biopsy

[dunnellon]

I want to thank all for the responses to my questions on right upper lobe biopsy. Hearing others' stories eased my mind a lot! I had the procedure yesterday and all went well. I spent over 5 hrs in hospital, blood draw, lab ok, talk w/doc, sign permission, then the procedure in CT lab, and a 2 hr wait for potential problems, followed by an Xray and released to go home. I was injected with lidocaine at the biopsy entry site (front entry, upper chest wall), no relaxing drugs, but I was allowed to take a Xanex before hand. I had no pain, minimal bleeding, an ache when taking a deep breath but went away within an hour. (My mammogram in Feb. was more painful which says a lot for the biopsy radiologist and little for the mammo tech! I expect to hear the results by Mon. I have an MRI w/contrast on Fri to assess T11 vertebrae which lit up on the PET. I admit, I'm very scared.

[Becky130777]

Hello Dunnellon just wanted to say I can Completely understand how you feel right now. I too am waiting now for results of a biopsy I had taken during a bronchoscopy. I have a consultant appointment on Tuesday. At least you don’t have to long to wait for your results. I keep telling myself once I have the results, they will at least be able to discuss treatment plan. Wishing you positive news and let us know how your getting on. X

[dunnellon in reply to Becky130777]

Wishing you the same. I do want this to be put all together to see where I stand. Long story short, both hands went numb in Dec. After 5 months of misdiagnoses(pinched nerve, thyroid, carpal tunnel, stenosis), 2 days before carpal tunnel surgery an MRI to confirm stenosis found a cervical meningioma, the true cause of numbness compressing my spinal nerve. PET lit up a lung nodule and a vertebrae and here we are. Life turned upside down in the blink of an eye. It's hard to stay strong when your knees are knocking!

[JanetteR57 in reply to dunnellon]

so having had one large tumour removed (and half my left lung) in Dec 2010 and then hospitalised with a chest infection in June 2015, after that week in hospital I developed pins and needles and lost use of little/ring fingers on left hand. After months waiting, eventually referred to a hand specialist who, on hearing my history, said he didn't like to tell me but it could be a tumour pressing on a nerve in my neck so I was sent for imaging/CT scan again. thankfully it wasn't and I had corrective surgery in the October to reposition a trapped ulna nerve in my elbow that seemed to have got trapped whilst my arm was in the same position due to the cannula whilst in hospital. My knees and more were knocking when they suggested it could be a recurrence of my lung cancer diagnosed in Jan 2011. Had similar situations and each time, realise how precious and fragile health and life are.... hope you get some answers and treatment before long... just to let you know I was back at work and swimming 3 months post open surgery... do let us know how you get on...

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

Glad to read that you tolerated the procedure well. Sending hope that the MRI reveals something less than cancer. Did they say anything about other potential causes of inflammation in the vertebrae?

[dunnellon in reply to Denzie]

No. It lit up mighty bright and I could tell my neurologist was not happy.

[joe_s17050]

God is with you..do not be afraid...I am praying for you..

[dunnellon in reply to joe_s17050]

Thank You! Means a lot

[JanetteR57]

Being scared and anxious is a natural reaction during any tests but particularly such a specific investigation.... most of us get through our regular mammograms and cervical smears without the anxiety we feel when told we have to have lung investigations - fearing the worst.... Over time, when tests for some of us are our only follow up treatment, we have to become patient or find distracting tools to help us cope. My surgery to remove half my left lung with a 7cm tumour that turned out to be lung cancer in jan 2011 has meant that my only follow on has been regular (annual) checks via imaging or sometimes by bronchoscopy when other symptoms have arisen. Have just had a letter following a chest x-ray on 15/5 - thankfully clear but you see that a 5 week gap may have been intolerable without trying to park it somewhere else in my mind.... my hospital visit was also well organised and nowhere near as bad as I'd thought it might have been due to pandemic.... so sometimes our minds need calming from their racing imagination.... will keep everything crossed for you and that whatever is found, a suitable treatment can be identified and started before too long...

[dunnellon in reply to JanetteR57]

Hearing of your positive journey really boosts my courage. Thank you!