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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Have you scheduled your mammogram today? I know it's not the most pleasant and comfortable thing to do. All the squashing and pressing your precious body parts up against a cold glass plate to have the overhead plate press down on you. What joy, right? That's what I want to schedule a time to do on a regular yearly basis. NOT!
One of the most popular excuses for NOT getting a mammogram is that you are too busy. Well, I am here to give you some time management tips to get your mammogram and your OB/GYN appointment into your schedule.
Time Management Tips to stay on track with your Mammograms checkups
- Before calling for your mammogram, look at the calendar and determine a date between your "visitor." Pick a date between day 5 and day 10 of your cycle. It should be less painful during this time.
- Schedule your mammogram at least one month ahead. You can contact your OB/GYN or your primary doctor to get the referral/prescription mailed to you. AND, by calling and scheduling way in advance, it gives you the flexibility to get the time and day you want.
- Add the appointment to your calendars. I put calendars here because you may have more than one schedule that you update on a regular basis.
- After you make your mammogram appointment, be sure to make your doctor appointment too at least 2-3 weeks after your mammogram appointment. This tip will also help you get in closer to when your results are just in, and the doctor would have a little while to check them.
- Block off an hour before and an hour after your appointment. This task will give you time to get to the location without stress. Some places require you to get there a half an hour earlier and register and may run later than you initially thought so allocating this time will help you manage the rest of your day.
- Create a recurring appointment on your digital calendar a month and a half before your year is up that reminds you to 1. Call your doctor for the referral and then 2. Call to schedule the mammogram.
By doing these simple steps, you will be able to set up your mammogram and your yearly OB/GYN appointment without stress and be able to feel good about yourself because you are taking care of yourself.
Let's continue the conversation. Do you have your mammogram scheduled? I scheduled mine! Do you have other tips you can share with the viewers that will help them schedule and keep their mammogram appointment? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
If you want to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc., click here.
Andi Willis
Such a great reminder. I am bad about remembering to schedule my mammogram appointment. I have to wait to get my order from my gynecologist before I can call the MRI clinic. I vow this year to add making the mammogram appointment to my calendar with lots of alerts so I don't overlook it.
Hazel Thornton
Mammogram - check! GYN - check! I like my mammogram facility because I usually don't have to wait long at all, but while I'm waiting they have a classical guitarist performing live in the waiting room! I must say I've never thought to write about time management principles as they apply to doctor's visits, but why not?
Linda Samuels
Thank you for sharing this important post, Sabrina. I don't think any of us "enjoy" getting mammograms. Typically I schedule all of my annual doctor appointments around my birthday. It's a gift I give myself.
As women, mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, partners, we take care of so many people. But how many of us take the time to take care of our own health? I'm guessing that some of us take better care of our cars than we do our bodies.
Sabrina
I totally agree. Thanks for commenting.
Ellen Delap
Scheduling early is the key! It takes a while to get the time and date you want for your doctor and mammogram appointments.
Autumn Leopold
I so appreciate this post Sabrina! Right now several of my friends and are going through one form of cancer or another. That's right I said several. It's amazing how many people each of us know that are affected. I am 40 ad have yet to have a mammogram. I asked my doctor about it annually and they say I don't need one because the self exam and their exam comes up negative. I still worry that I may be missing something, but I'll just continue to be vigilant and may insist on one next yer. 🙂
Sabrina
Sorry to hear that, Autumn. Hang in there. I was told that you should start doing mammograms at 40 so keep asking.
Janet Barclay
Where I live we are lucky to have a program where they send you a letter reminding you when it's time to book your next mammogram. You call and make the appointment (it's usually quite a ways down the road), then they call and remind you when the date gets closer.
One thing I've learned is not to ignore the message about how to get there. I did that, because I'd been several times over the years and *knew* where I was going - or so I thought! I got there to find a sign on the door with the new location (a building or two over, so not the other side of town, but still ....) If that wasn't bad enough, when I arrived at the correct place, I realized that I HAD been there before! Needless to say, I won't make that mistake again!
Sabrina
Great point Janet! Our program also email letters to you as reminder at least two months in advance. It is a reminder to get on top of making the appointments. I too make sure I know where I am going too before I get off the phone with them. I write the address on a sticky note and attach it to the prescription/referral I need to bring with me. I make it simple, if the location was fine the previous year, I usually go back to the same location. Thanks for sharing your experience.