To have found my first mammogram really upsetting?

[YompingJo]

Got a letter through with very basic details if an appointment. Turned up and found the whole thing demeaning. Tiny room, intimidating machine taking up most of it. The radiologist was monosyllabic and bossy and manhandled me into the right position including grabbing each breast and shoving it into position, pushing other bits of my body out of the way, not once asking first. I know it's a necessary procedure, but a bit of sensitivity would have gone a long way, and having the respect to ask for consent before grabbing a breast is a basic consideration. I'm autistic and needed to know much more what to expect beforehand. The letter gave a way to request assistance in the case of SEN, but I don't consider myself to have SEN and didn't know what I'd need until I was right there, so that wasn't any help. There was a QR code for feedback, which I gave but I just feel... invaded and demeaned. AIBU?

It’s not pleasant, but it needs to be done and the more fannying about is required the longer it takes and the more it costs. I have had more than my share of mammograms, both before and after my mastectomy. Of course they’re going to move your breast and position it. That’s why you’re there! I think they can absolutely take the fact that you turned up as consent to do the procedure.
Well done for going for the mammogram, trust me it’s important, make sure you go back when requested to do so, take a friend if you must and in the nicest way possible, get over yourself.

Yanbu it’s not a pleasant procedure but the one thing that can make it that little bit nicer is if the person carrying out the mammogram treats you respectfully.

Not asking before touching is incredibly disrespectful. When I was in the hospital after giving birth and trying to breastfeed every time someone helped me breastfeed or express they asked!

I had a mammogram last year and had no worries beforehand. Well during it I got very weak and just knew I was going to faint! Had a sit down and some water, tried again and the room started swimming again. I ended up finishing the scans in a special chair. I was so embarrassed and shocked that had happened.
I’m not a fainter, I’ve had a uterine biopsy with no anaesthetic and was fine.
i need another one in a few weeks’ time but this time I’ll tell the radiographer that I’m liable to hit the floor so the chair may be best.

Ah so it’s okay to be treated disrespectfully because we should instead just be grateful we are having the procedure???

Never had one, never going to have one. I will take the risk. Not having my breasts flattened and squished .

Our local screening centre has a member of staff who is exactly the same - literally about 3 words as she pulled, unravelled and squished my bosoms! An attempt at light hearted chit-chat was met with stony silence. Awful person.

I was just glad someone was checking me out though, so just wrote it off to 'they (arseholes) walk amongst us'

I've seen her again since and she was exactly the same. Her 'oppo', who I have also seen, is the polar opposite and absolutely delightful - I nearly fell over when she asked if it was 'ok' to touch me 🤣

@YompingJo for goodness sake, get a grip of yourself!!! they dont have time to pussyfoot about! you knew what you were going for yet you still expect them to ask for consent place your boob in the correct position????

Are you joking? This it terrible advice! Why should OP be manhandled and treated like that when BHS procedure clearly dictates that this is outside the realms of acceptable practice. Give your head a wobble! I can’t imagine what the county would be like if we all just sucked up mistreatment because we’re ’so fortunate’. I think you’ll find our taxes and national insurance pays for our mammograms so there’s no ‘forunate’ about it! Thinking along those lines leads nowhere good.

yes she does still expect that and rightly so.

At my first, and only, mammogram the radiographer was so unpleasant and pulled my breast so hard that the skin underneath, which in my case is quite delicate, ripped and bled. I rang and complained about her. From their response it was apparent that they knew there were issues. However, I'm afraid that the experience put me off for life and I haven't had one since.

I’m an occasional nhs volunteer and what I do is totally non-intimate - and even my quite quick and basic training made clear you don’t touch patients without asking/being sure they consent. And the most I would touch them is helping with hand sanitiser or buttoning up a cardie etc.

She should have asked and been respectful and considerate. That’s part of doing her job to a basic standard.

That's not true. Plenty of autistic people have no special educational needs. Lots of us find education/academic study far easier than the rest of life.

