liver biopsy - what happened?

October 5, 2005

I had my liver biopsy yesterday and I'm just wondering if anyone had the same

experience I had. The liver biosy was a ct guided liver biopsy done by a

radiologist. They did a ct scan first and the guy doing the ct said he needed

to go talk to the doctor. I thought that was a little wierd but thought maybe

what he really meant was that he needed to go get the doctor and tell him they

were ready for him to do the biopsy. They gave me IV demerol 50 mg and

phenergan 25 mg prior to the biopsy so the pain and nausea I was having from my

pancreas was totally under control and I was feeling fine. The shots to numb

the area barely even stung. The dr did got the first sample and I felt almost

nothing. A couple of minutes later, he got the second one and again, no big

deal. Right after the second one, I started having what felt like my pancreas

pain and I could tell it was going to get bad. I told the dr and he said he

would be done with the biopsy in a just a few minutes. Then I hear him telling

the ct guy to get the pathology people down there stat and then he was asking

him, " Don't you even have a pitri dish or something that I can put this sample

in? " I just assumed the dr wanted to hurry up with the biopsy so he could move

on to whatever he had scheduled next. My pain is really getting worse and when

the dr came to get the third piece of my liver, I told him the pain was becoming

unbearable. He told me they would soon have me out of there on lying on my side

and that would help. He said, " I'm just going to tell you - you have had quite

a lot of bleeding. That's why I was rushing to finish the biopsy so fast. We

need to get you lying on your side so the bleeding can be controlled better. " I

wasn't the least bit concerned about the bleeding because the pain was getting

worse by the second. I told the doctor again and he just said it would be

better when they got me on my side and then he was gone. By then, I am quietly

moaning in pain. The CT guy asked if I was okay and I told him that the pain

was unbearable. He said as soon as they got me back to the room my nurse would

probably be able to give me something. He said he was going to get a wheel

chair because he didn't think I was in any shape to walk. Walk - heck - I was

praying by that time to pass out the pain was so horrible. I literally screamed

in pain when they CT guy helped me off the table. He quickly wheeled me to the

area where I would stay for a couple of hours. By then I am soaked in sweat and

trying my best not to breathe because every breath made the pain worse. I also

was praying to be able to throw up. He got me in the bed and called my nurse.

I told her I thought my blood sugar was low. I was sweating like crazy, my

hands were numb, and my lips were numb. The pain was unlike anything I have

ever felt. She asked if I wanted juice but I told her I was going to puke. She

took my blood pressure with me begging her to please call the doctor and get me

something for pain. As soon as she got my bp, she left to contact the dr. It

was probably only seconds but it felt like hours. The pain was so bad and

breathing became so difficult that I was screaming and moaning for someone to

please help me. I was also praying that my blood sugar would drop low enough to

just make me pass out! I have NEVER screamed for someone to help me because of

pain in my life! This pain made even the worst attacks of pancreatitis feel

like nothing! My right shoulder was killing me but the worst pain was about at

my waistline - but not really on my side - it was right front of my abdomen and

just a sharp constant pain made worse every time I took a breath. I tried not

to breath but of course that wasn't possible. The nurse came back fairly

quickly with IV demerol and zofran. My blood sugar was actually 154, so

definitely not low. I think the numbness must have been from me trying not to

breathe. The zofran stopped the nausea almost immediately and the demerol

started helping the pain right away but it still took at least 30 minutes for

the pain to get down to even about a level 8. After an hour, the pain was down

to about a 5 and I was pretty much feeling fine. An hour later, they let me go

home. I was given another 50 mg of demerol IV before I left. By then, the pain

was only bad if I moved certain ways. The nurse said I needed to have my mom

stay with me til my husband got home since I'd had the bleeding and such severe

pain. She told me if the pain got worse at all to come back to the ER.

I'm still having pain but it is tolerable with my oral pain meds. I started

having rectal bleeding last night but since the pain hadn't gotten bad again, I

just went to bed. This morning I was still having rectal bleeding and the pain

has been a little worse than yesterday evening so I called my GI's nurse and

told her what's going on. My GI does procedures Wed morning and is in the

office after lunch so I should hear back from the nurse this afternoon.

