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plinkoThis post has to do with my uterus, and the biopsy thereof. If that freaks you out, or falls under TMI, I recommend skipping it. But, if you can stomach it, and you have female bits inside of you, I'd recommend knowing about this, so you can prevent it happening to you.
I thought it was just going to be a normal consultation. My lady-doc and I had decided that it could be a possibility that I had endometriosis. So, she sent me to a specialist to discuss options. I thought that's what we were going to do...discuss options. But, when I got there, the doctor informed me that we'd be doing a uterine ultrasound and a uterine biopsy. These things were fine, he said, and didn't hurt much more than having mild menstral cramps during the procedure, and would go away after the procedure.
Wrong. Very, very wrong.
Some women may, in fact, have no problem with this. But, what occurred was perhaps one of the most painful things I have ever sat through. I've since come to find out that MANY women experience QUITE A BIT of pain during a uterine biopsy. Especially if no painkillers are given beforehand. (I was given none.)
Now, I have had a biopsy before. I had a breast biopsy some months ago. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't awful. They numbed the area. The little zot-gun makes a scary noise, and there's an unpleasant pulling-sensation...but that's about it.
This was not like that. First, they did the uterine ultrasound. Unpleasant, but not intolerable. I said, "Owie owie" a few times as the doctor said, "Mmmm. There's your uterus. Good striping. There's one ovary...yes..." And did some *clickclick* on the machine. I've since found out that they usually give you a prep kit for this sort of thing, stuff you're supposed to do overnight to make sure the results are clear. I had nothing of the sort. But, I'll let that go. Maybe my type of ultrasound was different than other types. Maybe I didn't need any prepping for this. Okay. That's fine. I am not a doctor. What do I know?
But the next bit was...fucking hell. Speculums hurt, sure...but this one was a fucking nightmare and caught my flesh in just...extremely fucking painful ways. Then they bypass your cervyx with like...some sort of instrument. I don't fucking know. I just know that YOUR CERVYX IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BYPASSED LIKE THAT UNLESS YOU ARE HAVING FUCKING KIDS. Because JESUS CHRIST, that's wrong.
But, I was still okay. Grinding my teeth, sure...but okay.
I was NOT OKAY when they put in the little biopsy gun. I am pretty sure that noise I made when they core-sampled by uterus without painkillers is a noise I have never made before, and hope to never make again. I can only compare it to wounded-animal noise. It is hard to describe how utterly painful it was, because I have nothing to compare it to. Basically, they were core sampling my innards with a needle or pipette or something. THEY TOOK FOUR SAMPLES. Which means I endured this NONSENSE FOUR TIMES.
Afterwards, I was so dizzy and nauseous that I couldn't really follow what the doctor was saying. He told me to get dressed, and that took...forever. I was having hot flashes and trembling like a leaf. I am pretty sure I almost fainted a couple of times, and finally the doctor consented to giving me a cold wash cloth and a tiny cup of water. I managed to stumble out of there and get home, and pretty much just passed out.
So, here is my advice if some doctor tells you they want to do a uterine biopsy in the office and that it "won't hurt":
1) Immediately ask why this is necessary. If it is not necessary, to your satisfaction, DO NOT LET THEM DO IT.
2) Re-schedule the biopsy for another time. Take painkillers beforehand, if at all possible. Motrin at least. Something like percoset if you can manage it.
3) HAVE SOMEONE DRIVE YOU THERE AND DRIVE YOU HOME. I am amazed they did not insist on this. It's almost criminal that they did not. What if I had fainted on the way home? I felt like it was a real possibility.
4) Be prepared for blood and pain afterwards. They told me that it would just hurt -during- and wouldn't hurt after, and no mention of the blood. Schedule yourself at least 24 hours for recovery. I am STILL in pain, though not as much as yesterday.
Here are some links that sort of say they same thing I am saying:
Endometrial Biopsy Pain Is Greater Than Physicians Realize
Uterine Biopsy - Will it hurt?
