Re: Your thoughts on Mammograms?

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

I have health insurance and still have to pay. The requirement that this is paid for under ACA doesn't kick in until next year or it kicked in sometime this year but after April when I had mine done. I totally lost track.

Because my DH's insurance plan has been in effect prior to a certain year, they were grandfathered in to not having to pay for this preventive care until it was absolutely required.

The cost that was billed to my insurance for a regular screening mammogram was close to $800.00. I had to pay for somewhere around $200.00 I believe.

2 years ago I had to have a diagnostic. The cost billed to my insurance was over $1,000.00. I don't remember how much I had to pay.

I have a mammogram every year. I've yet to have a 3D done although this year I got a letter that I have dense breasts so I will need to discuss that with my doctor. I do know that a 3d mammo takes longer than a regular mammo by about 45 seconds and the radiation exposure is nearly 3 times that of a regular mammo. That makes me nervous.

However, I have spoken with my doctor in depth about thermography and she said the results just aren't there for it. All the research I've done and thermographers I've spoken to have said it's supposed to be done in conjunction with a mammogram, not in place of.

All the money that goes into breast cancer research and still there are so many women whose lumps aren't picked up by a mammogram.

PH58 · ‎05-26-2010

http://raymondfrancisauthor.com/mammogram-nonsense/

I think we have bought into a real scam. I don't think I will continue having them.

BalletBabe · ‎03-05-2011

@Lipstickdiva wrote:
I have health insurance and still have to pay. The requirement for pay for this under ACA doesn't kick in until next year or it kicked in sometime this year but after April when I had mine done. I totally lost track.

Because my DH's insurance plan has been in effect prior to a certain year, they were grandfathered in to not having to pay for this preventive care until it was absolutely required.

The cost that was billed to my insurance for a regular screening mammogram was close to $800.00. I had to pay for somewhere around $200.00 I believe.

2 years ago I had to have a diagnostic. The cost billed to my insurance was over $1,000.00. I don't remember how much I had to pay.

I have a mammogram every year. I've yet to have a 3D done although this year I got a letter that I have dense breasts so I will need to discuss that with my doctor. I do know that a 3d mammo takes longer than a regular mammo by about 45 seconds and the radiation exposure is nearly 3 times that of a regular mammo. That makes me nervous.

However, I have spoken with my doctor in depth about thermography and she said the results just aren't there for it. All the research I've done and thermographers I've spoken to have said it's supposed to be done in conjunction with a mammogram, not in place of.

All the money that goes into breast cancer research and still there are so many women whose lumps aren't picked up by a mammogram.

@Lipstickdiva Think about this, how many women do you know that a lump was found on a mammogram and how many found the lump themselves? IKnow women that go every year and have discovered lumps themselves. One lady Iknow had 4 mammograms and two ultra sounds, she was saying that something didn't look right. So they did surgery and now she has cancer and has to have radiation. So if she didn't find it herself, how long would it be till they found it. They will never send me for a 3D. Just a way to make more money.

BalletBabe · ‎03-05-2011

@PH58 wrote:
http://raymondfrancisauthor.com/mammogram-nonsense/

I think we have bought into a real scam. I don't think I will continue having them.

@PH58 We are being scammed in many ways. A colonoscopy costs between 5000 and 8,000. Talk about a racket. It is also dangerous. I know 2 people that died having them. Perforated bowel. I won't do anything anymore that they suggest. THe immunizations are awful. Look up sometime what is in a Flu shot.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

The best advice I ever got from my doctor is" Stay away from doctors. She's been my PCP for more than 20 years.

BalletBabe · ‎03-05-2011

@ALRATIBA wrote:
The best advice I ever got from my doctor is" Stay away from doctors. She's been my PCP for more than 20 years.

LOL I like him/her A lot of what is going on in Medicare patients especially is that the Dr.'s are told what needs done. They think we are stupid, well I am not. The insurance wants to save money by catching things early, so it isn't about us. They are all getting bonuses every year, while we are being exposed and injected with bad stuff. I do think everyone has to make these choices for themselves. This is why Insurance is going so high. Everyone is paying for all these diagnostics tests even if we don't want them. This was started in the last administration in the WH.

