Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

InnerHarmonyMaui — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:52:42 GMT

Aloha I have heard in the past that mammograms are very bad for you and am very interested in the material and comments posted here.

I am 56 yrs old. I have had several ultrasounds in the past few years instead.

I have fibrous breasts, in the ultrasound 3 wks ago the finding was I had 3 simple cysts, but I also had(from the report)

"a hyposchoic msss measuring 2-3mm with a questionable small fatty ilum vs. a small sepation. This may respressesnt a small septated symple cyst vs. a small lymph node"

impression 1. intramammary lymph node in the right breast at 10 oclock position.

2/ small cysts in the left breast, these are benign in appearance and stable to decresed in size compared to the previous study.

3. clinical correlation with bilateral screening mammogram should be completed asap. in the patients record there is no record of the patient every having a mammogram. this is the gold standard for screening for breast cancer.....recommend comparison of ultrasound to mammogram.

The nurse practitoner suggested that I have a mammogram, and said that thermography isn't avaiable on my health care, I can't afford to have it done. My boyfriend has said that he knows many women that have had them, and no ill effects (except one woman did contract breast cancer and had radiation and chemotherapy which I would never do)

I was unaware at how painful a mammogram can be to get done & the amount of radiation involved.

I do not want to have this done. However I am concerned if I should worry about the results, or wait for another 6 months and have another ultrasound done?

I am also interested in the baking soda treatment which was mentioned. Has anyone had good luck with this taking it orally?

Look forward to hearing from you,

mahalo nui loa

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

mersiepoo — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:24:06 GMT

The best sources of Vitamin D are: eggs (preferably from organic pasture raised hens, the factory farmed eggs in the market are pretty nutrient-less), liver (organic if at all possible!), and cod liver oil (cold processed), butter and raw milk. The pasteruized homogenized milk that is in the market has synthetic vitamin D added, which is not the same thing as natural Vitamin D. Sunlight is not an effective way to get Vitamin D exposure, the Anasazi Indians died out despite being out in the sun all day. Archaeological remains showed that they had very little animal protein in their diets, and skeletal remains showed a variety of degenerative diseases and early death. A great book to read is "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon PhD and also "Nourishing Wisdom". The advice I got from NT cured my high blood pressure, stopped my cavities in their tracks and also cured my Rheumatoid Arthritis that I was developing! I cut out all vegetable oils, stopped using unsoaked white flour and sugar and started drinking raw milk and kombucha. This cured me of my 'afflictions'.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

starofauset — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:50:34 GMT

I am a 47 year old woman with a serious family history of breast cancer mom, grandmother, great aunt and her family all treated for breast cancer. I have tried and tried to no avail to negotiate with dr's offices to get thermography or ultrasound for viewing the lump to get it biopsied. No hospital in Boston or western Mass that I have spoken to will hear of it. Several months have passed and they continue to stone wall me so I have no choice but resort to mammography in order to get a medical facility to biopsy the lump. Obviously the last thing someone like me needs is exposure to radiation. It feels pretty abusive that I have no rights to what my body must be exposed to in order to get an answer as to what is going on with my health. As advance as the knowledge is out there thanks to Dr. Mercola, it seems like it is going to be a long time before traditional medicine catches up especially where money is involved. I am sure they get alot more payola for mamograms then thermography diagnosis. I eat pretty healthy and take vitamin d but I have other autoimmune issues and have two children on the spectrum of autism which is a much more stressful life for a parent then the average and studies exist to show that to be true. It is also difficult to deal with doctors offices when dealing with this stuff as they project pretty negatively about what is probably going on with this lump based on my history. I feel like I am dealing with the dark ages every time I pick up the phone to deal with these medical establishments on this issues. So frustrating....

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

wellness22 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:48:30 GMT

Hi All,

I am turning 39 in July and just had a gyno routine appt. and we found a lump in my left breast. My gyno recommended a mammogram and ultrasound. while I would not routinely have a mammogram done and am fully a holistic minded woman, I think I may need one now.

What do they holistically minded people think of doing a mammogram for checking out something specific like a lump?

