Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: lillith112 on May 09, 2024, 09:53:32 PM
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Had my Gynecology appointment today. I didn't expect them to do an endometrial biopsy there and then, that was a shock. I'm very bloated and pains especially on the right side. How long does it take for the results ? First they said 2 weeks, then the nurse said 5-6 weeks 🤷
And what about aftercare ? I wasn't given a leaflet or anything.
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Hi, I can't believe they didn't give you any information as to aftercare etc....that's totally wrong especially if it was your first biopsy/hysteroscopy.
Probably too late to say now as I'm sure you've probably already done this...take regular painkillers until the pain eases. I was told not to take baths ...only showers for a couple of days. Also I was told not to put anything internally for a few days because of infection. Other ladies may have other information.
I was told the same as you for results by 2-3 weeks or 5-6 by nurses. Thankfully they were back in just over 2 weeks.
If you don't hear anything you can ring the consultants office who carried out the procedure in a couple of weeks and see if the results are back.
Hope you're feeling better today.
Let us know how it goes.
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I got mine back within 2 weeks. I wasn't given much aftercare information either consequently I started using vagifem the night after because she'd said I could resume my treatment. Can I ask how you found the procedure? Was it just a biopsy or did she do a hysteroscopy? I'm interested as I'm following up with my MP, the issue if painful hysteroscopies for some women
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Hi, I can't believe they didn't give you any information as to aftercare etc....that's totally wrong especially if it was your first biopsy/hysteroscopy.
Probably too late to say now as I'm sure you've probably already done this...take regular painkillers until the pain eases. I was told not to take baths ...only showers for a couple of days. Also I was told not to put anything internally for a few days because of infection. Other ladies may have other information.
I was told the same as you for results by 2-3 weeks or 5-6 by nurses. Thankfully they were back in just over 2 weeks.
If you don't hear anything you can ring the consultants office who carried out the procedure in a couple of weeks and see if the results are back.
Hope you're feeling better today.
Let us know how it goes.
Had some shooting pains through the night so didn't sleep well, the bleeding seems to have slowed down though. I have start of a migraine today. I was going to have a bath yesterday but good job I didn't, I wasn't told anything about bath, showers or if I can use my vagifem etc. I was just told to expect bleeding.
It was the consultant that said 2 weeks, the nurse said 5-6 weeks 🤷
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
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I got mine back within 2 weeks. I wasn't given much aftercare information either consequently I started using vagifem the night after because she'd said I could resume my treatment. Can I ask how you found the procedure? Was it just a biopsy or did she do a hysteroscopy? I'm interested as I'm following up with my MP, the issue if painful hysteroscopies for some women
Hi Jules, it was a pipelle biopsy I think they call it, I was just ushered into a room with 2 nurses the consultant and a medical student 😳
I can't say it was a pleasant experience, she couldn't get into my cervix, it seemed like ages, she didn't explain any of what she was doing either, she had to try another attempt, I saw the first abandoned pipelle, they look really long 🤢 and then she asked nurse for a different instrument which I googled and it's something to grip the cervix if they can't get in it. I had a horrible shooting pains on my right that felt like my ovary had been stabbed. Lots of bleeding, and when I got home I had the same pain on my right and shooting pains down my upper thigh. I could hardly walk where it was so painful , I was bent over like an old woman !
I thought I would be given a separate appointment for the biopsy because I would have taken pain killers before hand 😞 Really wasn't expecting that.
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
Hi again Jules, yes I'll wait a few days before using Vagirux, it wouldn't be so bad if I had vagifem as they each have a clean applicator, wth the Vagirux you only get one applicator that you have to clean after each use.
Also when can you resume being intimate ? Luckily my partner has been away a couple of weeks, I presume at least a week or 2 after ?
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
Hi again Jules, yes I'll wait a few days before using Vagirux, it wouldn't be so bad if I had vagifem as they each have a clean applicator, wth the Vagirux you only get one applicator that you have to clean after each use.
Also when can you resume being intimate ? Luckily my partner has been away a couple of weeks, I presume at least a week or 2 after ?
I think my advice leaflet said a week. Regarding your biopsy, I had a hysteroscopy in outpatients and it was absolute agony and the nurse told me afterwards that the doctor had to grip my cervix. I also had to walk out bleeding. No pad offered. My son's dog has just been treated better at the vets.
