HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Does Anyone Know Why We Are No Longer to Do Self Exams?

Laurel · 11-21-2009, 07:03 PM

I recall in junior high being taught how to do self breast exams. We had the demonstrations and the charts, but we also had a dummy bust with breasts. We had to perform an exam on the dummy's breasts to find various types of lumps. Some were small, hard, and easy to find. Others were just dense areas that were diffuse and very difficult to locate. Monthly breast self exams were a mantra we embraced for decades. What about the "feel your boobies" campaign for women? Was that all schlock?

I must say I am utterly perplexed as to why self exams would be no longer be recommended, especially in young women in whom it is the most common manner of detection. Can anyone shed some light on this? I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind such a recommendation. Ideas?

11-21-2009, 07:03 PM	#1
Laurel Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life! Posts: 2,005	Does Anyone Know Why We Are No Longer to Do Self Exams? I recall in junior high being taught how to do self breast exams. We had the demonstrations and the charts, but we also had a dummy bust with breasts. We had to perform an exam on the dummy's breasts to find various types of lumps. Some were small, hard, and easy to find. Others were just dense areas that were diffuse and very difficult to locate. Monthly breast self exams were a mantra we embraced for decades. What about the "feel your boobies" campaign for women? Was that all schlock? I must say I am utterly perplexed as to why self exams would be no longer be recommended, especially in young women in whom it is the most common manner of detection. Can anyone shed some light on this? I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind such a recommendation. Ideas? __________________ Smile On! Laurel Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08 7mm invasive component Partial mast. 5/08 Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH 0/5 nodes 4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08 Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09 Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09 Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08 Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08 Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard! Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara 15 Years NED I think I just might hang around awhile....