Mammogram advice for first-timer?

[ValerieMorghulis]

I have been invited for my first breast-screening appointment (I’m 51.5) I’m not nervous particularly, but have a bit of trepidation - which I know is daft

Can anyone give me some detail on what to expect please? The letter doesn’t say much - except that by a perfect coincidence it’s in a mobile unit right outside my work!

One at a time

A lot of posts here, I think people are saying that it doesn't hurt to have your boobs squished between the plates. I can also say that for me that was not painful.

What WAS painful was the machine trying to scrape boobs down my chest into a flat shape to go between the plates. The radiographer said something that made me think that hurt because I'm don't have fat on my chest above the boobs.

Not meaning to fat shame. Just being factual. If you don't have a lot of flesh above the boob, then machine can only scrape down ribs & that hurt for me. I agree it's good to know what to expect. I did not expect rib scraping.

@lljkk I agree, everyone has such a personal experience.

For you, I'd ask you to breathe in and then slowly breathe out, I could then compress when ur sternum and ribs were more depressed and relaxed to avoid scraping them if possible. It's important to get back to the chest wall/pecs which maybe why it felt tight.

It's definitely not just about the breast, but the surrounding anatomy too. Everyone is very different.

I've only had it done once but my mammographer told me that it is harder for people with dense breast tissue (I had not considered previously that there were even different densities but apparently there are). I found it excruciatingly painful and have discovered that I have very dense breast tissue. It's not fun but the person who did mine was super kind and helpful. You'll be OK. It's worth it in the end. My friend has breast cancer and I am totally happy for a bit of pain if I can avoid what she has been going through.

I have a cancer inducing syndrome and have mammogram (and breast MRI) twice a year.
I am very slim with small breasts.
They will take two sets of pictures, one front and one lateral.

The technician might need to touch you and move your breast on the plate for optimal placement. In the same way a radiographer will move your ankle, leg, to get a good x-rays, they might need to touch your breast, and it is totally fine, normal and expected. So don't be surprised or shocked.

I usually only keep my skirt/trouser on and move around bare chested. It is easier, quicker than faffing around removing a top, lowering a sleeve , putting the sleeve back and so on.

You will also have to move your head/neck to one side when doing the lateral images.
For the small breasted, they have to go very close to your ribs. I was talking to a technician and she told me that with very big breast, they might need more than one imaging, if the breast is bigger than the plate, in other to have it all.

I never felt the need to take painkillers before or after.

Yes it is painful but to put it into perspective, I find having my teeth cleaned at the dentist way more painful and for a lot longer. Your breast are squished for a few seconds, but the plates will be released the second the image is done, even before the technician leaves her screen. It is painful on the moment, but the pain, at least in my case, disappears immediately.

Come back after you had it @ValerieMorghulis and tell us your experience.

@Kittytheteapot

I always wear a cardigan to the appointment so that once you have stripped off from the waist up you can put the cardigan back on, or drape it over your shoulders, so that you dont walk in to the room fully exposed. There is always a chair or a table or something where you can leave the cardigan once in the room.

That's what I did, with one of those ?ballerina cadigans - the ones with the long triangular bits you can wrap around you.

Whoever said no talc or deodorant, why? I use deodorant & that's always been OK. Mind you, once I was having other tests done afterwards (having had breast cancer) & I realised I was so nervous that I was a bit 'off' with sweat. I apologised to the mammographer & promised her I'd had a shower just before driving down there, & she was lovely & told me not to worry & said some people told her that they didn't bother to shower that day not envy!

Newer machines are available now which are more comfortable in terms of getting your body right up against the machine, because they're more plastic than metal & have rounder edges. I've used those in a private hospital, & the straight, metal ones in mobile units.

I've found that the mammos don't hurt as much these days - is it because in my 60's my boobs have pretty much given up the ghost & can be moved around & squashed more easily?

Don't know if anyone's mentioned that sometimes they need to do a mammo twice. It's nothing to worry about: they'll do one, check its quality on the screen & OK it or do it again. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you, just that the image quality wasn't good enough.

I think it's different for everyone, I've had two mammograms and I found them only mildly uncomfortable (I have small breasts and am 42, so I guess quite dense breast tissue). My mum doesn't find them very uncomfortable either and she's had quite a few (much larger breasts, over 60).

From reading this thread it sounds like the majority do find them more uncomfortable, but you might be one of the lucky ones, OP. Either way it's all over very quickly and so worth it for the peace of mind.

