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Biopsy - painful? Manage pain after?

Posted , 11 users are following.

hannah19230
hannah19230

Hi Everyone -

I'm having my biopsy done on Aug 8th and am already anxious about it. I'm assuming it's pretty painful and not fun. I expect those responses, but I'm more curious on healing time, tricks on how to manage the pain/uncomfort afterwards. How long does it take to heal? How long did it take for you to get your results. Any information you want to share about the process and actual procedure is welcome. You won't freak me out more, I'd rather know.

Thank you ❤️

0 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • wendy37207
    wendy37207 hannah19230

    Posted

    hi Hannah

    i had my biopsy a couple weeks ago, i had internal and external biopsies (and polyps removed internally via a hysteroscopy )

    mine was done under a general as i had the hysteroscopy at the same time.

    pain wise it was uncomfortable afterwards for sitting obviously! i found the first 48 hours the worst and needed regular paracetemol and ibuprofen and they helped lots i also used a cold pack and fan whilst i lay in bed! that reeeeally helped!!

    after that every day was so much better and by day 5 i could barely feel it. going to the toilet was stingy it helps to dab not wipe ! same when washing and cool water too.

    my results are going to take 8 weeks but ive seen many get theres in around 2/3 so sure you will be quicker

    good luck xx

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 wendy37207

      Posted

      Hi Wendy -

      I'm glad yours healed quickly! That's all great advice - mine is on a Thursday afternoon - so I'm going to work from home Friday and Monday so I can kinda stay on bed rest through the weekend so I'm not sitting at a desk. I hope my biopsy results come back sooner, this has been a two year battle and LS has only been brought up recently. I just went through 4 days of itching hell and I'm just so sick of this not being treated properly. Anyway, thank you for writing me back, you ladies are making me feel better

      xo

      Hannah

    • brigitte_27336
      brigitte_27336 hannah19230

      Posted

      good Idea to just take some time resting cause the stress of it is a bit draining....and for the lady friend down there...youl see its not so bad.. let it dry and put anti biotic ointment at interval.

  • ruth34896
    ruth34896 hannah19230

    Posted

    Hope it all goes well! I didn't know I was getting one until the GYN Oncologist switched me from an exam room to the procedure room, so I didn't have a lot of time to worry about it, but goes pretty quick. They numb it so well, and she used the stitches that go away on their own. Took 2 weeks to get results. Healed up pretty good. I've had 2 thyroid biopsies, and those bothered me more. It

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 ruth34896

      Posted

      Thank you Ruth! Your experience sounds positive overall, thank you ❤️ You all make me feel so much better going through all of this 😦

  • martha91317
    martha91317 hannah19230

    Posted

    DON't be nervous at all. I was and had my daughter go with me. Not bad at all. Dr put something to numb area . Afterward couldnt tell i

    had it. Think it took about a week to get results.

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 martha91317

      Posted

      Wonderful, thank you Martha!! I'm making my mom go with me, also because the information I've gotten about this has been HORRIBLE and I need a second set of ears. They gave me a steriod cream that didn't help at all, so the last 4 months waiting to go back have been so uncomfortable. I'm hoping they give me the "clob" that seems like the only thing that helps based off the posts here. Another question - when women on here say they have a "flare up" - is that just itching? Visible scarring/whitening that starts to happen? I'm just not even sure what the steroid is trying to relieve. Sorry for the additional questions, you can see how terribly my "specialist" explained this to me 😦

  • ginny00059
    ginny00059 hannah19230

    Posted

    Hi Hannah

    I didn't know I was having it until I was told there and then. I was shocked and didn't know what to expect. I was also really worried as I thought that it must mean he was thinking I had cancer. The injections to numb it were pretty painful and he didn't properly explain what he was going to do so that didn't help. The actual biopsy itself was ok. Took about 2 weeks to heal up.

    The results took, an unbelievable 5 months to receive!! It took lots of chasing and eventually I got the reassurance I was hoping for, but it was so bad I had to wait so long for that.

    Hope it goes well. Good luck. Make sure you have a point of contact to follow up if you don't get results.

    xx

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 ginny00059

      Posted

      5 months!!!!!! That's insane, I'm so sorry you had to wait that long!! Did they give you treatment in the meantime? If you say you got reassurance, does that mean yours was negative? What ended up being the cause of your symptoms?

      Thank you for your response!!

    • ginny00059
      ginny00059 hannah19230

      Posted

      Yes he gave me a new stronger steroid.

      The area he identified was a circular patch which he wasn't happy with, he thought it was new. He thought it looked like a previous biopsy but it was my first one so it definitely wasn't.

      I was also in the middle of a flare up and I do get them. Stress doesn't help me and I have realised that I need to keep in top of the dermovate and emollient better.

      Since then I am better at recognising what I need to do and acting quicker.

      I won't be as worried next time, as in think once you've been through it once you know what to expect next time, which helps. I noticed Tybear had time off work. That probably was helpful, like you I had mine on a Friday so by Monday things were a bit less sore. So thanks to the weekend I didn't feel I needed time off work.

      xxx

  • SnappyCat
    SnappyCat hannah19230

    Posted

    hannah, i stressed about it, and after it was done, it was a bit anticlimatic. the worst part is the numbing shot... once thats done, its a non issue. i went out for lunch after. need to be very gentle with it for a few days...then back to normal.

    my labs were back in 10 days

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 SnappyCat

      Posted

      Great, thank you SnappyCat! I don't know what I would do without the support from this group!

  • Tybear
    Tybear hannah19230

    Posted

    Hi Hannah,

    Let me assure you, the area is numbed first BEFORE local anaesthetic is given. It is punch biopsy and i had a couple of stitches after. My GP signed me off work for a week to allow me to not wear underwear so i could heal. I took normal pain killers and i was healed in the week .. SENDING YOU BIG HUGS AND LOTS OF LOVE ... XX

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 Tybear

      Posted

      Thank you Tybear ❤️ your post helped ease my nerves! I have a pretty high pain tolerance and at least I have it hugging a weekend so I can just lay in bed! Hoping it heals quickly, clearly with all the discomfort we already deal with, I've been dreading this! Hopefully I get some closure around this diagnosis ❤️

    • Woodlet
      Woodlet hannah19230

      Posted

      My daughter's gynecologist told me that she would be under general anesthesia in the OR, but maybe that's because she's really young?

    • hannah19230
      hannah19230 Woodlet

      Posted

      Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear that your daughter is going through this 😦

      Yes, I'm assuming they are putting her under due to her age. I hope it goes well for her ❤️

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