Delfina - Interview 44

Age at interview: 58

Brief Outline:

Delfina has always attended for routine mammograms and had normal results. She would like more information about HRT and breast care.

Background:

Delfina is a housewife. She is married with one adult son. Ethnic background/nationality: Italian.

More about me...

Delfina always attends for screening. She didn't know what to expect when she went for her very first routine mammogram and found it painful. She found subsequent mammograms uncomfortable but less painful, and thought this may have been because she now knew what to expect. She prefers breast screening to cervical screening and says that breast screening is quick and convenient and she doesn't have to travel far to get to the screening unit. Delfina said she always wears comfortable clothing when going for a routine mammogram - a top that is easy to remove and put back on. She has always found the staff at the unit professional and friendly. 

Many years ago, Delfina had a cyst and it was aspirated. She has had no breast concerns since then and her mammograms have always been normal. Delfina said she was glad she received an invitation for breast screening every three years because, if she had to make an appointment herself every three years, there is a chance she'd forget to do it.     

Delfina said she doesn't worry before going for a mammogram or whilst waiting for the results. She took HRT for seven or eight years to help with hot flushes and said she would like more information about HRT and its long-term affects. She also felt that it would be helpful to have more information about breast screening while waiting to have a mammogram, and suggested that screening units have a TV screen in the waiting area, giving information about breast care.   

If she didn't receive an invitation letter every three years, Delfina says she might not remember to attend for screening but feels it's important to go.

I know National Health gave me this reminder every three years. It is good because I try to make it at least every three years, otherwise perhaps I wouldn't bother, you know. Sometimes years pass by and you realise then if you have a reminder because it makes it a little bit easier. I don't often, probably I should check them more often, by now, I don't know if after a certain age I don't know, you feel them more often then every three years.

Every three years. So you have been going every three years?

Yes. As soon as I got their leaflet. I make sure that I get time off.

Do they give you the appointment or do you have to ring and make an appointment?

No they give you the appointment. You know they send you the location of the premises. It is quite well set up. And they give you an appointment and of course you have to wait a little time, not everything goes to the minute. I don't think it is longer than 20 minutes you are there that time. So that is okay.
 

Delfina felt that the mobile unit she goes to is a bit small.

Did you always go to this unit at [hospital name]?

Yes. I have been there the third time now. Just that one. I didn't know any other place, which is quite nice. You know, it is close for me to go. I had my son in [hospital name], so I am familiar with the ground and he had to go there, so I wasn't and the premises are not bad. They are not so unfriendly. It is a bit, you know, a cubicle like, you know, not much space in it.

Has it always been there?

Yes. My experience was in that, so you know, and nowhere else. So it is just, I don't know if another venue would be better. But because it is such a quick thing to do. But perphaps you need to wait half an hour, you know, as sometime like last time I went, there was no space to sit. You know, people had to wait for some time until they called me. But I would definitely think it should be more space, if they want, you know. Because it is nice sometimes to have a little bit of room so you can chat with each other, changing you know, like me for example, I would talk. I am shy. Funnily enough I am a shy person, but if I, you know, if I have a little hint, I will carry on talking and exchanging experience anyway. But the atmosphere is a little bit better, the waiting room that it is. I suppose it was okay, I mean it just isn't equipped enough I guess for what they are doing.

Delfina would like more information about breast care while waiting to have her mammogram.

It would be nice I guess if there was a group of people going for this test, it is like they feed you, they show you the breast, how the breast operate. Like you know, there is the screening, and it goes through it, you know. You can watch while you are waiting there, you know, why, what happens there.

So a screen in the unit like a, just a TV screen?

A TV screen that goes on constantly while you are waiting. Then, you know, you know about what is physiological, what you're made of.

Why you go for breast screening?

Yes. It would be nice, you know, because you would become more aware of what it is about because I went really not that, the first time, the second time, just go there and let the people who knows do their job without really knowing myself about my body, you know. Really what it is, was all about, you know, an idea of how does it function. If you did this, put a little screen in the waiting room perhaps, we have to be more aware of it.

Delfina didn't know what to expect when she went for her first mammogram and found it uncomfortable. Of subsequent mammograms she said 'there was nothing to it'.

