Biopsy no fear & no aniexty & no pain

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

I went on DEC 2nd had my ultra sound wire localization & lumpectomy in a main hospital under twilight sedation , so for all of you woman who are scared to be fully asleep your not .

I felt nothing at all & had no fear & no anxiety & most of all no pain & discomfort , the hospital , surgeons , anesthesiologist & radiologist were most accommodating, i sat here for 3 months looking for someone to care enough to understand that a procedure such as that one i could not do being awake .

i went from hospital to hospital; surgeon to surgeon radiologist to other radiologist all getting told I'm sorry but woman do this procedure with locals , well I'm here to inform all you woman that is not TRUE !!! you have a right to have a procedure done in a way that is comfortable to you as the patient .

I'm sitting here waiting on results , trying not to think the worst

I needed & wanted all other woman who gets told to have a biopsy or a wire loc done to remember my story , you have a CHOICE!!! , tell your doctors surgeons radiologist that there simple procedures are not just done one way!!! & can be alerted to accommodate you the patient all it takes is compassion for us woman !!!

I had an IV line started & then went in twilight sleep , went down to the ultrasound section with the anthesolgist & radiolist together started the sedation & went right into the OR for the lumpectomy .

The hospital cared enough about there patients then there procedures & standard protocols . I want woman to remember & ask is there a way i can have this done with out the fear & anxiety & discomfort , & when you do & i Know they will say oh don't worry we will give you a local you simple can tell them its been done under twilight in main hospital & it should be on a list of choices for woman when they are told they need a biopsy or any other wire Localization .

The only wire localization you can have with sedation is ultra sound NOT mammo cause you will be sedated and can not stand up for the other mammogram picture .

So when I said in my last story here I need & want this system to change I'm trying to change it by giving woman like all of you information , the next time you get told NO remember the procedures wont change if we don't insist on changing them & for all the other woman who had this procedure done with or with out pain fear & aniexty or discomfort , ask your self this question would it be nice to know that when you got told of your procedure you were given choices one that fits for you and only for you NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL !!! Praying for good results & my prays & hearts are forever with all of you here GOD BLESS

newday1976 · December 2009

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BabyLemp1 · December 2009

This is not general anesthesia this is twilight!

General you need respirators, tubes ETC , with twilight you don't , whats the difference between liodcaine & twilight & Valium through IV or Pill form , it is still a type of sedation ,except one you don't have to put your self through needle sticks or discomfort Fear & anxiety you don't have to feel anything !!!

The moral of this is not weather you like sedation or not !!!!! IT'S the fact that I have a right to have a CHOICE & to take Valium whether its through IV or a pill & I have a choice to have twilight sleep or not , you see the moral of this is we have CHOICES , but when you go and find out you need a procedure & your told this is the way things are done , they have been done this way for over 20 years & nothings different and they give you no option's Thats wrong!!!!!

You would love to be awake & I would love to be asleep , so what does this all mean , this means woman who are going through procedures need to be informed on ALL there options , not just the ones that suit the doctors & surgeon , but the ones that work for us WOMAN!!

do you really think it should take 3 months to find a doctor who can tell me all of my choices ? or don't you think informing woman right from the get go is the right & professional thing to do .

I find it hard to believe that us woman are just sitting here saying OK , biopsy go for it , needle sticks fine , wire localization sure . where are all the questions, where are all the answers , where are all the choices , i will Tell where!!! HERE!!!!!

Cause none of us woman are ever fully explained what is going on or what is going to happened cause if we were we would not be here asking a billion questions on whether it hurts or how long it takes etc we would be informed ,

It would of been nice to know that i did not have to sit in my bathroom for 3 months losing time from my kids & family, moments away from my husband , all because the FEAR & ANXIETY was that over whelming FOR ME!!!!

I lost 3 months in a bathroom sitting there crying , cause NO ONE!!!!! No doctor gave me options , they just instilled fear & anxiety about procedures with out really giving honest approaches sticking with the standard talk of , don't worry everything will be fine now go schedule an appointment we will talk further when its all done .

To all woman start asking & insisting things change, give us more options , like the woman who said i don't want to go to sleep & this woman wants to sleep , even something as small as that goes to show that standard test & biopsy are not & can not be the same for all woman , cause we are all different in our minds on how we look & feel towards things .

Keep in your mind always know our choices will be taken away if we don't start speaking up for our selves , I spoke & I did!!!!

