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Mammogram pain -- Non-MS question

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    Mammogram pain -- Non-MS question

    OK. It's that time of year again. My annual mammogram is scheduled for next week. Mine always hurt like heck! I suspect that it is not a real pleasant experience for any of us, but, some of us seem to either experience, or, perceive, more pain than others.

    Last year, the technician was unable to get adequate pictures the first two times on my right breast, and she took them a second time, and wanted to do it a third time.

    I simply refused. It just hurt so bad.

    I've heard avoiding caffeine for a week before helps. I've heard taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen an hour before helps. I've heard that scheduling the appointment for 10 days after the first day of your last period helps.

    Last year, I did all 3 of those things, and they did not appear to help. It was so-o-o painful.

    Any other suggestions? (I've also read about a non-prescription numbing gel that can be purchased, and, that appears to have more successful results than any of the above three strategies. I might try that this year.)

    ~ Faith
    ~ Faith
    MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
    (now a Mimibug)

    Symptoms began in JAN02
    - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
    - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08
    .

    - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
    - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

    #2
    I have to honestly say, Faith, that mammos were always an inconvenient PITA for me...until one found cancer in my right breast in 2003. I had a lumpectomy and 7 weeks of radiation vs. a mastectomy, and the mammos on that breast now are excruciating. I also can't stand up anymore (32+ years of MS will do that to you), so I sit after transferring from my wchair to one of their chairs. People try so hard to be helpful, but they actually make it harder. Doing everything from the chair is harder! Nonetheless, this is one thing I won't stop doing just because it's difficult. When my friends tell me that they won't do it because it hurts, I tell them that CANCER HURTS MORE.

    I understand what you're saying, but I
    do let them SQUEEZE away even though it hurts like hell! (Personally, I don't think that a topical anesthetic will do anything to help. The ibuprofen may help, though! ).

    Good luck with the mammo whatever you decide to do. I'm just glad to see that you're doing it!
    “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” Ernest Hemingway
    Diagnosed 1979

    Comment


      #3
      Annual Mammogram

      I was diagnosed with RRMS about 6 years ago. Almost exactly 2 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a right mastectomy and 16 rounds of chemotherapy. My annual mammogram on my remaining breast is in 2 weeks. That is a painful thing to say. My reconstruction surgery was not very successful and I am going to have it redone next month.

      It seems like the pain you have during the mammography procedure is out of the ordinary. While they are never great, it does make me think that the technician is not very skilled. Perhaps you have very cystic breasts. Do you have the option of using another facility? It just should not be as bad as you are describing.

      As to the topical gel: forget it. Such creams/gels are useless for this type of procedure - meaning a mammogram. They are only good for things that effect the skin surface such as needle sticks, blood draws, IV insertions, etc.

      No matter how much it hurts I personally believe that the minute or two that your breast is squeezed flat and is hurting is much easier than having it removed entirely.

      Comment

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