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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be freaking out waiting for womb biopsy results ?

53 replies

janicegarvey · 17/01/2024 08:16

A few months ago I had an ultrasound due to experiencing light spotting after my periods (I'm 44) . I was advised I had a thickened womb lining and to have a hysteroscopy. I was going to pay privately and get it done immediately but was £2500 but the gynae said based on my ultrasound it was ok to wait on the nhs as she felt it was non urgent. So I decided to wait and I had it done a week ago today.

I have severe health anxiety and it's honestly destroying me, I am struggling to sleep and eat or think about anything else

I wish I'd paid private a few months ago 😩 then if was good news I'd know by now and could have moved on. or if it wasn't I'd be being treated etc

I'm going away on holiday 2 weeks today and I can't even look forward to it. I mean imagine if I've still not had the results by then or worse if it's bad news . I'm just so scared.

OP posts:
TheEponymousGrub · 17/01/2024 08:20

God it must be awful. Would it help to focus on the fact that even if it's bad news, it's not a death sentence? Imagine six months from now, you're recovering from treatment and recalling your nice memories of your holiday...?

janicegarvey · 17/01/2024 09:15

TheEponymousGrub · 17/01/2024 08:20

God it must be awful. Would it help to focus on the fact that even if it's bad news, it's not a death sentence? Imagine six months from now, you're recovering from treatment and recalling your nice memories of your holiday...?

Thanks for replying Flowers

I know you meant well but tbh what you have put in my mind has made me spiral even more

I don't know whether to try and get a drs appointment to see if they can give me something to calm me down.

OP posts:
Cleanbedsheets · 17/01/2024 09:17

She has said it is non urgent. If they had even the slightest concern it was cancerous or life threatening, you would be on the 2 week pathway.

Enjoy your holiday

Emmadaily · 17/01/2024 09:28

Exactly this

X

TheEponymousGrub · 17/01/2024 09:40

Gosh I'm really sorry OP, although I don't understand how I've added anything to your concerns that wasn't there already. Yes I agree that you should try and get an appointment to see if they can give you something for the anxiety.
Sincere apologies for getting it wrong, somehow, in my response.

Anobody1 · 17/01/2024 09:47

I’d be reassured by the non urgent referral.

I get extreme health anxiety so I know how debilitating it is. Call your gp to see if the results have arrived yet and explain how anxious you are. hopefully they can reassure you. x

janicegarvey · 17/01/2024 09:54

TheEponymousGrub · 17/01/2024 09:40

Gosh I'm really sorry OP, although I don't understand how I've added anything to your concerns that wasn't there already. Yes I agree that you should try and get an appointment to see if they can give you something for the anxiety.
Sincere apologies for getting it wrong, somehow, in my response.

Oh no please don't be sorry.
I'm sorry if my reply came across snippy or rude

It's not you it's me xxx

OP posts:
Sapphire387 · 17/01/2024 09:56

I echo what the others say - it wasn't an urgent referral.

I also suffer from health anxiety, it's so awful isn't it? Like mental torture. Yes, if I were you I would call your GP.

I hope you get reassuring news soon. All the best.

Toddlerteaplease · 17/01/2024 10:10

Cleanbedsheets · 17/01/2024 09:17

She has said it is non urgent. If they had even the slightest concern it was cancerous or life threatening, you would be on the 2 week pathway.

Enjoy your holiday

Exactly this!

janicegarvey · 17/01/2024 14:52

So I rang the drs to see if I had any results and they hadn't had any/ so suggested I ring the hospital where I had it done

and they've not had any either and said it can be up to six weeks 😩😩

I spoke to a nurse who said generally if there is anything concerning they are in touch before 2 weeks. And she did say the consultant who did the procedure last week "wasn't concerned"

So I guess if I get to 2 weeks I'll maybe feel a bit better 😔

I just feel absolutely terrible though I can't stop crying and I honestly feel like I'm struggling to breathe my chest is tight and I feel just constantly panicked

OP posts:
Gemz847 · 22/01/2024 08:09

janicegarvey · 17/01/2024 08:16

A few months ago I had an ultrasound due to experiencing light spotting after my periods (I'm 44) . I was advised I had a thickened womb lining and to have a hysteroscopy. I was going to pay privately and get it done immediately but was £2500 but the gynae said based on my ultrasound it was ok to wait on the nhs as she felt it was non urgent. So I decided to wait and I had it done a week ago today.

