Your First Mammogram: Easy as 1-2-3

You may also find some explanatory materials regarding mammograms. Read them if you're interested.

Or, check out the magazines. Not a bad selection—although, Men's Health, in a mammogram waiting room? Again, consider bringing your own reading materials.

Finally, you'll be ushered into a small room that may include nothing beyond the mammogram machine; a computer; a chair, and perhaps a hook for you to hang your robe. Oh, and the radiology tech who'll be administering your mammogram. Here's Jennifer; she was nice enough to agree to being a part of my photography project.

Remember "the big squeeze?" Here Jennifer is adding a recent improvement, the MammoPad. It's a VERY cushy pad, kind of like those thermopedic Swedish beds; it's ultra-soft, and conforms to your body. It definitely cushions the blow!

She makes sure it's securely in place...

...then puts her hand where my breast will be, and shows how she can adjust the pressure in tiny degrees with a manual wheel. The clear plastic part is the top part of the sandwich; the MammoPad, the bottom.

Jennifer has "loaded" me into the machine, and gone over to her computer, to press the button that'll deliver the X-ray. I took this photo just after the X-ray had been shot. No, I wasn't quite prepared to photograph myself actually getting a mammogram. That would have been an X-rated X-ray for sure!   

To get a mammogram, you step up close to the machine, close enough to place your breast between the two plates. You'll assume an awkward position, turning your head a certain way, and placing each arm in a certain place. The person administering the mammogram will position your breast between the two plates, then squeeze them together while urging you to stand as close as possible; this ensures that as much of your breast as possible is between the plates.

Once she's satisfied with your position, she'll step back to the computer, tell you to hold your breath, and push a button to take the X-ray. The actual X-ray takes only a few seconds, but your breast will be compressed maybe, oh, 15 to 20 seconds or so. I've never felt much pain from this; some women do. If you're pre-menopausal, it helps to schedule your mammogram for a time period during your cycle when you know your breasts won't be tender. And/or take ibuprofen an hour or so before the mammogram. Both help.

You'll have two views taken of each breast: one using a vertical squash, one horizontal. Those two views will then be married together via computer magic to give a 3D view of your breast (if you've had a digital rather than film mammogram; most facilities have switched to digital).

The person who gives you your mammogram most likely won't read it; that's left to the radiologist. So don't expect to hear any results right away. Once you've had both breasts done, you'll be on your way. The whole thing takes maybe 10 minutes; 5 minutes if you only need one breast done, like me.