Are Mammographies dangerous?

Hi

I took an ultrasound and mammography yesterday due to a lump i felt on my left breast.  I was very scared and hesitant to take the mammogram b/c I am only 34 and no breast cancer cases in my family.  Is it going to really harm me in the future?  I read some bad reports about the effects of radiation but the lady there said it is like flying on a plane to ny and back that is how much radiation you're getting.

I just want to make sure.

Thanks

[ducky406]

Really it isn't that much radiation, I think it's actually less than flying.  That doesn't mean I would recommend hundreds of Xrays, but when one is needed it's safe enough to not worry about.

Because of how young you are they will likely start off with just the ultrasound before seeing if they need a full mammogram. In young women their tissues can be too dense for the mammogram to be clear. Not 100% sure, but that's what they decided to do for me at 19 and then they ended up skipping the mammogram completely because it was obvious what kind of tissue it was.

Also it's very common to get a call back from mammograms, just warning you. The films can be easily fudged up by something as small as deodorant so if it's even a little bit unclear they will call you back just to make sure they don't miss things. They might tell you this, but just in case they don't; if you get a call back it's pretty routine and no need to panic.