excessive breast pain after mammogram

I care. It happened to me, and no one listens. Of course a mammogram can injure you, especially with a bad tech, the whole test is out of harmony with the biology of a breast, the most delicate tissue should not be smashed between to hard pieces of material.

I just had my first mammo today 2 1/2 years post breast reduction. I was very scared, because frankly I have neuropathy from my breast reduction surgery. My glands are sore and I get transient chest pain that I really cannot differentiate from what other issues it could be.

I have had the nerve pain since the surgery, but of course it has diminished some but still makes surprise appearances. I do not do breast exams or let anyone else for that matter touch my breasts...to much pain memory from the surgery has eliminated that. Since I didn't take pain meds from the surgery it has left them that way. So I asked the Doc if I could get an ultra sound rather than a pinch. He said insurance companies are hard to convince, so I went for the pinch today but warned the technician I may not be able to tolerate it. I made it through but now my glands are tender...probably from mashing what ever was in my system into them.
Anyway, that's my story.....should be interesting to see what comes of the exam.

I'm mid-30s and they suggested a mammogram after I found a lump which was probably benign but she said to check there were no smaller lumps that couldn't be felt. I was unsure, but the doctor in her 20s (it was a university hospital) assured me that it was safe and painless. She knew it was my first time, but didn't even explain to me how the procedure worked. I went in not knowing what to expect. They x-rayed twice each from different angles. I thought the first one was the most pain I'd ever experienced, but the radiographer told me she pressed even harder on the left to catch the lump. It was excruciating, she just kept saying, "Hold still, hold still". I felt like crying. After that, my skin was dark red all over my breasts.
When I got home, I took off my T-shirt to change into PJs, I saw myself in the mirror, and what I saw shocked me. My small A cup round firm breasts, the way they'd been since my teens, were still squashed, the nipples had gone from circles to rugby ball shaped, the pale pink to dark red.
My breasts were sagging and lop-sided. I took a photo and compared it with one from before going to the hospital, and I cried. I had gone from looking like a teenager, the breasts I'd carried for the past 20 years, to looking like a 60 year old, in just a few minutes. They also felt completely soft, not an ounce of firmness. It felt like trying to pick up jelly with your hands.
I Googled to try to find out how long it'd take to regain their shape. Unfortunately, all I could find were other people's experiences of being permanently damaged, and also medical articles which said the same thing. Mammograms not only give too much radiation, but sometimes can't catch cancers due to dense tissue, or some people are wrongly diagnosed. Also the pressure can cause irreversible damage to the breast tissue. All of the articles said the same. I have become depressed. Crying every day for the past week. I can't bear to touch these hanging sacks of skin filled with almost liquid jelly, it feels too weird. But I still have to wash. I can't bear to even look at them. I feel so ugly, I have lost my confidence. And they feel so uncomfortable. I didn't used to need a bra, they wouldn't move when I moved, but now they just swing around and wobble all over the place and I have to hold them when I walk, I can't even run now. They are painful too. I can't sleep. I haven't slept for the past 6 days, I feel really tired, but when I lie down, I can't lie on my side like I used to do, because they droop to one side, so I have to lie on my back, and I just stare at the ceiling in the darkness. Last night I slept for 2 hours, I was dreaming that I was desperately searching for a way to heal my breasts. I woke up, they were painful. I couldn't get back to sleep. I've been so depressed, I just lie in bed and regret ever having taken the mammogram. It is the worst thing I have ever done, and I just wish that I had known the outcome beforehand. I feel bad that I can't go back in time and refuse the mammogram. I hate myself for not refusing it.
I went to seek a second opinion today at a specialist clinic, the doctor has many years of experience.
He told me that a mammogram was not necessary, he never recommends mammograms to people under a certain age. He seemed angry that the first doctor had given me a mammogram. He told that an ultra sound was enough, and even better for picking up that the lumps were caused by calcium build ups. He said on the mammogram they would probably look white and could be mistaken for cancer, this causes misdiagnosis's like in some articles that I've read, and that the ultrasound showed them better.
I wish I hadn't let them talk me into a mammogram at the first hospital. I hate what it has done to my body and my self-esteem.
I feel both physically and mentally scarred. Also the pain is still present. I keep hoping that this is just a nightmare and that I can wake up and my body will be back to normal. It's affecting me emotionally because of the pain and physical appearance.
I'd really like to find some hope, if anyone knows of a way to refirm the breast tissue back to normal I would be ever so grateful.

I had another experience with my mammogram. She kept telling me to let her do the positioning. With my left breast laying on the machine, she grabbed my stomach (which granted I am overweight at 171 lbs.) and pushed down and pulled back really hard. I do not think the machine was adjusted at the correct height. It really hurt and surprised me. She made the comment she has to do this with everyone. That night I started hurting really bad under my breast and my stomach even had knots in it. Honestly she may have fractured my rib. It has now been 9 days and I still am hurting. I have been putting an ice pack on every night. This was only my second year at this place so I have already made an appointment to go back to my old place next year. I only left because of convenience. I am 65 years old and have been getting them since I was 40. Nothing ever happened like this before.

Thank you for your post. I'm sorry you had to go through this experience. My sister is going through the same ordeal. It has been 36 days. She is missing work from the pain and said she is not sleeping at night. How long did it take you to be without pain or at least get to the manageable stage? Now she is battling depression.

