Sooo I had my first mammogram at 43 years old this year. I know, 40 is the magic number to start this annual test. Well, when I was 40, I was pregnant with our third child and I breastfed him for a little over a year. You may be able to get a mammogram while breastfeeding but I’m not a medical professional. Ask your doctor for your own situation.
When I was done breastfeeding, I made my first mammogram appointment only to cancel because I found out I was pregnant again! Unfortunately that pregnancy ended in miscarriage so I put it on my to-do list to make another mammogram appointment. Ok, it’s wild but I got pregnant again just months later (another happy surprise) and sadly again it ended in miscarriage.
So for the next year, I thought I was pregnant every month (is there a name for that) and I put off making a mammogram appointment. Why? Well, mainly because I didn’t want to do any one thing that could potentially affect my potential pregnancy in any way.
That brings us to this year and I finally got in there for my first mammogram. The technician had me remove my shirt and bra behind a curtain and I was given a gown to wear (open to the front). I stood in front of a machine that had the expected top and bottom panel that compressed my breast (one at a time). It really wasn’t bad (different for each person). I don’t have implants…yet (never say never, ok) and that might make for a different sensation. Ask your doctor or friends!
The machine kind of flattened and pressed one breast at a time and there were (I think) three different angles of imagery taken per breast. Each image took seconds and then there was an quick adjustment before each one. Both breasts were imaged. The whole thing took about 10 minutes from entering the room to leaving.
I had my annual exam right after. They are in the same building and it was easy. My nurse practitioner asked if I’d like my blood drawn and I said YES!
Sidenote: I did not currently have a doctor other than my OBGYN here so I was happy to have my blood drawn here. Now I have a doctor established and that doctor will do my annual physicals. My insurance covers an annual physical where they take blood work. I highly recommend you do this if you can.
She did the swab for the PAP and then performed an ultrasound. In this office, ultrasounds are standard with PAP smear appointments to check for any further health issues. I was told that everything looked good and she asked me if I had any questions.
“Well, I know I’m older but I kind of really would like to have another baby.” There I said it. I felt embarrassed. I mean, some people my age are grandmothers. I have friends who are grandmothers.
She said, “You had a healthy baby just a few years ago, didn’t you?” Yes.
I told her that my periods were getting shorter so maybe that was a sign I was going toward menopause and thus a sign I should probably close that chapter.
Then what she said surprised me.
See, my cycles have been shortening but they are very regular. Just shorter. She said that’s basically me ovulating more often (more periods=more ovulations per year) and it’s like final egg hurrah (my words/description/translation). One friend called her s
She told me to start using an ovulation test and now was the time. She also told me to start a prenatal and come in as soon as I got a positive pregnancy test to check my hormone levels.
I still don’t know if I’m 100% sure about wanting to try again but I’m testing for Lutenizing Hormone with the strips. When you get a positive on those AKA a surge of lutenizing hormone, your body ovulates a day or so after that. Ovulation time and few days before ovulation time is when to try. Again, I’m not a doctor and I’m just sharing my experience. 🙂
I go further in depth with the tests, what I’m using and what’s on my mind in my newsletter. If you’re not already on there, join HERE!
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