Ladies Only: Biopsy Coming Up Scared

[LuvOrlando]

Hope things go ok for you. I had endometrial earlier this year, they tried in the office with zero warning or pain management and I ended up screaming so switched to OR the following week. Apparently it is harder on a person after getting ovaries out & polyps are very common - I had no idea but everything turned out ok. Unnecessary pain and drama, medicine just does not rate female pain appropriately, good for you standing firm as your own advocate. Warning, it takes a good while to get the results. FWIW, ahead of the procedure I spoke with my Dr and my Dr agreed he'd pull things out if they looked scary - he told me everything looked fine when I got out of the procedure.

 

[mylilnikita]

Well thanks again to everyone! It went so well and better then I expected. The anesthesia team were great and answered my questions and told me what they were about to do. Last time I had surgery it was a emergency c section and I was terrified.
When I woke up I had ginger ale and applesauce and it was the best after not eating n or drinking over 12 hours. Lol
My daughter took me and she has been helping a lot like waking me up after. my incredible nap at home to tell me to get up and use the bathroom and walk around. And laughing at me cause I felt high . So in a few days will know the results.

 

[ronandannette]

I’m glad you will be getting some major pain relief. I had mine done with nothing, they didn’t even tell me to take Tylenol or Advil before hand. It’s not a pinch, it’s a hole punch.

Same. I once had a “surprise” uterine biopsy, when the gynaecologist didn’t like what she was seeing during an exam. She didn’t even warn me about what she was doing and it was the most excruciating 30 seconds I’ve ever had, barring childbirth.

I cannot agree more with @LuvOrlando about the shocking disregard for women’s pain during gynaecological procedures. It’s a bad amongst women practitioners as men and it’s baffling. I know of no other area of medicine where anyone, women or men, are treated so callously.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Same. I once had a “surprise” uterine biopsy, when the gynaecologist didn’t like what she was seeing during an exam. She didn’t even warn me about what she was doing and it was the most excruciating 30 seconds I’ve ever had, barring childbirth.

I cannot agree more with @LuvOrlando about the shocking disregard for women’s pain during gynaecological procedures. It’s a bad amongst women practitioners as men and it’s baffling. I know of no other area of medicine where anyone, women or men, are treated so callously.

OMG the WORST treatment I have ever experienced was from female practitioners rough with callous disregard. Hate to say it but I would rather a male Dr afraid of a lawsuit any day of the week & that is the Gods honest truth from my experiences.

 

[mylilnikita]

I was worried mostly while waiting the interminable-feeling couple of months for my hysterectomy appointment

First I’m sorry you had to go through all that glad you are better now.
You had to wait months for the hysterectomy? Is that the norm for I guess waiting time for when the hospital can get to you? Jus tasking as I have no clue about these things. Just trying to prepare myself if it goes that way. I should know by Tuesday what the results are.

 

[disneychrista]

Same. I once had a “surprise” uterine biopsy, when the gynaecologist didn’t like what she was seeing during an exam. She didn’t even warn me about what she was doing and it was the most excruciating 30 seconds I’ve ever had, barring childbirth.

OMG yes!! I had one of those surprise uterine biopsies. It was horrible.

I have a much better female Woman's Health doctor now. I had to have a colposcopy with biopsy last year and unlike the my previous coloscopies, she actually did numbed the cervix before she "pulled' bits off.

 

[StarCruzer]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I was told I needed an endometrial biopsy (based on a pelvic US) and that it was a "quick procedure" that could be done in the office with just Avdil ahead of time. Then I found the Reddit thread of womens' experiences. This included "so painful I...": screamed, threw up, passed out, punched a wall, punched the doctor. As someone who experienced SA when I was younger, I knew that this experience was a solid NOT HAPPENING.

I was also displeased that my PCM basically said "While we have you here for the procedure we can just put an IUD in too." Um excuse me? Not even a suggestion, but a let's just go ahead and do that. We're trying for kids so why would I want an IUD????