When I was there, I didn't know what to expect. So I didn't know how the machinery works or anything, you know. It just took, placed, compressing to your breast and things like. It was a bit sort of, I wouldn't say shocked. A bit, you know, not familiar and I needed to do it, you know, you feel a squeeze of your breasts, especially if you have small breasts like me. They make an effort to try to get it through and they catch a bit under your arm. A little bit more then. I remember a bit the very first time was more painful. That it was painful, not painful, uncomfortable, I don't think you can really call it a pain, you know, uncomfortable, not pleasant. The second time and the third time I was prepared and I think there was nothing to it, just a few minutes, you go through and feel a little squeeze on your glands, but that is it. It wasn't a traumatic dreadful experience. 

And when you went the very first time, was there a leaflet with your invitation? 

It was a leaflet but I am one who never reads leaflets. You know, I just go unprepared and hope for the best. You know, it depends on people, you know, sometimes I just don't bother. Nowadays I think I read a little bit more. But then I was na've I guess.

So you didn't know what to expect?

No, no.

Delfina was on HRT for several years because she had severe hot flushes. When, on holiday, she forgot to take her tablets with her, she stopped HRT and has been fine ever since.

Have you always felt that you have got all the information you need about breast screening or sometimes when you have gone have you ever asked questions about either the process?

No unfortunately I never did. I should like to know more. Because I was like, I was on HRT and they say, when I started taking it, it was because I was going through the hot flushes. It was really horrible. Really very heavy. I didn't want to take it, because I don't really like to take anything. If I can avoid a tablet, I will avoid it. You know, it is not. It is just you know, but then I decided to take it because my heart surgeon advised me it was good for the heart. But then I read a couple of years later, when I was taking it, that it was perhaps not so good for the breast actually. You know, it was completely opposite of what I was told. But I did carry on taking it and I stopped this year. Just without having consulted the doctor, because I forgot when I went on holiday to take the tablets, so it was a good excuse to stop taking it. And my doctor then said, you have got to stop because I was taking it for the last seven years now, seven or eight years, so he said not to be take it over five years, because of the breast cancer things.

So you were taking HRT but when you went on holiday you forgot to take it with you and just stopped after that?

Yes. I could have taken it after ten days because my husband brought them to me [in Italy], but I already consulted the doctor because I didn't know actually if I could stop or just like now and then, or you have to go gradually, you know, changing to a smaller dosage. But the doctor there said it was not side effects, are you having side effects, so…

And he said it was fine to just stop them?

To just stop that, that is what he said and I haven't seen my doctor here [in England] to let him know that I did stop. When I get to see him I will mention it to him. I did stop, you know, because I got a little bit more heat raise here and there but not so bad that I can't go on with it.

So nothing like you were getting, the hot flushes, nothing like that after you stopped HRT?

No perhaps, you know, sometimes I get a little bit of heat. Perhaps I am working really hard in the house, like hoovering, but not something I cannot handle. I am glad about going through the change and they stop.

So you were getting hot flushes around the age of 50 or… later?

I was feeling bad you know, bad really, I recall I was, I went on holiday and I couldn't even cook. I couldn't cook, I had to have a towel next to me. I mean it was unbearable for me. Because some people have hot flushes and they don't sweat that much. That year was really, really bad. That was what made me do it, because otherwise I don't think I would have just take them. But there was a good dosage, they were good for me, because I never had any side effects, I never changed it. It changed my life not for better, not for worse, it just subsided the hot flushes. But it was all right, I didn't put on weight. People think, you know, you put on weight. My life didn't change at all. You know, just my every day feel, you know in my body or side effects, none at all. Just help the hot flushes a lot. 

Yes. Made them much less?

Oh yes, definitely, much less.

And did you ever talk to your heart surgeon or any of the doctors about the HRT because they mentioned that it might be good for your heart?

It was something on television, like you know, red wine is good for the heart, and then the next day, or next month, you feel it is no good for that. So in the end my attitude is just do what I feel is good for me. And if my body, if it serves well, I will carry on with it. If it doesn’t, I will think about going to the consultant. But until then, I received it well, the HRT.

And when you stopped you were still fine, you didn’t …

No, no. So it was just okay. Perhaps, you know, I was lucky. I am sure I was lucky actually. Because I know other people have to change the dosage, something doesn’t suit and they have to change for another. I didn’t have… just the right one for me, I guess by luck. I think by luck.