I got my procedure done with out fear & anxiety & discomfort & pain!!!!!

Thats because I choose to have a voice & I choose to have a CHOICE !!!!!!

newday1976 · December 2009

Great.....umm..ok where do I start?

I am really, really happy for you the twilight sedation was also not an option in my case and yes I did ask.I didn't spend three months crying in the bathroom (close).But in my case it was a no go.

I will say this as gently as I can.With cancer (which I hope to the good lord you do NOT have).You have some choices.You have choices to keep your breast (sometimes), choices in chemo, radiation and also hormonal stuff as well.

As harsh as this may sound, the Drs want what is best for the patients AND for them as well.If they feel they cannot do the procedure without more sedation, it may be in your best interest.I am all for patient power, trust me.

I may suggest though if you do happen to have cancer,you may want to get used to the fact that things may not always go your way.You can make it more difficult on yourself.The loss of power is maddening and frustrating.

But trust me,after my first surgery I learned.To listen, after all I did not go to medical school.

AFTER my diagnosis (in my case) I was always informed as to what was going on.Was allowed to ask all the questions in the world and if they could not answer them I found someone who could.

I am so sorry you are going through this,but you will learn some |TOUGH lessons if you do have cancer.It is not about giving up, it is not about Drs taking away choice to be spiteful.It is reality.If you want to come out alive, you learn to trust.It is pretty obvious from my posts I had more problems on the diagnostic end of things.However I am pretty sure a lot of woman had topnotch care from day one.

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

Please do not misunderstand what I'm saying .

All I'm saying being in the medical field myself ,I know that there are times where we just have to do what we have do, understandable .

But from the get go, this journey has been one of big disappointment from the very beginning .

I'm trying to say that whether you need chemo , radiation , surgery, biopsy etc, there needs to be a clearer understanding for woman .

Let me explain , I needed biopsy & lumpectomy, called 20 different hospitals , radiology facilities & surgeons , all to get told I'm sorry , we only give local sedation to the numb the breast thats the way its done & thats the only the way .

When I would say look, I cant do this procedure with just a local , I would get told well , we have been doing it this way for 20 years thats how they are done !!

Being a certified medical assistant & EKG technician , I knew that a portable ultrasound can be used to detect my lump & I knew that I can use twilight sedation & I did not have to be awake for this procedure .

The information I would get over the phone would be, oh no! I never heard of that & no its not possible .

well let me tell you all it is possible.

You see its easier for you to have a local in the breast, then it is putting you through twilight or any added pain meds ,cause a regular local can be done on an outside basic & not in a main hospital & it takes less time with no other doctors .To have twilight sedation or any other type of med it takes coordination of an anesthesiologist & radiologist & surgeons to coordinate there schedules & it needs to be done in a main hospital , so when I say that things need to change this is why,

I was told for months that this procedure was done only one way , & it goes to show that its not true , they can do it other ways , anything is possible , so what I'm being saying is , don't tell woman that procedures are done this why for our best interest , when the only interest that people were worried about was there schedules , thats not putting me the patient first, is it now .

I had a wonderful & caring group of doctors & surgeons , who did not care about there schedules or how long it took , they were there for me along with a wonderful hospital & staff , that put all of my fears to rest for me & made me the patient most comfortable , they did not do anything that was an added risk to me , they gave me choices & heard my voice .

I was up in recovery, went home an hour later & am hanging in there waiting for results .

For me this was about informing woman that biopsy procedures & lumpectomy can be done with a choice & its not one size fits all per surgeon , its what is in the patients best interest & sometimes rules and schedules & procedures change , they change cause we are all different & not all of us can do the standard ABC protocols that they want .

I'm truly grateful for my team of doctors & my hospital , More hospitals should listen to there patients just like mine did & give woman a choice

swimangel72 · December 2009

The same issue came up in another thread awhile back concerning the SNB - when they inject the blue dye into your nipple/areola, many hospitals refuse to give the women any local anesthetic. I asked for it and was told "absolutely not - it will skew the results"........I even asked for a pain medication pill (anything - even extra-strength tylenol) and was told the same thing. Fortunately I have a strong tolerance to pain (in this case I used my age-old Lamaze breathing technique to endure the needles into my nipple/areola) and I got through it. Other women weren't so fortunate and some suffer from PTSS as a result. Frown

