November 21, 2009
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Checking Boobs and Vaginas
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced that there is no longer necessary for a woman to get checked pap smear every year. They say that woman can get checked every two years now. Here is the link: Link (No word on a save the vagina campaign).
This is right after the United States Preventive Services Task Force announced women can wait until 50 to get mammograms. Here is the link: Link (I hope I didn’t collect all those topless photos for free mammograms for nothing).
Do you get the feeling that most of the women’s screening was a bit excessive?
Comments (76)
haha, hell yeah.
Have you seen how a mammogram works? I’m not up for rushing into that, thanks.
That’s odd because there are instances of breast cancer in women under the age of 50.
hahah ok, I just really liked the title.
no, ask a survivor !
Seriously…omg people can get it even at a younger age..why the hell would they try to raise it up…hmf
How often women- or men- get screened for conditions is up to them. I have no official opinion one way or the other.
@MangoWOW - No, but now I am going to research how it does 0_o
This title was hilarious by the way…I thought Dan was going to begin a “save the va-jay-jay” campaign Hehe…only teasing Dan
I wish they would’ve lowered the recommendations on men getting checked for prostate cancer…
Um, no. My aunt would be dead if she didn’t go for her yearly mammogram. She’s still got a few years til 50 too. So no, I don’t think it’s “excessive” or whatever.
I think it’s good to encourage occasional mammograms BEFORE the age of 50. I mean, isn’t it better to catch it ahead of time?
BTW – I really love the title. xD
What I’d like to know is why the hell would a woman want her tits smashed in a machine and/or some perv sticking his hands up her vag? I know it serves a purpose, but ehhhh, if I was a woman I don’t think I could do it (just like as a man, even though it’s recommended, I’ll NEVER have a prostate exam, ever).
That said, I’m anti-medicine and think medical professionals are in it to get rich and don’t give a shit about you, but that’s just my opinion.
I will continue to get checked every year–I think it’s unwise not to.
For a lot of women, yes – yearly mammograms expose your body to radiation, and most of that radiation never leaves your body. Low risk or low-average risk women don’t need yearly mammograms- it could potentially cause more harm than good. High risk women or even moderate risk women should follow their doctors’ advice. Also, young breast tissue does not show up clearly via mammogram.
Pap smears – makes sense. Cervical cancer is extremely rare in young women and is also extremely slow growing. After 30 it should be yearly but before that bi-yearly is fine.
I just did a post on my thoughts, though, with more depth than this comment.
I had a nightmare about a mammogram once. Like, I’ve never actually had one, but in my dream it pinched my whole boob off. It was so strange and I woke up and had to make sure I still had two boobs. Don’t really know why I just shared that but okay, haha. Anyways, my grandmother had breast cancer when she was in her mid-fifties. So maybe I’ll wait until my forties to get one done. I guess I’ll see, knowing me and my worrisome self I’ll probably get one in my twenties.
But cervical cancer still happens in young women. I don’t think doing pap smears yearly is too much, it has saved lives. Someone my age had cancerous cells somewhere in her reproductive system and doing the pap smear caught them. Booya!
Yes. My doctors are always recommending unnecessary screenings. It is best to use common sense and research the information on your own.
@mathematicalbagpiper - Yes. No way is the damn doctor stretching out my vag. I’m with you. I’m only going to get my tits smashed when I start to get old, lumpy and cancery prone.
Nope.
An ounce of prevention. Why not take precautions? It saves you heartache if it’s caught early. The body changes so rapidly that, unless they can show great just cause to cut it, I’ll continue with my yearly.
It’s not fair how womens health is getting hacked to pieces. Small margins of error are nothing compared to waiting too long & getting help when it’s advanced. Just because the risk is minimal doesnt mean we should skip screenings all together. It’s easier to prevent or catch something when you see it earlier.
