In Australia women over 50 are offered free mammograms to check for breast cancer. Since I am female on all my official documents I was sent an invite. The females in my family (mum and sister) have both had breast cancer and my endo did warn me that I had a risk now that I am on oestrogen. I also got checked for BRACA1 status and I am positive so I have an increased risk.

So why was it like?

Strip to the waist in a cubicle and then go into the room (after filling in a questionnaire) and the female radiographer then lines you up on the X-Ray machine. Two scans of each breast are taken from different angles.


The compression of the breast is quite painful (I'm about a B-cup) and they want to get all breast tissue into the scan, so you are in an uncomfortable physical position.

The technician was great, she knew it hurts, and her comment was when I was lined up, 'can you hold on while I run to the control unit?'

She certainly did not let me hang in pain from my compressed boob for any longer than necessary!

After the pics were taken I went back to the cubicle to get dressed with the advice of, 'give the girls a bit of a massage'. Oh they needed it!

For about the first time I was so glad I wasn't a large breasted woman!!

The total procedure took about 10 minutes and was very professional in a very caring environment.

To compensate for the 'pain' I bought a rather cute grey bolero jacket afterwards!

A recently turned 50 year old colleague told me about her experience with the boob sandwich...uh...mammogram machine. It didn't sound fun at all...she sure didn't enjoy it. That was about six years ago now and I was kind of hoping that things might have improved by now but it doesn't sound like it, mores the pity. Who invents these torture devices (clue, probably not other women). I guess the most important thing is that at the end of the day everything is Ok.

As for boob size, I would have thought larger boobs wouldn't hurt as much going into the sandwich maker.

I think the more you have got the more they squash!

Pretty sure it was made by men though.

I think I'll design one for testicular testing

A pair of cymbals perhaps??

I have no doubt that such a torturous device was designed by a man. It's only fair we design one for their testicles. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Cindy on March 21, 2016, 02:46:35 AM
I think the more you have got the more they squash!

Pretty sure it was made by men though.

I think I'll design one for testicular testing

I think the initial design has two bricks.

My mom was actually explaining the process to me recently. Said by 40 I should start getting them done, so I've still got a decade to go, thankfully. My tits were hurting just from hearing about it!

Laying in bed giving myself a massage (I'm alone sadly) feels wonderful. Yes I'm sore.

My mom explained the process to me when I was a kid and I was like "Why,  Lord"

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In the US we have a newer technology called a 3D Mammogram that doesn't hurt as much as the old style machines at all.  Not only is it better at visualizing the breast, it is largely pain free, even for dense breast tissue or larger breasts.  I had my first one a year ago and I have both of those... didn't hurt a bit

I started having them a couple of years ago due to a family history of breast cancer and whilst I agree that they're quite uncomfortable, they're not generally painful. I'd imagine they'd be much more painful if the patient is experiencing growth at the time: that would probably be excruciating.

The tests are very quick, I suspect because the operators also tend to be in possession of those particular body parts so they're sympathetic to how embarrassing and uncomfortable it can be to whip them out in front of strangers who might manipulate them. But even if they hurt a bit, these tests are a heck of a lot more pleasant than breast cancer so it's important to get them done.

I had my last one just before top surgery (and I had DDs, so there was plenty for them to check), and thanks to a very talented surgeon I no longer have anything for them to squish between those plates!