Re: Liver Biopsy & Pain

[Guest guest]

Shahina- My brother has had a few liver biopsies. He has had them where he felt no pain. The last one they did last Feburary was the worst for him. He had pain for 2-3 days afterwards. Most of the pain was in his arm and shoulder area for the day of and the following day. The 2nd and 3rd day he had the abdominal pain. It did subside with time. He was able to control it with tylenol. If you can not tolerate the pain, I would follow up with your doctor. From the experience with my brother 2-3 days after biopsy there seems to be discomfort, then it subsides on the 4th day and on. Again, this has been the case with my brother, so I would check with your doctor and of course you know your body better than anyone. At least you can have demerol-my brother

has a physically violent reaction to that, so that is a BIG no no for him. I really respect that aspect of my brother, since his diagnosis he is really intune with his body. He knows when something is truely wrong, or if he is just having an "off" day. I wish you comfort. in Texas Brother 29, PSC, UC

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[Guest guest]

Shahina-

I couldn't believe I was reading someone else's post when I read

your words. This is EXACTLY like my first biopsy experience - except

I ended up at the ER that night and waited an hour for narcotic pain

meds. I finally got them and only needed them for another day or

two. After the initial pain, I was surprised at how quickly the pain

resolved (I expected weeks with pain that bad) - in just a few days,

I was my normal self. This is uncommon, but not unheard of. One doc

told me that some people are sensitive and when the capsule around

their liver is popped for the biopsy that they have more of a

reaction than those who don't feel the pain. If the pain lasts for

more than another day or intensifies, I'd call the doc! It could

signal bleeding in the liver as a result of the biopsy.

I found transjugular biopsies less painful. In this procedure,

instead of sticking you in the side, they poke you in the neck and

use a catheter to get into the liver to take a sample. It has risks,

too, and these are important to consider...If you have to have the

percutaneous type again, talk with the doc prior to make sure that

you can get some pain meds. (If necessary, tell him/her that you'll

have an ultrasound to see if you're bleeding since that's the main

reason they don't want to cover up the pain with pain meds.)

I'm so sorry that you had this experience. I swore I'd never have

another one in the side after my first, but I've had two since. I

had pain meds for each, and they were much better. I also did the

ultrasound following my last one so the doc was comfortable I was

not still bleeding.

Hope this helps!

Deb in VA

PSC 1998, UC 1999, Listed Ltx 2001, LDLTX 5/19/2005, Partial Portal

Vein Thrombosis 7/20/2005, 5 PTCs with drain placements/

replacements since 9/2005, Bili 3.0 today, INR 1.5, sinus surgery

officially scheduled for Thursday, PICC line tomorrow, CT tomorrow

or Thursday morning before surgery, hanging out at club med...

>

> Hello all,

>

> I was wrong. I was just given a local anesthetic but no demoral

etc.

> The procedure was fine and was not in any way painful. But about 5

> mintues after the procedure I was in SO much pain. I have a high

> pain tolerance so I was not sure why it was so painful for me. I

am still in pain today. Better

> than yesterday. Now I feel pain radiating to the back and around

the

> front as well. I am not sure what is going on. Any thoughts would

be

> helpful.

>

> Shahina

> Toronto

> PSC '03

>

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses. I will wait to see how I feel tommorow. I

am glad to know I am not the only one who experienced this pain. So

your other biopsies were okay?

I didn't mention this but they didn't even give me any pain meds

besides tylenol 3. That helped a little but not much.

Thanks again!

Shahina

Toronto

PSC 2003

--

- In , " Deb in VA " <delena1990@y...>

wrote:

>

> Shahina-

> I couldn't believe I was reading someone else's post when I read

> your words. This is EXACTLY like my first biopsy experience -

except

> I ended up at the ER that night and waited an hour for narcotic

pain

> meds. I finally got them and only needed them for another day or

> two. After the initial pain, I was surprised at how quickly the

pain

> resolved (I expected weeks with pain that bad) - in just a few

days,

> I was my normal self. This is uncommon, but not unheard of. One

doc

> told me that some people are sensitive and when the capsule around

> their liver is popped for the biopsy that they have more of a

> reaction than those who don't feel the pain. If the pain lasts for

> more than another day or intensifies, I'd call the doc! It could

> signal bleeding in the liver as a result of the biopsy.

>

> I found transjugular biopsies less painful. In this procedure,

> instead of sticking you in the side, they poke you in the neck and

> use a catheter to get into the liver to take a sample. It has

risks,

> too, and these are important to consider...If you have to have the

> percutaneous type again, talk with the doc prior to make sure that

> you can get some pain meds. (If necessary, tell him/her that

you'll

> have an ultrasound to see if you're bleeding since that's the main

> reason they don't want to cover up the pain with pain meds.)