Like take Jade Goody for example. She was 27 when she died this year of cervical cancer. It’s rare to get it that young but not impossible. Before she died, she said they should make it manditory to screen for it at every exam. Many cancers dont have symptoms & people wont know anything until they get sick from it spreading.
I have people in my family who’ve gotten breast cancer before the age of 50. So, I’ll probably start getting them earlier than that anyway.
This year I actually decided to wait two years, my cancer risks are lower than average and I’m only 23.
Academically, no. But once a year when I’m splayed out on the examining table like a frog about to be dissected, yes.
I am outraged by this. Do you know how many things are caught in women during YEARLY pap smears? Things that shouldn’t go unnoticed for 2 years? And if the age for mammograms is changed, it should be LOWERED. I know so many people who have had family members or friends get diagnosed with breast cancer in their 30′s. Since breast cancer runs in my family, i will start getting a mamogram in my 30′s, even if i have to pay for it out of pocket.
I always thought the pap smear recommendation was wayyy to often. But, that’s probably because I HATE HATE HATE those goddamn vagina stretchers. They hurt like a mofo. And then when they swab my cervix it gives me cramps for the rest of the day.
Tell that to my aunt who got cancer in her 40s. Oh wait, you can’t SHE DIED. She would have been dead a whole heck of a lot sooner if she would have had to wait.
WTF is with the scientology shit Dan?
Without testing I would have died in 2001 and my aunt who had a both breasts removed due to cancer would have died when she was just 19. I will continue to have both on a yearly basis even if I have to pay for it all myself. Some cancers are so agressive that waiting for two years would mean death.
I think they’re just running out of finances so they’re cutting back on this. :
Sad. When people get into real trouble, they’re gonna make a lot of money off it.
Even if I have to pay for it myself, I will continue to have my exams every year. 2 years is a long time. Cancer can move quickly and if I get cancer I want to know as soon as possible so I can fight it and have a better chance of not losing my life.
i think its needed especially when cancer runs in the fam.
I always liked getting my pap smear, that’s the only time I can see that far inside my vagina. It’s like looking into an alternate universe.
Texas is where the rest of the US takes brain shits, the texans wade through it, and VOILA: out comes their system of laws!
-LkVs
it’s there to create awareness and the decision is still ultimately up to us. while it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry, being overly freaked about such things would be sad.
I’m embarrassed the title make me click over, but it did
I wish you men would leave our vaginas and breast alone!
For me, if I had more information on my family background, I would put it off as long as possible if there wasn’t any history of it.
Unfortunately, I don’t know my family background past my mom. She was adopted and her records sealed. She can’t find out anything.
Sucks to be me, eh? :p
There’s a balance in there somewhere… We shouldn’t live in the idea that “this will never happen to me” because I’m sure MOST people don’t think it will happen and yet it DID happen to them. But I also don’t appreciate fear-mongering and panic-inducing tactics by “the powers that be” concerning our national health. Don’t freak me out into getting checked, just give me the facts and let me decide.
~V
I actually don’t agree with this. Something can happen at any time, especially with your vagina. Something could go wrong and you might not even realize it. Just saying.
@suggestivetongue - How…HOW can someone ENJOY that process?! Seriously. I do not comprehend this.
@Paul_Partisan - That’s true… But it’s also why Breast Self-Exams are so highly recommended.
If breast cancer runs in your familiy you should definitely get a mammogram sooner than it’s recommended. If it doesn’t you should still get one before you turn 50, probably before you turn 40 as well. Plus everyone should do self breast exams and try to catch anything early.
As for pap smears? They do catch things early, and should probably still be done yearly.
I continue to sigh over the ignorance displayed on xanga… The cervix is not part of the vagina. It’s part of the uterus. Thankfully someone did mention a big factor in the change in breast cancer screening guidelines that most people are overlooking: mammography DOES NOT WORK AS WELL in women under 50, because the breast tissue is more dense in younger women, so less can be detected. Some women can get a good report from a mammogram and actually have a false sense of security. That’s why researchers are working on finding a better test. Secondly, something no one has mentioned, getting screened for cervical cancer actually IS harming many women. If something minor shows up on a pap smear, a doc might treat the woman more aggressively than is really needed, removing part of her cervix, which decreases her chances of being able to carry a full pregnancy. Most cervical cancers are slow-growing enough that every 2 years is fine.