Recently my 16 year-old son needed 14 stitches in his cheekbone after a basketball accident. We waited only 30 minutes for the plastic surgeon in the ER.........he was wonderful. However, in order to numb the area, he needed to give my son about 5 injections of novacaine directly into the wound.........I had warned my son it would hurt - but only for a little while - then he wouldn't feel the stitches. I broke my heart to see him flinching and squeezing my hand..........but he got through it. My point to this story is - oftentimes - in the interest of time and money - a patient can NOT insist on twilight sleep - our CHOICES are limited and there's not much we can do about it, especially in the ER. However, each person knows their own tolerance and needs to advocate for themselves..........still I would wonder how many insurance companies would balk at paying the additional expenses associated with sedation when the standard procedures don't call for it.

This is a good topic you started BabyLemp1 - and I'm happy you were able to get your biopsy pain-free. Did you experience pain afterwards? I hope your results are B9!

P.S. BTW - I also had "twilight sleep" about 10 years ago for a small hernia repair - and it was a nightmare in the recovery room! The amnesiac-elements in the cocktail made me wake up confused, shivering, crying, nausous (with violent nausea for about 4 hours) - I was a total mess! So sometimes we have to be careful what we ask for!

AsiaYM · December 2009

Badylemp1,

Could you enlighten us:

What are the names of city where you called 20 different hospitals, radiology facilities & surgeons....?

Thanks,

Karen

Sparrow · December 2009

Baby Lemp, sending you hugs!!!

I had a horribly painful stereotactic & ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy. I found out that day that Lidocaine doesn't work very well on me.

I had a couple of moles punch-biopsied at the dermatologist's last week. I was expecting the worst but I didn't feel any pain at all. They used 'buffered Lidocaine' and it made a tremendous difference. I'm going to demand that from now on.

newday1976 · December 2009

Swimangel:I LOVE your picture I have wanted to say that for a while! I love swimming too.

Sparrow: Lidocine does not work well on a lot of people.I was actually told by my dentist that some people metabolize it in a wierd way! huh.

Sparrow · December 2009

You're right, newday. I read an article that said redheads are more likely to have pain with lidocaine/novocaine than people with other hair colors- though it can happen to them too.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/the-pain-of-being-a-redhead/

newday1976 · December 2009

Is that with a dye job too??? I am a bottle redhead

CoolBreeze · December 2009

I'm curious about all the hospitals called too.

I agree that we should stand up for the healthcare we want, balanced with realism. The fact that babylemps was terrified (as evidenced by many past posts) and was going to endanger her life and not find out if she had cancer rather than do this test any other way than the way she wanted doesn't sound logical to me, and so it's hard for me to take on her cause.

Medical professionals must balance costs, patient safety, insurance recommendations and what is stastistically the best thing to do when it comes to a specific treatment. The fact is, almost all patients who have the wire-localization do not experience pain or discomfort. There are the horror story here and there but mostly it is a simple process. But, few know that ahead of time. Anxiety meds were offered and refused and to me, that seems the reasonable way to treat the situation as presented.

If physicians provided treatment based on what a patient feared alone, then it would be prohibitively expensive to do anything, as I'd venture all of us were frightened of procedures that a) turned out to not be so bad and b) we would have used stronger meds than necessary if we could before we even had the procedures.

"Twilight" sleep is not without risks either. If by twilight sleep, you mean the combination of morphine and scopolamine, well, that is a CNS depression and honestly seems to be overkill for such a minor procedure. I am not sure that it is helpful for you to encourage women to insist on something like this for a very minor procedure. Rather, it might be better for you to encourage women to ask several doctors about what is best and get a consensus. Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should.

However, my feelings about it not withstanding, I am glad you got your biopsy done and I hope that the results for you are benign. I agree with the poster who said that if you are dx'd with cancer, at some point in this process, you aare going to have to give up control. It will be unpleasant and you won't get to do it all your way, unfortunately.

I'm thinking warm thoughts for benign results for you, and a healthy, strong life in the future.

newday1976 · December 2009

So, so true on what you said.Unfortunatly having cancer is a lot about losing control and keeping what control you have

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

Please understand I'm not saying what worked for me is for all I'm saying the opposite .

what works for some woman did not work for me .

what was just a simple biopsy & wire localization to you, it was a nightmare for me to even think about doing it .

Sedation is not for every woman, but neither is the standard biopsy & wire localization procedures .

each woman tolerate pain differently & every woman's breast are different .

some are bigger & have more density's , some have more firmer breast etc , so the level of discomfort is different for all.

