To wonder why there is no effective alternative to Mammography?

[Charliesunnysky10]

3 years ago, when I was 48, I was delighted to be asked early for a routine mammogram (I had no pain or lumps). I have dense breasts, and the pain during compression was excruciating. I don't even know if the radiographer managed to complete it, because I went faint. I've had pain in my right breast ever since, which I took to be bruising/strain, but when it didn't go I was referred for investigation at the hospital breast unit June 2021. They did ultrasound which was clear as far 'as they could see' but 'mammogram is the gold standard and only that will tell us for certain'. I had to be content with the ultrasound as my fear of the mammogram pain got the better of me. Fast forward to last Sept, I went on combined HRT and have what I took to be hormonal pain in both breasts which masked the targeted pain in my right. However it's coming through more than ever now and I've been referred back to the hospital for the same process as 18 months ago. Part of me is so angry at myself of being fearful of something that could save my life, and the other part is worried sick about how I will cope even with painkillers if I can get over the fear, and wondering why this is the only scan that still compresses tissue; why in over 100 years there is no effective 3D alternative.

@Seaweedandsalt Thank you for this!

Presumably he wasn't screened, men aren't are they, so the cancer would have been found later. I'm not sure that is a good thing.

My first mammogram was very painful. My second one was a breeze. I think the operator / technician plays a part in how uncomfortable it is.

I've had to have another medical procedure twice in the last few years. In this case the first was no trouble, but the second was so traumatic it has put me off ever having one again. So, yes, the person carrying out the procedure must have some bearing on the experience.

I honestly think that if a man needed to have his cock and balls squashed in a device for preventative screening, a better less invasive test would have been discovered years ago.

I agree about the skill of the mammographer. I had to delay my last mammogram as I'd broken ribs coughing when I had covid. They made me another appointment and said the mammographer was good with "difficult" cases. So I went along, still in pain but nowhere near as bad as when I cancelled the first appointment. The mammographer was great, I was so nervous but she was patient and it was the least uncomfortable mammogram I've ever had.

Gosh yes, they get the opportunity to let the cancer advance and maybe too late to treat. Lucky devils. Coming from a family with the BRCA gene and having seen numerous female relative die I've always been very grateful for the screening.

@Hongkongsuey Thank you. I see now it was an American site that said only 1 compression - thank you for correcting that. I took pain relief before the routine mammogram 3 years ago and I felt afterwards like the excruciating pain was my body's way of telling me damage is being done. I've felt discomfort during cervical screening, but I go back year after year without fail or delay, I had both laparoscopy and hysterogram for fertility screening which was a bit painful but this felt completely different. That's the reason I don't want to go back.

However, asking them to stop if it's too much is an option. The radiographer was dismissive and just wanted to keep going even though I was in tears. I know I need to get over that experience and try again.

That's not the point at all.

It’s a good question. I had my first routine mammogram last year and I was recalled to the breast clinic and had more, plus ultrasound & biopsy. Luckily all was well but I found the mammogram excruciating- when I walked out of the first one I thought thank fuck that’s over for 3 years
I am literally gritting my teeth and can only bear the pain just for the short amount of time it takes. Next time I’ll take painkillers beforehand.

Of course it would. Only women are expected to undergo painful screening procedures, see also smear tests.

@ancientgran I absolutely get this. I'm lucky to be offered a chance to detect and treat this early. I know it's a lifesaver, particularly for those at higher risk and I'm very thankful. I'm really sorry to hear you've lost loved ones to this too.

Tomosynthesis ... takes longer than a standard mammogram due to the number of images taken.

I didn't find that at all. It was very quick. And for me far less painful.

@JustDanceAddict I'm glad all turned out well and you can breathe another sigh of relief when it's done and dusted for 3 years again next time.

I had my first mammogram at 48 due to finding a lump. Due to results, Consultant gave me a ultrasound within 2 hours were they got a clear view of the tumour. As a result Ive always thought a ultrasound must be better than a mammogram?
Ive got teenytiny titties and the boob that had the cancer in is just a little pocket of skin and scar tissue. I need mammograms every year now just to keep an eye on things and I have to take some serious painkillers beforehand so I can get through it, even though the operator is always lovely.

I'm almost flat chested and have no idea why they won't do an ultrasound instead. They often struggle to get the image first time. I'm a high risk otherwise I wouldn't go.

Thanks! I now have a nice titanium marker in my right boob :-)

In America, mammograms are covered under health insurance, but sonograms are not necessarily covered. I had sonograms twice, as my breasts are highly cystic. The sonogram was a 1.5 on the pain scale, though a student performed it with a certified technician supervising. The mammogram was a 7, but was quick.

Oh goody Another painful procedure to look forward to. I turn 50 this year.

I don't know if this will help - my first mammogram was so painful I was 'in shock', I was furious with my older best friends for not warning me. They hadn't 'warned me' because they hadn't had a similar experience. My next mammogram was 'uncomfortable' but not 'painful' and I am so glad that I bit the bullet and didn't let that first experience put me off

No I realise it isn't helpful to the poor women get treated badly all the time narrative.

Do you deny that screening saves lives?

Women's health is never invested in, they would rather subject us to painful, invasive testing the spend money on kinder alternatives

@ancientgran carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/

I remember reading about a program in India that trained blind women to do breast exams by feel. The results turned out to be extremely accurate, and only women with "lumps" identified by the process were referred for further screening. This was a cost-effective way of helping rural women get screened, and would be pretty easy to scale up for other locations, but the profit is just not there, IMO. I do hate mammograms, and did have a tumor removed that was not detected by mammogram only a few months prior.

@thewinterwitch @novacancy3 @ancientgran Your advice about radiographers really gives me hope that I can get though it with an understanding experienced technician. I had a phone consultation with the breast unit this morning ahead of the face-to- face and let them know my worries - though I didn't overdo it - I'm grateful they're helping me. They just said 'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it' I will call ahead when I have an appointment for the face to face, and see if there is a gentler radiographer on duty.

My partner has to have a camera down his urethra.
He was immediately given the option of a general anaesthetic. No quibble. No trying to persuade that it will just be quick and "uncomfortable"
I had my cervix wrenched open and got eyerolls when I gasped in pain, and asked how long it would last.
Female medicine is utterly fucking barbaric.