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Biopsy Proceedure Options

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Posted 1/4/2009 7:03 PM (GMT 0)

    Hey Y'all,  I agree we all have different pain and tolerence levels.  Having endured a summer with a ruptured L 4/5 disc in my spine this entire PCa thing has not been all that bad.  Well, Except the two "vagial" perineal incisions for the Sling and AUS!!!!  My biopsy was done in the office.  A numbing injection was given prior to the cores being taken.  My Dr. and his staff never seem to skimp on the "lube" at any time.  I only oppose to the tissue box they give you to clean up with.  I want something with a little more striength and surface area...lolol

    Wish you all well in your treatment efforts.

    KW

Posted 1/4/2009 9:22 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Guys:

I am 100% with lifeguyd on this!  It isnt' a matter of being a wuss or not...it's a matter of comfort.  And, it might also be a matter of medicine.  My urologist used iv sedation for my comfort AND because he wants to take his time without patients potentially squirming on the table and him feeling rushed.

So why anyone who has a choice would grin and bear it rather than choose sedation is beyond me...

Tudpock

Posted 1/5/2009 1:38 AM (GMT 0)

Biopsies are no big deal. I've had a total of 14; I guess this makes me sort of an expert; the 13th was a 25 core sample and I had a couple of 16 and 18 core samples. I found that taking a vicodine about 30 mins before really helps. Also there is a big difference in getting a shot of lidocaine along with lidocaine gel; it only starts hurting after the 6th or 7th sample and not that much. I've always had a dull pain for 3 or 4 hours after that another vicodine takes care of. Playing golf the next day has never been a problem. Never a a problem bleeding with the vicodine even though the docs won't recommend it. Thinking about getting a biopsy is worse than the actual procedure.

I would only get sedated for a saturation biopsy as there are too many things that can go wrong under sedation. Grin and bear it as it only lasts a few minutes.

JohnT

Posted 1/27/2009 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
I am posting for my husband John, who is at work right now and unable to do so. We just foound out yesterday that he has a biopsy scheduled for this Friday (Jan 30). He is pretty anxious about it. I am glad to see that other men are honestly discussing their fear of this procedure. Women may have a higher threshold for pain but speaking as a woman, the idea of having needles fired into my reproductive area through my rectum seems incredibly scary, invasive and painful!

John's doctor only uses the gel as an anesthetic. It seems barbaric to me that, when a better, less painful method is available, it isn't being used.

My husband is 66 years old and over the past two years (approx) his PSA count has gone from 4 to 6 to 8 to 10 last summer. The last time, his doctor said his prostate seemed larger. When he asked for a re-testing the doctor said there was no point, the biopsy was going to happen so just get it over with.

He was supposed to have the biopsy then but it was postponed due to the doctor's schedule.
John was supposed to be rescheduled in Sept but he didn't hear from the doctor again.
Because it was something he wasn't totally convinced he should do (we had been researching online and were trying to find a place that does the new non-invasive ECPA-2 - prostate cancer antigen-2 test) and also because it was causing him a lot of anxiety, he didn't pursue it til now. Sometimes he has to urinate more often but he says that comes and goes - right now not at all. He also has periods where he is more "aware" of his prostate - twinges but not really pain - and again, right now not at all.

We live in rural Nova Scotia so there is not much choice of doctors. When John has asked about being sedated for the procedure the doctor basically just said, no, that's not the way he does it.

Is there any particular information that we could present to the doctor to try and convince him to use sedation or at least an injection of lidocaine rather than just the gel?

And if he will not agree to it, is there anything John can do before hand to lessen the pain?
Our family doctor has given him a prescription for Ativan to help lessen the anxiety.
Would taking painkillers ahead of time help? We have generic acetaminophen & codeine on hand (equivalent of Tylenol 1) but perhaps could get something stronger from the family doctor.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
DJ

Post Edited (Caperguy) : 1/27/2009 8:55:04 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/27/2009 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hello DJ, since you live in Canada, don't know what all your options are. Sounds like the one dr. doesn't have much compassion on his patients. Sounds like your family dr. might be your best bet to help your husband endure the pending biopsy as much as ease as possible. There are so many views here on having the biopsies done, it mostly has to do with the fear factor going into it, and the pain threshold of the individual. I had 3 done, the first one scared me the most, the noise when they sampled set me on edge and tensed me up, but the pain itself was very fast and minimal. The 2nd and 3rd ones weren't as bad, because I knew what to expect, and they were only 6 weeks apart. I think most would agree, thinking about it and talking about it in most cases isn't as bad as having it. It is still a humiliating and somewhat degrading test, but certainly needed to rule PC in or out. A good dr doing it, can make it much more easy to endure. My best to your husband
Posted 1/27/2009 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
DJ,

Hello from one DJ to another! Perhaps your family would be willing to prescribe vicodin, as John T above recommends. It's hard to tell ahead of time, for your first one, what it will be like. I know I would have found benefit from a vicodin--it was sure helpful after the surgery too. You'd have to drive your spouse to and from, but perhaps you were going to do that anyway.

Good luck,

DJ
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