“Caffeine really affects breast tissue.”
“Like coffee?” I mouthed back. Leaving off that I drink coffee from sun-up to sundown.
This came from my good friend and running buddy, Kim Sitzmann.
Yes — dear friend and marathon mama, she also a very handy with one of these.
Just like a purdy model on "The Price is Right."
And since there is so much pink flying around these days, I took an unofficial visit with her today to chat about mamos.
I wondered… what is the main reason women put off a visit to the breast press?
“People don’t come because they’re afraid it will hurt or they are afraid of the outcome.”
Well. I can see being afraid of the outcome. I asked how often does she see women who come in after finding a lump.
All the time. Her last appointment before I blew in on this cool, blustery day was a 33 year old who had found a lump. She was the second one Kim had seen today before noon.
“Usually it’s nothing. Cysts or fibrocystic changes in the breast, especially around the menstrual cycle.”
Then she got to the caffeine part.
“If you feel something odd in your breast and you are a heavy coffee or coke drinker — back off the caffeine and start drinking lots of water — and see how it changes your breast tissue.”
“Caffeine affects your breasts that much?”
She nodded affirmative.
I asked to see her credentials.
Yup. That's her.
Kim gave me my last mammogram earlier this year. A very thorough one I might add.
Morgan Memorial (MM) now has digital capabilities so patients get the same snapshot of their breast as they would in Atlanta, Athens or Conyers. We just have to specify to our doctors we want MM and Kim. 
I asked about other misconceptions.
“People always seem to think it’s easier on those with big breasts. For me — the small breast is easier. The larger-breasted women, we have to take more pictures. That’s the space I’m working with,” she said gesturing…
"If your breast is larger than this...we have to divide you up"
I’ve always been a one-shot wonder myself.
Kim laughed assuring me that most women are. But there are women with whom they need to take up to four pictures.
Nope. Not me.
I asked about implants — not that I have ever polled my friends — but I’m sure that’s pretty common these days.
“With implants we take two pictures. One with the implant in place, then one where we physically have to push the implant back and out of the way.”
How important are yearly screenings? I asked with all the sincerity a mom-with-a-blog-medical-reporter could muster.
“Many women come in here for their regular screenings not suspecting anything and we find something.”
“But the main thing women need to do is self breast exams. That is number one.”
Kim advised getting to know your breasts and know what is normal for you.
A few other insights…
* Baseline mammogram at age 35.
* Annual mammogram after age 40.
* Exception. If your mother had breast cancer, your initial screening should be 10 years earlier than her diagnosis. For example, if your mother had breast cancer at age 40, your first screening should be at age 30.
* Men don’t get a breast cancer pass. Kim had a patient who was a husband and father. He had felt a lump in his breast for over a year. Finally his wife persuaded him to get checked out and it was cancer. He had a mastectomy and radiation.
Kim made the point if locals have their mammograms at Morgan Memorial, it takes about 45 minutes out of their day. If someone travels to Athens, it might take half day of work.
To celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month, if you have your test performed at Morgan Memorial in October look at this neat take away.
It's got a nice screw lid, pink bracelet (which I'm wearing) and pink pin inside.
So be sure to schedule a mammogram if your are older than 40.
Thanks so much Kim.
And get to know your breasts. Like right now, darn it. They’ve been good to you, so be good to them.
How good are you about monthly self-exams?
