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I find them really painful too. Think its cos I have small boobs so there isn't much to squash in the machine. I had my first year mammo a couple of weeks ago and took some painkillers about an hour before it. Still hurt though, sorry! It was over relatively quickly though. The woman who did my mammo was very nice though and coped with my tears! Good luck with yours.
I don't cry but I must confess I actually SWORE last time when crushed by the dreaded plates - didn't go down too well, but I couldn't help it!
I found the ones I had when I discovered my lump were really painful, definitely brought a tear to my eye, and the same when I had another one when I got called back for a biopsy when I was originally diagnosed.
But when I went for my first annual check up last October, it wasn't anywhere near as painful. Now whether that was because they were more sympathetic knowing that I had been through chemo, surgery and radio by then or whether they were just a bit less heavy handed I don't know.
I did mention that I was worried about the pain because I had found previous ones painful and that was before any scars etc so I don't know whether that made a difference, but it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I'm inclined to think it's either down to the competence of the operator or the type of machine (or both).
My next one is due very soon - I'm going to see if I can talk to someone in charge beforehand, because the women who actually operate the machines don't seem to listen to a word I say.
What really amazes me is that the leaflet that they send out says that the procedure 'may be slightly uncomfortable, a bit like getting your blood pressure taken'
Yea, right - obviously written by someone who has never had one.
....or the comments were written by a man..lol.
that said , my surgeon and senior oncologist are men and they are both excellent;so maybe it IS just down to staff you have on the day.
I have my next mammo on 29th feb and my boobs are still very sore due to cellulitis and RT on top of this;I am expecting this to be an uncomfortable experience.
what do they look for on your yearly check ups? is it to see if the C has gone ? Or what?
love
yvonne
x
A friend of mine just had her first mammogram and said the first shot they took was really painful because the radiographer had set the machine on automatic. After my friend saying it hurt (she has extremely small breasts, which didn't make the situation easier) the radiographer squeezed the plates together under manual control, which was a bit better.
I hadn't realised that they can set it on automatic, but that explains why when I've ended up in tears with the pain, the following ones haven't been as bad.
I must admit, the one I had when I found my lump was pretty excruciating as I thought the lump was about to burst and it made me feel nauseous. I also found the first on post lumpectomy/ANC very uncomfortable.
However, a couple of years ago my clinic got a new mammo machine which seems much more comfortable - the plates don't seem to squeeze you so hard, so it's less like being gripped in a vice. It also has a colour changing mood panel at the back which is very soothing and takes your mind off things a bit. I do tend to feel uncomfortable for a couple of day after though.
Hi All
I think the experience is like all the others it depends on the person in charge.
Last one I had was done by B888h from hell. It was my fifth year and she seemed to have no clue about the significanc of getting an all clear or how much it can hurt. I find the breast I've had surgery on particularly painful. I stood talking to her with tears dripping off my nose and she didn't even offer a tissue.
I do think they should all have it done as part of their training just so they can empathis at least.
This is my first year without one though and I feel a little uneasy.
Fingers crossed.
Chinook
Hi All,
I had three completely painless mammograms until 2010 when the one to my left breast was very painful - that was 14 months before I found the lump there. When I had the mammo at the Breast Clinic on day of diagnosis it too was sore on the left side.
At first I wondered if the 2010 mammo had somehow caused the cancer but I now wonder if it was the lump causing the pain and it was too small to detect at that time. Was 33mm when removed in October 2011.
I would welcome your comments on this as it is puzzling me and my BCN told me they would automatically check the mammo although I haven't asked about the outcome.
Take care all, Liz.
Update:
Well I had mine today and it was nothing like the previous ones - just a small squeeze and over in a couple of seconds.
I put it all down to getting an operator who knew what she was doing for a change. She was nice to me as well, which is another first for staff in that department.
Had my 1 year on mammo today and I can honestly say it only hurt half as much as last year.... but then I do have half as many boobs now.... chin up to us all x