Going for my first mammogram on Monday, any helpful advice appreciated?!

It does not hurt!. I am not sure who told you that, but unless you are very sensitive to any kind of discomfort, it should not bother you much!. You will undress from the waist up and be given a gown which opens in the front!. You will stand up facing the x-ray machine and each breast will be x-rayed and it will be squeezed to get in every portion of your breast!. You will only feel some pressure and it should not be too bad!. If it is, you can tell the tech and she can adjust the machine or your breast to make it less uncomfortable!. Then you hold your breath for a short while until the x-ray is made!. I have had it done several times, and it is a breeze, so don't worry about it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

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Mammograms should not be painful!. They can be uncomfortable for some women, and other women aren't at all bothered by the exam!. If you are tender breasted, you might feel more discomfort!. Make your appointment for after you have started your menstrual period, when the breasts are the least tender!. So, if you are due for your period, consider rescheduling your mammogram!. Caffeine also makes tender breasts more tender for many women, so consider limiting your intake (coffee, tea, chocolate) for a few days prior to a mammogram!. I do not recommend avoiding caffeine if you are prone to headaches when you go without!. You can premedicate with an over the counter pain reliever, if you tender breasted!.

Size of the breasts have nothing to do with the level of discomfort!. Both small and large breasts can be tender!. We don't compress the breasts to a magical number!. A large breast might be compressed until the breast measures 6 cm thick!. A small breast could be compressed until it measures 3 cm!. So, in this case, size does not matter!

Now, lets assume that mammographic exams are VERY painful, for arguments sake!. A routine, screening mammogram consists of 4 images!.!.!.!.2 views on each breast!. The total time of compression for those 4 images is about 45 seconds!. I can do anything for 45 seconds, especially if those 45 seconds can greatly impact my future and my quality of life!. Sounds like a small price to pay, doesn't it!?

I get very upset with women who spread the misconception that mammograms are so extremely painful!. They are scaring other women badly enough that some women are not having mammograms!. I had a patient a few years ago, who came in for her first mammogram because she had a huge lump in her breast!. You could tell, without the mammograms, that she had an advanced breast cancer!. Her skin was red and nipple was inverted!.!.!.!.her breast looked angry!. She had known about this lump for over two years, but never went for a mammogram, because her "friends" had told her how painful they were!. A day later, we did a CT scan of her head, chest, abdomen and pelvis, and her breast cancer had spread to her liver and brain!. She was dead within a couple of weeks!. I guarantee that pain was nothing what is experienced with a mammogram!. With friends like that, who needs enemies, right!?Www@Answer-Health@Com

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Discomfort comes to mind more than pain!. It never feels good to have a body part squeezed like that, but just remember that it is being done for a very good cause and ignore the inconvenience!.

Most breast cancers are curable if spotted prior to when they can be felt!. This is a survival ritual and no matter how much you don't like your parts being squeezed hard, its better than having them surgically removed!.

Be brave!. Be smart!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

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Blinky's absolutely right!. It doesn't hurt, or shouldn't hurt, although I found leaning over the machine the most uncomfortable part about it!.

They prefer that you don't wear any deodorant, or perfume, or powder when you go for the x-ray!. The way they 'arrange' you over the machine, it would smear all over the place, not to mention get all over the technician's hands!

I loved the comment about the metal balls!.!.!.!. I'm insanely jealous, because I've never been given those to wear! (Sigh!) LOL!

The things we women have to go through!

Enjoy! xxxxWww@Answer-Health@Com

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It's ok to take some tylenol before you go!. Try to keep your shoulders curled in toward the machine!. This will lessen the pull!.

You may be a bit sore after wards, and that is nothing to worry about!. You may use tylenol for this as well!.

Bravo to you for going to get this test done!. It's important!. Www@Answer-Health@Com

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Don't believe all the hype!. Cancer is the biggest money making industry in the world after oil!.

More people make money out of cancer than people who die from it!. More people die from taking chemotherapy that those who do not!. Not only does it kill cancer cells (tempory) but it also kills your good cells!.

But then threes so much money to be made out of chemotherapy so why would the government tell you about a cure!.

Cancer has been around so long now and is reaching epidemic proportions!. Think about it, they can supposedly put three stooges on the moon and return them safely without a scratch in the 1960's but yet nearly 60 years later and all the modern technology, scientists and millions of funding they cant find a cure!? Yeah right!

They want you sick, threes no money to be made if you

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