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I recently had a Colopscopy (sp?), during which the specialist decided a biopsy was necessary. I have had yearly pap and never a bit of pain...but I found the cervical biopsy an unpleasant experience. Why would a physician NOT provide local anesthetic, and allow for time to "freeze" the area to be sampled?
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This was my number one question after having this procedure on Thursday. I was told minimal pain, ‘a little pinch’, I had four areas sampled, two sampled twice for a total of six samples taken. I felt everything, it felt like they were taking flesh samples from my vagina, not a little pinch. Like many of you, I am very upset that such a barbaric procedure exists. I could see maybe one sample qualifying as ‘minimal discomfort’, but more, absolutely not. The ‘not many nerve endings’ justification also pisses me off as I can’t imagine many woman wanting to have intercourse if it only resulted in pleasure for the male?
October 6, 2018 - 11:29amWhat is the course of action to ensure my daughters are not subject to such procedures? Who do I contact? Where do I file a complaint? I’m having a really hard time disgusting with today’s medical advances so many woman are being sudjected to such a horrid barbaric procedure.
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I had this procedure and was so traumatized by the pain I have never gone back to a gyn again! I will never forget the horror of this painful experience.
July 3, 2018 - 7:09pmThis Comment
I had a punch biopsy done on my cervix three years ago and I am too terrified to go back now and have my annual PAP. I actually start panicking when I think of it. To have to lie there, without any kind of anesthesia at all, and have someone cut away part of your cervix is excruciating and I don't recommend it whatsoever. I think the doctor changed her mind halfway into the procedure and decided to take much more out than she originally anticipated. She just went on and on, snipping more and more. I went to my appointment without any support or a ride home because it was supposed to be "no big deal", so I was crying and screwed up when I left and still had to drive myself. The experience was very, very uncool and I think the medical staff are absolutely insensitive to do this to women. I say DEMAND some sort of numbing agent before you get this done.
April 12, 2018 - 9:47amThis Comment
I totally agree! I just had this done today and it still hurts; this was a barbaric procedure! The widening of the cervix and collecting THREE samples was so painful. Why wouldn't they offer pain medication before AND after? Demand a numbing agent.
May 29, 2018 - 8:02pmThis Comment
OMG! I am so glad I am not the only one. I did not cry but it was excruciating. And I have had fine needle biopsy in my neck for cancer, hemorrhoidal surgery which is extremely painful, severe menstrual cramps as a young teen and young woman. I got nauseated and they had to stop and get me water and cold cloth. I cannot believe they do this without any numbing whatsoever!!!!
May 12, 2018 - 5:02amThis Comment
I had an endometrial biopsy two days ago, and it was HELL! Mind you, I have a high tolerance of pain. I gave birth three times naturally (Lamaz only), don't use Novacaine at the dentist for fillings / drillings, was hit by a car as a pedestrian, and had a colonoscopy four days before this procedure without sedation -- with a pinched nerve in my neck causing pain down my back and through my arm. The pinched nerve was very painful the day of my biopsy, and laying on the table was miserable. The pain from the biopsy eclipsed the nerve pain -- and I had taken two Aleeve beforehand. In my research, I see that some doctors use numbing agents on the cervix and liquid lidocaine. Why, why, why??? is this not STANDARD PROCEDURE? I have NEVER experienced the amount of pain of this biopsy caused. Not sure about the results yet, but I will INSIST on local anesthetic in the future or I will NOT allow this procedure EVER to be done to me again. I will be looking into how to lobby ACOG to make this a standard procedure. I hope those of you who have gone through this barbaric procedure will do the same. Three scrapings felt like steak knives cutting me in two. Once it was over, I was fine. However, I cannot believe the number of women complaining about the pain of this without any change in procedure.
March 1, 2018 - 7:51amThis Comment
I had the endometrial biopsy done several days ago and I am still in more of emotionally mental pain from this horrific experience than actual physical pain, although I am having that as well
June 4, 2018 - 1:28amWhile this procedure was taking place all I could think of while screaming as loud as I could was this is a true definition of torture. I begged for my Dr to stop & she did. I was crying, shaking uncontrollably and extremely nauseated feeling that I was going to faint and I was sweating profusely. My Dr is a very caring compassionate Dr .and I was so incredibly confused that this was happening to me from a Dr I respected. When I left the Dr’s office I was in shock to what I had just experienced which was the most painful experience of my life. Prior to this I thought having my child through natural childbirth with a long labor event was the most incredible pain to experience and then this happened leaving me feel as if I was a victim of a horrible crime. Something needs to be done to prevent this from continuing to happen. I am aware many women do not experience this during this procedure and I am also aware there are many with the same exact experience I had. I have yet to talk with my Dr about this but I certainly will when I return to her office. From what I have researched this is a common procedure with Dr’s telling patients to take maybe Aleve, Ibuprofen or Tylenol an hour prior because the procedure will feel like strong mentsrual cramps. I was not prepared for something so horrific giving me the thought this feels as if my Dr was trying to remove everything inside of me going all the way up my chest area with a jackhammer.
In those few short moments it was hell. Due to the severe type of pain which was like a jackhammer pulling everything and destroying parts trying to pull them out and because whenever she stopped the first time the pain stopped them when she tried again I experienced the same horrific pain so this tells me it would not have made a difference if I was given a strong pain medication prior because it was not that type of pain. My Dr used several different tools because of the difficulty grabbing the tissue so this could be one reason as to why some women experience horrific pain and some do not, but then again we are all different and should not be told just because one does not feel pain that the other will not.
The ONLY way this procedure should be performed is during sedation.
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I am with you sister! I just had this done and it was excruciating. I apologized to nurse and doc for being such a baby. And they said no not to apologize and that it was a big deal. They mentioned cramping and said it was unpleasant. The doc started talking to me about summer and vacations. Obviously they knew and were trying to distract. It is barbaric. I wholeheartedly agree. And in this day and time it is ridiculous they cannot do better to help patient. I have gone through needle biopsies in my neck for cancer, hemorrhoid surgery which is extremely painful and severe cramps in my youth. I thought it was me and I was just not tolerant of pain. Good to know I am not crazy. It was one of the most painful things I have ever had done if not the most ever! I cannot believe they do not use any numbing. I mean do they not apply numbing anywhere else before they start cutting? On say an arm or head or foot? I thought they did when they took biopsies from my neck. It was not near as painful!
May 12, 2018 - 5:10amThis Comment
Hello.
I am so sorry you went through this. I have not gone through it, but I am distressed at the experiences I continue to read in this thread. Something needs to be done to improve this situation for women. I don't buy that giving local anesthetic would be worse than the biopsy itself. This is one of the reasons given as to why anesthetic is not routinely used.
Keep us updated on a lobby.
Helena
March 2, 2018 - 3:37pmThis Comment
I had to have this procedure done on 22 February 2018. Barbaric truly. I agree with what I have read from other women here. It is terribly painful. I am not a whiner and tolerate pain well, but I had no ideal that the nurse would be puncturing, clipping and cutting without any anesthesia. I also felt like curling up and crying. No the pain didn't last all day. But the trauma did. I've never been raped, thank goodness. And I don't want to say that I went through anything as bad as that. But this was a total violation of my soul. I wasn't warned about how painful it would be and that no numbing would be used.
What is the reason for this? Would anesthesia interrupt the effectiveness of the biopsy. Why is the patient's comfort NOT taken into concern. This is highly intrusive and unsettling physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and sexually. I do NOT want to go back for follow-up appointment.
February 24, 2018 - 1:42pmThis Comment