What other tests (like thermomgraphy) can diagnose whethter this is malignant or not or possibly so (which would require a biopsy). I asked my doctor about thermomgraphy and of course she got uppety and defensive and said it's not diganostic. WHY THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN WESTERN MEDICINE AND HOLISTIC?? Integrative is the best approach. I feel like I constantly have to fight doctors...like yes we do need to detox....etc.

But back to my original question, who here would get a mammogram to investigate a confirmed lump? If you would not, why? and what else would you do?

Thank you,

Susan

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

four4him — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:40:21 GMT

My vitimin D level was at 15ng/ml and Dr Mercola recommended taking mega doses of Vit D. I started taking 50,000 units of D3 for 1 week then 10,000 for 3 weeks then I was retested to find that it had only risen to just over 20. For the next 2 months I took between 5,000 to 10,000 / day and I am in the sun alot without sunscreen ( I love to garden)....was retested and it had risen to just over 30!!! Well my doctor thinks this is good because it is now with in "normal range"....but she was shocked when I finally told her how much I had been taking. I would like my levels to be 60 - 80 as Dr Mercola suggests....what do I need to do to absorb Vitimin D better???

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

Issabee — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:38:34 GMT

It is also my understanding that the Aluminum in anti- Persperant plays a role in Breast Cancer. My understanding is the body has 2 (maybe 3, can't remember) areas that release harmful toxins, one of which is the underarms. The aluminum

prevents you from sweating therefore, blocking the harmful toxins from being released from the body.

My Grandmother beat Breast Cancer, but lost to Colon Cancer....and a large number of women who have had Breast Cancer can develope Colon Cancer.

My Grandmother swore til her dying day, that the "Aluminum" in the ONLY underwire bra she wore, is what caused her Breast Cancer......Hmmm, Aluminum in Anti-Persperant, and Underwire Bras.....Maybe

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

AmethystDebi — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:36:02 GMT

Ya'all might want to try 'European Thermography' which is quite a bit different from 'thermal thermography'. The European one takes the temperature at MANY accupuncture/accupressure points all around the body. Woman can then check on breast and other organ health and men can check on prostate health too. My husband and I both have had this done in Cambridge, MA and find it really amazing and a wonderful tool He knows his prostate is good and I know my breasts have no 'hot' spots, which are an indicator or potential cancer.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

surferxox — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:18:12 GMT

I live in Australia and finally convinced my wife to have a thermogram instead of a mammogram after researching the safety advantages. The mammogram is part of the health system here and is free where as the thermogram cost $180. Now this was all fine until the thermogram came back with an unusual reading and after the second unusual reading the thermographer advised my wife to go to our doctor. The doctor was unable to read the thermal image and so advised a mammogram. The problem here seems to be that there is no one who really knows how read the thermal images as it is not main stream and if there is a quiery then a mammogram is then required to identify the abnormality. As it turned out my wife had a mammogram which turned out fine. This highlights that until thermography becomes more accepted by main stream medicine I feel that the monthly self examinations are the only way to go until something unusual is discovered.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

KatherineGS — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:58:39 GMT

No doubt, this is great information.

I would like to add that EVERY female from puberty on, PLEASE understand the dangers to the health of the breast caused by wearing BRAS

Get the book, Dressed to Kill. You need to understand that yes, all the information provided here by Dr. Mercola is very valuable; however please understand that wearing a bra for hours each day INCREASES your chances of breast cancer by a LOT! I had my own scare in 2001. I live a VERY healthy lifestyle and couldn't believe that I was faced with having to return to doctors repeatedly for six months, to finally find out I was "okay". I wanted to know "why me" if I was living a very healthy lifestyle. I discovered the first piece of information about how wearing bras basically trap toxins in the breasts which COULD lead to breast cancer. I continued to research and found the book, Dressed to Kill. Look it up on Amazon and read it to protect your health. I also found that research on the dangers of wearing bras dates back to the 1960s but it has been "kept from the public". So PLEASE do your own research. I promise you that if you go without a bra for 30 days, then it will feel like HELL putting one back on. This is NOT a natural thing for the female body. It would be like asking a guy to wear a tight jock strap from the time he dressed until he got ready for bed - for every day of his life. It'S not natural, and it IS harmful to the health of the body.