I'm simply asking woman , do they realize it took me 3 months to find a doctor a radiologist & anesthesiologist to understand that i could not do it as simple as most of you done it , does that mean i put myself at a greater risk , who knows , maybe , but is that my fault NO , i should of been given options, choices .

I sat here 3 months thinking if i cant find someone to accommodate me with my condition of severe & i mean severe panic attacks that i take meds for, where does that leave me , do i get to fade away just because i cant do it the way they want.

My point is i should of been given options 3 months ago on what a woman with my condition can do , i should of been told of twilight 3 months earlier so it was not me who put my life at risk it was an industry stuck on protocol , cause you see, the bottom line is it was done in way that worked for me ,but the real question is why did i the patient need to wait 3 months to find & get this information? Its all about protocol & standard procedures & that is what i mean about change

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

I also what to say about all the hospitals i called .

lets see all in new york city , went as far as even calling California, a hospital that did my procedure the very same way on another woman I happened to read about on line , who worked with me all the way from California to try & find a hospital willing to accommodate me here.

I even faxed letters to explain my condition , I called coalition etc . I even wrote a letter to channel 7 4 2 etc asking if they can find a hospital willing to accommodate this situation.

I wrote to the heads & chief of hospitals , ethic committees of hospitals , so when i say that there needs to be change I think I'm making my point .

It was totally ridiculous but mostly scary to think i could not get information i needed for 3 months thats sad!!!! I reached out to all ,even places in Pennsylvania .

Just thought i would share all the foot work i had to do after one surgeon said, well we don't do it that way this is the way its done & well if you can find a hospital thats willing then go find one .

I even had my church do some asking , I was so scared , but i did it , & now with or with out cancer , I have 4 children & I don't want them or any other child 50 years from now crying for months just because no one was willing to explain information fully or even woman here who are scared & unsure .

we have a right to know and explore all options .

newday1976 · December 2009

I am sorry, this entire topic has taken a trip to the land of strangeville.

As you can see from my post, I am also (not saying you are) a basket case.Having already been through surgery for a lumpectomy and a removal of a duct.I know one thing.I wanted it OUT, whatever it was and whichever way they had to do it.It needed to be done quickly.

I know this was the right decision for you, but I fear other woman will be misguided on this.After a diagnosis of cancer, there can be a waiting period.I waited 3 weeks for a lumpectomy, however the first part of the diagnosis needs to move a little quicker.If it is cancer, and confirmed the cancer has been growing for a LONG time in most cases (not all).So decisions do not have to be made right away.

I am sorry I do not feel your rage with trying to find a facility that would do it your way.If we where talking about woman still having Halsted mastectomies as their only option maybe.Many of us have been cut, scarred and burned.A lot of us don't really even remember the initial surgery before the cancer was diagnosed (in talking with friends, this was the least note worthy thing that happened)

I guess that while I do understand the whole "patient power" thing you are trying to say.I think in the end maybe you see it as a victory.I see it as a three month nightmare that you have put yourself through, and for what? Sleepless nights.The results will be the same if you stayed awake, got put under.It will all be the same.

I have crippling panic attacks.I ended up at my psychiatrist two days after my follow up mammogram convinced that the look on my techs face meant the cancer had come back.I am still waiting for my results..Am I freaking out? YES I am.But I have to let the professionals do their job.

There is something to be said about becoming "that patient" when it is no longer about power.

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

The answer here is no it would of not been the same , since I could of risked having a heart attack on a table for this procedure that seems so simple for some of you , but was not for me .

I'm also not empowering woman to wait!! I'm actually let woman know , if I was informed on all my choices & not just the selected one's they tell you about, I would of had this procedure done sooner .

for some woman the initial surgery was not important & for me it was the type of treatment & the type of care & less stress on your immune system plays a big role on wether or not cancer is in you or not for the next phase of treatments & procedures .

I'm very happy things have changed from many years ago , I can remember my grandma in her late 30's having both of her breast removed , so cancer has been in my family a real long time .

I agree with you things do need to move quicker & also easier , to keep being told well you see if you have cancer you better get use to giving up your power & hand it over to the doctors cause remember your the patient now !! is something I find to be a lie !!!

I don't have to give up anything .

