Health Check, First Mammogram, and Other Cancer Checks (Sorry, a Little TMI)

Mammograms are not that painful.

I hate dentist stuff, also. I, too have that kind of small mouth. I have done much better with the X-rays by breathing through my nose the whole time. I also do better with the cleaning and any work by listening to music through my ear buds while having it done. Try it. I'd say its at least 60 percent better.

Skip the other screenings. We do colonoscopys at 50 yrs old here. Stomach tests are only done when symptoms are involved. I have terrible reflux and have had 4 endoscopes but never the barium swallow and I wouldn't want to ever do it!

English really won't be too much of a barrier with a mammogram.

Just don't let them make you drink the barium! JK, you'll be fine.

I would get the mammogram. It hurts but its only for a few seconds.

Here is how it goes in the US. I imagine the technology is similar in Japan. First, they position your breast on a cold flat plate and adjust it as another plate slowly compresses the breast. If they're satisfied with the positioning, they step behind a glass divider, tell you to hold your breath and you can hear the machine take the picture. As soon as that happens, the machine releases the pressure and the plate moves away from your breast. They usually take 2 pictures of each breast.

You can take Ibuprofen before and try to schedule the appointment for the days after your period so your breasts will be less tender. Do not wear deodorant, perfume or powder.

Its not that bad and look at it as a small price to pay for peace of mind.

You will do fine with the mammogram. It is uncomfortable but not painful. And that only lasts for a second. What happens is they have to position your breast so that they can get a good shot which can sometimes take a little pulling. So worth it though. And only 8% of breast cancer is hereditary so the fact that you don't have a history of it is no protection at all really. Good for Japan for starting at 35 with these.

Stomach canceris really rare here in the US now so really not screened for. I am guessing that advances in food safety have probably helped that a lot. If you have grown up over here and are just there in Japan temorarily I would skip that test.

The mammogram is not so bad - it's uncomfortable, but I wouldn't have called it painful. You should get a baseline around age 35, so that you can use this as a comparison when you are older and need to get them on a more regular basis. It helps the doctors know if anything has changed. So - when you get this done, ask for a copy of the results on a CD or DVD because it will be really helpful to your doctors back here in the future.

Here, most people get their first screening colonoscopy for colon/intestinal cancer at age 50. We don't usually get screened for stomach cancer. Stomach and colon cancer are very big problems in Japan, due to some of the food that they eat. If you are living there for only a short time, it's probably not necessary. If you are living there long term then it's important.

Don't be panicked. Write down your questions in advance and take the paper with you to help you stay on-track during your visit.

The mammogram itself is not so bad. Mild discomfort. It lasts as long as an x-ray. They generally take 2 shots of each breast, one from the top and one from the side. They have you stand in front of the machine, put your arm up and usually grab a bar above it. The tech will position you right up to the "shelf", pushing the edge of the shelf up to your ribcage directly under your breast. Then the tech will actually take your breast and smooth and push it on the shelf, and manuever the top shelf down onto the top of your breast, and squeeze it down to compress it. It is uncomfortable, but to me not to the painful point, just hold your breath. Then switch sides. They generally have you wait until they look at the films to get dressed, to make sure they have a good picture.

Just wanted to mention that just because you don't have any history of cancer in the family doesn't mean that you won't get it.
Unfortunately cancer is a silent killer unless is detected on time and get immediate treatment.
It happened in my family- we didnt have any cancer history until last year when a close family member was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 3.

I highly recommend getting checked. Its better to have a little pain from the test than to have a long term pain due a health isssues.

Go out there and get tested, get a good health check up.

Best Wishes!

If you've had a baby, a mammogram is no big deal. I'm a D-cup and the pressure is intense only for a minimal amount of time. Then it's over. I've never had an after-affect pain or anything. Different countries might have different rules on when to have baseline medical tests. It is a necessary test, you've got to keep the "girls" healthy. :-)

I'm a C cup and have had multiple mammograms due to family history and breast density issues. In fact, I'm due to have a follow-up mammogram next month due to some changes the ultrasound tech noticed 6 months ago (I always have to get a mammogram AND an ultrasound - my heath insurer is always a pain about that, but there is evidence that the combo is more likely to pick up cancer).

Anyway, just wanted to say I've never found the mammograms to be particularly painful. Depends on how sensitive your breasts are and the experience of the X-Ray tech. Some can really "squash" you, but I've never been particularly bothered by it. It's pretty quick.

You might still be a little young for a mammogram, but it's really important to get that baseline mammogram for comparison later. Make sure you get copies from the healthcare provider and keep them for your records. I had to provide older mammograms for comparison purposes when I had a biopsy a couple years back.

Best of luck!

Well, it's been explained pretty well by a couple of replies here but I think if you are a D cup you should maybe have less pain. I think if you tolerated all you mentioned you will do great with the mammogram. It's quick so that's the key to it. It does hurt me and they pull so much on the middle of my chest that I am sore the next few days. I am NOT a D cup so probably they're trying to find any breast to x-ray. :-) Anyhow, you will do fine. Just tell yourself it's quick and if you did natural child birth for 10 hr. labor you will do fine with this. Really. I do dread it though and yet I go and do it and survive.

My parents live in Japan. My mom's gotten plenty of mammograms there. From what she tells me, it's pretty much the same as over here. And the ladies posting before me have given you a good idea about how they are over here. I'll agree with them - mammograms are nothing to be worried about. The worst is they're a bit uncomfortable.