What to expect when you go for a Mammogram for the first time!

A while ago, I found a lump on my breast. Let’s just dive right into that story, shall we? It was 3 days before Christmas and never thinking I would be seen {as we were in the middle of a pandemic} however I was asked to come over that same afternoon. Queue the shock on my face and also the huge abundance of appreciation at the same time. But beneath the relief of being seen that same day, I was terrified. I shared a post about that earlier in the blog and it was called Why I would get a double mastectomy tomorrow if I could.

Long story short, the lump turned out to be a cyst. A cyst that since it first arose has reoccured a few times and recently, I was asked to attend a mammogram. So, being as nervous as I was, never having a mammogram before, I thought I would share my experience.

What is a Mammogram?

The long and the short of it is, a mammogram is an x-ray of your breasts. They detect abnormailities that should not be in the breast tissue and the whole appointment takes around 30 minutes.

Going for your first Mammogram? Here’s my experience…

Straight to the point, I was nervous. Yes, I knew the lump was a cyst. Rationally, I knew that. The nurse who diagnosed it, knew it. But there is just something that triggers the irrational part of the brain when you are going for a deeper examination of your breasts. What if the mammogram shows more than just the cystic area in my breast? That was my main concern! And I think I can safely say that all of our brains assume the same. In one way or another.

When I entered the breast care clinic of the Antrim Area Hospital, I gave my name and was asked to take a seat. It wasn’t very busy, which was nice because it didn’t have a nice vibe to the place. Sure, they tried to have a calming environment with the blush pink chairs, and reassuring posters on the walls. But there was just something in the air, you know? Like sadness had been formed within that very room. Fear had grown in that very room, sat on those chairs and so forth.

Cropped capes & cold hands!

Around 20 minutes passed before my name was called and I was shown into a little changing room. I was asked to take everything off on my top half and get a cape from the bag, put it on and then knock on the ajoining door when I was ready. The capes were like cropped hospital gowns and they attached via a velcro patch at the neck. Leaving the opening in the middle at the front of your chest. Once ready, I knocked on the ajoining door…

The nurse opened it up, introduced herself and then the Doctor did the same. Next, I was asked to get up onto the hospital bed and the examination began. Let me tell you, when I say her hands were cold, they were like ice! You’d think they would keep them warm, or at the very least, do some Mr Miyagi hand rubbing beforehand! But she did a thorough breast exanimation and then examined the cystic area of my breast. She confirmed it was just that, a cyst and that she felt nothing else during my breast examination. I was then asked to get dressed and shown to another waiting area before my mammogram.

Mammogram time

My name was called in no time at all, during my appointment {of which I am very thankful!}. And I once again had to take off my top and bra for my Mammogram. The Mammographer onhand {who are always normally female, incase you were wondering} has to do all of the lifting of breasts, placing on the X-ray table, positioning of your body posture etc. All you have to do, is listen and stay still. When she had to ‘lift’ my H cup boobs onto that Mammogram table, a part of me died inside. But then I also reminded myself that they have to be lifted because they have fed five beautiful babies!

I cannot speak for small breasted females, however, for us larger bossumed ladies, Mammograms are not comfortable. I never even considered how flat a large breast could go! And spoiler alert? They can go impressively {and painfully} flat! My boobs had to be squashed a few times in different positions before it was thankfully over. I was advised that the results will be sent out via letter within the next two weeks and that was it. I got dressed and off I went.

Two weeks later I got a phone call, rather than a letter. But that was OK. The lady on the phone could not have paused for dramatic effect before telling me that my mammogram came back all clear! But we will let that one go because the relief I felt was unreal. You just deflate, in a way. Or at least, I did! Because even though I was told it was a cyst and that nothing else could be felt during my hands on examination. There is always a chance that something could be there, needing a mammogram to bring it to light.

Overall experience?

Good. A touch painful at times, but good. Everything was handled with care {boobs included!} and the results came back fairly quickly, all things considered. Right now, I am just awaiting a surgery date to have the reoccuring cystic tissue to be removed. Which will leave a narly scar, but I reckon living with that is fairly easy ini the grand scheme of things. From the detection of recoccuring cyst to mammogram, I waited around two months. Which is pretty amazing considering the strain our NHS is under! So for that and for all of them, I am very thankful.

Last thing…if you find a lump do not wait to get it checked out. I waited over a month to even speak to my GP to get this sorted. A whole month of daily phone calls and never being able to get through. To which caused the lump to be very large, very painful, it change shape and then ruptured. Which comes with it’s own set of concerns because in some cases, they can cause sepsis. Obviously I was very lucky, but someone out there might not be. So please, please, please, do not hestitate to get any lump you find on your person checked out to my GP.