So, are you gonna be doing a “save the vag” campaign? That’d suit you just fine, you sicko.
I was 33 when I got a result that showed pre cancerous cells. This was after eight years of normal yearly results. Personally, no I don’t think they were excessive. Things can change quickly and early intervention is always the best.
It’s just a way of reducing cost and in an era where people are dishing out not hundreds, but 10s of thousands of dollars for medical coverage and the cost of treatment. And they aren’t saying, no, don’t go. It’s just a recommendation. They still recommend asking your doctor as to what to do.
I really like how the word “recommendation” gets twisted around to “must only”. >.>
I dont think they should have raised it.
I dunno. Here, we don’t get checked every year. Odd…
Absolutely not! Breast cancer doesn’t wait until you’re fifty, I am getting check starting at age 40, if not sooner. Everyone complaining about mammograms: suck it up! Would you rather have cancer or get your boobs smashed once a year? I thought so.
@mathematicalbagpiper I am sure if you had cancer you would be playing a different tune on your bagpipes. Easy words when you are healthy. Also you are the perv not the doctors.
@jeanmarie26 - Eh, whatever. I already said I was anti-medicine. If I ever get cancer (not that I’ll know it because I don’t go to doctors, EVER), I won’t fight it. I decided long ago that it wasn’t worth it to fight it. Life sucks anyway and I’ll die one way or another, so fuck it.
I’m all for preventive medicine.
baaaaaaaad grammar. edit things!! jesus!
no, i think the preventive measures saved peoples lives. this is not a good method to saving money.
way too many…..
The various medical professions are businesses like any other. They tell you you “have to” come in to get checkups a) because it’s true, or b) because it makes them more money.
too bad there is so much flap about this…there are so many sheeple in this world that just do what they are told plus they pay the price.
Use common sense. ladies. Personally I think there is waaaaaay to much fear and worry. Radiation is a serious thing. Here are a couple of good links regarding mammos.
http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_mammogram-risks.htm
http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/mammograms.htm
oh a mac the photobooth app allows you to do things like that.
Good to hear that… I am afraid of checking pap smear test yearly….
2 years? Omg.. I think it should be 6 months..
@mathematicalbagpiper - decline meds.. right. When you feel that pain, I would love to hear about your change of heart.
@afireinside_me - I suffer from the most severe type of pain humans can suffer from…cluster headaches. It’s reported to be more painful than natural childbirth by female sufferers. No amount of medication or treatment can even dull that pain. If I can handle cluster headaches, I’m pretty sure I could handle whatever pain that’s thrown at me.
BTW…I’ll never get cancer, because I know how not to. Secrets the FDA/Big Pharma/Physicians don’t want you to know. Read Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You To Know About sometime, it’s very telling.
Well…..no. If it can help save a life then by all means. I personally avoid hospitals.
For awhile I had to get a pap smear every 6 months. I had abnormal cells and we had to keep monitoring them to make sure it didn’t turn into Cervical Cancer. Sometimes stuff like that is necessary. Anything can happen between each pap smear and mammogram.
There is a history of breast cancer in my family, so I’m not taking any chances. As for my yearly exam at the gyno, I’ll keep doing that too. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
I actually read a recent article in the Globe and Mail (a very popular Canadian newspaper) about all the screening and the possibility of “over-diagnosis” here:” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/does-cancer-screening-do-harm/article1368759/
I know tests probably do catch a lot of things, but you also close yourself off to the possibility of things like false positives, and irregularities that your body fixes in due time. But it’s hard for me to have a take on this, since my mom had breast cancer a few years ago. She got a mammogram right when she turned 50. Still, I’m not going to be rushing to get one when I reach my 30s…
From the article: “…as one in three women are treated unnecessarily. The problem, of course, is that we don’t know which ones.” I think that’s basically why people believe in taking all the treatments necessary just to eliminate the chances that you are one of the people that have a “real” health problem. Nobody wants to take a gamble with their health and I can totally see why.
