Biopsy done, waiting for results...

Hi Stargazer

I think we can probably all relate to the cold finger of fear that’s a really good way to describe it! The worst time for many people is waiting for results and it must be particularly hard at this time of year. You have done really well with your distractions and don’t worry about the Christmas decorations just be kind to yourself.

Sending hugs

Linda xxx

The waiting is grim. I found walking and cooking helped me too. Someone told me later that just moving if the brain starts racing is a good strategy. If there are things that haven't been done think of it as choosing to look after yourself instead. If that makes sense!

Thank you so much, Linda and Clem, for reaching out to me, especially on Christmas Eve!

You've inspired me to get the vacuum cleaner out  

Hi Stargazer

The waiting is really tough. 

I had to wait a little longer for my post op results as they coincided with the long Easter weekend. The length of time to get the biopsy results does not indicate anything good or bad. Its normally basically how busy the pathology lab is. 

Distracting yourself can help to a certain extent but I think most of us on here have known the panic stage. 

I do think that it is harder with Christmas. 

We are here over Christmas if you need us.

Jane

Hi Stargazer. The vast majority of polyps are benign. A few, like mine, turn out to contain cells that become cancerous in time. A few do contain cancerous cells - but not many. I've had a mirena coil fitted to reduce my risk and although some people find it hard to adjust mine is not too much bother. I'll have repeat hysteroscopies after 6 months and 12 months and if those are clear they'll stop. 

I was verbally told 2 weeks for the biopsy results, in the follow up letter it became 3-4 weeks. In fact the results came back and a letter was dictated after 2 weeks - but no-one sent the letter to me or to my gp.  I rang up and got my results and the letter was then dispatched - but I might have been waiting much longer if I hadnt phoned. I'm also not the only one who has posted in these forums who has had to phone, or get a gp to phone, to get results.  So I'd suggest you phone after 3 weeks and just politely ask if there is any chance your results might be back yet. Yes it's Christmas but that also means there are likely to be fewer biopsies joining the queue.

The waiting is the worst part. Once you know what you are dealing with and if you need treatment what that treatment will be, you'll feel better. 

Thank you, Jane and Tatt   Actually, the thought of repeated biopsies is pretty daunting - next time they'll have to hit me over the head with a mallet first!

Each time a medical professional takes a look at my scans, I either hear a gasp or a giggle.  (Enormous fibroid womb and an abdomen full of golf balls).  So, if there is the least hint of trouble, I suspect it's straight to radical hysterectomy, do not pass Go.

Hi, just a quick note for you regarding the biopsies. I have a very low pain threshold, have a coil in and need biopsy every 4-6 months. My way of dealing with that is to have local anaesthetic into the cervix (only stings for a second) and then gas and air throughout the procedure. It makes me feel a bit more in control and helps a lot.

I hope you find a way forward that suits you but in my case, as I need these regularly, I cannot have general anaesthetic, so this is my way of coping. Good luck!

A keyhole hysterectomy, if that is possible, means a 6-8 week recovery time so not the end of the world. /but my main messages were intended to be very likely to be benign and phone and check if they have your results as communication can be poor.

I dont respond well to local anaesthetic, just doesnt seem to work well for me. Fortunately they also offer me gas and air, which is brilliant. I get the LA too as it will cut in sometime, just late. They didnt offer a hysterectomy, maybe I'm too old or too overweight.

Thank you both.  I can just about muster up courage for one procedure.  It's facing the range of possibilities that is so hard.  Suddenly your next year of life is held hostage to the whims of faceless entities.  I was hosting Christmas, and wasn't sure if I might get called in and have to just drop everything.

Also the age and weight issues - what is too old, what is too much weight?  Some sites imply that anything over BMI 25 is head-shakingly risky.  And if it is risky, do they give you the jabs for a few months to get the pounds off?

I'd reckon the chance of being called in at Christmas as zero (and for former professional reasons I very rarely rate any odds as zero). I didnt ask why I wasnt being offered a hysterectomy as I didnt want a GA. They knew that so may have simply been they thought I'd refuse anyway. The nurse did suggest some women opt out of treatment completely. They do hysterectomies for body dysphoria if BMI is below 40 so if I'd wanted one I could always have claimed body dysphoria 

It may not be a year - phone them up. They may not  need to do anything and if they do the hysterectomy it often seems to get arranged fairly quickly. So you could be looking at no further action or a couple of months to get to an op and a couple more to recover. The sooner you get your results the sooner you join the queues if you need to.