Any Tips for going through a lung biopsy?

[freefaller]

Hello All,

I am to have a lung biopsy on Tuesday. I am not worried about it and have watched a few done on line and also been given a comprehensive pamphlet about it. However, from experience I know that you can gain some very good tips from people who have had this done so would welcome any hints and tips to help the procedure and my stay in hospital go smoothly. So, if any one can tell me anything I should do before or after or take to the hospital with me that would be useful then please let me know.

Thanks

S

[Suzy6]

Hi freefaller, I had a lung biopsy in January under local as my lungs wouldn't take a general, it was fine. I had no complications afterwards. Suzyxx

[freefaller in reply to Suzy6]

Hi, Thanks for replying Suzy. I hope I have no complications too. I would hate to spend even more time in hospital. Have been visiting them so often since March this year that I am already bored with them! I am going to have local anaesthetic too. I avoid general anaesthetic wherever possible. I am hoping that they will not insist on sedation because I do not react well to this - I find my reaction to this worse than the procedure. I have a similar reaction to pre-meds too.

S

[Suzy6 in reply to freefaller]

Good luck for Tuesday, let me know how it goes. I didn't have sedation. The Doctor was brilliant and we had a laugh a quiz on peoples quotes. My Nurse on the Recovery Ward was a star. Good Luck. Suzyxxx

[freefaller in reply to Suzy6]

Great. thanks Suzy6. I am actually looking forward to this as I so want to know exactly what is going on in there. Hate playing the waiting game and not knowing what to do.

xxx

[Suzy6 in reply to freefaller]

Oh I know that waiting game freefaller. Not long for you now. I was in and out same day. Please come back and let me know how it goes.

I have never heard of wedge.

Try and have a relaxing restful weekend. Suzyxxx

[freefaller in reply to Suzy6]

Will let you know how it all goes. Thanks Suzy

What was the outcome of your biopsy?

Take care

Sian

[nharder in reply to Suzy6]

Hi, my name is Nadine and I live across the pond in the states. Before I got sick I was a Respiratory Therapist. I have had 2nd lung biopsies, are they doing a pulmonary wedge? If this is what you are having done it is not that difficult. They will keep you probably 1-2 days at the most. And that is due to the fact that you will have a chest tube put in. They just want to make sure that where the wedge is the lung doesn't collapse. Both of mine were just overnight. The chest tube is a bit uncomfortable, but they will try to get that out as soon as they can. I hope this helps, and good luck Nadine 😊

[freefaller]

Hi Nadine, Great to talk to you. Where are you in the US? I have two grandsons in Gainsville, Florida. They have not mentioned a pulmonary wedge. I have been told that if the lung doesn't collapse - as it sometimes can do when they insert the needle to take the biopsy then I should only be kept for 4 hours after the procedure. If however there is a problem with the lung collapsing or partially collapsing (pneumothorax) then I will be kept in at least 1 night. I am sure everything will go well. Thanks for replying to my question.

S

[freefaller in reply to freefaller]

What was the outcome of your 2 biopsies Nadine? After 2 months and 3 scans I am still no closer to knowing what this thing is. It doesn't seem to have changed either. I think they were hoping that it would have shrunk between scans meaning it was likely to be an infection of some kind. The guy who would have been having a biopsy when the radiologist called me to book mine found on the scan before that his had shrunk. Fingers crossed and lets hope that mine was just slow eh? Ah well, nothing we can do about it until we know what it is.

I am in the middle of spring cleaning and also altering my partner's best suit as he is giving away his late wife's sister at her wedding in two weeks. So, have plenty to keep me occupied. Need to get it stuff finished incase I am unable to do much afterwards or am inundated with further appointments.

Take care

Sian

[nharder in reply to freefaller]

Sorry I haven't been so speedy with my response. First of all I live in Muskego Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee, I was born in Milwaukee. I was diagnosed in 2007 with COP-BOOP, however; I was probably sick for a while before. That was when I was so SOB that I passed out after coming up the basement stairs. Good thing that my then 1st grader was a smart little girl, she then had called my husband and told him that I was sleeping on the kitchen floor! I did come around and that's when all the stuff started. They had to do a lung biopsy. And the following year I had another in the other lung. My lung biopsies were pulmonary wedge. It had to be due to the fact that they needed more lung tissue to be able to diagnose. I continued to work until about 2 yrs ago. That is when they let me go, I was missing too much work and it was getting hard for me to keep up. I also have Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralylization and Dysphonia. It sucks but what can I do? So that is my story! How did things go with you, and did you get your results back? It was a good chat and I hope that things are going well for you. Take Care of yourself, Your Friend across the pond, Nadine ☺

[freefaller in reply to nharder]

Hi Nadine,

Wow, Congratulations on having a wonderful little girl. So sorry to hear you have such problems. As you say what can we do? We have to try and be as proactive as possible with our health and get as much information as possible to help us with diagnosis and treatment and that is all we can do. Thankfully my problem is in just the one lung and is quite small at the moment. Have not had my biopsy yet it is on June 2nd. I am just about to get my wash bag sorted out in case I have to stay in. I have part packed my over night bag and am looking forward to getting further along with a diagnosis. However, from reading other posts on here it seems that this can go on for quite a time going from one test to another. Yet again, what can we do just have to keep going? Sorry to hear you have had to give up work. I gave up work back in 2007 so that I could help to look after my partner's elderly parents. They are both dead now but then, because I had the time I got into helping with my elderly Aunt and Uncle so find I am far busier than I was when I was working! I am hoping that after this is all over and my partner has undergone a couple of operations on his hands and feet that we are going to have a little time to ourselves to enjoy life and go on the holidays we always promised ourselves before we are too old to enjoy them.

Take good care of yourself

Love

Sian

[freefaller in reply to freefaller]

Hi Nadine, Lung Biopsy went really well yesterday. Feeling a little stiff today. Never even thought about the fact that the lesion is so high up it is covered by my shoulder blade but after a few positional changes it went fine and they got two good core samples - sounds geological doesn't it? No real pain just stiffness. Taking things easy today as instructed so only done 3 loads of washing and ironing - ha ha. I don't have an appointment with my consultant yet to get the results. They wre quite concerned about that at the hospital yesterday but I rang his nurse when I got home and she is away until tomorrow so that could be why I have not heard anything. Will keep trying to get in touch with her to find out when I can have my appointment - it can't come quick enough for me.

Hope you are enjoying life. For the first time this month we have some June type weather it is lovely and warm and sunny with no sign of showers.

Take care of yourself,

Sian