Just had my annual mammogram on Christmas eve and had to go BACK for a “recall” appointment this morning. (I like to think of it as the annual "boob squash"). All they would tell me is that they wanted to take more pictures of my right breast. It was scary enough having to wait until today for the recall. I thought, oh my God they found something. Better start my “bucket list”. With all the mammograms I've had over the years this is the first time anyone ever mentioned a caffeine-fibroid connection to me. This was the first nurse that ever mentioned caffeine to me as a cause for aggravating fibroid cysts or come to think of it-- the first nurse that even talked to me about diet or prevention. She showed me the digital photos so I could actually see the fibroid tissue in the breast. She also mentioned that “..doctors won’t tell you this but you really need to cut out the caffeine 2 days prior to your mammogram (that includes diet cola and chocolate) and if possible switch to de-caf altogether.
Especially true she said, "..if fibroid cysts run in your family". Well halleluiah. No one ever mentioned that to me. I had switched to de-caf last year but then started drinking regular again the last couple of months. This was the first time I had ever heard of a direct connection between caffeine drinking and fibroids. I told her they were hereditary in my family and she suggested I start educating my daughter NOW. Keep her away from those bad caffeine habits before she gets hooked. At 16, my daughter already likes to stop at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts with her friends.
The nurse I spoke with today had a 5-cup a day habit and noticed breast tenderness and pain along with the fibroids showing up in her mammograms. When she switched to decaf it all went away. Guess that’s as good a resolution as any for 2010! Thankfully it all turned out ok and they sent me on my merry way for another year. What a relief. I'm going to talk about this more with my friends because I do think women are anxious about recall appointments (I was) and it's important to know that just little tweaks in the diet can make a big difference. Crap. Now I have to give up coffee and chocolate.
