This Is Why Mammograms Are No Longer Practical For Me

But this doesn't mean you shouldn't schedule yours now.

I made a big decision this year - I’m not getting mammograms anymore.

It’s October - Breast Cancer Awareness month - the time when you’re constantly reminded to schedule your mammogram. 

And you should.

However, I won’t be.

I have dense breast tissue. And if you have dense breast tissue, you know the drill for this annual event.

You go in, you get your mammogram, and the radiologist says they can’t see everything they need to see because of your dense breast tissue. So your GYN then orders an ultrasound. And until you get that ultrasound, you’re left waiting and wondering and possibly worrying about whether or not there is something ‘there.’ 

Under normal circumstances, this whole process takes weeks  - but it can take months. 

It got so bad for me that my GYN actually began scheduling both the mammogram and ultrasound at the same visit to help alleviate all the confusion and the hassle. 

But last year, my insurance wouldn’t pay for the ultrasound until I’d had the mammogram. So, I went back to doing the mammogram first, which proved (again, like it does each year) that I needed an ultrasound.

So frustrating. 

This year, I had an idea - I’d been listening to the We Can Do Hard Things podcast - the episode where they talk about host Amanda’s journey with breast cancer. Or rather the early detection of it. Short story - Amanda followed her gut and asked for an MRI instead of a mammogram. It detected the very early stages of breast cancer. 

So, this year, I asked for an MRI instead of a mammogram. 

“I mean, I can order it,” my doctor said. “But it’s unlikely your insurance company will approve it.”

“Well, why don’t we try and see what happens?” I asked her.

I mean, what did I have to lose, right? I’d like to know at least what they’d be willing to pay so that I can make an informed decision about what’s best for my health. 

She agreed, and to minimize the hassle, she ordered the MRI and the combo Mammogram/Ultrasound. That way, I’d be covered either way.

Guess what? My insurance company approved the MRI, so that’s what I did.

Remember, I moved to NYC from Florida last year - my insurance coverage has changed, and I’m not sure if that’s a part of it or not - but hopefully, insurance companies are listening to their customers and the doctors and simply covering what’s needed and in the best interest of the patient. 

For the first time in my life, my breast imaging could be read clearly - there was no, ‘We couldn’t see the XYZ portion of the breast’ or ‘part of the breast tissue was undetermined,’ etc. 

Full image - full screening - all is clear!

This is a reminder:

Ladies, please remember to advocate for yourselves!

ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT AND NEED. 

Even if your insurance doesn’t approve an MRI, get a mammogram! Call your doctor and schedule it now, OK? 

Whatever you choose to do - just do it. 

Happy screening. 

If you’re interested in getting a breast MRI and want to know what the experience is like, I describe what it was like for me in the video below.

The video for this post is behind a paywall because much of what we discuss—me in the posts and you in the comments—is personal. I want to protect this community. We are women going through this together, and I want to make sure you all feel safe.