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Q: is needle biopsy painfull? bec i had pain everyday on my left breast, i have done ultrasound and mammogram, then they require me a biopsy procedure which im so afraid,,
Hi - Take a deeeeeep breath; now let it out sloooooowly. A needle biopsy is uncomfortable, but they should give you enough local anesthetic that it's not very painful. You'll be sore afterwards, but not unbearably so.
If they want you to have a biopsy, you need to have it, to rule out cancer. Keep in mind, about 85% of all breast biopsies are negative, so the statistics are on your side. Take a friend with you to hold your hand, if that would help. But DO have your biopsy, OK? Best of luck - PJH
People vary in their pain tolerance and in their degree of scarring from surgical procedures. Everyone will have some scarring from any type of surgery. As Voice of Experience points out, doctors need to give patients all the information about possible complications, but it is important to keep in mind that most people will not get the worst outcomes. The reason for a biopsy is to make sure that cancer is caught early enough to treat successfully.
I've had quite a few surgical procedures and biopsies in different parts of my body. I would describe my level of pain from the two breast biopsies I had as uncomfortable after the anesthesia wore off, but easily tolerated with the pain meds the doctor gave me. The next day I didn't need any medication at all.
Were my biopsies necessary? The first was benign; the second found Stage IIIB inflammatory breast cancer only a few weeks after my first symptom. The fact that most biopsies are benign doesn't make them unnecessary.
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PJH is correct that you'll be given an anaesthetic to reduce pain during the biopsy procedure. What most people don't know, however, is that for many women a core biopsy can be as painful as a regular surgical biopsy--and sometimes even more so. Women who have dense breast tissue tend to experience more pain both during and after the procedure than do women whose breasts have more fat tissue.
Also, be aware that you will have internal scarring as a result of a core biopsy, and the scarring can be painful. As well, many women experience nerve damage from this procedure. The nerve pain appears after the biopsy as sharp jabbing or stabbing pains, followed by burning pain radiating from the biopsy site. Many women are prescribed Gabapentin in order to reduce this nerve pain. Post-biopsy breast pain can persist for several months (I've been pain for almost six months now). In some cases the pain can last for a year or longer.
Before a woman agrees to have this procedure done, she should be very sure that she truly needs it. Always get a second or even third opinion. Do your research before consenting to any procedure.
In my view, any woman who agrees to a core biopsy without having been told by her doctor or radiologist about the possible effects cannot be said to have given properly informed consent.
- voice of experience