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It took 3 weeks for my biopsy result. I didn't know about not using vagifem either so used it after a couple of days. I then left it a week when advised on here. I saw somewhere about not bathing for a week and I think I saw that it said not to have intercourse until the bleeding had stopped.
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
Hi again Jules, yes I'll wait a few days before using Vagirux, it wouldn't be so bad if I had vagifem as they each have a clean applicator, wth the Vagirux you only get one applicator that you have to clean after each use.
Also when can you resume being intimate ? Luckily my partner has been away a couple of weeks, I presume at least a week or 2 after ?
I think my advice leaflet said a week. Regarding your biopsy, I had a hysteroscopy in outpatients and it was absolute agony and the nurse told me afterwards that the doctor had to grip my cervix. I also had to walk out bleeding. No pad offered. My son's dog has just been treated better at the vets.
I can't believe you weren't even offered a pad, 😞 . Were you offered any painkillers or sedation ?
Same as you I had the gripper things for my cervix as she just couldn't get in there 😥
I'm still feeling really tender and bloated today and had right sided pain.
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It took 3 weeks for my biopsy result. I didn't know about not using vagifem either so used it after a couple of days. I then left it a week when advised on here. I saw somewhere about not bathing for a week and I think I saw that it said not to have intercourse until the bleeding had stopped.
I definitely wouldn't want intercourse even when bleeding stopped, no way lol 😆
I won't be using my Vagirux or having a bath either.
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
Hi again Jules, yes I'll wait a few days before using Vagirux, it wouldn't be so bad if I had vagifem as they each have a clean applicator, wth the Vagirux you only get one applicator that you have to clean after each use.
Also when can you resume being intimate ? Luckily my partner has been away a couple of weeks, I presume at least a week or 2 after ?
I think my advice leaflet said a week. Regarding your biopsy, I had a hysteroscopy in outpatients and it was absolute agony and the nurse told me afterwards that the doctor had to grip my cervix. I also had to walk out bleeding. No pad offered. My son's dog has just been treated better at the vets.
I can't believe you weren't even offered a pad, 😞 . Were you offered any painkillers or sedation ?
Same as you I had the gripper things for my cervix as she just couldn't get in there 😥
I'm still feeling really tender and bloated today and had right sided pain.
I wasn't given any pain relief. Id taken paracetamol before but they don't even shift a headache. I think biopsy results depend on the efficiency of the consultant, the lab they're sent to and what is being biopsied. I'm still waiting for gastric ones from November 7th!
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I would leave the vagifem for a few days if you can just to avoid infection. I had period pain for a few days. My bleeding only lasted a day.
Hi again Jules, yes I'll wait a few days before using Vagirux, it wouldn't be so bad if I had vagifem as they each have a clean applicator, wth the Vagirux you only get one applicator that you have to clean after each use.
Also when can you resume being intimate ? Luckily my partner has been away a couple of weeks, I presume at least a week or 2 after ?
I think my advice leaflet said a week. Regarding your biopsy, I had a hysteroscopy in outpatients and it was absolute agony and the nurse told me afterwards that the doctor had to grip my cervix. I also had to walk out bleeding. No pad offered. My son's dog has just been treated better at the vets.
I can't believe you weren't even offered a pad, 😞 . Were you offered any painkillers or sedation ?
Same as you I had the gripper things for my cervix as she just couldn't get in there 😥
I'm still feeling really tender and bloated today and had right sided pain.
I wasn't given any pain relief. Id taken paracetamol before but they don't even shift a headache. I think biopsy results depend on the efficiency of the consultant, the lab they're sent to and what is being biopsied. I'm still waiting for gastric ones from November 7th!
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience Jules 😞
Can you chase up your gastric biopsy results ? That's over 5 months ago, that's way too long.! 😳
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Yes I have. I wrote over 2 months ago and he said he would get them. My GP wrote a month ago. I'm going to write again. It's shambolic. I have the diagnosis. I need the extent of it and the surveillance plan going forwards.
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Yes I have. I wrote over 2 months ago and he said he would get them. My GP wrote a month ago. I'm going to write again. It's shambolic. I have the diagnosis. I need the extent of it and the surveillance plan going forwards.