All I have to do is fight this fight with both hands & pray , I have rights to check out different treatments & options , when did it say just do it one way , I have never done anything with out doing my homework first , not to say its always the right way but for me ,thats the only way, I understand cancer just don't sit an wait for me to be ready, I get that really!

But how many NEW & wonderful discoveries have everyday people made or even went and help out with causes Many , they choice to dig further .

I choose to dig as far as i can & if something don't work well with news-day , well then you change it , to fit you & i will change what fits me & the bottom line remains Cancer does not care whether I'm sleeping or awake if its there it there , so i guess i should at-least have a choice on how comfortable i choose to be through all this .

control & my power is mine & that is something they don't get to HAVE NO MATTER WHAT !!!

CoolBreeze · December 2009

"I'm actually let woman know , if I was informed on all my choices & not just the selected one's they tell you about, I would of had this procedure done sooner ."

I'm very confused by this statement. It seems from your early posts that you were informed of all your choices. You didn't like any of them, decided what you wanted and, by your own words, contacted many dozens of people all across the country, until you found somebody who went against recommendations and did what you wanted. You posted here from the beginning that you wanted "twilight sleep" and searched for months until you found somebody willing to go against the norms and do it.

That has nothing to do with being informed about your choices. You got special treatment against ADA recommendations. If you are advocating that other patients try to force medical professionals into doing something that statistics and logic say is not required - then I'm not sure you'll get a ton of support.

I sure hope you don't have cancer, or you are going to find the limits of your control and power. The only control and power you really have is how you react to the situation. Not how you force others to react.

My best to you.

newday1976 · December 2009

Ok, first off you will not have a heart attack and die on the table.I have suffered from crippling anxiety, requiring multiple ER visits.As a matter of fact, on both my surgery days I had terrible high blood pressure and pulse rate due to anxiety.These are controlled and monitered through surgery, and your blood pressure can be brought down, as mine was through surgery.

I never said that my initial surgery was not important, or it was easy.It was HORRID. Coupled with severe anxiety issues I was a mess.4 Mgs of ativan certainly cleared up the issue.They could have removed my left leg and I would not have cared.

Stress produces cortisol floods, yes and it also can deplete the immune system.Do not for a MINUTE even suggest that this has anything to do with cancer being in you or not.I know some people that took everything very well,that ended up having terrible cancer and some people who had such horrible stress during the waiting period and had nothing.

There are a LOT of things you cannot change in cancer land.I truly hope you never have to find out.I am done with this banter.

newday1976 · December 2009

As well, picture this.I had a DUCTOGRAM (look it up) while awake and not a bit of sedation.This is when they stick a catheter in the nipple (awake), tape it to you and then walk you over to the mammogram machine.They then push the contrast through the catheter while you get a mammogram.They had to do this three times...three.

I am not a tough chick, but I would still be in the waiting process if I refused.A wire localization is like a walk in the park compared to this.

Kitchenwitch · December 2009

Babylemp, is this true for all biopsies? I just had a stereotactic one - with just local. It was pretty horrible. Glad it's over. (Now I have other things to deal with but that's a different story.) But I am very curious - could I have had the stereotactic biopsy with an IV sedation? Just curious. (And who knows, maybe someday I will need another of the same type).

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

That is all I was trying to say from the get go.

You see how kitchen did not know she had a choice & said it was pretty horrible !! & would of like to know if given the option of sedation she may of want it during the procedure .

All I was saying was some of us had to go through a procedure worse then a biopsy , & yes more difficult, & with out sedation.

All I'm asking is that I be more informed on my choices & know what my options are !!

There are far worse procedures then what Kitchen & I had , but that does not mean we should have to be treated uncomfortably just because its protocol!!

I'm just hear saying when told of something I need & have to do I want ALL information not just some !!

Thats all!!!

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

also let me just say something for the record !!

I did not get INFORMED , on all of my choices first of all, just got told about a standard biopsy,

Second found out about the option of sedation during an Internet search & read a story of woman who could not go through biopsy awake !!! LOOK IT UP ( karma Jensen ) !!!!!

not doctors!!

Third, no one was asked nor did they perform or do a procedure that was out of the norm!!!

The only thing I had help with searching for was ,sedation with biopsy!!! & finding a hospital & doctors willing to do it in a main hospital rather then an out patient facility!!!

I also did not do this procedure my way , I just did it in a way that was comfortable for me, so do me a big favor & read correctly the next time , THERE were no ADA recommendations that were out of the norm !!!

