What to expect at your first mammogram

Dubai: My first cousin was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. We're close to the same age, so when my mother called me with the news, she encouraged me to go for a mammogram.

It is recommended for women to get checked after the age of 40, so at 34, I'm quite young to get tested. I put off going for a few months, until I finally got the nerve up to go see my general practitioner. He referred me to a breast surgeon.

The breast surgeon started by taking a family history. There is a strong history of cancer in my family and when he put all the information into the computer, it showed that my likelihood of having breast cancer in my life is about 44 per cent, compared to about 10 per cent for the normal population. I was blown away. Those are not great odds.

Next he did a physical exam. There was a nurse present at the time and he gently examined me, looking for lumps. He found lumps in both of my breasts and was concerned enough that he got me an appointment for a mammogram the next day.

Feeling anxious

By the time I arrived for the actual test, I was pretty anxious. As I sat in the waiting room I gulped deep breaths, in a poor effort to keep myself calm.

The mammography area of the hospital is for women only. I was led into the X-ray room and given a hospital gown to put on and the technicians left to let me change privately.

When I was ready, they returned and I stood up next to the X-ray machine. They placed first one breast and then the other on a plastic shelf. Another sheet of plastic lowered down and squished my breast nearly flat. It was slightly uncomfortable, but not painful.

As the women moved aside to start the X-ray, I started to faint. Getting shots and having blood taken does the same thing to me, so I wasn't really surprised, just a little embarrassed.

The technicians were really kind, and got me a hospital bed to sit on during the scan.

The next part of the test is an ultrasound, where a doctor uses sound waves to see inside the breast. This test is done lying down, so luckily fainting wasn't a problem.

In about 15 minutes it was all over and done with, and the doctor was able to give me a clean bill of health right away.

Everything was normal, with no sign of cancer, but given my family history she did tell me that I would need a mammogram every year from now on and that I should check my breasts regularly.

The high probability that I will get breast cancer sometime in the future still scares me and has inspired me to eat better and exercise more. Early detection is very important, but if I can prevent it, even better.