I know you are all going to think I am some special kind of idiot when you read this....
Comments
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NO idiot questions here...don't worry about that!
YES you take the Vicodin! Perfect excuse!
Will keep you in my prayers,
Debbie0 -
Booby Cam
The Mammo techs are pretty well aware of the "discomfort" the procedure can cause us~ and if you also mention you are tender, and WHY~ as much as possible they will be even more aware and treat you with latex lined kid gloves! I say as much as possible because you will have to be positioned and moved and a bit skwished. ( thats a cuter word than mangled, isn't it?)
The Diagnostic Center I go to uses a Digital Camera, less skwishing. The good news is~ it doesn't take long, and You can do it!!!!
Word of advice~ no talcum powder or deoderant on the day of the mammo~ they can cause the pictures to look like shadows, and thus "suspicious". No way any of us wants that!!!
I have never been much of a drug person, I was allergic to BOTH the painkillers and the antibiotics after surgery so I had to heal cold turkey. I broke out in hives, and just didn't want to add to the pain I was already in, so I didn't take anything. Ditto for mammograms, or any other procedure. I have never tried Vicodin, ar any other pain med~ my Reggie has to force a tylenol on me and mostly I pretend to take them and spit em out when he's not looking! I don't know that I have a high pain tolerance at all...I just am more of a grin and bear it kinda person. The less crap in my system, the better, I say! Unless it is a great Pinot Noir, of course!
Let us know how the Booby-Cam goes for you!
Hugs,
Claudia0 -
Our dear Cat is NOT an idiot!
HEY, you're one smart woman! Will this be your first mammo since surgery, dear Cat? Are you SURE you haven't had a Diagnostic? Way back when, the earliest steps on my own journey - had the Screening (regular) mammo first, then the Diagnostic, then an ultrasound... which all led to biopsy, etc. ... you know the drill.
Yeah, unfortunately, it'll hurt. But, VICODIN? Geez, how'd you even GET those? They didn't give 'em to me even for post-surgery pain!
After my first painful post-surgery mammo (and, I'm lumpectomy, similar to you in all ways in that regard), the radiologist said I should take an OTC painkiller a couple of hours prior to the appointment. Which helps, most definitely.
Best of luck to you on Friday. I'll be hoping for clean results.
Kind regards, 12/25
(a/k/a Susan)0 -
Kindred spirit...chenheart said:Booby Cam
The Mammo techs are pretty well aware of the "discomfort" the procedure can cause us~ and if you also mention you are tender, and WHY~ as much as possible they will be even more aware and treat you with latex lined kid gloves! I say as much as possible because you will have to be positioned and moved and a bit skwished. ( thats a cuter word than mangled, isn't it?)
The Diagnostic Center I go to uses a Digital Camera, less skwishing. The good news is~ it doesn't take long, and You can do it!!!!
Word of advice~ no talcum powder or deoderant on the day of the mammo~ they can cause the pictures to look like shadows, and thus "suspicious". No way any of us wants that!!!
I have never been much of a drug person, I was allergic to BOTH the painkillers and the antibiotics after surgery so I had to heal cold turkey. I broke out in hives, and just didn't want to add to the pain I was already in, so I didn't take anything. Ditto for mammograms, or any other procedure. I have never tried Vicodin, ar any other pain med~ my Reggie has to force a tylenol on me and mostly I pretend to take them and spit em out when he's not looking! I don't know that I have a high pain tolerance at all...I just am more of a grin and bear it kinda person. The less crap in my system, the better, I say! Unless it is a great Pinot Noir, of course!
Let us know how the Booby-Cam goes for you!
Hugs,
Claudia
All good tips within your post on Cat's behalf. You are also one SMART (50 ft.) woman!
I'm kinda like you regarding the drugs thing... Although post-chemo and because of the Arimidex, I now often pop an Aleve for aches. Which I'm allowed to do.
Kind regards, 12/25
(a/k/a Susan)0 -
If your breast still hurts
If your breast still hurts and is tender, then you take whatever it is to make it pain free or at least tolerable. Hey, 12/25, I was given morphine and hydrocodone after my surgery. You got ripped off! LOL Claudia, I am just the opposite, if there is a pill that will take care of this or whatever, give me the pill! (and nobody gets hurt)LOL
Dear Cats toy,
Back to you. I had a mastectomy so I haven't had to go through what you are. You know your pain level and what you can tolerate. Remember to have someone drive you! Let us know how it goes.
Love and gentle hugs,
Donna0 -
Special Yes, Idiot No
Ah,Cat, we know you too well to mistake you for any kind of idiot. Besides, there are no dumb questions here.
