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I gave permission to be tortured today...


AmyontheFarm
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I had a mammogram.  Can someone please explain to me why it is important to make me stand on my tip toes and hold by breath (I still have bronchitis) to get this done?

 

I would much rather lay on my stomach and drop these babies down a hole and let them take pictures that way.  Plus gravity pulls them down longer and skinnier that way anyways!

 

I honestly thought I was gonna pass out.  Not from the pain, the pain was nothing really, just from holding my breath for so long.  And what's the first thing you need to do when someone says don't breath?  Me, I need to cough!

 

So, as long as everything comes back clear. I'm good for a while.  I'm 42.

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The experience is probably only as good as the technician that is working with you. I've had several done and I've been lucky to work with wonderful ladies. I don't remember having to hold my breath long, and the machine was lowered so I was standing comfortably. Not that I'm saying it was an entirely comfortable process. The mashing between the plates is fairly stupid. When I had a biopsy, I had to lay on a table with a hole. That felt awkward as well.

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My husband's cousin invented a machine that hopefully will soon be used in hospitals. It resembles a microwave and replaces the boob squishy thing. You just walk up to it and it takes a picture of your entire chest, including under your armpits. It's pain free and does a much better job of finding cancer. It should have been invented 20 years ago. She also invented the little Save The Gonads hearts that are now used to prevent babies from going sterile when they get x-rays.

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You shouldn't have had to stand on your tiptoes.  I'm less than 5' tall and I've never had to stand on mine.  They just lower the machine until it's at the correct height.  I've also never needed to hold my breath more than a few seconds.  It sounds as if your technician was a lemon!

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The technician can make or break the procedure.   I had my first mamo recently and the tech was the best ever.  On the retake I had a different tech and it was not as comfortable.  Same machine, different person.

Sorry you were so uncomfortable.

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You had a bad technician. The machine should be adjusted for your height. The machine is taking the actual image for several seconds and you do have to hold your breath while it's imaging or it could affect the clarity of the image. If you had to hold more than a second before or after the imaging was happening, then it was a problem with the technician.

 

Next time, tell the tech you are having to stand on your toes.

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I've had two in the past year and have another one scheduled for next week. I've never stood on my toes. I usually only have to hold my breath for a second or two, but I did almost pass out on the one after my biopsy. Even those few seconds were too much. I would speak up next time and ask for them to adjust the machine.

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