Aibu to say don’t be scared of a mammogram?

[alpenguin]

I was dreading it, I’d heard all these horror stories and it was absolutely nothing.
the pressure on the breast was way less than me leaning on it cos my boobs sag on the bed.

The radiographer said so many women don’t turn up for their mammograms because they’ve heard the horror stories. I get sore breasts due to hormones and honestly the mammogram wasn’t a patch on that monthly ouch. The worst bit was my lummoxy body trying to get into position but Evan that wasn’t as bad as a beginners yoga class.

Please don’t be scared of a mammogram - it’s honestly nothing.

That's very nice for you that you had an easy and pain-free time with your mammogram @alpenguin Previous threads on Mumsnet (and other forums) tell a different story. It's very painful and traumatic for some women.

I am in my late 50s, and there is ZERO cancer in my family (including no breast cancer.)

I will never have a mammogram until they find a different way of doing it. That doesn't involve squahing your breasts FLAT between 2 big metal plates.

I will never EVER be talked into having one.

That's very nice for you that you had an easy and pain-free time with your mammogram @alpenguin Previous threads on Mumsnet (and other forums) tell a different story. It's very painful and traumatic for some women.

I am in my late 50s, and there is ZERO cancer in my family (including no breast cancer.)

I will never have a mammogram until they find a different way of doing it, that doesn't involve squashing your breasts FLAT between 2 big metal plates.

I will never EVER be talked into having one.

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Thank you for this thread. I've recently had my first one and was so worried about the horror stories, even from my mum, I nearly didn’t go. I was so stressed out

appreciate it can be really painful for some but I took a couple of paracetamol 20 mins before and I was fine. I was tempted to run away in the waiting room again because of the horror stories I’d heard

different procedures are different for different people. This is one of the few cancer treatments that can highlight things before they become a real issue

I recently had my first and read a thread on here that got me worried. I intended to take paracetamol but forgot. Anyway, it took less than 10 mins and didn’t hurt much at all.

Just waiting for results now, she said 2-3 weeks unless anything bad showed up so I’m assuming I’d have had a phone call if anything was wrong. Hopefully I’ll have my letter any day now.

I'm really upset I read this thread now. I'll hide it.

Me too, and I’ve had a similar number of mammograms.

Just because there is zero cancer in your family, doesn’t mean you aren’t at risk. You are not immune from any cancer, none of us are. You might think differently if you find a lump.

I have small boobs like my mum and she found hers to be agony. I don't think I'll bother going, although I'm far more concerned about over diagnosis than I am about the pain.

I've been to all my smears but now I'm 50 and my sex life is over after 30 years with the same man I don't think I'll bother going for smears any more either. Not much point if they only test for HPV.

There was zero history of breast cancer in my family until I was diagnosed in my early thirties.

I’m glad you’ve had positive experiences OP and it’s good to raise awareness. 🥰

Please do go for a smear. We lost a colleague recently to cervical cancer who never had a smear. Cancer too far gone to treat and now she's dead. Early 40s.

I'm like you OP, no trouble for me, but my cousin and a friend both find mammograms very painful. Both dread them but still turn up as they know it's important.
YABU for saying it's nothing, based solely on your experience, because sometimes people do find them difficult.

Some fascinating information there. I have heard some of this myself. Especially about women being bullied and coerced into having breast screening, and also about women having surgery and procedures on their breasts for things that would have been better left untouched. (After something was seen on the breast screening scan.)

You couldn't pay me to have a breast screening. And definitely NOT with the way they do them. 50-ish years they have been around, and they have never advanced in the way they do them. Squashing womens breasts flat as a pancake, and extreme pain to the point of passing out (for some women,) and Heaven knows what it's doing to the soft and delicate breast tissue.

No thanks. I'll pass. And I won't be bullied or blackmailed or coerced into having one. I check my own breasts fairly regularly, and have never had any concerns/never had any lumps.

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So sorry to hear that.
Luckily, no one would care if I died, including me.

Same. My mum never had one either
I am more likely to get early onset dementia in which case I would refuse treatment for a lump anyway

This makes me sad that you feel this way I am sorry x

Terrified of what? Smears can save your life.

Fair enough check your breasts regularly though. You can pay for private mri to do screening.

You would refuse treatment if offered?

Why?

Why would I pay for private MRI to do a breast screening?

I don't want one.

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Depends on my age then yes. I am petrified of dementia and have a living will so if I am diagnosed with dementia I won’t be having treatment for anything except pain relief
I don’t have children to think about so if I was diagnosed say at 70 then no, I wouldn’t be having treatment

What you going to do if you find a lump?

And if you are diagnosed much earlier?

Just wanted to give you an alternative but you don't want one and that's your choice!

You might if you find a lump!