Thanks everyone - Christmas will indeed be a very good one this year!
Just in case anyone else is reading this in the future, I have the following advice (now that I am an old hand at mammograms!).
The appointment can last a few hours, so take some snacks, a drink and something to read. You’ll be taken into a separate waiting room from your partner so tell them to do the same.
The aspiration by needle wasn’t actually too bad - the worst part was when it went in, but it was more of an ouch than an Ooowwwwwwww. I had 1.5 big syringe worth’s drained so she was poking about for quite a while but it was really not bad at all. Once I’d had the cyst drained I didn’t feel anything more than pressure with the mammogram - certainly no pain. The radiographer took her time and did it really slowly just in case it got painful but it wasn’t- it was over before I knew it. I’ve had a bit of tenderness this afternoon and evening but nothing that a couple of paracetamol won’t sort out.
A pp said that there was a fine line and it’s so true. I was very, very lucky today and for that reason I would encourage everyone to take up the offer of a mammogram and to check themselves each month.
Thanks again