I've had 2 mammograms. The first was no bother at all. I thought "what's everyone moaning on about?" The second, however, didn't hurt that much at the time. But, good grief, they hurt for days after. Really felt bashed about. I have quite large breasts too!

Yes it's painful but manageable. I'm only 5ft tall and small breasted they can alter the height of the machine and they have different plates for different size of boob.
I'm a believer that it's saved my life.
I attended my mammogram appointment in November2020 and recalled in December where I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
23 weeks later I've had 2 operations and radiotherapy no chemo needed. I am now cancer free. All I do now is take hormone tablets for the next 10 years.
I was informed by my oncologist that the lump was so tiny I would not have felt it for about 12-18 months. That might have mean harder treatment.

I've had 2, both in a mobile unit.

At the first one, pre-covid, they let me use a changing room, told me to strip off to the waist. and gave me a gown.

At the second one there was no changing room. I had to wait outside the unit until called in and went straight into the scan room. Had to strip to the waist again.

The main thing I would say that you might not expect is to wear trousers or a skirt that allow you to move easily. You have to get into slightly awkward positions and wearing something restrictive will just make that worse.

I don't find wearing a mask particularly unpleasant but I did find it so during the most recent mammogram. Even if you don't have to hold your breath you have to breathe quite shallowly while they're doing the squishing and a mask made it feel disconcerting. If you have a choice of masks, wear the one you find easiest to breathe in.

I didn't find it painful but it was uncomfortable. They do have to get up close and personal and handle you quite a bit.

I didn't find it painful as such but definitely awkward and uncomfy but it doesn't last long. I was surprised that on my last two mammograms they seem to have replaced their all-female team with an all-male team which I was not that over-joyed with but it was ok. (I'm not in the UK though so that might not apply).

I had both of mine in a mobile unit pre-Covid. The unit I attended had 2 cubicles that shut like a changing room door on one side, then the tech came to collect me via a curtain on the other side and it was only 2 steps to the machine, so I went topless into the scan area.

Both times were uncomfortable rather than painful. I am smallish of boob, and wondered if I was about to end up with matching spaniel ears. I didn't realise they would be squished quite so much. But it was momentary. The tech was very hands on, which is much easier as some of the positions needed were odd and would take time to describe verbally.

The receptionist and the tech were both great, and the whole process took less than ten minutes. Results came fast too; in about a week as far as I remember.

Just remembered: if you've got long hair, tie it back or put it up in a clip.

I'm same age as you OP and going in 2 weeks time for first one so following with interest!! Thanks to all contributors so far, good to have an idea what to expect!

I think people's experiences are different judging by the conversations I've had with many friends over the years. I went in expecting it to be excruciatingly painful, but just found it uncomfortable and a little painful when they 'clamped' but that bit was over very quickly.
I find that anything painful, mammograms included, are more bearable if you use the breathing techniques taught in ante natal classes.

I have a bad shoulder and can't lift my arm up for any length of time without it leaving me in massive discomfort and pain ☹....where do your arms go? Can they stay down or do yiu have to hold them up out of the way? Must confess this is putting me off going....im also 51.5 and should be having my first but I cancelled as I'm scared of being in pain after with my shoulder

@CanIbeRio
There is a handle for you to hold. Your arm has to be up but really only for a fed seconds. Even for a breast mri your arms will be up. If your shoulder makes it impossible, have an ultrasound but don’t avoid screening

@Cormoran...thanks for that...very informative. If it's not for too long I should be OK....I'll have to book it in. Thanks

OP here! I can report that I had my first mammogram today

I wanted to say THANK YOU for all the advice and information - it was so helpful and I am really glad I posted. It was incredibly well run with two lovely nurses and a very slick one-way system. They asked if it was my first one and talked me through everything in detail.

As many PPs said, it was uncomfortable and the plates really did clamp hard. Also I was told to hold my breath, so you can’t “breathe through the pain” or anything like that. But it wasn’t unbearable at all and it is over SO quickly. I’m very pleased to have been called up.

100% I will have no hesitation next time

That's great news! Thanks for letting everyone know.

Ah well done for going. The pain is a small price to pay for catching something early.

I mentioned 'breathing through it' because that's what I do, I've never been told to hold my breath, I can understand why they would ask you to do that, it does make sense.

Yes I agree......maybe I'm a bit of a prude, but I did exactly the same as you with a vest, that I just pulled down.