I always found mammos uncomfortable. I would definitely emphasize your history and current situation to the techs so that they will be as gentle as possible. If the machine is digital, and hopefully it is, then the discomfort should be less. But, I would also take something for pain before you go. (I don't have Claudia's pain tolerance.)
Hope the mammo goes well. Will be thinking of you.
By the way, you do NOT look 52. I'd say, if asked, you're in your forties.0 -
The idiot comment is for the "never having had a mammo"
thanks for not calling me a complete idiot, I think so, since, yes, this IS my very first mammo, never had one before. Actually only been to a doc once that i can remember growing up. No pills, no docs, no nothing. So I just continued on that path for most of my life. I tell you, I saw more docs in three months than I did in 50 years. Pills of any kind were odd to me, I think I might have taken less than a handful of aspirin my whole life. Never sick, never needed anything. Now I take a pill every day and thank God they are there for me (Arimidex ).
Moopy, thanks for saying I dont look 52, 49 close enough? He He
Claudia, yes I do have a very high pain tolerance (ask my uncle who never made me cry it), but my poor sideways pointing boob is very very sensitive, and I just felt that I might need a bit of a crutch. Good that your Reggie tried to keep you pain free, and if my appt wasnt first thing in the am, I might consider taking a couple of shots before!!!
and Susan, I have more vicodin than I could think about taking, my sweet hubby wanted to make sure I was never in need and kept refilling the prescriptions for me.
thank you all for the much needeed encouragement, maybe I am a coward at heart, but at least I have a group of people here who will always be on my side.
=^..^=0 -
Hey, Cat...cats_toy said:The idiot comment is for the "never having had a mammo"
thanks for not calling me a complete idiot, I think so, since, yes, this IS my very first mammo, never had one before. Actually only been to a doc once that i can remember growing up. No pills, no docs, no nothing. So I just continued on that path for most of my life. I tell you, I saw more docs in three months than I did in 50 years. Pills of any kind were odd to me, I think I might have taken less than a handful of aspirin my whole life. Never sick, never needed anything. Now I take a pill every day and thank God they are there for me (Arimidex ).
Moopy, thanks for saying I dont look 52, 49 close enough? He He
Claudia, yes I do have a very high pain tolerance (ask my uncle who never made me cry it), but my poor sideways pointing boob is very very sensitive, and I just felt that I might need a bit of a crutch. Good that your Reggie tried to keep you pain free, and if my appt wasnt first thing in the am, I might consider taking a couple of shots before!!!
and Susan, I have more vicodin than I could think about taking, my sweet hubby wanted to make sure I was never in need and kept refilling the prescriptions for me.
thank you all for the much needeed encouragement, maybe I am a coward at heart, but at least I have a group of people here who will always be on my side.
=^..^=
I sincerely meant no offense by my Vicodin comments. Oh, honey, I didn't know, didn't understand... Your first mammo ever, and post-surgery? YEAH, swallow one of those things - and early enough prior to your appointment to make sure it's had enough time to kick in. Not meaning to frighten you needlessly, just concerned about your comfort.
You are most certainly NOT a coward, either! You're a breast cancer survivor - dammit! You have faced a fearsome beast and beat it back into submission! You are a warrior princess!
Kind regards, 12/25
(a/k/a Susan)
P.S.: Lovin' your new kitty whiskers icon as signature - super cute, and really creative!0 -
MAMOS
No scolding coming from me, we are not about scoldings :-). Please do not stress too much as it is a rather quick procedure. Also, if you are too tender and they cannot tolerate it they can do an MRI mammo which is quite good as well, but not recommended for everyone. I usually end up getting both, now with the implant I am sure I will get both.
In regards to the pills, if you feel you something to help take the edge off take the vicodin. I usually only take once below they work really well on me. I wish you well my friend, let us know how it goes.
Hugs,
RE0 -
Yes, I agree...I have beenKathiM said:Well, it's not a pleasant experience, but...
tollerable. And necessary. And just tell the tech that it HURTS! when it does...they are usually women that have had mammos themselves.
Please, please keep us posted...
Hugs, Kathi
Yes, I agree...I have been having mammos regularly for 20 years, and the techs are ALWAYS women! And whereas most of them are too young ( in most cases) a lot have indeed have had mammos themselves.
Hugs,
Claudia0 -
Not an idiot!
Don't worry, you'll get through it. For me, mammos have never been a problem. No pain, no tenderness, just some pressure. I had one on Monday -- my breast had lumpectomy scars and had been radiated. Still, no discomfort at all. What I do is this: an hour before the appointment, take two extra strength Tylenol and one Xanax. That seems to take care of both the pain and the anxiety. Definitely do the vicodin since your breast is already sensitive. You should be totally fine. People kept telling me how scary they were, but my experience was totally different: completely a walk in the park with no pain. I wish the same to you. Please report back.
