Mammogram emrarassement

[GizmoIsSoFluffy]

Turned 50 this week and wham, had my first mammogram. I was SO embarrassed by it all I cried the whole way through as I hated standing there with a naked top half. I've always hated my body and teenie boobage, but with breast cancer in my family I thought it best to get checked out.

Anything hapoened to anyone else during this procedure which can make me feel better about this...

Yes, I have burn scars which make it really difficult to do the mammogram. I have to listen to the same comments every time . I shut down and just keep telling myself it is for my own good....Cos it is. and yours .😉

Don't be embarrassed, there is something uniquely discombobulating about having a mammogram! There's not really any way of covering you up easily but to be standing topless in a clinical room makes you feel uniquely vulnerable. I really really hope the mammographer tried to put you at your ease with empathy. I have both given other people mammos and had one myself and even though you know it's just work for the other person it's just downright odd to be on the receiving end! Not a great age for sensible hormonal responses either (I just bawled making a curry because my teen wasn't friendly enough).

Well done for getting checked,it is incredibly important and not just for those with a family history. It's not the most pleasant procedure but I'm sure that you will not be the first or last to have cried a little. Hopefully next time will be less traumatic for you

Ah, don't feel embarrassed OP. I've cried during mammograms - through a mixture of pain and embarrassment and vulnerability. It's a really horrible experience. It's important though so well done for doing it 💐

I have massive breasts and they had to change the mammogram plates for a much larger plate size 😆

However I really don't mind the procedure as the staff are so lovely, we chat usually about anything, holidays, spas, kids, Christmas.

Yes, hopefully you had a technician who treated you as kindly as she did when she first started her job; sometimes techs 'forget' that this is a totally new experience for some, and even when it isn't should still be treated as if it was. I've been fortunate to have very professional technicians, so I grin and 'bare it' for the greater good, but it does pinch a very sensitive area at the time!

Well done for perserving OP. Like smears, no one enjoys mammograms but they're important so we battle through!

I am completely laissez-faire about anything medical; I breezed into my mammogram and came out somewhat traumatised. What a bloody awful procedure it is. The woman doing mine could not have been less kind. I found the whole thing painful, undignified and hideous.

Peservering even 🙄

im curious now, what is the process?

Yep. I once halted the procedure before my boob went on because there were bodily fluids on the plates and the technician got really arsy and tutty with me. I walked out, called the unit and they offered me an apppintment with someone else.

I had it done privately about a week later. The technician was very nice and a week after that I had a massive cyst aspirated on the left under ultrasound (and went down a cup size), which got written up in a bot of research and about six little ones in the other breast. All benign but it's really important to get checked.

So why do you have to have your top half completely naked? Surely you could be partially covered to reduce the stress.

Me too.

Did you complain about her?
They should not behave like this towards patients.

I nearly passed out having my first one. I went really light headed and had to sit down. The technician got me some water.

Second one last week was fine though.

Only had one so far, hated it. Very painful being squeezed and the radiographer gruff, unfriendly. Kept telling me off for not standing correctly, ie, weird half lean bend into the machine which is uncomfy, unflattering and awkward.

Well done OP- you did it

I had my 1st one in my early 40's which thankfully was nothing. A week beforehand, I'd tried a body moisturiser- something I'd never done beforehand! At the clinic, I had the most awful pink, mini pustule things erupt all over my boobs. I have large boobs and when mammogram lady lifted them onto the machine, I was so sweaty, she must have thought I had some sort of manky disease 😬

Please keep going whenever you are given an appointment.
I’m 62 and went for, I think my fifth one, in July and was recalled to the breast clinic and unfortunately I was diagnosed with early breast cancer. I’m so relieved that it was found early because even the surgeon could not feel the lump. How big would it have had to get before I noticed it if I hadn’t had a mammogram? Anyway I’ve had surgery and radiotherapy for 5 days, which finished on Tuesday this week. Now on medication for 5 years to prevent a recurrence.

I assume that they have to be naked to get a full picture of the breast and anything going on inside.

Oh no Gismo, so sorry you had such a horrid experience. Be proud that you went and had what potentially could be a life saving exam. Hopefully it won’t put you off having another one when the time comes. I just wanted to hop on and say that I’ve had a completely different experience having mine and to reassure those who haven’t yet had one that you might find that although never pleasant you might find it’s not too bad.

Well done you for going to get it done. It is worrisome enough but more with bc in the family.

I do not have bc or another cancer in the family but my last mammogram picked up early cancer. 3 ops and 16 chemos later I’m through main treatment but without the mammogram I’d not have noticed until things were way worse.

I did have a twirly meltdown at my last one but had turned up with only one boob (thanks bc), so only had half the amount of squeezing. The operatives every time have been wonderful and so kind.

It’s like sticking your tits in a photocopier.

They have to squeeze them down and get half your underarm in there too. Mine have been okay luckily enough.

I’ve had 12 so far… including one where the window blind fell down halfway through the procedure. Styled it out & just waved feebly to the workmen outside. Just gotta be done. My mom’s got secondary BC, friends have had it in their high numbers. Mammograms detected their cancer early & helped save their lives.
just had my most recent one in October. Didn’t love it, but staff were brilliant. Takes 5 minutes & you can have a stiff drink after.
I’ve a daughter (teen) & always tell her when I go for mammograms or smears. I tell her they kinda suck, but that they’re important ( and colonoscopies are always worse!! Had 3 of those. Would take a mammogram or smear any day!)

Whenever I have to undress for the NHS my attitude is that I don’t have anything they haven’t seen before. I don’t want to have a mammogram but realise it’s important.
If you had the procedure in a local mobile unit maybe you could elect to attend at a dedicated section in a hospital. This is what I do as I find the staff more proficient though this is just my personal experience. I’m often in and out before my DH has parked the car.
Fingers crossed all is well OP.

Well done for going OP. Yes it's uncomfortable, and you do feel surprisingly vulnerable. (I can't believe that there was talk of men doing this a while back - I could NOT have a man doing this!)
Women's health screening can feel really quite medieval.
I had one recently - and I'm the same age as my mother was when they found cancer at a routine mammogram - so extra worrying, but also extra important to have it done. It was all clear.