Liver biopsy

[Marysla]

I am booking in for a liver biopsy tomorrow, I am very nervous is there anything I should know before hand.

Like. What to expect during and after 😰😰

[butterflyEi]

Hi Marysla

I had my biopsy a bit of a while ago now. I sort of remember going through the process in a bit of a dream. I did feel quite a bit of discomfort when the biopsy procedure was being done but the doctor had told me to expect a sharp pain in the right shoulder area. After I had to stay in the ward for quite some time either on the bed or in a chair. I suggest that you take something to occupy you for afterwards like a good book or magazine.

Hopefully someone will come along soon who has had the procedure more recently and can ease your mind. I do think all the dire warnings that come with anything medical these days can unsettle a person and for most people I believe this procedure is fine.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

best wishes

[Dese]

Hi I had a liver biopsy on the 1st sept this year am still waiting for results but that's the hospitals fault keep cancelling appointments and my doctors is on holiday now and I have to wait til 25th Nov. I didn't have anything bad happen to me was a bit sore nothing bad I have PBC I think it was to see if anything else is going on. Good luck x

[Shazzamattaz]

Hello, I had this back in 2012 I had a local anathestic wasn't put to sleep though, it doesn't last long, you need someone with you though, I googled it so was prepared, maybe you should do that, i had no complications good luck, you will be fine x 😊

[mandyc]

The procedure is not particularly painful but I had to stay in bed in one position for six hours after which I was not told about beforehand, this was to prevent any internal bleeding, so make sure you go to the toilet just before having it done unless you can use a bed pan. Good luck and take a good book to read for the time in bed, all the best.

[Twinkle26]

Hi Marysla

I had my biopsy earlier in the year, it was uncomfortable but ok. I was worried about it hurting etc and scaring myself beforehand, but it was fine. The worse thing was the preparation I had to lay a little on my side with my arm over my head as she did a scan to find the area to do the biopsy which is usually between the lower ribs. It's shaped like a child's gun and you hear a click but it's over in seconds. You do have to keep still afterwards for a few hours and then you have tea before you go back home.

No lifting or strenuous work for around 2-4 weeks I was told. I felt bruised in the back ribs for over a week but as I say not too bad.

Hope this puts your mind at rest.

Twinkle

[Millie09]

Good luck ! Not had one myself . I'm sure you will be fine .. 👍😊X

[Marysla in reply to Millie09]

Thanks, I'm a wreack lol

[Millie09 in reply to Marysla]

I would be too , it's only natural . Let me know how it goes Hun xx

[littysgirl]

It seems like different people had very different experiences. I wonder why that is - maybe it's based on where they live. I had one last December. I was quite nervous about it because a close friend of mine had one a number of years ago and I had read up about it for her. She has/had Hepatitis C. Her biopsy was using a long needle that they threaded between her ribs and she had to lay still for a while afterwards to make sure that there wasn't any internal bleeding. I believe her experience was somewhat painful and pretty scary. My experience was nothing like that. The most difficult part for me was the waiting. The hospital was running behind and my procedure was at least three hours later than it was scheduled and I wanted a drink in the worst way. The actual procedure went so fast that I asked if that was really it. I was sedated with something intravenous that made me light headed and dreamy but I was awake, could hear and speak. A doctor I never saw before or again afterwards came in with a mask on. I felt something cold as they put that gel for ultrasound on my upper stomach. I was laying on my back. They used the ultrasound to make sure they were going into the liver. The area that they went in was .. I think it's called the solar plexus... the triangle below the breast bone and between the rib cages. I heard a sound like a hole punch and felt the pop. I can't say that it was painful but I knew where it was. Then the doctor said he wanted to do another one for good measure and did a second one, possibly deeper. Then he took off his gloves and left. That's when I asked if that was it. No needle. No pain. They rolled me back to the observation area and called my daughter back in to sit with me. I had to stay in the bed, not moving around but that wasn't hard because I was kind of dopey and there was a television to watch. They came to check blood pressure and my stomach every 5 minutes, then every 10 minutes then 15 - you get the picture. The stomach thing - they'd kind of push on it to make sure it wasn't hard which would have meant there was internal bleeding. I think after an hour, maybe an hour and a half they let me get out of bed and use the bathroom. Also somewhere in there, they brought me apple juice and crackers. About two hours after the procedure, since everything looked good, I was able to go home. I don't remember the restrictions that I had but there was something about not doing heavy physical things like yardwork and lifting for a certain period of time. I had a little bruising where the puncture was but really, it was nothing. For a while when I bent over, I was aware that something had happened there but again, it was really nothing. Good luck. By this time tomorrow, it will all be behind you!

[Marysla in reply to littysgirl]

Thank you I hope so 😃

[Becca75]

i'll tell you i was so worked up with nerves before my biopsy i almost fainted! I started to cry in the room and the nice doctor gave me two doses of local freezing because he knew I was so worked up. After all of that, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. AT ALL

The only thing I felt was the initial insertion of the 'straw' they use to put the instrument through to grab the biopsy. and it was so quick I hadn't had time to process it and it was over so i couldn't even register if it hurt or just surprised me (but I'm thinking it just surprised me).

After I had to stay at least 4 hours in the hospital under observation and lay on my right side (laying on my liver). I had tylenol 3's for the after pain - but it was managed well and i was a bit uncomfortable but not bad. watched netflix with my mom they gave me some tylenol 3's to take just before i headed home.

If i had to do it again, I would definitely not psych myself out the way I did. It wasn't bad at all .

[Delisle]

I agree with Becca75; worked myself into a tizzy & it wasn't that bad. Waiting...poke and then waiting to go home. Keep us posted Marysla:). Prayer helps too 😇

[Bonnieanne54]

No worries. The give you a numbing agent then three little pricks of novacsine before they go in. Keep your eyes closed as the needle is as large as the one in the dentist ! You will have gas pains in your shoulder blade for about an hour but that's it. Don't worry and good luck. Three clicks of a pen found and your done. The gas was the worst. Email me if you wish [e-mail]. Good luck !

[Rockie]

Marysla Good luck for biopsy. Mine I had in 2009 and was not that bad. I had to stay overnight, in case of internal bleeding, was given anaesthetic. God bless

[cherylrosie-14]

Don't worry about the procedure it is fine, I had one last September and it went well, I am having a ERCP on Thursday, my fourth and I hate them.

Ian

[janetfolley]

Good luck nothing to be scared of..local anesthetic no pain but had to lie very still for 6 hrs incase of internal bleeding nurses excellent checking me all the time. 😆

[breeski]

I had one last week. It was really simple. They offered a sedative (I took it) , then they numbed the area and that's all I felt. . I was nice and relaxed the whole time. They gave me a tramadol prescription after which I did use the first night because I was a little sore, but nothing worse than working out sore. Overall t wasn't bad at all. I was up and walking around within 2 hours.

[dollydaydreams]

I had one in 2010, i only felt the local going in to freeze the area, just like you have at the dentist wash chatting to the nurse and heard a clock and it was done, i didn't have any pain whatsoever after, but had to lie still on my side for 4 hrs then on my back for two, the only complaint i had was i was hungry and not allowed to eat for 6 hrs.

[Gioielli]

Go to the loo just before having the biopsy.

Keep as still as possible during it - not painful if you keep still.

Need to lie on right side for hours afterwards so take a good book!

Good luck x

[Michiganpbc]

How did it go?

[Marysla]

It was fine, waiting for results now.

Thanks for all the support it was a godsend