So Dr. Mercola mentions a lot of good things in this article; just remember a very important factor: LIMIT THE TIME YOU WEAR A BRA!!!!

Here's to your good health.

Regards,

Katherine

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

Love_my_boys — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:00:07 GMT

I have been researching some info on breast thermography. It seems that it is quite useful but unaffordable for me. Many of the articles I read say that thermography should be done IN ADDITION TO, NOT IN LIEU OF a mammography and/or ultrasound. My breasts are very dense and therefore my GYN always recommends I have an ultrasound as well as a mammo. Why can't I just have an ultrasound? How much radiation would I be getting from that alone? Thanks, Angelyn_Nelson234 , for providing me with a thermography clinic near me. It is quite expensive, however the website you provided directed me to another site where I applied for a free/reduced screening. I hope to hear from them soon as I'm due for my annual mammo & ultrasound and I've just recently noticed some dimpling near my nipple on my right breast. I'm a 45 year old single mom of two beautiful young boys and I'd like to try to keep myself as healthy as possible so that I can enjoy many more years with them.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

flyfree — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:33:30 GMT

There is another test that compliments the thermography call HALO.

The thermography checks the breast tisue. The Halo checks the

ducts in the breast. Go to www.PapTestForTheBreast.com for more

Information.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

zazzyzee — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:29:35 GMT

Please, check out the web site www.pinkoutlaw.com

This site is dedicated to cancer survivors, esp breast cancer survivors. There is information on this site which you might find helpful.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

nangwynn — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:41:55 GMT

I avoid pesticides in my food also. Supposedly, the chemicals break down as organic estrogen, thereby creating a cancerous environment for breasts, as the chemicals stay in the fat cells of the breast. My mom and two sisters both had breast cancer. I am the oldest of three sisters and I feel that by avoiding pesticides (and most drugs), eating low on the food chain (mostly), and I never took HRT for menopause. I have avoided the disease up till now. I am 61.

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

Kim.Thal22 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:20:13 GMT

Dear Mercola Community,

Last Oct. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Before that time I had had TWO low-suspicion thermograms from Dr. Jonathon Wright's clinic in Kent, WA. They were performed by a certified thermographer, one of the first in our area. She is also a N.D. She suggested I wait 6 months and have another thermogram to check on my status, but I was worried about this lump! I am very glad I went in BEFORE her recommended 6 months and had an ultrasound and mammogram and biopsy. The cancer had already spread to my lymph nodes by that time and who knows what would have happened if I had waited another 6 months as she suggested. I am very hesitant to recommend only thermography as a way of detecting breast cancer early. I would say it could be used in conjunction with mammography, but after my experience, I would not trust thermography 100% at all!! The same week I was diagonosed, the N.D. said another of her patients with a "normal" thermogram was also diagnosed with cancer. I wish my experience had been different and that I could support this wonderful technology, but I wouldn't trust it completely and see the slight risk of mammograms worth the benefit.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story.

Yours In Health,

Kim

re: Stop! Read This BEFORE You Get that Mammogram…

CEC888 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:38:42 GMT

Hell to Veins.. Go ahead and take your own medical care into your own hands. I am assuming from your lack of knowledge that you are not in the health profession. This will probably be better for us all in terms of natural selection. Don't blame anyone but yourself when you have advanced breast cancer and come running to an academic center for your care. Having worked in the field of radiology for 15 years and at academic centers, I can tell you the clinicians don't have an interest in one technology over another due to some grandiose conspiracy due to financial reasons to keep Thermagraphy out of the public mainstream. If you look at the studies and their sources on Thermagraphy, there is no evidence for its use and in fact the FDA is re-investigating it over major concerns. Also look at Dr Mercola's list of publications, I don't see that he has any on Thermagraphy! Please find me a scientific paper showing women have a lower mortality from breast cancer by having Thermagraphy.

Good luck,