I’m 63 so have had a few now, only once did I feel uncomfortable, boobs pushed here, there and everywhere and it really hurt, so I do think I maybe just had someone who wasn’t as experienced in getting the right position first time. I just had one this week, first time ever was asked to put my hair behind my ears, my hair is short. Unfortunately they really want to get the best angles and it can take a bit of time. The fastest one I had was 2021 through the bad Covid months, it was very quick so I am very glad this week’s one was more accurate. I have big boobs (and saggy) so it’s easier for me, but I expect it’s more painful for those with smaller boobs.

Well, that certainly ssounds awful and justifies a complaint. I continue to think that no consent is needed before touching breasts during a mammo though.

It's a breast examination. Surely you realised they'd need to touch your breasts?
God help you when you go for a smear!

Neither is a great experience, both are uncomfortable, but having these tests done regularly could save your life - and they are free.

I'm an ex nurse, so not sensitive re nakedness, or being touched, but I can definitely see it from your point of view OP. At my last one, I had to take off my upper clothes in a changing room, then walk out into and across a large room, totally exposed, ie there were no gowns to wear until you met the radiographer and reached the equipment (and obviously the same once completed). Lady was nice,in terms of chat, but as you say, just moved me around, without asking. I did leave thinking that was all a bit bizarre (mainly the walking around topless bit). Enough to have mentioned it to my nursing relatives. I was called somewhere else for my previous one, and you undressed at the scanner, which seemed appropriate. I'm sorry you felt so uncomfortable OP, please don't let it put you off your next one. For PP giving you a hard time, not everyone's experiences are the same!! A bit of thought for people's dignity, makes a big difference to their experience AND likelihood of returning.

To anyone trying to make the OP sound unreasonable… when you’re having a smear test done, do you think th err should just prise open your legs and shove the speculum in without asking or warning just to save time? Do you think if they didn’t that to you that you would just be grateful? Because walking into the room was you giving consent? If someone is going to touch your breast they must ask or say “I’m just going to…”. OP is on the right here 100%

Our breast care unit is very good, it’s the only one I’ve known so I’ve naively assumed they were all like that. I’ve had a lot of dealings with them over last 2 years and they have been polite, kind and funny.

what you experienced sounds none of those things and you were right to give feedback.
my first mammogram wasn’t entirely unexpected as had talked to friends but it was uncomfortable….but professionally done and process explained.

It doesn't take any extra time to have a pleasant manner and explain what you're doing as you go along, and to treat the patient like a person rather than an inconvenience attached to the bit being scanned. In fact I'm pretty sure that patient-centred care is a core tenet of the NHS.

My first one was a couple of years ago. I was expecting it to be terrible because of all the tales I'd heard. It was mildly uncomfortable at worst, so it's not always a terrible experience.

Smears aren't just HPV tests - they're also a visual check, which is how I ended up being referred to gynae for some polypectomy.

But it's a mammogram, they have to handle your breasts to get you in the right position for optimum results, You can't do it by yourself. Please don't take it so hard. I understand that it seems very impersonal, and feels a little uncomfortable, but its over so fast. It's just routine for the radiographer. It needs to be quick and efficient. I Hope your results are good .

It doesn't sound like your service was great but to be fair there is information everywhere about the process. The radiographer usually tells you to lean forward or move your shoulder or whatever.

Just chalk it up to experience. Think of what it protects you from.

Having been through treatment for bc, the slight discomfort of a mammogram is really very mild in comparison, so steel yourself and be thankful you don't need to cope with other indignities. It's over now for 3 years.

I'm sorry you feel the need to make this comment. However expecting basic manners and respect from a paid healthcare professional should not be exceptional.

I think this was a terrible experience for the OP and given her feelings about it, I don't think your comment helps in this particular thread.

Agreed. Though apparently they don't as I told them to stop my smear part way through and they ignored me.

Whaaa? Being a medical professional doesn’t exempt you from consent processes, in fact being in a position of significant power over someone in a vulnerable state means these are even more important. I do wish HCP had better training in the impact of their behaviour: it matters.