To think if men had to have mammograms...

[YourSpleenIsDamp]

... somebody would have invented a better way to do it? Still bruised three days later - chest and boobs - and holding poses while they get the right angle has set my arthritic shoulder off. I feel bad complaining about it, because obviously I'm grateful for the screening, but my god the soreness. It's brutal. Currently on yearly screening, looking forward to only needing it every three years when I turn 50. Maybe it's less awful without F cups? But my mum is an A cup and she finds it horrendous too! Any advice for making it more bearable?

In fairness men have things up their penis and anus for prostate investigations which isn't really better.

The lovely nurse who did my last one told me that the level of discomfort is affected quite a lot by your size and shape. If your boobs are “small but dense”, which mine are, it can be extremely painful because they have to be stretched and squished so much to get a decent quality image. She was so kind to me. It was only my second one and I told her I almost didn’t go because the first was so horribly painful it made me cry. She was really gentle, moved the machine about a millimetre at a time and checked in constantly that I was ok. It was a million times better than the first time.

On the flip side, my husband complains that every time he has a medical checkup he gets a finger up his bum, and that has never been to me at all.

The first one I had was unexpectedly extremely painful. They were already swollen and painful and were basically slapped around and squashed. I had very bad bruising on one breast afterwards.

Second was completely different. Gentle, considerate, and not at all,painful.

It's all worth it if it catches something quickly though, however clumsy they are.

I bruised after my last mammogram - I needed painkillers for a few days.

the nurse was quite rough pulling me around and grumpy with me and I got very squished. I said the machine was set too high for me as I was being stretched in all directions.

I’m a bit bigger so I do appreciate it’s harder to get good images. There was an “atmosphere “ in the unit (one of those parked by a supermarket) so I think they were all in a bad mood. Hope you feel more comfortable soon OP.

I get a bit panicky as it gets more and more painful, I start to think it's not going to stop getting tighter. Frigging awful things.

I did read that it depends on the level of skill if the operator. I've found them painful and pain free so I do feel there's something in that.

Totally agree.
Not just mammograms. All the gynocological procedures that we endure without anaesthetic for example.

If they had to squash their sausage between two bricks
(Like mammograms) or have a knitting needle poked up into their insides ( uterine inspections) I'm sure there'd be more drugs and sympathy on offer.

Women legally could have their name left off a patent until 1977, so we have no fucking clue how many inventions women created and didn’t get credit for.

DD cup here and had first mammogram about 8 weeks ago. I felt sore for a good few days afterwards. Obviously happy to have an all clear, and the opportunity to be checked, but it was, as others have said, more painful than a smear test.

I don't understand how that's relevant to the point I was making? Are you suggesting it was actually women who designed the mammogram machine? Surely it would be even more sexist then to claim men would do a better job if they had to use it themselves?!

I was very worried about going back to only having a mammogram every three years after I had breast cancer, and I've paid to have a private one each year since then. It costs me £125 for the mammogram (just one breast as I had a mastectomy) and £200 for a consultation with my breast surgeon, and it's worth every penny for the peace of mind. I get the result within 15 minutes of having the mammogram so I don't even have the agonising wait. As my breast tissue has changed over the years, I'm now having an ultrasound scan too, which costs about £100 extra. If you're anxious about only having three yearly mammograms it's worth considering going privately - I never expected that the cost would be so reasonable

In terms of the pain, I've always taken a couple of paracetamol about half an hour before. Since I damaged my back badly and I've been taking a high dose of codeine, I don't feel a thing 😆

@Growlybear83 Thanks for that. I had thought of that but I keep being told that yearly mammograms would be too much of a radiation risk. May I ask where you get them done? Did you have your original treatment privately? Those costs are very reasonable but I live in the back of beyond and it's definitely not offered at the hospital where I was treated.

There is a better way. It does exist. MRI’s. But they’re expensive so…

<awaiting the arrival of the mammograms are better because MRIs have a high(er) rate of “unnecessary” traumatic biopsies brigade”

FYI, biopsies don’t have to be traumatic and painful if you are adequately sedated and anaesthetised . Again, a better way exists, why it’s not in every day practice I can’t understand. Oh, wait. Money.

YANBU - I had to have further investigations at one point and was dreading it as I figured it would be a souped up mammogram. Boy, was I wrong - it was done by ultrasound! It was like being tickled by a feather! I am sure it would work out more expensive, but you bet your ass it would be standard if men did them.

The last one I had was no problem at all. Very skilled operator, quick and painless. In and out in 10 minutes. I’m very grateful for the service.

Just out of curiosity, are these standard or because people have found lumps/had breast cancer?

I only ask because of this comment - Currently on yearly screening, looking forward to only needing it every three years when I turn 50.

I'm 50 and I've never had one.

I am one of the lucky ones who just find them a bit uncomfortable, but not painful. And men have to have some unpleasant procedures done too, so I don't think it is anything to do with who designed the machines!

Mine are very dense and full of cysts so mammograms hurt like hell

i have an ultrasound too each time as they are so dense they have a hard time getting a good image (not uk)

BC runs down mums side of the family so will always go for them

Hi, I'm actually a mammographer. To answer some of your questions:
We are highly trained, most of us are radiographers with a degree and extra year postgraduate. Some assistants have done a year at uni to purely do mammography.
You get invited for breast screening every three years from approx 50 but you might be invited between 50 and 52. After 70 you need to make your own screening appointment but are very welcome to still attend.

If you find a lump you will be fast tracked to your local breast clinic in most cases within 2 weeks where you may have a mammogram and/or ultrasound scan.

Mammography is a fairly low radiation dose screening tool that is still the best overall way to screen your whole breasts for abnormalies. We can catch breast cancer years before you would find it yourself, when it is smaller than grains if sand.

Ultrasound is useful for specific areas of interest, it's definitely not a screening tool. MRI is useful for younger ladies with dense breast tissues, and to see the extent of cancer but is not quite as specific as mammography overall.

Please let your mammographer know if you have sore skin under the breasts and if you have bad shoulders etc, we can make adjustments in that case and we want you to come back! You should never bruise from a mammogram.

We compress to reduce the radiation dose, to separate out dense breast tissue and make the image as sharp as possible. So unfortunately it is essential.

I saw that as well. NHS on mammograms says every 3 years from 50!to 71 and first may be up to age 53. This is England.

Also if you have a family history, ask to be referred to your local family history clinic, they will assess your risk and you may get additional screening.

I tend to find that just as I think I can't stand any more it releases.

I know I tense up though!

Years ago the lady doing my mammogram said "if man had to stick his willy in this, they'd soon find a better way"

Appreciate that information @Eggseggslegs.