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Original poster

Mammogram

13 replies

Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 16:44

Hello I wasn’t sure where to post this here or mental health. Quick background I have multiple cysts in each breast. My Mum has had breast cancer twice. I was 19 the first time she had it. I have ocd and horrendous health anxiety. I was at the breast clinic last week to get my mammogram. I was very anxious so I think this is what happened. I was positioned for the second image of the first breast. The Tech went to take picture and another tech was there. I think I heard one say image isn’t being accepted and they had a quick chat about it. Then one of them came back to me and said oh did it not release you ? They tried again same thing happened. They then got the radiologist in and sent me out. Machine was fixed and mammogram completed. Then I freaked out. I’m terrified machine was malfunctioning and too high a dose of radiation was given ? It didn’t release my breast I think it does when picture taken? Is this purely a daft computer glitch or is it capable of giving my breast a massive amount of radiation? I know this doesn’t sound rational but my ocd is a nightmare. Anyone help ? Thankyou x

OP posts:
Original poster
Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 19:23

Anyone ? X

OP posts:
Endpress · 06/12/2022 19:40

I understand they are highly trained as radiologists. They’ll know what’s safe and not and not risk you. When a trainee is involved it always takes longer and involves some faff. You’re fine.
Well done it’s out the way! Best wishes for a clear result.

Endpress · 06/12/2022 19:42

Oh and I’ve never had two people mammogram me so I assume it was a trainee. Also I can’t see the release function being linked to radiation. That will be down to a glitch.

SpamIAm · 06/12/2022 19:46

I work in Radiation Protection and mammography is one of the areas I specialise in. The release is nothing to do with the radiation, it's normally set to auto release you as soon as it's taken the X-ray just so you're not kept uncomfortable for longer than you need to be. Sounds like someone had just turned the auto release off (we do it all the time when we're testing them - it's just a setting in the options menu) which just means when it takes the X-ray the paddle stays where it is and they have to release it manually. There won't have been any extra radiation involved ☺️

Yutes · 06/12/2022 19:47

If that happened, they have a duty to tell you.

its more likely that the X-ray machine didn’t take any images at all.
did you ask At the time?

it’s doesn’t mean it was a trainee.

Original poster
Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 20:24

Thankyou very much I appreciate your reply xxx

OP posts:
Original poster
Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 20:26

SpamIAm · 06/12/2022 19:46

I work in Radiation Protection and mammography is one of the areas I specialise in. The release is nothing to do with the radiation, it's normally set to auto release you as soon as it's taken the X-ray just so you're not kept uncomfortable for longer than you need to be. Sounds like someone had just turned the auto release off (we do it all the time when we're testing them - it's just a setting in the options menu) which just means when it takes the X-ray the paddle stays where it is and they have to release it manually. There won't have been any extra radiation involved ☺️

Thankyou so much for replying I think that’s what scared me that I was still compressed and them the tech came over and said oh did it not release ? They tried again and that when I just started to panic. I was first app of the day so that maybe had something to do with it. Does the machine only take one picture at a time ? All I heard was image wasn’t being accepted they were looking at computer xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 20:29

Yutes · 06/12/2022 19:47

If that happened, they have a duty to tell you.

its more likely that the X-ray machine didn’t take any images at all.
did you ask At the time?

it’s doesn’t mean it was a trainee.

Thankyou very much I hadn’t thought of that. No I didn’t say so wish I had asked at the time and so embarrassed to ask now x

OP posts:
Original poster
Nikki360 · 06/12/2022 20:31

Endpress · 06/12/2022 19:40

I understand they are highly trained as radiologists. They’ll know what’s safe and not and not risk you. When a trainee is involved it always takes longer and involves some faff. You’re fine.
Well done it’s out the way! Best wishes for a clear result.

thats Why I don’t like to question them I hate to offend them it’s not them I don’t trust it’s my ocd. Thankyou for replying xxxx

OP posts:
SpamIAm · 07/12/2022 06:22

Yes it'll only do one image at a time. If it was the first image of the day then it's quite likely that someone like me from physics or an engineer had been in the day before and turned off the automatic release while they tested it and it hadn't been switched back on. Honestly, there won't have been any additional radiation while it was compressed - even if the mammographer keeps holding down the button it won't keep taking images.

SpamIAm · 07/12/2022 06:23

Also, please don't feel embarrassed! And don't feel you can't ask questions either, part of their job is to ensure you feel at ease.

I'm not surprised you panicked when you weren't released - it must be quite unpleasant anyway, and then for it to not release when you're expecting it to would cause a lot of people to panic.

Original poster
Nikki360 · 07/12/2022 09:53

SpamIAm · 07/12/2022 06:22

Yes it'll only do one image at a time. If it was the first image of the day then it's quite likely that someone like me from physics or an engineer had been in the day before and turned off the automatic release while they tested it and it hadn't been switched back on. Honestly, there won't have been any additional radiation while it was compressed - even if the mammographer keeps holding down the button it won't keep taking images.

Thankyou so much can’t tell you how much I appreciate your replies honestly you have helped me so much x

OP posts:
Oblomov23 · 09/03/2023 09:33

Had my mammogram this morning. Prepared myself for the worst, thinking that it might be quite uncomfortable. It was actually totally fine, not uncomfortable at all, and I actually quite enjoyed it.

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