To have found my first mammogram really upsetting?

While explaining mammogram procedures better, the NHS could probably do the same for hysteroscopy - some women sail through others find it agonising. Minimal information is given and they gloss over the general anaesthetic option.

My first mammogram was fairly similar to the OP, it didn't put me off but the nurse didn't speak to me through the whole procedure. As it was my first time, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect and when the first set of plates came down and squashed my breast (I am big breasted), I let out a sudden "whooaaa"! in surprise. Felt a bit of pillock but hey ho.

I've had several more since then and all the nurses have been really nice, very friendly and actually quite chatty each time I've been.

It's not my favourite way to spend any time but my mum had breast cancer so I always go to the appointments and will continue to request them after the next one as I will no longer get recalled.

A picture walk through would help. For smears too. But perhaps it might deter some.

Well they aren't compulsory - that's true but they can catch cancer earlier (admittedly along with other cancers like DCIS which might not spread at all). Recent AI Mammogram interventions mean that computer-aided diagnosis is catching more cancer that the radiologists have missed - I was part of a research cohort at my local hospital.

Please, please OP don't give up on screening mammograms.

@PleaseletitbeSpring thanks for that information! I will try and go private next time. The pain I experienced was awful and I’m sure left me bruised for weeks after!

Tbh I couldn’t believe how much it hurt me, no one warned me of that. Although the person who did mine was sympathetic. I can’t remember them asking if they could touch me but I had assumed they would need to. It was the pain I was surprised about. It’s like putting them in a clamp!

Yanbu. I had my first recently and was treated in a very kind and respectful way.

This was my experience during pregnancy, paid for care was worlds away from the NHS. It's so sad that in many cases people think we're 'really lucky' to get a shit service because it's 'free' ie paid for from our taxes.

OP I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, there's no excuse for treating people with zero respect. I do think it's worth contacting them ahead of time in future because it would have been useful to you to have had accommodations made due to your autism and that would fall under SEN. SEN seems a strange phrase to use outside an educational setting though, I'm surprised they didn't say 'disability or other additional needs'.

I was a mammographer a few moons ago - this should not have been your experience at all. A lot of our training is about patient experience - the procedure is never going to be a particularly positive experience but you should have been treated with dignity and respect. I would put in a complaint (you can go through PALS) and ask them to review staff training on patient experience.

I don't think it's a lack of empathy to point out that mammo machines may be in a tiny room and not in Buckingham Palace.

I'm a Radiographer (although not a mammographer), please feedback to the department how you feel. The mammographer should have explained what she was going to do at each step as a basic courtesy, whether you are autistic or not, it's basic patient care.
Sorry you felt man handled and rushed.

Surely the radiographer is going to be a bit bossy?! They need to position you to get the picture. It does involve a bit of man-handling. She can’t ask for consent for each prod and push, that would take ages. It’s a medical procedure by a medical professional. Fair enough they shouldn’t be rude (and I didn’t see anything in your op that suggested she was) but some people really are overly sensitive. If you need extra time or adjustments to the process ask for it.

I'm due to have my first one next week, so thanks for the warning, op. Not being sarcastic - I really didn't know. I'll brace myself.

I had a similar experience. The discomfort of the mammogram itself is something to be tolerated, but the whole experience was awful. I had orders barked at me and an incredibly unfriendly woman doing the procedure.

The lack of empathy on this thread astounds me. I'm so sorry you experienced this mammogram conducted in such a disrespectful and unprofessional manner.

There should always be consent in a procedure like this. Not just for people with SEN but for people with a history of CSA or rape who are unlikely to mention this and will find their ptsd triggered by these procedures.

This is not how mammograms should be conducted or the norm. You have every right to be upset. Yes it's a privilege to have one free of charge but no one should touch you without consent - it's pretty basic to say 'I'm going to need to touch you like this or adjust your position like this, is that ok' before doing it.

you do realise most women in the world dont get this opportunity to catch a deadly disease when it is still at an early stage and can be treated?

We are phenomenally lucky - people seem to lose sight of that

It seems to me that you had an expectation of what would happen and the reality didn't match it. Nothing you've said really suggests anything bad happened to you. Being intimidated by the room and machine isn't a fault of the staff.

Radiographers don't have time for chit chat and they have to be very direct with instructions.

OP: i think you’ve had some harsh responses on here. I found my first mammogram hard too: for some reason I didn’t think to google but expected the machine to be chest shaped so you could walk into it or something. I’ve been lucky to have relatively little medical treatment over my life and the idea that a scan would be so painful or involve so much ‘work’ didn’t occur to me. I was lucky to have a kind mammographer who talked me through everything but Ofc if your job is moving women’s boobs about it becomes normal, so I think they sometimes forget how incredibly personal and intimate it is especially on the first time. I assume no info is provided as it might put people off but actually I think a picture walk through included in the letter of what to expect would help lots of people (ime anything that makes it better for people with access needs nearly always helps everyone!)

Also those saying ‘just ask’ have a) a poor understanding of the impact of the power dynamic set up between a medical professional and a patient b) autism (one core diagnostic criteria is challenges in communication, this is not a realistic expectation)

This!
if we remember we pay our taxes and elect our politicians who run the nhs then we may take a different attitude.

OP, I was surprised at the vote split. A definite YANBU from me. Yes you know what you’re there for, yes you needed more detail and yes you could have asked for help but also the person at the appointment could have been a bit more vocal and supportive.

What??

The person performing the scan sounded most unpleasant and unprofessional. I've had all manner of invasive testings done and they always explain what they are going to do first and then ask your permission. I'd provide feedback to the service about the persons manner.

I'm so surprised by many of these responses I've gone back and reread the OP. No you can't clearly complain the procedure itself is uncomfortable but I absolutely wouldn't be happy with a bossy, monosyllabic radiographer. I'm certain that wouldn't be acceptable when they trained for the job so why should it be in reality? It doesn't matter if she's already seen 40 patients and it doesn't matter if she wasn't all warm and fuzzy but very basic manners should be expected, regardless of how grateful or not we should be for screening.

Can't believe the number of "be grateful, you idiot" posts are on here. And the side helpings of "I managed to be grateful because cancer/ the developing world". Complete lack of empathy.

Just a couple of sentences about you are going to/ then I will/ this may be uncomfortable/ we need your breast in the right position is really not very hard. Telling OP to "use her words", but not expecting the qualified medical professional to bother are showing more than a tiny bit of contempt to ND women.

That sounds very unpleasant, OP, I'm sure most women would find that experience upsetting.