Mammogram with a Pacemaker

mammogram

by Breeze - 2017-03-16 12:29:13

Thank you Robin. Good to know that you have had the procedure with out pain.  I have been in contact with the group that did my exam, and they have assured me that I will can have a less painful and damaging test..  Hopefully the next time it will be better. That is if I can muster up the courage to let them try it again. 

should not have happened

by confused - 2017-03-16 14:15:51

I had my pacemaker put in October and then had a mammogram in January.   I was tender a few hours after but nothing unbareable.  I told her ahead of time and she told me to let her know when to stop.  I think I should have waited a little longer to have it done but my insurance pays for it 100% the first of each year so I just went for it.

If you told her it was hurting then she should have stopped!   That is not normal.

Tammy

Two Mammograms

by Artist - 2017-03-16 14:40:33

I have had two annual mammograms since my PM was implanted.  They both were painless.  The examiner explained that there is no breast tissue near my PM.  Mine is located about an inch down from my left collar bone.  Perhaps you PM is located lower than that and might have been closer to breast tissue.  I agree completely with the comments by confused that the technician  should have stopped the procedure when you told her about the pain.  They could have just screened the lower breast tissue and used a different procedure to examine the higher tissue.  Sorry, I don't remember the name of the procedure, but it is the one where they put a jell on your skin and have a hand held device they move across your skin. They used that procedure with me once to more closely examine some suspicious tissue.  So, I know they have different methods that could be used to examine any tissue that is close to your PM.  I would consider giving feedback to the physician that prescribed the mammogram for you.  

Mammogram

by Breeze - 2017-03-16 14:46:45

I will be having the discussion with my GYN before I have it done again.  And I agree that a sonogram but be a better option for me.  The last 3D mammogram I had pulled down on the skin, and actually tore some of the scaring at the pocket where the PM is located. It did heal up, but hurt like heck in the process.
 

Mammos

by Grateful Heart - 2017-03-17 20:55:12

I've had easy.....I've had squeezy. 

I am not small....that's all I'm going to say about that....no size. 

They jam all the tissue in...including my PM area....also just below my collarbone....then they lower the boom.  There are times I've felt the "hardware" stop the boom.

Then there are other times when the tech is extremely gentle, so I think it depends on their "technique". 

Sometimes they cannot see behind my device so at that point they do an ultrasound (sonogram). 

New challenges with a PM....nobody gets it unless they have one......and if your female.

Grateful Heart 

mammo

by Alma Annie - 2017-03-19 03:50:43

Yes, I had one a few months after pm, one of the new digital ones. Tech pushed pm and leads hard over to the left to get the picture.  Hurt terribly and I yelled.  No sympathy from tech.  Afterwards I realised that she had somehow moved leads which have been uncomfortable ever since, 5 years now.  EP raised his eyebrows at the leads which are now almost underarm but said everything was still working well.  I just have to put up with it.  I refused another mammo, but they kept saying I should have one.  In the end they suggested an ultrasound, which I have had and all is well.

Most people on site say it is no big deal, but it was for me.  I guess I just got unlucky with the radiographer.

Alma Annie