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Original poster

First mammogram tomorrow

67 replies

Thecrisplover · 08/08/2021 15:36

Any top tips?

OP posts:
OhGiveUp · 08/08/2021 17:23

@MrsMoastyToasty I had no idea that they mammogramed your boots too 🤭

ShrekandDonkey · 08/08/2021 17:46

Breast shape and size absolutely does make a difference when it comes to how comfortable it is. As does your general body shape, eg. If you have a prominent sternum or ribs.

I've probably taken over 15,000 mammograms (obv as my job) and my advice would be to listen to the radiographers as much as you can, they really know what they are aiming for and how position you. Do not try and help! Also try and relax as much as you can, I appreciate easier said than done but makes a big difference.

I would say 95% of women find it a little uncomfortable but absolutely tolerable. A few others do struggle but there are many different reasons as to why that may be.

MrsMoastyToasty · 08/08/2021 17:48

@OhGiveUp my unfettered boobs are located somewhere near my boots !

lljkk · 08/08/2021 18:00

other people mention the squeezing between plates as painful - squeezing between plates I did not find even slightly painful.

What hurt was breast tissue being scraped off my ribcage. I cannot recommend this.

Gotthetshirt23 · 08/08/2021 18:01

Mine was a mobile unit last year , covid restrictions I would imagine but less than 10 mins and I was sat back in my car !
Not the most comfortable but put it with "smears" on a must do list ?

Marilla1966 · 08/08/2021 18:04

I’ve had 4 mammograms and it has never hurt. It can be uncomfortable but certainly never painful for me. Most definitely worth it x

OhGiveUp · 08/08/2021 18:40

@ShrekandDonkey Try telling mine that ☹️

LostArcher · 08/08/2021 18:47

Take two paracetamol an hour before you go. Just helps with the squishing pain. Honestly, it is uncomfortable and you have the radiographer moving your boob and you around (they must go on boob handling courses) but it lasts a short time. Biopsy under mammogram however.....worse than childbirth.

Arsebucket · 08/08/2021 18:53

I had one last year as I as experiencing some beast pain and my health insurance offers full breeder screening.

I was worried it would hurt but I honestly didn’t feel a thing. I have massive boobs so I thought I would feel them squeezing and nothing! Not a thing.

The lady who did it was lovely, laying and joking and put me at ease.

SigrunGard · 08/08/2021 18:57

Echoing the take painkillers before recommendation. I’ve just had my first annual mammogram following BC last year and two ibuprofen stopped it being uncomfortable on my scarred side

Levriers · 08/08/2021 19:01

Had my first one recently. Didn’t hurt at all. They had to take extra couple of pics as I have large boobs 😳 but I can’t even say it was uncomfortable

ILoveAllRainbowsx · 08/08/2021 19:05

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userxx · 08/08/2021 19:06

I'm quite generous up front and it didn't hurt at all, maybe slightly uncomfortable but I think that was more the situation. Good luck with it.

Standrewsschool · 08/08/2021 19:11

Had one last week.

I second the advice about wearing a top that’s easy to take off. I de-robed in the mammogram room.

I’ve got small breasts as well.

The descriptions above are fairly accurate - your boobs are clamped! Don’t let this put you off. I find it a mixture of being uncomfortable and painful. However, I had radiotherapy a few years ago, and that can make it worse. Like someone upthread, I also count to ten, or I chatter incessantly.

Let us know how you get on.

SpindleWhorl · 08/08/2021 19:12

I've had loads. They were fine. I just let the mammographer (always female) 'handle' me. They're very gentle but efficient.

I agree with wearing easy to take off and put on separates; no jewellery; no powder etc; and be bang on time or a minute early.

If it's a mobile unit it's very well timed and well run; and there are absolutely, definitely no men allowed inside.

I get a letter usually a couple of weeks later with the result. It's a good service.

AlmostSummer21 · 08/08/2021 19:21

I had my first one last year. Fully expected it to hurt, but it didn't. It was in a mobile unit, so no gown, the radiographer (?) was lovely and as I'm generous of nork, it took some handling to get them where she needed them, plus I'm very short so it was a bit of a faff getting me in the right position, but it was ok and nothing like I expected from what others had said.

It'll be fine :)

LemonRoses · 08/08/2021 19:22

I’ve had lots. Mildly uncomfortable for a few moments but over very quickly. Enough to bite your lip occasionally, but no lasting pain. Analgesics won’t stop the hard squashing feeling, but they’re pretty harmless if you do take them.

Surgery for breast cancer is much more uncomfortable and gets worse the bigger the tumour and more extensive the surgery. Don’t let less than a minutes discomfort stop you getting an early diagnosis.

Okbutnotgreat · 09/08/2021 07:13

I have 25 year old silicone breast implants which have given me no issues to date but I’ve just been called for a mammogram as I’m in my early fifties. Does anyone know what the likelihood of rupture or problems is with old implants? I can’t afford to replace them and my 25 year old self couldn’t imagine ever being this old so gave it no thought, hindsight is a wonderful thing and I wish I’d never had them but that’s life. Just don’t know what the risks are now and not it seems does anyone I’ve asked.

OnlyTheLangOfTheTitberg · 09/08/2021 07:25

Another tip is not to start worrying too much if you’re called back for further investigations afterwards. Getting that letter is scary af but with your first they have no baseline of what is your ‘normal’ so it’s not too uncommon to be called back, only to find that you have a benign cyst / harmless lipoma etc.

BikeRunSki · 09/08/2021 07:29

This is a really good thread. I am going for my first in a couple of weeks time. I am 50.

Yutes · 09/08/2021 07:31

My best advice is to go in with an open mind.

Mammograms can be uncomfortable. Some people find them painful. Some people don’t. Each mammogram takes a short time. You can always ask to stop if a mammogram is not for you. And that is ok. It is your choice.

Some people take paracetamol before they go.

Tie your hair back and don’t wear big dangly earrings or necklaces, as you may be asked to remove them.

Also FYI in the uk - mammograms are rarely done by nurses. They are radiographers or mammographers or assistant practitioners with a speciality in mammograms.

Tempusfudgeit · 09/08/2021 07:44

Can you have one if you're breastfeeding?

LemonRoses · 09/08/2021 07:53

@Tempusfudgeit

Can you have one if you're breastfeeding?
Most women called for routine screening won’t be breastfeeding. Symptomatic women who are breastfeeding will be referred to a one-stop clinic (UK) and given appropriate advice. You can, but might not need it. The surgeon would advise on an individual basis.

If you have implants it can harder to get good images. Tell the radiographers that you have them.

RampantIvy · 09/08/2021 08:02

The only other thing I would add is that the whole process takes up so very little time. It is a very slick and efficient process - almost production line like. The staff are extremely professional and matter of fact, and there is absolutely no embarrassment. They have seen it all before.

You must tell them about your implants @Okbutnotgreat.

AntiSocialDistancer · 09/08/2021 08:10

I had thought it was just putting my boobs on a plate and having them squished. Its a bit more contortion than that so they could aim for every bit of surrounding tissue.

It was absolutely fine I just wanted to explain you might have to hold yourself in an odd way, put your arm up, shoulder back, lean forward etc.