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Women's health

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Original poster

Rough mammogram technician

43 replies

caketherapy · 30/08/2022 21:05

Just wondering how normal this is?
had my 1st one today. I hadn’t thought much about it. But the woman doing it was really abrupt personally. I felt and said I was nervous going into room, she just said ‘go then’ No reassurance. Very rushed - whole thing lasted like 6 minutes! She was running 15 mins late and it was late in day.
and she really grabbed/squeezed my breasts! I get the machine has to come down hard and that I expected but her pushing my shoulders and squeezing and grabbing my breasts - I feel a bit brutalised!
im not high risk for breast cancer I don’t plan on going through that again. I don’t want to be treated like that.
is it typical? For someone to treat you like a slab of meat? And be that rough?

OP posts:
Hadalifeonce · 30/08/2022 21:08

Unfortunately, they have to get you into the optimum position, so they do tend to push you around a bit. The first time for me was a bit of a shock, but now I know what to expect, and luckily it doesn't last too long.

user1474315215 · 30/08/2022 21:09

Definitely not my experience - perhaps you just caught her on a bad day. I've had numerous mammograms and always found the staff to be kind and considerate. Please don't let it put you off - I have several friends whose cancer was detected through routine mammogram and all are still alive and healthy thirty years on.

Ragged · 30/08/2022 21:12

My landlady described her mammogram like that back in the 1980s. I don't think it's super uncommon. The machine has to squeeze the breast to image it, apparently. I can't comment on being handled, I recall being told where to stand but if you stood the right place the machine did all the squeezing, no manual handling for me.

SirVixofVixHall · 30/08/2022 21:13

I had my first recently, the radiographer was lovely, very kind and considerate. It was all much less traumatic than I expected. I had an ultrasound straight afterwards, and again, really amazing female radiographer scanned me and could not have been kinder. All was well but I had been very worried.
It was private, so less rushed perhaps ?

Soontobe60 · 30/08/2022 21:17

Yep, it’s a brutal process. No time to be gentle I’m afraid. Next time, take a couple of paracetamol an hour beforehand - it helps with the pain!
I had one done in July. The mammographer was very rushed - she had 5 of us booked in at the same time - 4.30 pm - and another 5 booked in at 4.45 pm. Her shift was supposed to have finished at 4pm but they were short staffed. She really didn’t have time for small talk.

Suzi888 · 30/08/2022 21:19

Is it always a woman that carries it out?

KangarooKenny · 30/08/2022 21:22

Suzi888 · 30/08/2022 21:19

Is it always a woman that carries it out?

I’ve had 3 and it always has been.

Iliveonahill · 30/08/2022 21:22

Mine hurt. My shoulder gets pushed forward, my breast is painfully squashed. It’s not dignified in anyway. But my SIL and a good friend were both diagnosed with breast cancer from their first mammogram. Neither would have felt any lumps Until much later. It is so worthwhile going.

Suzi888 · 30/08/2022 21:27

KangarooKenny · 30/08/2022 21:22

I’ve had 3 and it always has been.

Show quote history

I dread having them done, they sound painful. Bit of discomfort is no doubt worth it though.

Moonface123 · 30/08/2022 21:27

This is how l felt after my first one, l think they kind of forget it can be quite abig deal, especially if you are shy at exposing yourself to a complete stranger. I felt abit violated after, it was rushed and painful, and the radiographer was stern and cold .
But l think its really important you do attend your next check up, hopefully next time it will be a better experiance, my second one went alot better.

Blanketpolicy · 30/08/2022 21:31

I was moved into position and (ample) breasts hoiked up, adjusted, squished, hips physically moved about, arm lifted and placed up and around machine. It was all very efficient and during it not much talking other than instructions on what to do as she was concentrating on getting me in the right place, but to be honest prefer that, it got it over and done with quickly. and don't feel it was brutal at all.

She quickly explained everything that would happen before and after and was perfectly pleasant. It is a routine test, quick in and out, not a consultation.