As a medical professional myself , Valium is used quiet often during biopsy, to calm the patient thats not out of the norm, so why should sedation be !!! Risks Life is a risk !!!

also searching for months on something that is out of the norm per say for many woman don't make it wrong it just makes it different , & different is what we all are .

So my cause of saying we need to be informed , I was not informed of knowing I HAD A CHOICE of sedation , that is my point , I had to find out from a complete stranger that that option was available, not from your so called medical community of doctors !!!

also as far as a mission or as you say patient impowerment , I hope someday that we can have many procedures done WITHIUT pain , aniexty , & discomfort , i dont thionk there is one woman out there that would disagree with that aspect of it !!!!

also Banter is what you turned this into dont know why!!!

Like kitchen she now knows like I do, I have an option on my biopsy procedures so I guess she understood my point for this information!!!!

newday1976 · December 2009

Kitchen was not agreeing with you,she was merely asking a question.

As far as I know for her type of biopsy you must be awake.But you can be sedated.

Honestly I still have no idea what you are trying to say babylemp.What will you do god forbid if you have to have more surgery or GASP chemo? You will need some kind of sedation for every procedure and treatment.

barbe1958 · December 2009

Okay, I gotta step in here cause Baby is going stress out the newbies!

1) you do NOT get an excisional biopsy while awake. It is done in an operating room in the "main hospital" as an outpatient procedure. Outpatient doesn't mean your surgery is in the parking lot, it means you don't go to a room and stay overnight afterwards, you leave from the Recovery Room

2) a stereotactic biopsy is very quick, though painful. It would be much more dangerous to put you under anaesthetic (as any surgery is)

3) the wire insertion is done one of two ways, either by mammogram or ultrasound. The wire itself isn't felt, though the surface of the breast feels the insertion. This is done way before the surgery, so to be under anaesthetic for that long, would again be more dangerous.

4) I don't like when people tell me how to do my job...I'm the professional. I don't go around telling people with years of experience how to do theirs! There is an awful lot of pharmacology out there to keep one calmed down. I think a medication adjustment is in order.

I tried to stay composed so my (older 28, 27, 26 and 23 yr old) children would see how to react during a crisis. A cancer diagnosis is certainly stressful to anyone. I feel I acted with grace and dignity.

I, too, pray that you won't require the regimented treatment that cancer requires.

God bless you all!

CoolBreeze · December 2009

Let me just add one thing Barb, and I appreciate your post and the expertise you give to us newbies.

You said a stererotactic biopsy is painful. It wasn't a bit for me, I never felt a thing. I've read quite a few posts from women here who agreed with me, although I have read some who said it was painful. My doctor even warned me it would be painful because my breasts are (were) so dense but it didn't hurt at all - never felt it. The only part that was uncomfortable was lying on the table in a position that hurt my neck.

We all have different pain tolerances. I also think fear plays a huge role in whether you experience discomfort during a procedure or not. Anytime you are tense you are going to notice things more.

I am fine with medical tests and needles so have no stress and usually have no pain. (And considering how many needles have been stuck in me lately - that's a good thing!) But, for people who do find these tests stressful, know that anxiety might make it more painful and plan to be calm.

By all means, ask your doctor for a xanax or valium. Learn some breathing exercises. Read all the posts from women who say it didn't hurt and believe that will be you. Google the procedure so you know what to expect. And, make sure you let the doctor know at the time that you are nervous and make sure he's got enough lidocaine for you and ask him to exlain what he's doing - it makes it easier.

All of these things should make any procedure more tolerable. Mental attitude is the most important part of this, whether you end up with cancer or not.

trisha224 · December 2009

I never said I had an excision's biopsy awake or do you get it being awake .

I said I was told I needed a wire mammo localization biopsy, followed by a lumpectomy.

They told me the only way wire mammo localizations are done is while your awake & then you will be put out for the lumpectomy on an out patient basis & I never said it was done in a parking lot either!!!

I would get an injection of liodocaine in my breast & then have the wire placed & then do the lumpectomy.

I simply I'm trying to say , I explained I could not do the BIOPSY awake , & I would need to be under IV sedation for that.

My doctors said since they were able to find my lump through ultra sound, they can do a ultra sound wire localization instead of the mammo wire localization & I could be out for BOTH with IV sedation .