So I turned down the in-office procedure, insisted on getting an OB/GYN referral (which I had been trying to get for two years). Basically all my female coworkers gave me this advice: if you want a full workup for any cycle issues, you have to lie and tell the doc you've been trying to get pregnant. Otherwise they will just tell you to lose weight and reduce your stress, and will not initiate any diagnostics. My original ultrasound was the check for signs of PCOS, but they WILL NOT do hormonal blood work unless you tell them you're trying to get pregnant (heaven forbid you want the diagnosis to work towards improving your overall quality of life, right?)

So now I have the surgery date for the endometrial biopsy and hysteroscopy scheduled, and blood work all ordered and done.

Anyway that's my women's healthcare rant, sorry for making it about me for a minute.

I am glad that you stood your ground and got what you needed to be comfortable!

 

[HeatherC]

Sending lots of prayers all will be well!

 

[mylilnikita]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I was told I needed an endometrial biopsy (based on a pelvic US) and that it was a "quick procedure" that could be done in the office with just Avdil ahead of time. Then I found the Reddit thread of womens' experiences. This included "so painful I...": screamed, threw up, passed out, punched a wall, punched the doctor. As someone who experienced SA when I was younger, I knew that this experience was a solid NOT HAPPENING.

I was also displeased that my PCM basically said "While we have you here for the procedure we can just put an IUD in too." Um excuse me? Not even a suggestion, but a let's just go ahead and do that. We're trying for kids so why would I want an IUD????

So I turned down the in-office procedure, insisted on getting an OB/GYN referral (which I had been trying to get for two years). Basically all my female coworkers gave me this advice: if you want a full workup for any cycle issues, you have to lie and tell the doc you've been trying to get pregnant. Otherwise they will just tell you to lose weight and reduce your stress, and will not initiate any diagnostics. My original ultrasound was the check for signs of PCOS, but they WILL NOT do hormonal blood work unless you tell them you're trying to get pregnant (heaven forbid you want the diagnosis to work towards improving your overall quality of life, right?)

So now I have the surgery date for the endometrial biopsy and hysteroscopy scheduled, and blood work all ordered and done.

Anyway that's my women's healthcare rant, sorry for making it about me for a minute.

I am glad that you stood your ground and got what you needed to be comfortable!

No ,rant away! This is something that until very recently I didn’t know existed because I hadn’t had any experience other than a Pap smear and pelvic exam.

Women should be able to trust their doctors do everything to keep them pain free. Everyone has different thresholds and the thought of oh women can endure a lot of pain because if the have childbirth. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should or have to with any of these procedures.

If you google some of these procedures it will downplay the pain.

There was a ob gyn on like Tim tok and she said that they were taught to not offer pain management. Some female gynos are twig this patriarch mentality.

I was so agast at my female doctor thinking she wouldn’t even say take some
Pain medicine before the colposcopy and not tell me about the biopsy part til they wanted me to sign a consent ( and thankfully I saw a tik tok the big before about them and googled all of it ) and I was so hot she thought that was acceptable after knowing I walked out before then tell me she thought she could talk me into it and I said how arrogant that was especially after I left the last visit. She wa alike she had it done before and she loved . I said women shouldn’t have to endure pain for the heck of it. If a man had to have a biopsy on his stuff it would be so different. And you can’t tell me there aren’t any nerve endings in your cervix cause sometimes you can be doing the hibbity dibbity and your cervix get hit I’m just saying.

Hope your surgery goes well. Keep us updated if you so choose. Women need support systems, my daughter and her boyfriend ( we all live together) have been great. But support can come from anywhere.

 

[permavac]

First I’m sorry you had to go through all that glad you are better now.
You had to wait months for the hysterectomy? Is that the norm for I guess waiting time for when the hospital can get to you? Jus tasking as I have no clue about these things. Just trying to prepare myself if it goes that way. I should know by Tuesday what the results are.

I'm glad your procedure wasn't as bad as expected and fingers and toes crossed that your results are negative for cancer.

I'm not sure why it took 2 months for scheduling my surgery other than that was the first appointment available so the hospital (in Michigan) was very busy...? It was terrible mostly because I had the more aggressive type of cancer which was only around 10% of those diagnosed but had a lower rate of survival. I did ask my doctor why they would wait so long if I had the aggressive form and she said that two months wouldn't make that big a difference which didn't assuage my fears at all because doctors get it wrong all the time. Luckily, she was right.

