"Image-guided Needle Biopsy" *UPDATE*

[hez]

Update:

Mom had the procedure today. They did it in two steps. First was to put a 'wire' in (sister's words), second was to be completely under to have tissue samples removed.

I know, it sounds a whole lot more than what she originally thought. I'm very disappointed in the doctor & staff. They were 20 minutes behind. They let her see the 2' wire they used (freaked her out-- they admitted she shouldn't have seen it), then took 50 minutes longer to do that step than they had told my sister to expect. Then left my mother with this wire for 45 minutes before she went back for the second step. My sister was with her, and there were many tears, apparently 'cause it hurt the whole time it was in. And then the anesthesiologist told my mom she'd be put under and intubated while she was under. Which freaked her out further-- she wasn't sure if it'd be twilight or fully under, and NO ONE had mentioned being intubated until that minute.

They need a little bit better patient education, and Mom & Dad should have asked better questions, I think.

Argh. She's home now, resting. Hopefully she'll forget it all with the haze you get after general.

Thank you all for the advice and support.

-------------
Anyone been-there-done-that, or know someone who has?

My mom's having one on Thursday-- they've been tracking a lump for 6 months with mammograms/ultrasounds and decided it needs closer inspection. She described it as being pretty easy, and I wanted to make sure the surgeon's not blowing smoke ;)

Oh, and a few extra prayers and positive thoughts would be nice. She'll get results on Monday, and if it's malignant, they'll do the full-blown lumpectomy sometime next week (so she can go counsel at church camp the following week!).

[mommd]

I've never had one but I've seen a bunch done. It is pretty quick and generally non-painful. Is she having a core needle biopsy? The worst part of it is the loud clicks the needle makes when taking samples.

Hopefully everything works out OK and it's not malignant!

[bcky2]

no advice but just wanted to send some positive (((vibes))) your mothers way. i will keep her in my thoughts and i hope that it isnt malignant.

[hez]

No idea except what she called it, and had mentioned I could look it up on WebMD. It's nice and clinical, but not what I wanted to know. I'll warn her about the clicks. She mentioned she won't be totally with it (some kind of happy drugs, I guess) so hopefully she won't notice the noise, or care if she does notice!

[Rachels]

I've had one. It wasn't too painful but it was scary-- the thumps are loud and extremely nerve-wracking. I found it traumatizing because it was my breast and a room full of people were jabbing needles in it, kwim? But the immediate pain wasn't too bad.

I had to wear a bandage afterward and had bleeding from the nipple for several days. It was pretty sore for a bit, but nothing Motrin couldn't help with.

I hope things are okay!!!

-Rachel
Mama to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

and Ethan James
10/19/05
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/bf.jpg


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

[hez]

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your story. I'm so sorry to hear you've had to deal with this. I'm hoping they'll let my dad be there with my mom as much as possible-- he's a pretty calming influence on her (usually!).

Thank you!

[hez]

Thank you for the vibes!

[Moneypenny]

My mom has had dozens of them (she has lumpy breasts!). She describes them as uncomfortable, but certainly bearable. Good luck to your mom!

Susan

[hez]

Thank you! I'll let her know!

[hez]

Thanks for the info & support. I especially appreciate being able to let her know about the clicking noises-- she hadn't heard that yet!

Mom had her bloodwork done, an EKG (she's just over 55) and a chest x-ray (asthma) today, so she's all prepped for Thursday. It's going to be a long weekend waiting for the results on Monday!

[erosenst]

I had one a number of years ago. The PP was right about the "clicking" noise - it sounds like a very loud staple gun. Interestingly, the (woman) surgeon had it go off a few times so I could hear it before they used it on me - she said that the noise would make anyone jump who wasn't used to hearing it.

I had a local anesthetic. The shot itself wasn't bad - less uncomfortable than novacain at the dentist. About half way through, I started to feel a slight burning, and asked if it could be wearing off - yep. They gave me more (which I barely felt) and I couldn't feel anything after that.

I could have easily gone back to work that day - other than the fact that I had to keep frozen peas on it (great, flexible ice pack) 20 minutes out of every hour. My only complication was that it was before I knew I was allergic to surgical tape - so it blistered a little and didn't heal well. When I took off the dressing after 2-3 days (or whenever they told me to), it looked a little icky - so I put a bandaid on it, which made it worse. Turns out a lot of people have issues when they put a bandaid on breast skin - so if she thinks it needs to be covered when she takes the original dressing off, suggest she use surgical tape and a gauze pad - a little less irritating.

One last piece of info, which I hope you don't need - but the biggest risk of needle core biopsies is the risk of false positives. So - if it does come back positive, make sure she has a surgical biopsy before anything more invasive if possible.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions - and I'll be thinking of you and your mom -

[wendmatt]

No advice, hope it goes OK for her. I'll say a prayer for her.

[hez]

Oooo-- I'll have Mom ask to hear the needle first. Thanks for mentioning that it's possible. I also appreciate the pointers on the dressing. I'll let her know so she can have that surgical tape & gauze pads in her pile of supplies before Thursday.

Thank you so much-- I'll let you know if I think of (or she thinks of) anything else to ask.

[hez]

Thank you, Wendy :)

[kboyle]

As a sonographer i've seen a ton of them done while on my internship, the clicks are very intimidating, but they do give you a shot of lidocane first to numb the area.

A friend of mine got that done 2 weeks ago, and other than some tenderness, she was fine :)

Good vibes to you mom from me too!

[kboyle]

As a sonographer i've seen a ton of them done while on my internship, the clicks are very intimidating, but they do give you a shot of lidocane first to numb the area.

A friend of mine got that done 2 weeks ago, and other than some tenderness, she was fine :)

Good vibes to you mom from me too!

[niccig]

Not in my breast, but I've had several done on my neck for my thyroid cyst, as well as for draining fluid, injecting alchohol to shrink it - damn thing won't go away, but thankfully it is benign. I have to stay completely still, not swallow etc, so what helps me is to have DH in the room holding on to my foot (comforting presence) and I tune out by reciting a yoga mantra again and again and again. Also, even if she feels fine afterwards, take it easy. I feel woozy just because I've had a procedure done.

Good vibes heading her/your way.

Nicci

[hez]

Thank you!!!!

[hez]

Ouch-- I'm so sorry you're dealing with the cyst. It doesn't sound fun.

No worries-- she won't be driving. My dad or sister will be driving, and my sister will stay with her (as much as she's allowed to). Thanks for the heads up, on the wooziness.

[Corie]

I don't have any experience with this procedure.

But, please tell your Mom good luck tomorrow and I hope
everything goes well for her.

And, Heather, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Please
keep us updated!

[hez]

Thank you :)

[niccig]

That's awful. I'm so sorry for your mother. I hope you or someone else in your family tells the doctor exactly what you think of your mother's treatment. It was far more invasive that anything you had been led to believe. I hope she feels better soon and that there's nothing to worry about.

[mommd]

Ummm... That's not a needle biopsy, that's an open biopsy, completely different and much more invasive. I can't believe they told her she was having a needle biopsy and then did this...didn't she have to sign a consent?

I hope she is doing well and shame on the doctor and staff for not properly informing her of what would be done.

[bcky2]

i have been thinking about your mom and wondering how she is holding up. i hope that she gets good news on monday.