Maybe they lost your test? It seems they are sent all over the UK now to central testing labs and not all come back.
I was told I'd get results for a test in "up to six weeks", I had sticky things in my hair afterwards from the sensors stuck on my head, it was a memorable test that my husband drove me to, he got us there early and he waited an hour for it all to be finished and for him to take me home again.
After the six weeks they changed the narrative and told me I had failed to attend for the test!!!
I never got the results, although I think they eventually believed that I'd been there :o
That's unbelievable. Worrying in fact. I'm definitely going to chase it up. I'm still alive and kicking, it's a good job isn't it when I'm relying on incompetent health services.
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It's shocking how treatment is different all over the UK and basic care and advice is not given. I can only describe my experience in SW England. Prior to my hysteroscopy and biopsy I was sent a leaflet outlining everything including afterwards ie what one should avoid etc. My letter said I should take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen an hour before the appointment, as pain relief. There were pads in the room where I had the procedure to put on immediately (because I had quite a bit of bleeding) and results came through in about 3 weeks. The consultant wrote to my GP with the results and her recommendations for ongoing hRT, which resulted in my being prescribed vaginal progesterone. I cannot fault my treatment in any way.
I don't know what can be done to ensure this treatment is universal except to complain so that women in future receive better care - but terrible that one has to do this.
Hurdity x
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It's shocking how treatment is different all over the UK and basic care and advice is not given. I can only describe my experience in SW England. Prior to my hysteroscopy and biopsy I was sent a leaflet outlining everything including afterwards ie what one should avoid etc. My letter said I should take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen an hour before the appointment, as pain relief. There were pads in the room where I had the procedure to put on immediately (because I had quite a bit of bleeding) and results came through in about 3 weeks. The consultant wrote to my GP with the results and her recommendations for ongoing hRT, which resulted in my being prescribed vaginal progesterone. I cannot fault my treatment in any way.
I don't know what can be done to ensure this treatment is universal except to complain so that women in future receive better care - but terrible that one has to do this.
Hurdity x
I was given that information prior to the procedure too. But I can't take ibuprofen and paracetamol was like taking sugar. The pain was so extreme and the gas and air mentioned before, never materialised when I was fainting. I am pursuing policy with help from my MP and I've emailed my stomach doctor!
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Agree with Hurdity, I think it’s unbelievable how differently women are treated up and down the country, for essentially the same procedure.
I’ve had two endometrial biopsies and two hysteroscopy’s in the past. All of them were painless and quick. Pads were available and nice staff to talk you through it all.
Leaflets sent through beforehand and aftercare spoken about. Alternative painkillers were mentioned in case paracetamol and ibroprufen were not tolerated or able to be taken.
I’m in the north west and can’t fault any women’s health care I’ve received in the past.
How to make this universal? Probably parliamentary action needs to be carried out. Or get Davina on the case!!!
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Agree with Hurdity, I think it’s unbelievable how differently women are treated up and down the country, for essentially the same procedure.
I’ve had two endometrial biopsies and two hysteroscopy’s in the past. All of them were painless and quick. Pads were available and nice staff to talk you through it all.
Leaflets sent through beforehand and aftercare spoken about. Alternative painkillers were mentioned in case paracetamol and ibroprufen were not tolerated or able to be taken.
I’m in the north west and can’t fault any women’s health care I’ve received in the past.
How to make this universal? Probably parliamentary action needs to be carried out. Or get Davina on the case!!!
I'm in the North West too. There was a parliamentary debate last year so already in the system. A third 9f women experience severe pain, some don't feel anything. Advising to take run of the mill analgesics isn't enough for some women.
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Fair point re: pain relief. There should definitely be options available to all women. These are invasive procedures, which create vulnerability; the last thing women want, is to be in pain.
Not sure what the answer is, but something needs to be done, as experiences are ranging from
barbaric, to quick and painless and that isn’t on.
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Fair point re: pain relief. There should definitely be options available to all women. These are invasive procedures, which create vulnerability; the last thing women want, is to be in pain.
Not sure what the answer is, but something needs to be done, as experiences are ranging from
barbaric, to quick and painless and that isn’t on.
Hopefully the minister my MP has contacted, will give an update on the status of things.