My poor boobies
Posted
October 24, 2007 at
5:01 pm by
Jessica
I had my first mammogram yesterday. After it was done, I pondered things that would have been much more pleasant…chewing glass…having a toe amputated…sticking a needle in my eye….eating goose poop. The thoughts flowed through my head as I winced and said, “Ow. Ow. Ow.”
The nurse was nice enough to prep me, she said, “You know a lot of women complain about how painful this test is, but I think you’ll find that it isn’t as bad as everyone says.”
“Thanks a lot,” I thought to myself, “I hadn’t actually heard that, but thanks for making the 45 minute wait that much sweeter.”
First of all, it’s awkward, because you have this woman man-handling your breasts and she pulls them and stretches them every which way. I’ve heard women tell me it’s worse when you have less (pointing out that I have “more”), but then there’s less to squeeze and squish in between those large plastic plates. Now that I’ve done it, I have to disagree.
Seriously, I have red marks above my boobs and I’ve had to take ibuprofen last night and this morning and I’m still in excruciating pain (over 24 hours later). There is no way that can be good for your breast tissue. Screw the dangers of radiation, I feel like the damage to my breasts is enough to facilitate cancer even if there was none to begin with. I hear stories from people all the time, where an injury later developed into cancer in that area. While doctors and scientists poo-poo the idea, I’d like to see more research in the area myself. Bodies are not meant to be damaged. We are fragile beings. My boobies are fragile. Be kind oh, mammogram operator. It just isn’t right!
I even told her when it was done that I didn’t agree with her, the whole thing sucked the big one and I was too young to get it done anyway, “I’m 38,” I boasted. She wasn’t impressed. She told me that the first mammogram should be between the age of 35 and 40 and then it was to be done every 2 years until 50 and then it’s to be done every year.
The only reason I even did it was because my OB-GYN wouldn’t renew my birth control pills without my having it done, so he had me over a barrel. (If you lived with my two boys, you would know what I mean.)
My GYN recommends a mammogram after 40 every year.
This experience has taught me two things a) I need to get a new GYN (one that sticks with traditional protocols) and b) breasts were never meant to be compressed like a stale piece of gum, stuck to a cheap pair of shoes. Mammograms really hurt. Next time, I’m stopping by a bar and having a few before the torture.
As if coming upon 40 weren’t bad enough…
Tags: breast-cancer, Health, mammogram, mammography |
9 Responses to “My poor boobies”
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1. julymom said:
October 24, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
I had one done a few months ago (and I’m only 34, but have a family history of breast cancer) and didn’t think it was that bad. I have a really low tolerance for pain too, so I was quite surprised. It wasn’t fun or comfortable by any means, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t unbearable (well for long anyway) and I had no pain afterwards. Every woman I know who’s had one done says they are excruciating, so now I’m thinking maybe they did mine wrong!
2. Rita said:
October 24, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
I’ve heard the entire experience depends on the mammogram tech. I’ve had people tell me that they’ve had them and been in horrible pain with one tech, dreading and dreading having to go back but then finding that a different tech made it totally no big deal, so they thought it was okey dokey and then they have yet a different tech who is sadistic again the next time. I don’t know how you’d find who is naughty and who is nice, other than word of mouth.
I haven’t had one and don’t plan on it until after I’m 40. I have my Mirena, which is in place for 5 years, so I don’t have to worry now. You should get you a Mirena, Jess!
3. ibc said:
October 25, 2007 @ 9:41 am
Hey! Maybe you should commiserate with that stressed-out “former co-worker” and new mom you crapped all over in your last post.
Too bad they didn’t perform an empathy transplant while they were at it. Heh.
4. Jessica said:
October 25, 2007 @ 9:55 am
You should get you a Mirena, Jess![/quote]
Yeah, but the mammography machine was all computerized, so it applied a certain amount of pressure. I had this fear of the machine freaking out and not being able to determine the appropriate amount of pressure and it kept going until my boob exploded.
What is the Mirena? I will have to Google that…
5. Jessica said:
October 25, 2007 @ 9:56 am
So, are you gonna have to get them yearly now?
6. julymom said:
October 25, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
[quote comment="116552"][quote comment="116413"]I had one done a few months ago (and I’m only 34, but have a family history of breast cancer) and didn’t think it was that bad.[/quote]
So, are you gonna have to get them yearly now?[/quote]
They’re saying I should. Fun!
7. roma said:
November 1, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
I just wonder why is it soooo difficult for us women. Pap smear from the time you’re 18 and then mammogram after 35. I have a family history of breast cancer. So this really gets me worried. But I do appreciate the openness.
8. Rita said:
November 2, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Well, yeah, but boys have a doctor’s finger stuck up their ass while they turn their head and cough from a relatively early age, right? I think we should be feeling lucky that things are being done to keep us healthy and alive longer, rather than just burying us and moving on when we’re done having kids.
9. Jessica said:
November 2, 2007 @ 3:55 pm