It’s more important to know your risk and try to protect yourself. My mom has breast cancer, the form she has is highly genetic. My doctors are aware of it so instead of mammograms I’ll start having MRI’s probably in my late 40′s. Since I KNOW it’s genetic, I’m doing what I can to protect myself from it — I don’t drink or smoke, I don’t take hormonal birth control, I plan on breastfeeding each of my kids for several years….etc. All you can do is know your risk!
And as for pap smears — I’m in a monogamous relationship (married)….my doctor told me not to worry about them till I’m older.
its just like the car shops. they still recommend changing car oil every 3,000 miles, even though my car (and im sure most modern cars’) manual says i dont have to until 7,500 miles. unnecessary screenings waste money, time, and bring fear into people. obama proposed overhauling the health care system by putting more emphasis on prevention. i dont think the new health care system would advise a less amount of screenings unless it was absolutely unnecessary. these things are guidelines (probably based on actual facts) but are not concrete because people differ. as for those who are genetically predisposed for breast cancer and the like, im sure there are options. the individual doctor should look at history and deem if yearly exams are necessary.
one things to consider–
how often and at what age do other countries with public health care start regular examinations?
one more thing to consider– although the new health care guidelines dont recommend yearly examinations until age 50, do they still recommend one every other year starting at 40? or one at 40 and 45? often times people leave things out of context. do your research! i know i myself still have plenty of things to learn about this proposed health care, but im sure the government wouldnt do anything to try to hurt us! thats crazy.
Paving the way for Obama’s new heath care system.
Can.not.wait.
Yes. As one of those people that have to go back for the sonogram after the mammogram every year (7 years now) to find nothing at all, and have to go back after the false positive Pap for the clonoscopy every year (3 years now) to find nothing at all…I would be incredibly happy if the new rules on boobs and cervixes (not vaginas) applied to me. The old ”every year” rule is a big waste of medical resourses, time, and unecessary pain. Even the new rules require more frequent screenings than in the UK, for instance.
Pap smears literally cause me to hyperventilate. I have never experienced such pain or discomfort or panic in my life. Making it only once every two years would cut that in half. Why do I have to have a fucking phobia of having my vagina probed with a big evil cotton swab? Ugh. I couldn’t have sex without freaking out for two weeks after the last one…
i think women should have there vagagas and boobs check once a week. i’m giving free appointments starting today.
ahh.. I don’t like that.
I don’t even like how now that I’m 18 insurance only covers me for physicals every 2 years. EVERY 2 YEARS?!
I’m paranoid when it comes to doctors and stuff…
No. Pap smears are horribly uncomfortable but should definitely be performed every year. I may be developing cervical cancer and we are catching it before it’s even developed yet because of my yearly paps. And this isn’t a rare thing, I would guess 1 in 5 women end up having abnormal paps that need to be kept an eye on. It stops cancer before it starts!
The point that no one has hit, yet, is that the change in these recommendations, is really the result of insurance companies not wanting to pay for that stuff. If insurance only covers what is normal and customary, and they lobby for a group to change what is “normal and customary,” then they don’t have to pay for you to get a mamm before 50.
I will start getting mamms at 40. I have no family history of BC, but I think 40 is just wise, anyway. As for the paps, I don’t get them. I am monogamous, have never had HPV, and have never had a “gray pap.” With almost all cases of cervical cancer, stemming from HPV, and my never having had an STD (and not being in the position to contract one), it’s not that important for me to lobby to have an uncomfortable procedure done. It’s not as easy as, say, taking a multivitamin. It’s a little more invasive, so I opt out.