I have severe health anxiety and it's honestly destroying me, I am struggling to sleep and eat or think about anything else

I wish I'd paid private a few months ago 😩 then if was good news I'd know by now and could have moved on. or if it wasn't I'd be being treated etc

I'm going away on holiday 2 weeks today and I can't even look forward to it. I mean imagine if I've still not had the results by then or worse if it's bad news . I'm just so scared.

Aw @janicegarvey I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this :( sending hugs xxxxx

Peanutsforthebluetit · 22/01/2024 08:20

I agree with what the nurse said.

If anything is serious, they wouldn’t wait more than 6 weeks to tell you.

I think you should enjoy your holiday and think no news is good news.

largeagegapWLW · 22/01/2024 08:34

I had exactly this before Christmas, 19 Dec, actually. And mine was a 2 week pathway - i was told it would be February before I'd get results. It does take time to get results.

Nospecialcharactersplease · 22/01/2024 08:54

Hi OP, I went through something similar before Christmas with a lung scan (thankfully all clear) and now going through something else after a routine eye test. Both times have been horribly stressful and all consuming, with worst case scenarios running through my brain. Last time I googled endlessly and this time not at all - I think the latter is a bit better. Sometimes I run the reassuring conversations I’ve had over in my brain, which seems to ease the panic a bit too. And whilst I can’t rest in the sense of doing nothing, I can distract myself through engrossing activities (eg reading, puzzles, being busy). It’s hard though but keep the faith!

Salacia · 22/01/2024 09:04

Would it help to know a little about what is being done to the biopsy to set your mind at ease that a delay etc isn’t necessarily reflective of bad news?

Once the biopsy is taken it needs to be sent to the lab to be processed. An endometrial (the womb lining sample) won’t take too long to be fixed in formalin as it’s small (larger samples could take a couple of days), it then needs to be embedded in wax, sliced into very fine curls, placed on a slide and dyed with ink so it can be seen under a microscope. All this can take a couple of days (maybe slightly longer if the sample arrives just before the weekend, the lab is short staffed, higher priority cases need to be processed first etc) and a lot of the process is done by hand.

The finished slide will then be passed on to the pathologist. It might be that the pathologist can look at your case (which it sounds like hasn’t been flagged as urgent by the team who took the biopsy based on your symptoms/what they could see at biopsy etc which is good) and be able to make a diagnosis right off the bat, type it up and issue the report. Or it might be that the consultant covering gynae that day has large volume of work including cases that are urgent so prioritises those and your case gets left for a day or twos time when things have calmed down (same way the sickest people are seen first in ED). It might be that a diagnosis isn’t obvious the the pathologist needs to ask for more work (different stains which highlight different things, more of the wax block to be cut into slides to get a deeper view, other special tests) - this can take a couple of days to a week depending on how busy the lab is and how time consuming the extra test is. Again these extra tests go back to the pathologist who then needs to find the time to look at them and write them up. A really complex case might need looking at by another pathologist which will add a couple of days.

What I’m trying to say is it’s completely normal for a biopsy to take a while to work through the above pipeline and it doesn’t mean anything about it being something nasty or not. You can spend a very long time on giving a benign diagnosis and spot something nasty instantly. Often the really nasty stuff is obvious straight away and the requesting team might be given a provisional result while stuff ticks away in the background so getting a result really quickly (can occasionally) be a worrying sign - or it just means you’ve got lucky with a straightforward diagnosis on a day the lab/pathologist isn’t that busy.

Apologies if you’re aware of all that but it’s often not explained to patients how much work goes into looking at samples and why it takes time so I think people sometimes get themselves worried about timelines when they don’t need to be. Even clinicians sending samples can have a warped perception of how long things take.

Spotting between periods is really common and while it should be checked out (so you’ve already done the right thing by yourself) by no means is it something that’s automatically sinister. I’d be massively reassured that the gynae was happy to wait as normally the more sinister stuff is apparent on their scans etc. Often we never find anything much and it’s just one of those things. Our bodies are incredibly complex and sometimes just get a bit out of kilter.

I appreciate waiting for a result is scary (I have an anxiety disorder myself) but it sounds like you’re having quite an extreme reaction if you’re not able to stop crying etc. Have you looked at any CBT/mindfulness stuff? Lots of examples online (your GP may have access to online modules/you may be able to sign up for them independently). It’s natural to be worried but at this stage it’s not helping. Worrying won’t change the outcome or how long it’ll take to get a result - you’re only going to make yourself feel awful so it would be good if you can find a way to look at controlling it. Reframe your holiday as a distraction - either you’ll most likely have had some reassuring results and it’ll be a celebration or you’ll still be waiting in which case what better place to wait than on the beach (etc - wherever you’re going!).

