I am a radiographer who works for the Breast Screening Service and was sad to read of your experience. As someone who hasn't accessed the service before, it is impossible for you to know that the person that you met is in the minority, but I have to believe that she is.
What I would advise you to do is to telephone, or if you feel you can't, write to the superintendent radiographer of the screening centre. Explain that you want your screening but feel very nervous about it, that your previous experience has made you even more anxious, and ask for her assistance and advice. I am sure you will get a sympathetic ear.
Also, did you attend a caravan or a screening centre? I ask because at a screening centre there should be less pressure of time, so even if you have been invited to a caravan you can choose to make an appointment at the screening centre if you wish. (Having said that, just to let you know, that should be the only difference as the caravans are equipped exactly as the screening centre and are staffed by the same people who rotate between caravan and base.)
Your point about large breasts, common questions are- Is it easier to take a mammogram of larger or smaller breasts? Is pain or discomfort related to the size of the breasts? - the short answer to both questions is- it makes no difference what size the breasts are. We image all of the breast and we aim to get to the back of the breast, and the back is the back - no matter what you have in front.
What does make a difference is:
1. The composition of the breast i.e. we all have the same types of tissue but the percentages of each will differ from woman to woman. For example, I may have virtually no glandular tissue (more sensitive) and mostly fatty tissue (less sensitive) in my breasts, and you may have the opposite (or any one of a million combinations!) This is why everyone feels a mammogram slightly differently. Some people feel nothing, a few say it is painful but most feel a bit of discomfort and that is just for a few seconds for each of four images.
2. The physical make-up of your body. e.g are you easily able to move position, do you have arthritis, a frozen shoulder, a dodgy knee, have MS, are breathless, a wheelchair user or for that matter have sight or hearing problems or language difficulties (or a myriad of other things). As radiographers we are trained to vary the use of our equipment and also to assist women in getting the best mammogram when they have any of the above 'barriers'.
With regard to the six minute thing, I am sorry that your radiographer didn't have a little more patience, but try to put that behind you, I am positive that your next visit will be different. Once you have the first image taken you will realize its really not at all what you thought it would be. Some ladies do take longer, some take less and it usually balances out at the end of the day so in general we (where I work) dont worry about the time. (the timing is fixed by the screening service by the way, the radiographers have no control over the appointment system)
Obviously, not everyone is going to come out singing our praises, But I would say that the vast, vast majority find the experience much easier than they thought it would be, or have been led to believe by friends.
I could go on and on but I won't, just please give your local service another chance and I think you'll have a different experience next time- it will be fine. I hope this has been of some small help to you, if you have any other questions I'll do my best to answer them, hopefully in less than 10,000 words next time! Barbara
