Hello,  I am sorry this happened to you. Have your symptoms improved? The same thing happened to me, I had a mammogram on the 6th January and am still experiencing pain in both breasts. It is like the sort of pain you might get before a period, but 100 times worse and it has lasted for over 3 weeks now, my period came and went in that time. I have never experienced pain like it in my breasts before, it is affecting my sleep, all my activities and my mood. My breasts are swollen and it is extremely uncomfortable and distressing. I too am disturbed by not finding any literature to suggest that this reaction is normal and I am scared it may not improve. I know it was caused by the mammogram as I told the radiographer "This is unbearable, I cannot stand it any more" but she continued to compress my breasts further. The pain was horrible and I cried as soon as I left the building.

Hi, Misty_Moss, and thank you for posting.

I’m very sorry to hear about the pain you’re still experiencing three weeks after your mammogram. That must be really uncomfortable and understandably worrying for you.

As Nurse Celene mentioned in her reply to whonose, although it can happen, it isn’t usual for pain to continue for this length of time, so it would be a good idea to have this checked by your GP, especially if the pain is not easing or is getting worse.

It may also help to feed back your experience to the breast screening clinic, particularly as you said at the time that the compression felt unbearable.

I really hope things start to settle for you soon and that you get the support you need.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,

Jemma

Hi, Misty_Moss, and thank you for posting.

I’m very sorry to hear about the pain you’re still experiencing three weeks after your mammogram. That must be really uncomfortable and understandably worrying for you.

As Nurse Celene mentioned in her reply to whonose, although it can happen, it isn’t usual for pain to continue for this length of time, so it would be a good idea to have this checked by your GP, especially if the pain is not easing or is getting worse.

It may also help to feed back your experience to the breast screening clinic, particularly as you said at the time that the compression felt unbearable.

I really hope things start to settle for you soon and that you get the support you need.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,

Jemma

Hello Jemma

Thank you for your reply. I am planning on contacting the breast screening service and or the breast care nurses tomorrow as I checked on the calendar and it is exactly 4 weeks today since I had the mammogram and the pain got worse and than has stayed the same but has not got better. I hoped that it would get better after my period but there was no change. I know there is nothing they can do other than suggest painkillers but I do want it to be recorded that this has happened to me.

Best wishes

Tara

Curious how you are getting on. Hopefully it's improving.  I have something to add, just before mine improved, the pain became more sharp and in waves at times. I wondered if that was the recovery. So if you notice that, could be a good sign. 

I also wondered if you got any advice from them. I'm expecting a call back next week from them. I'm also going to mention it at the GP to see what they say. I'd like it noted on my file. 

Hello,

My pain hasn't eased yet and I am getting really fed up with the constant discomfort especially as it is stopping me from sleeping properly. I rang the breast care nurses and explained what had happened. I struggled not to cry over the phone as the last 4 weeks had been so awful and the procedure itself was traumatic.

I said that I wanted my experience to be recorded and also that I would not be returning for any more mammograms. I said that I would not consent to another mammogram ever again even if I was sedated! The nurse just said that "some women don't tolerate mammograms very well" and that it can happen sometimes that women experience pain for days or weeks afterwards, as it is the nature of how the procedure needs to be carried out, but that it "should" settle. She said just to keep wearing a supportive bra and that I can ring back if the pain and swelling gets worse or doesn't decrease.

I am going to ring back on Monday if there is no improvement by then. I would like to ask if they have any idea what has happened and when I might expect it to ease and if they have any other advice. 

Please write back and let me know what they say when they ring you next week.

Hi there misty-moss

I am sorry this pain is still ongoing for you. Do speak with the breast unit again about this so they can advise you about what may be going on.

In the meantime take pain relief and continue to wear a supportive and comfortable bra.

I really do hope this resolves for you soon.

Take it easy

Naomi

I'm hoping you are feeling better by now .It has all slipped my mind a bit as I'm fine now, but I certainly won't forget nor will I be getting one again. 

I was due to get a phone call a week past Monday, so 11 days ago, and they didn't call. I didn't follow up as there seems no point now. I do hope you are better now. Interested to hear if you actually got any further info on why it was so bad, as I'm still very puzzled about mine too!

Hello, I am so sorry it took so long to reply, there were so many unrelated things I was dealing with at the time that this got put to one side!

Like you, my pain and swelling went away eventually (after about 7 weeks!) so I didn't follow it up again to get any information about why it was so bad. 

I started following some gentle full body lymphatic drainage work outs on youtube and I think it was doing that that finally helped to resolve it, unless it was just coincidence. It was a horrible experience

I wish you all the best for the future!

Take care.