Sloooow healing from needle biopsy. Normal???

SecretAgentL
SecretAgentL Member Posts: 86

Hi, All:

I had an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy on two different spots on my left breast about a week and a half ago, and I'm still really sore! Is this normal? I bruise VERY easily all over my body, so the fact that my breast still looks totally mangled and beaten up isn't that worrisome to me. It's the tenderness that is. Anyone have an experience with feeling like your needle biopsy left you sore for a really long time?

Also, I'm supposed to have an excisional biopsy on that same breast after I meet with a surgeon next week. Wouldn't they need to wait until my needle biopsy areas healed before they go slicing and dicing me up again? Undecided

Thanks!

Laura

Comments

  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited June 2012

    So sorry you are still sore.  Quality biopsy (meaning those that get a sufficient sample) can bruise and hurt for a while afterward.  I would get these shooting pains for nearly two weeks afterward.  The exisional won't make it hurt any worse ... so there is no real reason to wait, might as well just get it all over with so you can truly heal.  Good news?  The pain after the excisional won't be too much worse than the biopsy after the second day or so ;-).  

    Good luck!! 

  • GraciousGal
    GraciousGal Member Posts: 83
    edited June 2012

    I agree with BL. Although my needle biopsy sites didn't take very long to heal, everyone is different. Hopefully the excisional biopsy will yield good results and you won't need anything more.

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 1,500
    edited June 2012

    I remember my breast being v sore and bruised as well.  I had both biopsies done the same day.  It took awhile for it to heal if I remember right.  Hang in there......

  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited June 2012

    I had significantly more pain from the biopsy than I did from the surgery.  For the two weeks between the biopsy and my surgery, that lump jabbed at me like a gnawing toothache.  It was really uncomfortable and it made me quite nervous: I had never had any surgery before my lumpectomy and I was afraid that - if the biopsy hurt so much - the surgery would be a nightmare.

    Not so.  I had very little pain after my lumpectomy.  I didn't even get a script for pain killers and - if I had been given one - I wouldn't have had to use it.  Surprised the hell out of me.  The only discomfort I experienced was at night, when I would roll over in my sleep, but that went away after a week.

  • MzzHope
    MzzHope Member Posts: 49
    edited July 2012

    I had a stereoscopic biopsy weeks before my double mastectomy(which was painless)

    and I still had bruises and pain untill the surgery.It does seem strange that a biopsy is more painful than a surgery.But that was the case for me.

  • Cherilynn64
    Cherilynn64 Member Posts: 342
    edited July 2012

    Laura, exactly what SelenaWolf posted is what I expierienced. Core biopsy 2 weeks before my lumpectomy, the after effects of the biopsy far worse than the lumpectomy. I still couldn't raise my arm the day of surgery I had already built up scar tissue from the biopsy. I had a similar problem with the internal radiation catheter - as glad as I am it was only 5 days, it hurt worse than the surgery.

    You seem to be in good company with all of us!

    Cheri 

  • Sommer43
    Sommer43 Member Posts: 600
    edited July 2012

    I had, two FNA, two core biopsies and an excisional all within a month.  That was four months ago and I then developed a further fat necrosis which was drained as an oil cyst had formed.  I still have the odd twinge but it does take time to heal.  The outside healed beautifully, inside it was a different story. 

    You will be fine, as Selena said, I too found the biopsies more painful than the surgery. 

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