After endometrial biopsy
Hope you, if you ever have this procedure, have better results than I did.
I thought it was just going to be a normal consultation. My lady-doc and I had decided that it could be a possibility that I had endometriosis. So, she sent me to a specialist to discuss options. I thought that's what we were going to do...discuss options. But, when I got there, the doctor informed me that we'd be doing a uterine ultrasound and a uterine biopsy. These things were fine, he said, and didn't hurt much more than having mild menstral cramps during the procedure, and would go away after the procedure.
Wrong. Very, very wrong.
Some women may, in fact, have no problem with this. But, what occurred was perhaps one of the most painful things I have ever sat through. I've since come to find out that MANY women experience QUITE A BIT of pain during a uterine biopsy. Especially if no painkillers are given beforehand. (I was given none.)
Now, I have had a biopsy before. I had a breast biopsy some months ago. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't awful. They numbed the area. The little zot-gun makes a scary noise, and there's an unpleasant pulling-sensation...but that's about it.
This was not like that. First, they did the uterine ultrasound. Unpleasant, but not intolerable. I said, "Owie owie" a few times as the doctor said, "Mmmm. There's your uterus. Good striping. There's one ovary...yes..." And did some *clickclick* on the machine. I've since found out that they usually give you a prep kit for this sort of thing, stuff you're supposed to do overnight to make sure the results are clear. I had nothing of the sort. But, I'll let that go. Maybe my type of ultrasound was different than other types. Maybe I didn't need any prepping for this. Okay. That's fine. I am not a doctor. What do I know?
But the next bit was...fucking hell. Speculums hurt, sure...but this one was a fucking nightmare and caught my flesh in just...extremely fucking painful ways. Then they bypass your cervyx with like...some sort of instrument. I don't fucking know. I just know that YOUR CERVYX IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BYPASSED LIKE THAT UNLESS YOU ARE HAVING FUCKING KIDS. Because JESUS CHRIST, that's wrong.
But, I was still okay. Grinding my teeth, sure...but okay.
I was NOT OKAY when they put in the little biopsy gun. I am pretty sure that noise I made when they core-sampled by uterus without painkillers is a noise I have never made before, and hope to never make again. I can only compare it to wounded-animal noise. It is hard to describe how utterly painful it was, because I have nothing to compare it to. Basically, they were core sampling my innards with a needle or pipette or something. THEY TOOK FOUR SAMPLES. Which means I endured this NONSENSE FOUR TIMES.
Afterwards, I was so dizzy and nauseous that I couldn't really follow what the doctor was saying. He told me to get dressed, and that took...forever. I was having hot flashes and trembling like a leaf. I am pretty sure I almost fainted a couple of times, and finally the doctor consented to giving me a cold wash cloth and a tiny cup of water. I managed to stumble out of there and get home, and pretty much just passed out.
So, here is my advice if some doctor tells you they want to do a uterine biopsy in the office and that it "won't hurt":
1) Immediately ask why this is necessary. If it is not necessary, to your satisfaction, DO NOT LET THEM DO IT.
2) Re-schedule the biopsy for another time. Take painkillers beforehand, if at all possible. Motrin at least. Something like percoset if you can manage it.
3) HAVE SOMEONE DRIVE YOU THERE AND DRIVE YOU HOME. I am amazed they did not insist on this. It's almost criminal that they did not. What if I had fainted on the way home? I felt like it was a real possibility.
4) Be prepared for blood and pain afterwards. They told me that it would just hurt -during- and wouldn't hurt after, and no mention of the blood. Schedule yourself at least 24 hours for recovery. I am STILL in pain, though not as much as yesterday.
Here are some links that sort of say they same thing I am saying:
Endometrial Biopsy Pain Is Greater Than Physicians Realize
Uterine Biopsy - Will it hurt?
After endometrial biopsy
Hope you, if you ever have this procedure, have better results than I did.
