Compression Three THIS

[oselle]

You know, I'm not at all a mammogram virgin. I know they're uncomfortable. They're not supposed to make you howl out loud and double over in pain (as soon as you're released from the plexiglass jaws of death, that is).

I'm sure it was the technician's fault. She was either just unskilled or didn't know how to do a mammogram on tits as small as mine. I could tell she was doing it wrong even before she started lowering the boom.

And you know what? If you're doing a very routine medical procedure on someone, the kind that's only supposed to cause mild discomfort, and your patient winds up HOWLING IN PAIN AND DOUBLING OVER? The correct response is, "I'm sorry. Let's take a minute and try again." The correct answer is NOT a snippy, "I was only on Compression Three."

Fuck you. How about I Compression Three my foot up your ass?

There's no excuse for that machine. Some misogynistic descendant of Torquemada invented that fucking thing as far as I'm concerned, and you know damn well that if it was developed to be used on men they'd have long ago invented something less torturous and humiliating.

Comments

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

oh man. :( Mine hurt so much this last time that I almost passed out.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

It's NEVER hurt like that and I made sure I told her so. I felt like she was going to rip my nipple off.

[zatnikatel.livejournal.com]

I thank the fucking Maker that I'm not scheduled to have one of those for a few years yet. I've had two drug-free labors but the thought of a mammogram freaks me out. If men had to have their jewels squeezed like that, you can bet they would have invented a different way of doing it.

ETA And meh, I've heard they hurt worse if you're small, which I am too. So, even more meh.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Oh, I always think of men's jewels when I'm having that done.

It does hurt more if you're small because you hardly have any protective fatty tissue like larger-breasted women do. So they're basically just smashing your nipple and your shoulder. Nevertheless, I can attest that they are generally NOT this painful. They have NEVER been this painful. She was doing it wrong.

[mulder200.livejournal.com]

Ouch! I really hope you gave them a piece of your mind.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I didn't say another word for the rest of the test because she finally started doing it right. But I was PISSED. I was also embarrassed at my reaction and almost apologized but then I thought, "Why the hell should I apologize? She should apologize."

[mother2012.livejournal.com]

I had it done once. I will never again.

Maybe it's worse on small breasted women, I can't say. But I have size DDD, and while I didn't howl with pain, I couldn't see any reason why they should be squashed FLAT. Sorry, I don't buy it.

If I should get breast cancer, so be it. Cut the heavy, awkward things off. I simply will not go through that humiliating torture again.

But for the technician to put *her* error on *you* is really over the top!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I also don't buy that traumatizing your tits once a year is in any way good for them. I'm sorry, but how can crushing my tits and blasting them with radiation be healthy?

[mother2012.livejournal.com]

Heh. I wasn't going to say that. But yes, how can it?

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

I have very tender breasts so even when I have a good technician, I shout in pain and cry. Some are really nice about it but some are such assholes. You had an asshole. Fuck her. I hope her next mammogram hurts twice as much.

And I absolutely agree: there has to be a better way. If men had to have their nuts between those plates, by god there would have been a different test decades ago.

GRR. Yes, I have issues about this. And I'm so sorry you had such a bad time.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I have major issues with just about everything to do with "women's health." There was just an article in today's Wall Street Journal saying that it's probably unnecessary for most women to have a pelvic exam every year but we've been sold a bill of goods about that, too.

[morganslady.livejournal.com]

I've always said if they had to check for testiclar cancer the same way as they do breast cancer, there would be another machine invented toots sweet..A man would experience it once and he'd invent another way.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I wonder how they DO check for testicular cancer? A gentle massage, perhaps?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

The only time in my life that I have ever keened was having a mammogram. It's my theory that smaller must be harder or something, but yeah, you'd think the technician could be apologetic about it at least.

I remember one that hurt for days afterwards too--wtf is that?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I was already keening when she was foot-pedaling the clamps down so she should have known something was wrong. She didn't ease up until I ratcheted up to full-scale bellowing. Jerk.

You're supposed to try to time these things for times of the month when your breasts are less sensitive but no matter what -- it shouldn't hurt for days.

[shoofus.livejournal.com]

ask them to do a sonargram instead, maybe?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I believe they'll only do a sonogram as a backup to a mammogram, not as a replacement for one. I had a sonogram a few years ago when there was something on the mammogram they couldn't read.

[jolielaide.livejournal.com]

if it was developed to be used on men they'd have long ago invented something less torturous and humiliating.

ugh, like so many things. this goddamn bra i'm wearing, for starters.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

And shoes. Why do ALL of my shoes always hurt?

[samaranth.livejournal.com]

What an absolute cow. Mammograms are awful and, yes, they hurt, but it shouldn't be to that extent. And who can help making a sound sometimes? It's a miserable experience however careful the operators are.

No-one is entitled to be that rude, that's just unprofessional. Is it worth complaining to the service provider?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if sending a complaint would do accomplish anything. At most her boss would just give her a talking-to and frankly they're probably all so jaded that they'd just write me off as some over-reacting kook. The most I can do is just request that "Melinda" never get anywhere near me if I go back there again.