CHECK YOUR BREASTS!!!

[FiveSoloRings]

I got news this morning that one of my friends died yesterday. She was in her very early 30's, two young children and everything to live for. Despite a mastectomy a couple of years ago, the cancer spread and she is gone. I can't tell you how dreadful I feel.

It is so important that we check our breasts regularly. It takes a few minutes and could save your life.
One of my best friends had a message just like this one, but it was face to face and by her boyfriends exgf who also had just had a mastectomy because of breast cancer. This message from such an unlikely messenger almost certainly saved my best friends life.

Pass the message on please ladies. Make sure your friends and family are nudged into remembering to check.

Sorry for your loss
A good thing to remind people of though. Does anyone have any links showing how to do it properly? I have rather large norks and I am never sure I am doing it right

I'm sure there must be something bb. I will have a look.

Here is a demonstration. You will need to sign in to see it though.

Dr Chris Steele

I'm sure they should be able to Riven, or maybe the well woman clinic would be the best place? I know in the past my well woman clinic/family planning at the gp surgery has checked mine and I'm sure they should be aware that you have limited use/sensitivity in your hands and should surely therefore be more than happy to check yours for you.

Would your Dh do it for you Riven? get him to watch the link so he knows what to do/what he's looking for etc.

GP will def do it, if your concerned. Also ladies, get to know what your breast look like, colour, texture, nipple pointing, everything about them should be known to you.

Am so sorry that you have lost your friend FiveSoloRings -
the Breast Cancer Care website has good downloadable publications which might be useful.
here
And those of you offered routine mammograms -do go - I went and my bc was picked up early- if I'd missed it (and I was really scared about going) my treatment would have been a whole lot worse.

Bumping.

MAS - those leaflets are useful, thanks. They tell you what to look out for.

Sorry to hear about your friend fivesolorings

Excellent MAS, thank you!

I've used my entire mobile minutes for the next two weeks telling all my friends and family about my friend and to check their breasts. Wont be able to use my mobile until Jan 2nd, but I don't care, it'll be worth it knowing that I've reminded them all of such an important issue.

bump

bump

BUMPING!!!!!

bumping too

Thanks for this- I am off to do it now.

Thanks MAS seems to be just you and me!

Excellent deaddei. Hope all is well.

Mine are quite sore at the moment- end of hrt tablets today, and "period" due.

Sorry about your friend

however, self checking is now thought to do more harm than good

e.g.

www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jul/16/cancer.health

My understanding from the summary of the IMHO, ambiguous article you quoted AvrilH, is that we should check, even if this leads to unecessary biopsy in some cases:

"Sarah Cant, at the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "Being breast aware does not mean following a fancy routine, you just need to know what your breasts look and feel like normally ... Most of the 44,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year in the UK are detected by women themselves."

I'd rather have unnecessary bits taken out than leave my Dc's without a Mum tbh.

Deaddei, I wont swear to it, but I think you need to wait until after your period.

I think you need to pick about the same time each month to check,probably not before a period as breasts tend to lumpiness hormonally then. Sensible checking can only be helpful I think- if you think you find something unusual then your doctor can check and if unsure would refer you to the breast clinic. Mammograms and ultrasounds are done before any biopsy - I don't believe they are done willy nilly !

No they aren't MAS.
My friend was fobbed off initially by the practice nurse saying it was just a cyst. It played on friends mind for 2 weeks before she got a second opinion, mammogram which found a second lump, then biopsy followed by the removal of a malignant lump. She caught it early, but had she not ignored the nurse because of a niggly feeling...it doesn't bear thinking about.