I was yelling in pain

Juggernaut - does this explain your username?!

Iam64 - I had my ingrowing toenails cut off and phenolised on either side - very successful indeed.

I was resigned to painful mammograms, thinking it was because I'm on the large size. I have them done in Belfast. However last time it wasn't painful. When I commented on it the nurse said they had a new machine and it was much more comfortable. So, maybe it's the older machines causing the pain.

If you were unhappy with the mammographer's treatment of you regardless of whether there was pain then yes you should give feed back. Make it constructive but let your feelings be known.

I've never felt any pain at all just felt a bit squashed. Radiigrapher told me it often affects those with very large breasts.

Our breast clinic have just put all new machines in, and they're much more comfortable, rounded corners, arm rests at better angles etc.
I've never suffered pain, which is a good thing as I have to have four 'shots' done of each breast, they're too big to fit everything in on one plate!
Apparently flatter chested women suffer more pain as the 'squishing' is closer to their chest wall.

I think the machines must be devised by men. I found the sharp corners painful as they jammed into my armpit. Surely they could have rounded edges?

Just realised I incorrectly put 'radiologist' instead of 'mammographer'?

www.gransnet.com/forums/health/1251426-Terrified-of-Mammogram

Not sure if this will work . Fingers crossed x

I have found that radiographers vary considerably in how they jam down the metal plate. Most position you carefully and adjust a little at a time, but a few seem to think that they have to squash you down to an eightth of an inch. If this one was unusually heavyhanded, then a written comment to the hospital could remind them to ease off a bit in future.

I always find them painful, occasionally very painful. I suspect its down to the radiographer, similar to some blood tests being accomplished with minimal discomfort whilst others aren't.

Taking a pain killer before hand is a good idea. My podiatrist suggested I take pain killers half an hour before she continues her regular attempts to keep my ingrowing toe nails from needing removal.

She hasn’t written to me as far as I know!!

I truly have never found them painful in any serious way - a momentary pain while the radiographer goes off and does her bit, but nothing to write to Auntie Flo about. I wonder why my experience is so different - I don't think there is anything special about my boobs!

I don't know how old you are, but the mammograms I had when I was in my 50s were very painful and the radiographer told me that my breast tissue was very dense, more like a younger woman, and that caused the pain. Now I am in my 60s they are just uncomfortable.

Thank you gillybob and Sparklefizz for your feedback.

I was trying to search for previous posts to no avail so need to look into this further.

I was called back last time, so the tip about taking painkillers beforehand is very much appreciated.

I have had 2 lots of breast cancer so have had about 20 mammograms in all, and they do vary in painfulness, depending on the radiographer I suspect. Madonna was reported as saying she always took painkillers before having her legs waxed, and I follow her example and take some before mammograms or at any time I anticipate a painful procedure. It helps.

Sorry to hear that you had a bad time Yorkie

Oh I sympathise YorkieGothGirl I put my last mammogram off a couple of times as I was so frightened due to the severe pain from the previous one ( similar to you) . There’s a thread about it somewhere it was only a few months back. Not sure how to find old threads though. Fortunately I was persuaded by the very sensible and kind Gransnetters that I should put the extremely painful one down to bad experience and go along which I did ( and I’m so glad ) . I hope someone can find the old thread for you . Good luck, I hope you can talk yourself into goingbalong and giving it another chance .