Needle Biopsy's are brutal

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Wife did the dreaded boob crusher mammogram that showed nothing.
Then right after, she went to try an ultrasound to see if it was more pleasant. Not covered on our health insurance, we paid separately.
Yeah, it was more pleasant and it discovered several lumps that the mammogram missed.

The needle Biopsy remains painful for days and the long waiting for the biopsy, then the long waiting for the results just as mentally straining.

I think many women avoid the boob crusher because it's just that. Evidently no one method is better than the other. They have have their plusses and minuses we're told.
Gotta be a better way.

 

[AnnaS]

I get a mammogram and ultrasound every year. One dr. told me to take a few Advils and another said a few Tylenol a little before going in. I find both uncomfortable - sometimes I wonder if it has anything to do with the tech also since some are more painful than others.

The needle biopsy was also very painful and uncomfortable. The worst was having a lumpectomy done. They insert a huge needle in the area (some local lidocaine or something) before surgery. This almost made me pass out. There has to be a better way - I hope they find one.

My friend's 32 yr. old daughter went through all this and just finished chemo, soon surgery and then radiation (as many others including my mom). There is always a worst case scenario .

Not fun. I hope results come back excellent for you wife.

 

[AgentMama]

Womens Healthcare is archaic and many people avoid care because the pain management is non existent or not adequate.

I hope your wife feels better and has
good news from her biopsy.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

We were sitting at a beautiful bar at Sunset in the Wilderness of Two Harbors on Catalina Island. Doors and windows open to the world.
4 girls came in dressed in Camp Councilors uniforms and the bartender directed them to sit near us knowing we pick up the drink tab for minimum wage employees.

The girls were all councilors at a nearby summer camp for young girls that have or had breast cancer. They all experienced it at a young age too. As young as 8.

My wife, the kind Oncology Nurse conversed with them and it was a real eye opener.
Everyone's story different, everyone's cancer experience different.
Some cancers are very fast moving, some chemos brutal.

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

Crossing my fingers and wishing the best news and outcome for your wife.

 

[SpaceMan5]

Womens Healthcare is archaic and many people avoid care because the pain management is non existent or not adequate.

I hope your wife feels better and has
good news from her biopsy.

That is 100% accurate. My DD21 has endometriosis and has undergone 2 surgeries. Leading up to those surgeries she had doctors tell her she was making it up and one even told her to just talk a walk and you will feel better. WOW, just WOW!

 

[mommasita]

That is 100% accurate. My DD21 has endometriosis and has undergone 2 surgeries. Leading up to those surgeries she had doctors tell her she was making it up and one even told her to just talk a walk and you will feel better. WOW, just WOW!

THIS is so maddening it makes me seethe.

It seems like she has switched doctors, as is hopefully being better treated.

 

[mommasita]

@Dive Bar Casanova lots of good thoughts and prayers for your wife, and yep painful

 

[robinb]

The needle biopsy showed nothing?

I’m not sure why your wife had both a mammogram and an ultrasound as a diagnostic test. I had an ultrasound and a needle biopsy but only after the mammo found something. I had a partial mastectomy. Even after that, I never had an ultrasound as a diagnostic. Just the mammo every 6 months.

It makes me think that the ultrasound shows more benign lumps that look “dangerous” and need to be biopsied once found. It’s seems unnecessary, painful and expensive.

I would check with your medical team on the necessity of the ultrasound as a diagnostic.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My wife, a 26 year Stage III breast cancer survivor, said that her needle biopsy several years after her original lumpectomy/chemo/radiation procedures was more painful than all those original procedures.

Best wishes for your wife along with all others here.

 

[LoveDaisy]

Best wishes for you wife and hoping the tests show nothing.

With healthcare always be your own best advocate. It took me 2 years and about 20 doctors to be diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. I had doctors tell me I was crazy, I like attention, and to stop wasting their time. You know when something is wrong and you keep going until you find a doctor who will support you. The crazy part was I had a physical symptom you could see yet I was making it all up. If that first doctor took me seriously I would have been stage one. The doctor who took me seriously said the minute I walked in he knew by the physical symptom he could see.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

The needle biopsy showed nothing?

I’m not sure why your wife had both a mammogram and an ultrasound as a diagnostic test. I had an ultrasound and a needle biopsy but only after the mammo found something. I had a partial mastectomy. Even after that, I never had an ultrasound as a diagnostic. Just the mammo every 6 months.

It makes me think that the ultrasound shows more benign lumps that look “dangerous” and need to be biopsied once found. It’s seems unnecessary, painful and expensive.

I would check with your medical team on the necessity of the ultrasound as a diagnostic.

Needle biopsy came in late yesterday showed cancer.

I mentioned the Ultrasound because the wife was uncomfortable with the mammogram crusher method and wanted to try and get a second look in a more comfortable method for future visits.

I think my post makes that clear. Read it again. I hope your post was not meant to be antagonistic. I haven't put anyone on ignore yet.

Now it's onto a lumpectomy and generic tests results that will give her information to decide if she want a full mastectomy.
Wife works in Oncology and she's encountered others and a friend where the mammogram missed it but a second method caught it.
Actor Ken Jeongs wife was one.

 

[AgentMama]

I'm so sorry you and your wife are dealing with this health crisis. Wishing you both a successful journey in your wife's treatment!

The needle biopsy showed nothing?

