Mammogram Support

[marybet]

Oh, how much do you need to do? Meaning, are we talking hospital gown or totally buck?

Just a gown, and you do one side at a time.

 

[Handbag Lady]

We are told to "strip above the waist" and are given a hospital gown, but in the procedure room, you have nothing above the waist (at least where I go).

Thank you. This is really helpful information.

 

[Handbag Lady]

My friend, , also has to go for one soon - my, I mean her gyno gave a script for a mammo for when I turn 35, in June - is that normal? I thought that you start the mammo's at 40?

I think between 35 and 40 is it normal for your first baseline. My doctor said it was best to get one so that when we are old and wrinkly, they have a good picture to compare all future mammygrammys to, so that they can catch new/abnormal things.

I think, too, if you have family history or a medical history that points to it, you have them sooner.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

How timely...I just got home from my annual mammogram! It was a breeze and was not at all painful. There is some pressure/pinching when they compress the breast, but it isn't that bad.

As for what they might find...wouldn't you rather know up front, while the "something" is small and treatable, than wait until it is so large you can find it without a mammogram and it is much more dangerous? I know that I'd rather catch that "something" early. Not having the mammogram doesn't mean the "something" isn't there...just that you haven't been told/found out it is there.

I've been having mammograms for 8 years now. Do I enjoy them? Umm...no. But I go every year because I want to be around for a long time and want to make sure I have the best shot at treating any "something"s that come along.

Go get one. You'll be much less stressed about everything once you do.

I completely agree. I don't find mammograms painful at all. I've had 4 or 5 now, and I've very average-sized, overall, as well as the girls. I'd much rather them find something early than later, too.

1) Try not to be in mid-squish when there is a huge power failure (I was having mammogram just as the black out of August 2003 hit).

I'm sorry, but this just had me rollin'

Oh, and where I've had them (both at the hospital and at a Mammography center), they have you take off everything from the waist up. Then you wear a hospital nightie with your pants, and slip one arm out at a time, so you can keep one girl covered while the other is getting squished.

Don't wear deoderant or lotions, it'll mess with the machine. Just bring it with you to put on when you're done. If you forget (or your appointment is too late in the day to go without beforehand), they usually have wet wipes to clean the deoderant off before heading to the squishy machine.

Good luck!

This is the mammogram smilie:

 

[Handbag Lady]

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA! I love it!!!

Thank you. I know humor will help.

 

[minnie56]

It's maybe 4-5 minutes a ****eee....
Grin--'bare' it---and have a Martini after! Thinking what kind to have will make it fly-by! It's truly no big whoop! You are apprehensive because it's fear of the unknown!

 

[Pigeon]

Breast cancer survivor here.

Mammos hurt, but they hurt briefly. It's humiliating, no getting around it, but the alternative is worse. If you go to a place with newish equipment, it really is over in a few seconds.

I feel like the poster child for getting them routinely. I was an idiot. I skipped a couple of years because I needed to find a new doc, and just didn't get around to it. I'm fine, and was able to have a lumpectomy and rads, but if I'd been more vigilant, it would have been found sooner, and I probably would have been able to skip chemo, which to put it mildly, is less pleasant than a mammo. My prognosis would also be better, in terms of the potential for it to come back.

So, don't let your friend be an idiot like I was. Just get the mammo.

 

[JodyLynC]

I had my first one at 35. I have another one scheduled for this summer.

Those of us who are well-endowed generally have less of a discomfort issue than those who are on the small side.

It is a little nerve-racking at first to have to strip and expose your top portion, but after a few minutes it just becomes another medical procedure. Not much different from having your arm or leg examined.

 

[kimisabella]

I think between 35 and 40 is it normal for your first baseline. My doctor said it was best to get one so that when we are old and wrinkly, they have a good picture to compare all future mammygrammys to, so that they can catch new/abnormal things.

I think, too, if you have family history or a medical history that points to it, you have them sooner.

I just made my appointment, it's in July, so I have some time to worry about it, as for old and wrinkly, after breastfeeding two kids, I already feel old & wrinkly there, if you know what I mean - I have no family history, so that's a plus.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I had my first one last year. I didn't find it painful, just uncomfortable. The worse was the anticipation of a callback. Which I did get one, but everything turned out fine. ALot of people get called back with their first one. I was a mess. I was so upset. When I went in for my call back they took another pic of one side and I had the results while I was there. Even though they reassured me that there were no suspicious areas, I was a wreck waiting to go back. I am glad I went and will go every year.

 

[amybippy]

I just had my very first mammogram, and I was dreading the whole process. It turned out to be pretty much nothing. In and out, and I felt absolutely no discomfort at all. I am a big baby and I have a tendency to build stuff up in my mind to be worse than they are. This was the case. Honestly, I won't dread them anymore. Hope this helps.

