Most likely, "Donna" has never made a mistake that had life-threatening consequences. To suggest that an apology is all that is necessary, is to add another black mark to the profession. It is not "ridiculous" to not pay for a mammogram, nor any other test that is not done professionally. What is absurd is continual defense of unprofessional and dangerous behavior on the part of technicians, the facilities that employ poorly trained, poorly supervised technicians, them, and the radiologists who allow maltreatment - and the machines that are not regularly tested. Furthermore, the value of mammography is highly questionable , as any sort of "gold standard."
If the medical community is going to insist that having mammgrams are safe and reliable, then they must be held accountable to the highest standards.
There is, in fact, radiation exposure that is cumulative, as you know. There are erroneous readings that cause pure hell. Women need to take up the banner and protest the incompetence. Our lives and well-being are at stake.
A bigger commotion would be a malpractice lawsuit, and this is exactly why people resort to filing them.
Of course they have to do one breast side at a time, Whats so interesting about it?? You must be a lawyer looking for a lawsuit!!!
mammotech wrote:
Donna, did you tell the girl you had excessive pain during the test. If so, you have a valid complaint. However, she did apologize to you. It is easy to make a mistake if you are nervous and new to a machine. The girl apologized to you. Have you never made a mistake. Is your breast bruised? If not, I can see no reason for the continuing pain. Call your family care physician about the pain. This is definitely not normal, and I would bet your physiciain would say it is not from the mammogram. Not having to pay for a mammogram because it was painful is a ridiculous statement. Mammograms can hurt, but they have also saved many lives.
Most likely, "Donna" has never made a mistake that had life-threatening consequences. To suggest that an apology is all that is necessary, is to add another black mark to the profession. It is not "ridiculous" to not pay for a mammogram, nor any other test that is not done professionally. What is absurd is continual defense of unprofessional and dangerous behavior on the part of technicians, the facilities that employ poorly trained, poorly supervised technicians, them, and the radiologists who allow maltreatment - and the machines that are not regularly tested. Furthermore, the value of mammography is highly questionable , as any sort of "gold standard."
Listen up Mammofreak,
I was one of the first to write to you kindly when you first posted. Donna DID say she was in excessive pain, and the fact that the tech had no clue what she was doing, tells me, she caused this poor woman, trauma, both mentally and physically. Mammograms are uncomfortable, and slightly painful, but when it is to a point where she has to go and pay a doctor, tells me this was an uncommonly abnormal test. Of course if a standard mammogram is done and you have some pain, you or your insurance should pay for it. But for you to say it is ridiclous for her to not pay for being totured by an imcompetent indiot...that is ridiculous! Shame on you!
I am sure you must have read my orginal and follow up posts about the techs causing a 10 to 15 inch gash under my left breast, bleeding down my abdomen, and my MD being so horrified he has not sent another pat. there. should tell you something. It has been over a month, and due to an infection it caused, it is still not healed, and very painful. I have decided to go forward with legal action, because I could not live with myself if this agony happened to another woman. In a ddition, there are abnormalties in the breast they shredded, so I am losing my mind waiting to heal so the further testing I require can begin.. I stood by you in the beginning, but after the cold, uncaring way you spoke to Donna, I have decided, you seem to have the same attitude as the 2 techs, I unfortunately dealt with. Karma tells us what comes around, goes around, and I wish you an interesting mammogram the next time you have one.or something also uncomfortable, like a colonoscopy, or other normal tests where you feel nervous and exposed. You sure have earned your future experience.:)
Donna wrote:
I am 67 yrs old and just a month ago I had my annual mammogram, the girl put the thing down on my breast and squeezed it so tight, then she went back and the machine wouldn't go, and she kept saying sorry, meanwhile I was in such bad pain. I told her I had never experienced pain like that during a mammogram, she said again she was sorry, and thanked me for bearing up with her as she was just FILLING IN FOR THE GIRL THAT USUALLY DOES IT. My breast hurt more and more every day. its scary because I never had this happen to me.