IvebeenUpAllNightNoSleep · 30/08/2022 21:34

What’s the first age you start getting them? I’m 40 next year

Irridescantshimmmer · 30/08/2022 21:36

Holy c.r.a.p I'm not ever going through that, they can take a long walk off a short pier.

Ewwwwwww it sounds like assault.

Some of the tests women have are quite grim.

ilovepixie · 30/08/2022 21:41

I've had 2 and while the nurses have been lovely they do tend to Manoeuvre me about a bit. But I do have very big breasts so they have to get them into the correct position.

ilovepixie · 30/08/2022 21:42

IvebeenUpAllNightNoSleep · 30/08/2022 21:34

What’s the first age you start getting them? I’m 40 next year

50 where I live. Not sure if it's the same everywhere. Or could be different if there's history in the family of BC.

Zwicky · 30/08/2022 21:44

Is it always a woman that carries it out?

yes at the moment but every few years there is a push from the society of radiographers to open it up to men

saraclara · 30/08/2022 21:44

They have to manhandle you to get the breasts exactly where they need them to be. You can't possibly do it yourself, as the placement has to be exactly accurate. It takes then quite a while to get it just right, and they have a LOT of people to get through.

While not exactly abrupt, I've found the operatives brisk and down to earth. It's a routine thing to them, and it's not like they're dealing with people who are sick.

To be honest, I think I quite like the fact that they don't make a big deal of it, or pussyfoot around because they're breasts. It's if anything, less embarrassing that way.

IvebeenUpAllNightNoSleep · 30/08/2022 21:48

@ilovepixie thank you

BotterMon · 30/08/2022 21:52

That's pretty normal. If they're running late often due to people arriving late, they have to rush through.

A few minutes of that to ensure the scans are as they should be is far better than not being diagnosed on time so not sure why people are complaining.

Oblomov22 · 30/08/2022 21:52

Loads of my friends said it was brutal harsh and uncomfortable.

Apl · 30/08/2022 21:57

Soontobe60 · 30/08/2022 21:17

Yep, it’s a brutal process. No time to be gentle I’m afraid. Next time, take a couple of paracetamol an hour beforehand - it helps with the pain!
I had one done in July. The mammographer was very rushed - she had 5 of us booked in at the same time - 4.30 pm - and another 5 booked in at 4.45 pm. Her shift was supposed to have finished at 4pm but they were short staffed. She really didn’t have time for small talk.

I think this is crap advice. You’re telling a woman she should put up with someone roughly grabbing her breasts while also being rude. There’s no excuse for the way OP was treated.

Most nurses are so kind and lovely - but there is also a small number of horrible nurses who hate their job and hate their patients, and treat them like shit. Perhaps OP met one of them.

Apl · 30/08/2022 21:59

BotterMon · 30/08/2022 21:52

That's pretty normal. If they're running late often due to people arriving late, they have to rush through.

A few minutes of that to ensure the scans are as they should be is far better than not being diagnosed on time so not sure why people are complaining.

Well OP isn’t going to be diagnosed on time is she, she’s already said she’ll never go back because of how she was treated. I say far better to run a few more minutes late to avoid scaring women off getting their scans done.

Savingpeoplehuntingthings · 30/08/2022 22:05

I've had 2 now.
They do have to move your shoulders and breasts to just the right position and I have big breasts so they have to pull them about a bit but it's never hurt.
The lady was efficient and no nonsense but that was fine with me, she didn't make me feel dehumanised , just a quick procedure that was done as quickly as possible because she had a load more to do after me.
They start them at 47 where I am.

ArcticSkewer · 30/08/2022 22:18

I don't think I am going to bother. Read quite a few stories like this now.
Sorry you had a bad experience, op

Suzi888 · 30/08/2022 22:21

ArcticSkewer · 30/08/2022 22:18

I don't think I am going to bother. Read quite a few stories like this now.
Sorry you had a bad experience, op

I’m scared too, but it’s better to get checked than have to go through treatments. You can have an ultrasound, not sure how routine they are/good they are though. I’ll take painkillers beforehand.