Amy

 

[Handbag Lady]

I just had my very first mammogram, and I was dreading the whole process. It turned out to be pretty much nothing. In and out, and I felt absolutely no discomfort at all. I am a big baby and I have a tendency to build stuff up in my mind to be worse than they are. This was the case. Honestly, I won't dread them anymore. Hope this helps.

Amy

It does. Thank you.

I want to thank everyone else who answered here. I found it most helpful.

 

[Buckalew11]

The place I go gives you a very nice, soft, Cypress brand robe. You do not have to strip from the waist up. You can wear the robe and just slip it off your shoulder.

Good luck!

 

[HOGFAN]

as a mammographer of many years...

1. almost every first timer comes in shaking in their boots. They have heard horror stories. To be honest, I think people like to scare other people. 99% of women leave the office very relieved that it 'wasnt that bad'.

2. Im as frightened as everyone else when I have mine,and Ive been doing mammos for over 20 years! But no more frightened than when I went in for my yearly pap this morning. Fear of the unknown is very powerful, isnt it?

3. Remember to take all the pressure you can stand. If it gets untolerable, tell the tech. Believe it or not, our goal is not to hurt you. If the pressure is not enough for a decent picture and the tech says so, try to see if you can take more, believe me its worth it.

 

[AnninIowa]

My mom died of breast cancer when I was six (she was just 43), so I've been having yearly mammograms since I was 25 (I'm now 34). I think of the "pain" as more uncomfortable than actually painful. Here is the usual procedure:

1. You are taken into a small dressing room where you take off your top and put on an open front gown. They give you baby wipes to remove your deodorant.

2. You are then taken to another room where the machine is. The tech basically does all the positioning for you - meaning she will grab your Girls and put them in place!

3. The tech opens your gown to expose one breast and places it between 2 plates of plexiglass-like material. Then the plates are pressed together to make your breast as flat as possible.

4. I always have 4 pics down - one vertical and one horizontal on each side. The time span of the plates being pressed, the tech walking behind the machine and snapping the pics and the plates then automatically being released is about 6 seconds.

5. When the pics are done, you usually have to wait while they check them to make sure they got the shots they need.

6. That's it! You are then free to go!!

I'd rather have a mammogram than a pap smear any day!!!

 

[drag n' fly]

It is actually less painful for those of us that have a bit...um...more! Those with smaller breasts have a harder time as it is harder to get their breasts compressed properly.

And no, it doesn't take an hour. Mine took 10 minutes, and that included doing one shot twice because it didn't come out that well.

You...um...I mean your friend...yes, your friend will be fine! And good for you for treating yourself to something afterward. DD came to my appointment with me and then we went out to lunch.

I really think that once you experience it you'll see that it's not that big of a deal!

This is where I must be a wuss!!! I will be 42 in June and my girls will forever be 38 It hurt like hockey sticks! They used to be 38 north then after the first kids they were pretty well on the equator and after 2 c-sections and three deliveries they have now travelled for retirement to the sunny tropics of the south That is why we bought DVC...I was lonely and missed them!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Thank you, thank you, everyone.

My left lady hurt a lost worse than the right. I wish I could say it was a breeze, but it was painful.

And odd. It was strange having someone manipulate, uhm, them. I wish she would have said what she wanted, I could have moved them easier. I just was really uncomfortable.

I had four pictures taken and it was hard to not say cheese.

But, my tech was nice and it was fast.

HOGFAN, what were the numbers on the top piece of plexiglass? It went 1-7 and it looked like a ruler.

Now, for the rest of the day, I had pancakes and bacon for breakfast after, then I went to Burke Williams and had a 50 minute massage, then hung in the spa for two hours, then I caught a movie (Baby Mama, hated it) and then I went shoe shopping.

All in all, I will continue to take the day off next time I need a mammygrammy and I shall pamper myself.

 

[Tinks]

I am getting my first mammo this summer. I''m not dreading it anymore. My friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks ago. Found on a routine mammogram. She just had surgery Saturday and is recovering so they can start chemo. Her name is Gina and she is only 44 and if you can, say a quick prayer for her. She has boys also. Her youngest and my youngest are friends.

I shudder to think what may have been if she weren't faithful to her yearly mammograms!

 

[LoraJ]

My friend, , also has to go for one soon - my, I mean her gyno gave a script for a mammo for when I turn 35, in June - is that normal? I thought that you start the mammo's at 40?

Mine gave me one last year when I was 37. My friend told me my health insurance wouldn't cover it because I am not 40. I meant to call my insurance company and ask them but the wedding planning got in the way and then I forgot about it. I'm am overdue for my annual gyno exam and I couldn't get an appointment until May (hey that's this month). I'll just have him give me a new script. I hope he doesn't yell at me.

 

[crz4mm2]

Good luck with your mammo. YOu will be fine. The "pain" is nothing. I really don't think it is anything at all.
I am sure you will sail through with flying colors.