Please file a written complaint. Demand to know if the "girl filling in" was a legally certified mammography technician. Do not delay, and I would also demand that a qualified physician advise you about what to do about the pain, and that they pay for it. For that matter, you should not have to pay for the mammogram. Please don't only write about the experience here. This needs to be made known. I would also file a complaint with FDA about the mammogram machine as a Medical Device complaint. I hope the pain subsides soon. So sorry.
Donna,
What you went through is NOT commom. I first would report it to the main supervisor at the mammogram place, Ask for a copy of the techs license. Also a full copy of your test results. Tell them you want your insurance company reimbursed for the test. Make sure you see your doctor, and he will tell you if the mammogram is what caused your pain. Get a notebook out and make note of everything, the date, time, if you were nervous., the girl's name if you recall, if not it will be on the report sent to your doctor. Get all of this together, just in case your breast keeps hurting. Disregard EVERYTHING mammotech said to you. She is simply one of them who is out there injuring women, and think your pain is normal. It is not normal. Over a month ago, they seperated the underside of my breast from my chest wall. I am still not healed, and because of that, I am in the process of setting up a legal case against them. You stay strong, and never let someone like the so called tech on this site, make you think twice about whether or not you were injured. YOU WERE!
You are in my prayers, and I hope you feel well soon. :)
This is a response to Donna -- I was so struck by the seriousness of what you describe that I would not have been surprised if that 'technician' had attempted to take films of both breasts at once. That she only took images of one breast at a time is the best one can say about your experience. I am no lawyer,and I am, most definitely, a woman, and women generally post here not looking for a fight with each other, but to document their experiences, perhaps with a view to putting a stop to the madness.
That she only took images of one breast at a time is the best one can say about your experience. I am no lawyer,and I am, most definitely, a woman, and women generally post here not looking for a fight with each other, but to document their experiences, perhaps with a view to putting a stop to the madness.
Stop what madness:? Performing mammograms that have saved lives.
It is true that mammograms, done correctly save lives. My issue is, that although the exoperience is uncomfortable, and sometimes a little painful, this whole subject is called "EXCESSIVE PAIN AFTER MAMMOGRAM" Serious injuries such as the side to side enormous bleeding gash under my breast, women, who complain of pain such as Donna, and many others did, and having a tech who puts us through the ringer, so to speak, who, treats every patient like an assembly line, because they are bored with their jobs,o r think all boobs are alike. That is what infuriates me. Also for me, or anyone else who walks out of there bleeding, or is still in pain, after their test, and you tell them it is ridiculous to not pay for the priveledge? PLEASE! Yes the test saves lives. The technicians however, should endure regular sensitivity training, so that when the patient is saying she is in serious pain, not just the average mammo pain...extreme pain. STOP what you are doing, and check on your patient. There are nerves, and tissue which can be damaged, and cause pain for the rest of your life. So TECH, that is what I am talking about. Compassion for an already half naked, nervous woman, clamped to a machine, and saying repeatedly she is hurting. Like I said before, Karma, and admit there are some really awful techs out there. When will your next mammogram be? I challenge you to have it done somewhere else, where you don't work, so you have no idea what your experience will be, and don't tell them what you do for a living. I challenge you to do this. Does it scare you? If so, now you know how the rest of us feel. I would wager it might change your view quite a bit.
Mammotech, You can just stop trying to make excuses, I just found out more information yesterday!!! I found out from an exray nurse that works in the place where I had it done, (remember I am 67 yrs old, and have had an mammogram every year for at least 30 yrs and I know what it usually feels like). She asked me if the girl who did this wore an all blue uniform, and I said yes, she said she was a student and should have had someone with her the whole time!! So please stop making it sound like this is something new to me, I have had it done there for 5 yrs and there are two older ladies that were always there, but neither were there. Before that, I lived in another town and yes it hurt but nothing like what happened to me.