>

> I'm so sorry that you had this experience. I swore I'd never have

> another one in the side after my first, but I've had two since. I

> had pain meds for each, and they were much better. I also did the

> ultrasound following my last one so the doc was comfortable I was

> not still bleeding.

>

> Hope this helps!

> Deb in VA

> PSC 1998, UC 1999, Listed Ltx 2001, LDLTX 5/19/2005, Partial

Portal

> Vein Thrombosis 7/20/2005, 5 PTCs with drain placements/

> replacements since 9/2005, Bili 3.0 today, INR 1.5, sinus surgery

> officially scheduled for Thursday, PICC line tomorrow, CT tomorrow

> or Thursday morning before surgery, hanging out at club med...

>

>

> >

> > Hello all,

> >

>

> > I was wrong. I was just given a local anesthetic but no demoral

> etc.

> > The procedure was fine and was not in any way painful. But about

5

> > mintues after the procedure I was in SO much pain. I have a high

> > pain tolerance so I was not sure why it was so painful for me. I

> am still in pain today. Better

> > than yesterday. Now I feel pain radiating to the back and around

> the

> > front as well. I am not sure what is going on. Any thoughts

would

> be

> > helpful.

> >

> > Shahina

> > Toronto

> > PSC '03

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Shahina,

I think most people get pain of some sort after a liver biopsy but as you have seen it can be quite variable. I always dread having one as I always get a lot of pain and once bled very severely and was in a bad way. always ask for pain meds-if you don't ask you almost certainly won't get.

In the UK it seems fairly general that you stay in hospital overnight or at least 8 hrs just a short time like you had obviously isn't enough sometimes like in your case.

Hope you soon get over the biopsy.

Barbara (UK)

[Guest guest]

-Shahina:

Welcome and just wondering who you see in Toronto? I live in

Pickering and get seen at Toronto General, Dr. Lilly is my Dr.

Have you been listed yet or just beginning the testing?

I hope you don't mind the questions. You can also email me at

deb2many@...

Debbi B.

-- In , " shahinap1979 "

<shahinap1979@y...> wrote:

>

> Hi all,

>

> Thanks for your responses. I will wait to see how I feel tommorow.

I

> am glad to know I am not the only one who experienced this pain.

So Shahina

> Toronto

> PSC 2003

>

> --

>

[Guest guest]

Actually when my son had his liver biopsy (when the docs where in the

process of diagnosing him) they kept him in hospital overnight. they

said just to make sure he was fine. (He was just under 18 and so I

don't know if being considered a pediatric case had any effect on the

decision.

Rita

[Guest guest]

After my biopsy I woke in the recovery room, they had put me out with Ativan (its like valium). When I woke and tried to breath I thought I was having a heart attack. I was on a heart monitor so I started looking at it. They did an EKG and called the radiologist. They told me I probably had a blood clot hitting my diaphgram. When I was released . I stated at a hotel cause we had more tests the next day and it is a 4 1/2 hour drive. Breathing was awful. I treid to watch a Robin special with my son and laughing sent me through the roof. I took 2 Vicodin and it was tolerable but it took a couple days before breathing was OK. Marti shahinap1979 wrote: Hello all,I am one of those "lurkers" who just view posts once in awhile. In any case, I have had PSC for over 2 years now and

have had many ERCP's, colonoscopy, MRI's, and have also had my gall bladder removed. Just yesterday I experienced my first Liver Biopsy. From everything I read I assumed it would be NO big deal compared to everything else I have been through (surgery, cholangitis, etc.) but I was wrong. I was just given a local anesthetic but no demoral etc. The procedure was fine and was not in any way painful. But about 5 mintues after the procedure I was in SO much pain. I have a high pain tolerance so I was not sure why it was so painful for me. It hurt every time I took a breath or talked. The right shoulder pain faded after a few mintues but the right side of body where they took the sample from was so painful. Then as they were releasing me I was sitting up in a chair and fainted. I guess it was the pain combined with feeling dizzy and weak. It was scary. Two nurses and my fiance had to pick me off the chair onto the bed. Then of course

I was kept in recovery for another hour or so. I am still in pain today. Better than yesterday. Now I feel pain radiating to the back and around the front as well. I am not sure what is going on. Any thoughts would be helpful.ShahinaTorontoPSC '03

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[Guest guest]

It bothers me that so many people have had pain after a biopsy. I have had at least 5 and never had pain. Was I lucky or have doctors that were more skilled? Did all of your procedures use an ultrasound to guide the needles? I've had some in the University Hospital with the transplant team and technicians, and one in another hospital with my GI and no fancy equipment, just a good doc, an ultrasound and 4 interns watching. What is going on? It sounds like a hit or miss operation for some.

MizKit