2 months.. and then she found it.. Doctors say it had been there all along but she only found it after she lost weight. Scary isn't it?"