Hello I’m new here.
I was recently called for my first “official” mammogram. I’d had one done in my early 40s when I had a cyst, & although it was excruciatingly painful I managed to cope.
Now I’m older I was expecting it to be better, if anything. But it was worse. It was so painful that they could not do it. They have to get to a pressure of 150, & I was screaming in pain at just 60.
I believe in screening & am usually tolerant of pain (had 2 children with only gas & air) so this seems an unusual reaction. I just dont see how I can be screened if I am passing out with the pain. The consultant I saw last week had never heard of this happening & couldnt help me, yet if you google painful mammograms there are women just like me so I’m not the only one in the world.
Anyone else out there had the same experience & what did you do about it? It would be ironic for me to have survived malignant melanoma only to die of breast cancer because my body can’t take a mammogram
couldnt they do an ultrasound to check you? They do ultrasounds for younger women, because the breast tissue is too dense to do a mammogram. It’s worth asking?
That’s so awful for you to have been in so much pain. I’m 28 and have ultrasounds but never a mammogram. However my mother is 58 and has had 2 or 3. She said they were very painful and literally took her breath away. My boss at work is 50 and has had a few. She said she absolutely dreads them as she always end up in tears, despite having a vey high pain threshhold! My Mother’s older sister lives in England, (we live in Scotland) has had breast cancer and said she has never experienced any pain during a mammogram. My mum has become convinced it’s a Scottish thing! I hope these snippets of information help!
Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. The consultant suggested 2 paracetamol!!! I think its a bit beyond the reach of that! Also, I asked him about ultrasound & he said that wouldnt show him what he wanted to see, only a mammogram would do that. I suggested that if a man had to have his b***s squidged between plates theyd have found another way by now, & could I go on an MRI clinical trial, but he didnt even know who was doing them. So I’m trying to find out for myself, any info welcomed.
UPDATE:
Well, after months of to-ing & fro-ing to my GP, who has really pulled the stops out in trying to find a solution for me, I have good news to report. She suggested I go to our local private hospital, where she said they do low pressure mammograms. I went today, & had one! Actually it wasn’t low pressure at all, just much slower & gentler, & was painful but bearable, which was all I was asking for in the first place. The only problem was, they do 4 x rays, & after 3 the machine broke! But I’m going back on Thu for the final one & feel fine about it.
The nurse was large & cuddly like Clare Rayner, imagine, I was so relieved I hugged her, nekkid from waist up!
The only irritating thing is … why isnt it like this on the NHS? Same machines but different time scale I spose. She let me take a break between each one & got me a glass of water. I reckon it was £140 well spent, that works out under 50p per boob per week, but for me it was an affordable option, not so for others.
Thanks for your support. I feel so proud I faced my fear & got screened!