My Dr. was trying to tell me a colonoscopy was around 800.00. When I got home I asked a friend of mine who had one to send me her bill. It was 8,000. I took it with me on the last visit and asked him," How much is a Colonoscopy again"? He said around 800.00. I took out her bill which I copied and put it in his face and said look again? I worked for Dr.'s and I can tell you that they think we should believe everything they say, but we don't. The Rx's they are pushing are another scam. Do your research and decide fo yourself. I think everyone has to do that.

morganjen · ‎03-13-2010

@wilmaThanks for the suggestion, unfortunately our hospital doesn't carry the 3-D technology. I usually go years inbetween mammos (last one was 4 years ago) because I don't want the radiation exposure and them not be able to read anything anyway.

Originally joined board 12-14-2004

morganjen · ‎03-13-2010

@ThinkOutsidetheBoxIt was around $200.

Originally joined board 12-14-2004

BalletBabe · ‎03-05-2011

@on the bay wrote:
@CherryHugs-
Thank you for this thread.
It made me look up a lot of things I didn't know about and rethink what I'll ask for my next mamogram
I haven't gotten one for at least 2 years because I've had so many since I don't know when probably before they knew what to do for dense tissue aside from mamo-ultrasound, biopsy-negative result-repeat-with sometimes several biopsies.

So on the fda.gov website (which I don't always trust but nevertheless, I'll show what I found)-

Thermography (which I don't remember if I've heard of or had) is not a substitue for a mamo because it does not always detect cancer.
It is sometimes used as an "adjunct" to the "mamo 2" (the orginal mamo?)
And the newer 3d or digital mamo also has a new lower dose radiation than the previous one so I guess if having one we should make sure of that one.

I probably will get one again at some point.
I don't like how everything seems to be so haphazard-the consistency of information, which mamo or technology to get, what treatments etc etc.
And the last mamos I've had after all these years, I felt like she was breaking the bones in my shoulder-totally unnecessary and I just don't think she was a very good technician.
Her personality was like nurse ratchet and it almost seemed like she was angrily enjoying it.
Anyway I was encouraged to know its not just me who are skeptical of the routine we should do this or that.
It just makes me know all over again, to do lots of research and hope to be confident in our decision.

I don't ever believe-well just do what your doctor tells you.
They often go by the standard for everyone and don't have time to read on the latest things, nutrition etc.
Its difficult to find a good doctor who has your best interests and knnowledge about you at heart.
I do think many try their best but just don't always have the time they need for each person or to keep up with the latest info which changes all the time!

@on the bay Man I agree with you 100%. The problem with Dr.'s today is that they cannot know everything about you. When Dr.'s used to care for you alone and not send you to a specialist for everything, then they knew there patients. My Dr. recently ticked me off so bad that I most likely won't go back to him. I have lived in Florida for 14 years and have had 4 different GP's. I loved my first Dr. but he quit to teach at the VA. The guy I am going to now has only seen me for 5 years. I have never had a Physical by him yet he thinks he knows me in and out. I think for the most part the Dr.'s are doing what the Gov. or the Insurance Company says they should do. Dr.'s are not Gods. I worked for them and I have seen people who adore their Dr.'s and would jump in the ocean naked if the Dr. wanted them to. LOL I do research and if I don't like what I read, I won't do it. I eat well, never smoked or drank, nevr been over weight and walk 2 miles a day. I also take care of my house alone which is a lot of yard work.

Remember the Commercial: A body at rest stays at rest. A body in motion stays in motion.

vickie25 · ‎08-11-2012

I've been reading the book "Healing Cancer From the Inside Out" by Mike Anderson. I do not have cancer but have been interested in what I can do, nutritionally, to get my body as healthy as it can be to fight any disease I may encounter as I grow older.

I just finished Part 1 - The Failure of Convential Treatments, and a lot of it was discussing mammograms.. Bottom line, the book puts forth a compelling reason, FOR ME, to rethink getting an annual screening.

And yes, this book annotates their findings with the published case studies listed right on the page so you don't have to flip to the back of the book.

As mentioned, each of us needs to do what we feel is best for us.