Petrine · 22/01/2024 09:07

It’s absolutely normal to be anxious about having tests for health issues. So you’re not being at all unreasonable.

if it was something to be concerned about you’d have been seen quickly.

janicegarvey · 22/01/2024 09:17

@Salacia

Thanks so much for taking the time to write all that, I didn't know any of that as no one told me the process (I suppose I don't really need to know) . I am trying to think positive and concentrate on the facts that a) it wasn't an urgent referral b) it seems very common and most women are fine and c) that the dr who did the hysteroscopy wasn't concerned

but then I am even scared if I think positive I'm going to jinx the result which is ridiculous

I am actually having counselling at the moment to try and deal with my anxiety particularly around health. and I've got a session this morning so I'm going to speak to her about all this, she's aware that I was waiting for the hysteroscopy but hadn't had an appointment since before Xmas so she doesn't know I've now have it done

So I would imagine today's appointment will be mostly talking about it so I'm hoping she can give me some coping strategies

OP posts:
LovelaceBiggWither · 22/01/2024 09:29

I had the phonecall days after my biopsy asking me to come in urgently. It was during covid too so not exactly the most efficient of times with services.

I hope you hear from them soon.

Salacia · 22/01/2024 09:41

@janicegarvey not a problem. I’m glad you’ve got a therapy appointment, seems like perfect timing and I’d encourage you to share what you’ve told us here. Anxiety is a horrible condition to live with but it doesn’t need to define you and how you react. Just try and concentrate on your rational a/b/c list and remind yourself of those facts when the irrational side is kicking in.

janicegarvey · 22/01/2024 10:26

LovelaceBiggWither · 22/01/2024 09:29

I had the phonecall days after my biopsy asking me to come in urgently. It was during covid too so not exactly the most efficient of times with services.

I hope you hear from them soon.

That's good it was so quick .:: especially in covid times. A few people I've spoken to do seem to think that they contact people quite quickly if anything is flagged , and the nurse I spoke to last week where I had it done also said usually it is within 10-14 days if anything concerning

I am guessing that for you it was not so great news though so I'm really hoping you got swift treatment and that you're okay now ? FlowersFlowersFlowers

OP posts:
LovelaceBiggWither · 22/01/2024 10:37

Yes it was cancer but the gynae said it's the best kind to have as it is easy to deal to. Radical hysterectomy and no need for radiation or chemo. 2 years on and there is still no sign of cancer on the 6 monthly follow ups.

janicegarvey · 22/01/2024 16:33

LovelaceBiggWither · 22/01/2024 10:37

Yes it was cancer but the gynae said it's the best kind to have as it is easy to deal to. Radical hysterectomy and no need for radiation or chemo. 2 years on and there is still no sign of cancer on the 6 monthly follow ups.

Ahh that's a really good outcome I'm so glad to read this

X

OP posts:
janicegarvey · 23/01/2024 12:03

Salacia · 22/01/2024 09:41

@janicegarvey not a problem. I’m glad you’ve got a therapy appointment, seems like perfect timing and I’d encourage you to share what you’ve told us here. Anxiety is a horrible condition to live with but it doesn’t need to define you and how you react. Just try and concentrate on your rational a/b/c list and remind yourself of those facts when the irrational side is kicking in.

Thank you, it did help seeing my therapist as I was able to voice my fears and speaking them out loud made me realise a lot of them are irrational

I can't talk to anyone in rl as I don't want to worry my H, as far as he knows I'm completely relaxed about it all 🤦‍♀️🥴

I still haven't heard anything and it's day 13 now , my nerves are shot tbh

OP posts:
janicegarvey · 30/01/2024 08:13

It's day 20 and I've still not heard anything

So I am really hoping no news is good news - I even called gp yesterday afternoon and they haven't had any results . Surely if anything bad had been found they'd have been in touch by now?

I go away on holiday tomorrow evening so any more reassuring words / hand holds would be appreciated Flowers

OP posts:
Sawitch · 30/01/2024 08:25

I had a similar situation last year and was referred for a biopsy on the two week pathway. I hadn’t had any results for 6 weeks so I phoned the consultant’s secretary. She was able to tell me that a letter was waiting to be signed and briefly outlined the contents. She also said that had there been any concerns I would have been contacted much sooner. In your case I think no news is likely to be good news, so please try to put it out of your mind and enjoy your holiday.