My side is very tender to the touch but other than that, it doesn't really hurt.

Taking a deep breath causes pretty intense pain. Also, I'm having pretty much

constant pain near the area of my typical pancreas pain, which is under my right

rib, but this pain is a little closer to my right side than my pancreas pain.

The pain is about a level 4 after pain med. I don't really feel weak or light

headed and my bp is not low, so I really don't think I'm having internal

bleeding. I also noticed I've got about 20 or so little dots of blood on my

camisole but that's probably just because I should have left a bandaid on the

site.

Anyway, has anyway ever had this kind of pain after a liver biopsy? The nurse

seemed to think that the bleeding had something to do with the pain. There was

a puddle of blood on the floor by the ct machine and also on the ct table.

I'm also curious to find out if maybe there was something that showed in the ct

before they even did the biopsy. I heard the ct guy telling my nurse something

along the lines of 'I tried to get him ....... but he was insistent on going

ahead with it.' I couldn't hear the rest of what he said but he sounded

aggravated and his tone made me think he was mad at the radiologist about

something. Of course, this was right after I was given the demerol and I was

still having quite a lot of pain so I may have heard things totally wrong. It

was obvious that both the CT guy and the RN were very concerned about me but, of

course, they really didn't say anything to me.

Even though I was put to sleep with my first liver biopsy, I know this one was

different. I was woken up right after the biopsy and the only pain I had from

the biopsy was just little tenderness right at the site. I had pain and puking

but I knwo it was from the ERCP and not the biopsy because it was the same,

typical pain I have when my pancreas acts up.

I don't know if I will ever agree to another liver biopsy as I honestly don't

remember ever having such horrible pain in my life!

W

October 5, 2005

,

WOW! Your liver biopsy experience is identical to mine!!!!!!! I know what you

mean about the pain being the worst you have ever had!! CP pain is bad, but

this pain is completely unbearable!!!!!!! I had my liver biopsy in March in

Cincinnati, Ohio, to see if I was a candidate for the TP/ICT. I was not put out

or given any pain/nausea medication for mine. They had to take 4 samples and

the doc had trouble doing the procedure. I had that instant severe pain also,

but I went home and had the worst night of my life. I screamed all night long

and woke my kids up all night. This kept going for over 2 weeks. Finally, my

doc's nurse (from Cincinnati) called me to tell me the results of the biopsy

(which was bad news. . .my liver was over 80% fatty, therefore, I was unable to

have the TP/ICT, which is why I had the liver biopsy). She asked about my pain

and I said that I still had it, but that it was some better. She tranferred my

call to the radiology department and a radiologist told me to go to the ER right

away for a CAT scan. I got my mom over to watch my kids and I called my husband

home from work and we went straight to the ER. We picked up my kids and went

home and my husband was getting something to eat when my doc called and said to

go to the ER immediately to have a hemoglobin checked. A radiologist read my

CAT scan immediately and called my doc and told him that I was bleeding

internally and had a massive hematoma from the liver biopsy. I had just gotten

ready for bed because I was soo tired from my crazy day (went to have the CT

scan at 4 pm and got home with my kids at 5:15 and then my doc called at 6 pm)

and my doc called. I had to go to the ER that I usually go to, but I had the

CAT scan at a different hospital because my regular one couldn't get me in STAT.

So we go to the other ER and wait from 8:30 at night until 2 AM just to have a

hemoglobin drawn. It was high enough that they discharged me. I still

continued to have the pain for quite awhile. I am one of these people that if

it is a rare thing or something that doesn't happen to only 1 in a million, I am

that 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Therefore, I would say with pretty much certainty that you had a liver bleed

also. Have you seen your doc recently? What are they going to do for you?

If you have any other questions, etc., please feel free to contact me.

Thoughts and prayers to all!!

T. (Ohio)

nancy@...