I’m not sure why your wife had both a mammogram and an ultrasound as a diagnostic test. I had an ultrasound and a needle biopsy but only after the mammo found something. I had a partial mastectomy. Even after that, I never had an ultrasound as a diagnostic. Just the mammo every 6 months.

It makes me think that the ultrasound shows more benign lumps that look “dangerous” and need to be biopsied once found. It’s seems unnecessary, painful and expensive.

I would check with your medical team on the necessity of the ultrasound as a diagnostic.

Focused ultrasound is absolutely a diagnostic test and women often have both. It is absolutely necessary, especially for women with dense breasts.

 

[JediBonas]

The needle biopsy showed nothing?

I’m not sure why your wife had both a mammogram and an ultrasound as a diagnostic test. I had an ultrasound and a needle biopsy but only after the mammo found something. I had a partial mastectomy. Even after that, I never had an ultrasound as a diagnostic. Just the mammo every 6 months.

It makes me think that the ultrasound shows more benign lumps that look “dangerous” and need to be biopsied once found. It’s seems unnecessary, painful and expensive.

I would check with your medical team on the necessity of the ultrasound as a diagnostic.

If you have dense breast tissue mammo + ultrasound yearly is the recommendation for screening.

 

[robinb]

Needle biopsy came in late yesterday showed cancer.

I mentioned the Ultrasound because the wife was uncomfortable with the mammogram crusher method and wanted to try and get a second look in a more comfortable method for future visits.

I think my post makes that clear. Read it again. I hope your post was not meant to be antagonistic. I haven't put anyone on ignore yet.

Now it's onto a lumpectomy and generic tests results that will give her information to decide if she want a full mastectomy.
Wife works in Oncology and she's encountered others and a friend where the mammogram missed it but a second method caught it.
Actor Ken Jeongs wife was one.

I’m so sorry to hear that she has cancer . That truly sucks. We have a thread here on the DIS for support of people with cancer and their families here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/dis-breast-cancer-survivors-part-iv-gagwta.2833381/

Of course my post was to antagonistic! You mentioned that the ultrasound was not covered by your insurance which led me to believe that maybe it was something that was not a necessity for diagnostics. Also, in my defense, your post was a little disjointed. However, that’s to be expected since you are dealing with quite a shock right now.

Sending {{hugs}} and healing vibes to your wife.

 

[SpaceMan5]

THIS is so maddening it makes me seethe.

It seems like she has switched doctors, as is hopefully being better treated.

She has for sure. Now with a much better doctor!

 

[Haimia]

So, so sorry to hear the results.
I have an aunt and two cousins who had breast cancer. One cousin still alive, other has passed and the aunt died elderly (ps, I am in my 60's, my aunt would have been gone for years anyway and my cousins were both several years older than I).
I also have two blood-related nieces with ductal breast cancer and two non blood-related nieces with breast cancer, one is triple negative. They have all had multiple types of treatment. It was a shock to all of them (all in late 30's or early 40's when diagnosed).

 

[dez1978]

Wife did the dreaded boob crusher mammogram that showed nothing.
Then right after, she went to try an ultrasound to see if it was more pleasant. Not covered on our health insurance, we paid separately.
Yeah, it was more pleasant and it discovered several lumps that the mammogram missed.

The needle Biopsy remains painful for days and the long waiting for the biopsy, then the long waiting for the results just as mentally straining.

I think many women avoid the boob crusher because it's just that. Evidently no one method is better than the other. They have have their plusses and minuses we're told.
Gotta be a better way.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never found a mammogram to be painful or unpleasant, just uncomfortable being exposed like that. But I nursed both my babies for over a year so even that didn't really bother me much.

Womens Healthcare is archaic and many people avoid care because the pain management is non existent or not adequate.

I hope your wife feels better and has
good news from her biopsy.

This! The fact that we get IUDs, cervical biopsies, endometrial biopsies etc, and told just to take some advil before hand, is absolutely ridiculous. And the fact that every complaint we have is brushed off with "lose weight" or "it's just anxiety" if infuriating.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Thank you all for the kind takes.
Your hearts are in the right place.
Wifie went in for her generic testing. Blood draw. Results in two weeks.
Another agonizing wait.

 

[easyas123]

I must admit, I'm another one who doesn't find the mammogram overly painful or uncomfortable...unless you could needing to be on my tippy toes a bit since I'm short! I did have once biopsy once, but they numbed me well so I didn't feel much pain besides the initial numbing shots.

The fact that we get IUDs, cervical biopsies, endometrial biopsies etc, and told just to take some advil before hand, is absolutely ridiculous.

This is interesting to me, because as a 51 year old woman (whose been thru having 2 kids, a biopsy, breast reduction, several endoscopies & colonoscopies and a myriad of other female testing by both male & female Dr.'s + being irrationally afraid of needles) I've always asked before hand about pain reduction and whatnot and gotten the numbing I needed. My GYN will put anyone who asks out like a light for biopsies, that was the first thing I asked when it became apparent I may need one. I guess I'm just surprised to read others have not been able to get the pain relief they wanted/needed.
Hell I once asked to be being numbed before getting a IV, and they were happy to oblige me. Nowadays I can tough out a IV although I almost always will still pass out. Ugh just typing about it makes me feel faint.

Dive Bar - I hope your wife gets all the support she needs, and all the pain management she needs while undergoing the upcoming treatments. I hope she's not afraid to speak up and speak out for herself and her needs, and I most especially hope she enjoys a full recovery.