Mimi0 -
You are not alone
I didn't have my first mammo till I was 51. It was fine. A year later I was thinking about getting the second one when I found the cancer. Went to the doctor and the rest is history. The oncologist said it'd been growing about a year. So it must have started right after the mammo.0 -
Of course you're not a complete idiot!!!!cats_toy said:The idiot comment is for the "never having had a mammo"
thanks for not calling me a complete idiot, I think so, since, yes, this IS my very first mammo, never had one before. Actually only been to a doc once that i can remember growing up. No pills, no docs, no nothing. So I just continued on that path for most of my life. I tell you, I saw more docs in three months than I did in 50 years. Pills of any kind were odd to me, I think I might have taken less than a handful of aspirin my whole life. Never sick, never needed anything. Now I take a pill every day and thank God they are there for me (Arimidex ).
Moopy, thanks for saying I dont look 52, 49 close enough? He He
Claudia, yes I do have a very high pain tolerance (ask my uncle who never made me cry it), but my poor sideways pointing boob is very very sensitive, and I just felt that I might need a bit of a crutch. Good that your Reggie tried to keep you pain free, and if my appt wasnt first thing in the am, I might consider taking a couple of shots before!!!
and Susan, I have more vicodin than I could think about taking, my sweet hubby wanted to make sure I was never in need and kept refilling the prescriptions for me.
thank you all for the much needeed encouragement, maybe I am a coward at heart, but at least I have a group of people here who will always be on my side.
=^..^=
I saw a bumper sticker recently which said:
I'm not a COMPLETE idiot~ Some of my parts are missing!
Hugs,
Claudia0 -
I sometimes do things backwards...
thank you all again for your encouragement and support. I do things backwards. For my first experience, I went to the doc for my "cyst". She sent me immediately for sonogram, needle biopsy, then MRI. Then I had surgery. Last month I had the MRI and sonogram again, but they both recommended the mammogram (insert sad face here). So here I am. Appreciate all the comments from everyone!
Susan, no offense seen or taken about the vicodin
Marcia, 51??? why did you wait so long???? lol
Claudia, so being a partial idiot is OK? lol
tatoedinpink, Mimi and Donna - vocodin it is!
Re, I may be having reconstruction sometime in the near future too
Kathi, I will scream! if it hurts too much
thanks again for hearing me out
=^..^=0 -
caution - don't take vicodin and tylenol togethermimivac said:Not an idiot!
Don't worry, you'll get through it. For me, mammos have never been a problem. No pain, no tenderness, just some pressure. I had one on Monday -- my breast had lumpectomy scars and had been radiated. Still, no discomfort at all. What I do is this: an hour before the appointment, take two extra strength Tylenol and one Xanax. That seems to take care of both the pain and the anxiety. Definitely do the vicodin since your breast is already sensitive. You should be totally fine. People kept telling me how scary they were, but my experience was totally different: completely a walk in the park with no pain. I wish the same to you. Please report back.
Mimi
Hi everyone. I've been reading for a while but this is my first post.
I was concerned about you taking vicodin and tylenol together. Vicodin already contains tylenol (acetaminophen) as well as the "good stuff" (hydrocodone). Don't take them together or you could get too much tylenol. Better yet, call your doctor and ask him/her what they think you should take - don't take "nothing" for an answer! As someone else mentioned, you will need a driver if you take something like vicodin or xanax.0 -
Actuallylemont said:caution - don't take vicodin and tylenol together
Hi everyone. I've been reading for a while but this is my first post.
I was concerned about you taking vicodin and tylenol together. Vicodin already contains tylenol (acetaminophen) as well as the "good stuff" (hydrocodone). Don't take them together or you could get too much tylenol. Better yet, call your doctor and ask him/her what they think you should take - don't take "nothing" for an answer! As someone else mentioned, you will need a driver if you take something like vicodin or xanax.
You can take a vicodin and an extra strength acetaminophen. This gives you 1000mg of acetaminophen which is a therapeutic dose and the codeine. The caution that I would give is that the maximun dosage of acetaminophen in 24 hours is 4gms (4000 mgs).
Maureen0 -
Hi, lemont!lemont said:caution - don't take vicodin and tylenol together
Hi everyone. I've been reading for a while but this is my first post.
I was concerned about you taking vicodin and tylenol together. Vicodin already contains tylenol (acetaminophen) as well as the "good stuff" (hydrocodone). Don't take them together or you could get too much tylenol. Better yet, call your doctor and ask him/her what they think you should take - don't take "nothing" for an answer! As someone else mentioned, you will need a driver if you take something like vicodin or xanax.
Welcome, all are welcome. Many read, like you, but don't post much. That's OK with us. We all learn from each other.
Kind regards, Susan0
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