ATWT Discussion Group -- Mammograms and pap smears

ATWT Discussion Group

Topic: Mammograms and pap smears

Topic Posted by: Tosca
Date Posted: Fri Nov 20 10:06:14 2009
Additional Comments:

Are you still going to try to get annual mammograms and pap smears? I'm more inclined to do the every other year with the pap smear since the actual doctors came up with that recommendation and it makes some sense. Although I have to admit, that annual pap smear is what "forces" me to remember to see the gyno each year.

Mammograms - I want my yearly! I'm in my late 50s so can probably continue to do so. I can't understand the argument against it...that false positives cause women to get uptight for a week or so? It's not the exposure to whatever it is in the machines...it's that they're worried that we'll be traumatized? Dumb. My mom found her own lump in 1961, before mammograms, but she was only 30. Damn right I'm going to get checked as often as I can.

Posted by: Roxie
Date posted: Fri Nov 20 15:16:09 2009
Message:
And so it continues! I wonder what will be next in health care rationing. Women giving birth at home maybe?

Posted by: maggimae
Date posted: Fri Nov 20 13:40:10 2009
Message:
I get a mammogram every year and am scheduled to have one next week. Don't get paps as I had a hysterectomy.

Posted by: Suellen
Date posted: Fri Nov 20 11:04:58 2009
Message:
A positive family history is a definite reason to be checked yearly as far as mammograms are concerned. Insurance has changed to pap smear exams every 2yrs on my Anthem insurance but at 70 I don't need them anymore.

Posted by: Lyrica
Date posted: Fri Nov 20 10:43:52 2009
Message:

Tosca, it is not that it causes women to get uptight for a week or so, and it is not exposure to radiation, it is the COST. There are lots of changes upcoming and this is just one of them.

Replies: (list all replies)

What other changes can we expect? /dandyfop

except this recommendation came from some national board of OB-GYNs , not the federal government. And it sounds as if it's been a long time coming (pre-Obama)

dandyfop, Obama promised change, if you remember, and I believe him, don't you? And, whether the health care bill gets passed or doesn't, there are going to be changes, right? If Obama sends troops to Afghanistan, or he doesn't, there will be changes there, correct?

Tosca, whoever the recommendation came from, it IS all about cost. If it weren't, everybody would go on as usual. Insurance companies try to cut costs, too, and they are probably at the bottom of this.