All that said, I guess it just depends on the hospital network you're in and how busy they are. Hoping the best for you!

 

[RangerPooh]

I had ovarian cysts biopsied in the my early 20a (~20 years ago). It was painful. Inconclusive results, and no further tests came back as needed to look further into over the last twenty years. Two weeks ago I had a colonoscopy and had a large polyp removed. They're rechecking me again in February.

Take things one day at a time. Don't assume the worst, they're just be cautious.

 

[Planogirl]

I've had a few such tests over the years. I'll keep you in my thoughts.

 

[mylilnikita]

OP here last update: I am cancer free on all counts!!!!

 

[princesscinderella]

OP here last update: I am cancer free on all counts!!!!

So happy to hear your good news

 

[LuvOrlando]

Happy for your good news!

 

[Snowflakey]

OP here last update: I am cancer free on all counts!!!!

SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!! Woo hoo, go celebrate!!!

 

[StarCruzer]

No ,rant away! This is something that until very recently I didn’t know existed because I hadn’t had any experience other than a Pap smear and pelvic exam.

Women should be able to trust their doctors do everything to keep them pain free. Everyone has different thresholds and the thought of oh women can endure a lot of pain because if the have childbirth. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should or have to with any of these procedures.

If you google some of these procedures it will downplay the pain.

There was a ob gyn on like Tim tok and she said that they were taught to not offer pain management. Some female gynos are twig this patriarch mentality.

I was so agast at my female doctor thinking she wouldn’t even say take some
Pain medicine before the colposcopy and not tell me about the biopsy part til they wanted me to sign a consent ( and thankfully I saw a tik tok the big before about them and googled all of it ) and I was so hot she thought that was acceptable after knowing I walked out before then tell me she thought she could talk me into it and I said how arrogant that was especially after I left the last visit. She wa alike she had it done before and she loved . I said women shouldn’t have to endure pain for the heck of it. If a man had to have a biopsy on his stuff it would be so different. And you can’t tell me there aren’t any nerve endings in your cervix cause sometimes you can be doing the hibbity dibbity and your cervix get hit I’m just saying.

Hope your surgery goes well. Keep us updated if you so choose. Women need support systems, my daughter and her boyfriend ( we all live together) have been great. But support can come from anywhere.

My blood work came back and zero surprise, high testosterone and progesterone--AKA, clear signs of PCOS.

Still need to get the biopsy to screen for pre-cancer but I've been trying to get a PCOS diagnosis for 2 years so it's a relief.

 

[elaine amj]

OP here last update: I am cancer free on all counts!!!!

That’s excellent!

 

[StarCruzer]

Update: had my hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy under general anesthesia. I'm glad I did. Doctors and surgery team were lovely. They had Jon Bon Jovi blasting in the OR and we had a little sing along to calm my nerves

Also, the pain was actually strong enough that I felt it through the anesthesia. Luckily it was only for about two seconds--felt like I was being sand blasted on the inside, but a moment later I was waking up in the recovery room with minimal pain. I had a few polyps they cut out so maybe that's what I felt.

I honestly can't imagine doing it while fully awake. Absolutely worth it to be fully asleep.

 

[mylilnikita]

Update: had my hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy under general anesthesia. I'm glad I did. Doctors and surgery team were lovely. They had Jon Bon Jovi blasting in the OR and we had a little sing along to calm my nerves

Also, the pain was actually strong enough that I felt it through the anesthesia. Luckily it was only for about two seconds--felt like I was being sand blasted on the inside, but a moment later I was waking up in the recovery room with minimal pain. I had a few polyps they cut out so maybe that's what I felt.

I honestly can't imagine doing it while fully awake. Absolutely worth it to be fully asleep.

Thanks for the update. So glad it was pretty much pain free. I’m jealous cause I didn’t get any music lol I did think about it and ask them if they could play Whams Wake Me Up but I didn’t .
Sounds like you are having a good recovery , hope results come back quick and clean