I was simply trying to say it took for ever to find out that information about ultrasound being another option for me, it took a lot of calling an researching to find out that I could be asleep for both .

As far as scaring anyone , it's scary to think that us new comers here have to research & sometimes make other choice to have a procedure done thats comfortable for them ,we need all the info we can get & have all different options explored not just the standard ones .

What works for one woman on here may not work for all & my choices & my dissension's are not for everyone & I would never insist on anyone doing a procedure the way I did it.

I have just gave another option for a woman who may not feel comfortable with a BIOPSY , even though its a simple procedure as you all put it , it was not simple to me & i know there are others here who may want to know they have an option .

BabyLemp1 · December 2009

First let me say I never said you get excisisonal biopsy awake !!

I said simply they wanted me to do a mammo wire localization biopsy AWAKE , followed by a lumpectomy , which I would then be put to sleep & I also never said it was done in a parking lot, I meant it was done on an out patient basic& not done in a main hospital facility per say.

I simply explained I can not be AWAKE for the BIOPSY & sedation would be needed for ME.

The doctors said since they were able to find my Lump through ultrasound , we can do a wire ultrasound localization biopsy & I could be ASLEEP for BOTH .

I'm simply trying to give new comers like myself OPTIONS .

I don't insist nor do I say my way Is the right way , but all & any Info that can be given is helpful.

I stated it took 3 months for me just to find out about the OPTION of ultrasound wire localization BIOPSY WITH complete sedation , I'm simply trying to help the next woman who may need or CHOOSE that option & not have to wait & research for 3 months to find it like I did .

Its not an OPTION for all , but at least it worked for me & maybe one day it may work for another woman .

I also know many many woman who have had biopsy's allot of said they felt nothing , like it was a walk in the park , were others said it was horrible .

Being honest with newcomers is important , we don't want myths we want TRUTH , FACTS,

I know that I'm scared, waiting on my results, but I still believe that we all should have options & choices good or bad i choose to have all the facts.

swimangel72 · December 2009

BabyLemp1 I liken what you're saying to people who can't tolerate going to the dentist without being knocked out.........more and more dentists are making sedation available to these patients. I don't see anything wrong with advocating for yourself to have the most comfortable procedure possible, but as I wrote above, if you were in an Emergency Room, you wouldn't have much choice about anything. Still, giving credit where credit is due - kudos to you Baby for pursuing the treatment that you wanted and finally got. It's a shame it took 3 months.........but at least you got through it. I agree with you that someday - if enough women complain - these procedures WILL become totally painfree - and that includes mammos; imagine if a man had to have his only reproductive organ squeezed like that - a pain-free solution would have already been discovered! Money mouth

In the meantime Baby.......you need to start your research now just in case your diagnosis isn't what you want to hear...........in case you need a sentinel lymph node biopsy........as I said earlier..........many cancer centers inject the blue dye without ANY premeds at all! And it's horrid! One other piece of unsolicited advice - when you write in caps and use a lot of exclamation points, people hear "screaming" or "shouting" - I myself interpreted your original post as just an enthusiastic endorsement of patients advocating for themselves - something most of us agree with - but after the nightmare surgeries and procedures so many of us have already endured, it's hard for us to get too enthusiastic about sedation just for a biopsy. I do hope you'll continue to post here at bc.org and tell us what your results are - I'll be praying they are B9 - and may God's angels continue to watch over all of us!

konakat · December 2009

I've been lurking here and as someone who has been treated for panic attacks and anxiety for over 15 years as well as being through the ringer with BC, what seems to be the issue here, IMHO, is untreated anxiety, not the biopsy procedure.

This anxiety is way out there and needs to be treated. Being so anxious about a procedure that most women sail through physically (of course there is the anxiety of possibly having BC) is worrisome to say the least. The panicked posts and 3 months spent finding someone to do it the way you wanted BabyL while you could have had cancer and it getting worse should say something to you. Patient empowerment is great -- but I think it disguised the real issue -- unmanaged anxiety -- a very treatable medical condition. I do hope you are benign, I shudder to think of you facing getting stuck with an IV for chemo if this anxiety is not managed. I'm sorry that I no doubt offended you, but I gotta say that, as a long time patient of panic attacks, I know how crippling they can be untreated, or inadequately treated. Please don't let this anxiety interfere with your healthcare.

Cowgirl13 · December 2009

konakat, very, very well spoken.

Biopsy no fear & no aniexty & no pain

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