Omg,me too,no pain in my right breast before mammogram, my right breast was squeezed hard,i sow stars,but in pain after,i am not going back for a long time

I had a routine mammogram a couple of years ago that wasn't particularly painful, but just unpleasant, so when I went for a second routine test a month ago I was shocked at how painful it was. The tec didn't seem to care, even though I was saying no, please stop. She just kept saying she had to get a good picture. It was agony and I feel like I've been abused! I haven't had a period for over two years, but I had terrible period pain and a show that very evening. Since then my breasts are so sore I can't bear to touch them. Seeing friends or family who want to greet me with a hug is a no-no. My breasts now feel empty, like there's no muscle in them and are definitely lower than before. I did think of complaining hopefully to prevent other women going through the same thing, but everyone tells me that it is painful and I was just lucky the first time! I'm never having one again. In fact I will have to go to my GP now, because surely the pain shouldn't be going on this long, a month later?

I had a diagnostic mammogram several months ago to follow up after a lumpectomy and will never go through this again. I was crying in pain, the tech had to stop several times to let me recover, and I had bruises for two weeks. This is simply unacceptable treatment.

I myself had a mammogram done last December and I'm having the same issue that you are experience in my left breast and left arm all the way to my fingers. I've done several mri for the back, neck, thoracic, catcan, and brain. The pain is so severe that pain meds don't even help. I had a nerves test done and on my left arm I couldn't feel anything. I'm still waiting for results of three of the test that were done on yesterday. I'm also thinking about talking with a lawyer for myself. This issue didn't happen until after my mammogram in December and the pain is getting worse.

I just had my first mammogram on July 14th 2016 it was painful I was having pain like little needle pricks on both breasts but more on right side. 4 days later I got a call that I needed to go to another place and have a 2nd mammogram and possibly an ultrasound. Went back had it done again first picture was fine but then the second one was painful, OMG! The last one with paddle was not bad. Went back in waiting room and then i wad informed she needed to do another picture, this time the machine squeezed even hsrder, this time i seriously had tears. The tech said i know but i just need a really good picture. Went back to eaoting room and then I got called back again for ultrasound. By this point my rt breast was in pain not to mention I was freaking out thinking there's something definitely wrong. While getting ultrasound I had some pain when tech kept rolling back and forth on same area and then pressed down to get pictures. After all that I was told there was some asymmetric tissue that they wanted to take a close look at but that it kinda blended in so they didn't see need for concern but I need to follow up in 6 months to see if there is are any changes. Been two days and I am still having the little pains every now and then and kinda like an itchy feeling but on the inside. When I touch them they feel flat on top of breast like they are hanging down now. Not to mention I am already small will they go back to normal, and what is my rt breast gonna look like after the third one in six months. Feeling violated and still wondering maybe I do have a tumor and they made it spread with all that squeezing!

I'm pretty sure you are from Canada! Good luck on a lawyer. I have tried to sue. But every firm was on retainer for the doc or clinic or hospital.

I have had health issues for awhile. They ignore you. Leave you and your unborn baby to die (we almost died and had emergency surgery from another doctor elsewhere only because I got gov agency involved.) on a gurney in agony with nurses treating you like criminal. Doctor's ignoring.

I have tumors in thyroid breasts and bone sclerosis and growths elsewhere. They gave nerve to ignore my pain and tell me I'm just a tired mom or fybromyalgia and prescription for pain pills that don't work.

One doctor called me dramatic when my eye was bleeding down my cheek when I called to see if medication side effect. Yeah losing eyesight possibly is dramatic dint you think?

I had mammo 2 years ago. Ultrasound on wrong side. They didn't redo. Now this time there is something there. My right breast where i found lumps is in agony now.

And to top it off. I asked for 7ltrasound not mammo. Doc agreed, testing clinic did not. I did mammo. Then they gave ultrasound. Then back to mammo because ultrasound caught what mamma didn't either visit.

They should have listened to mensure and my breast would be crushed five times less!!!

There is no accountability here docs get paid every visit. They send you home not addressing issue and don't care to in most cases. The next meal ticket is waiting in waiting room. Why cure you or diagnose you? They get paid whether you are dead or alive. Less work for them letting you die. They have thousands of patients each, and room is full all day every day.

No all are like that. But I think the good ones here are penalized by the majority of criminally negligent. The best docs I've had were very good. Or tried but admitted they weren't good at rare diseases. I appreciate those more than they know. Too many blame patient and degrade because they have no idea. The project their inadequacy or feelings of it on patient.

Yes women need to stand together and demand better caresults and proper handling. Also.. do not go alone into room. If you can't bring anyone ask hospital social worker. (They can hear you and see techs attitude and malice thus less chance for sadistic treatment)

Wow !
I have been experiencing the very same thing that everyone has mentioned. I recently had two mammograms. By left breast been hurting so much since the last one. The pain was unbearable because of the location of what they though they saw & the size of my breast. The first Tech was so unfriendly, uncaring, and brute.
The second Tech Apologized as she gradually squeezed tighter & tighter until I literarily burst into tears. Results came back negative
That breast has been sore for two months. I have mixed emotions at time. I'm in constant pain both physical & emotional (what if)

How are you doing now? I had a bad mammogram too.

I had a same type of experience I am very sorry. I know this can happen, it happened to me. We need to take out a class action lawsuit, the ACR is just a smoke screen and they ignore complaints.

I absolutely agree with you! I have been through the same thing, called twice and still feel the pain. Today is the third day and still hurts. The second imaging hurts a lot. Hope they change their equipment and use the new digital one.