What was your experience of a lymph node biopsy please?

[Liz1tummypain]

Have you got experience of a lymph node biopsy please?

I'm having a lumpectomy for breast cancer next week. I'm fine with the idea of the op but a bit apprehensive about the biopsy. They inject some radioactive dye, close to the nipple - ouch ! - then you have to get in a machine and stay still for a certain time. Up to 20 mins I think. Can anyone give me any reassurance please? I'm not good in enclosed spaces, so is my head going to be open, at least at the sides I think? ( having googled an imageof the camera thing. Can you please let me know how you found it?

Edited- forgot the word dye.

The initial injection hurt but faded quickly. One of the staff held my hand the whole time. It wasn’t in the least claustrophobic. I think it was like an x ray machine with a big square plate that they move around over your chest. Not completely enclosed at any point. Head and feet out.

Thank you so much for this. If I'm not enclosed I'll be ok. and yes it's lovely if someone can hold your hand. I realised that when having the metal thingy put it my boob.
I hope all is well with you, given you must have gone through something similar.. Thanks again :)

My urine was a deep turquoise after the dye - fortunately I'd been warned - but I remember thinking I'd like to buy some yarn in that colour... I'm sending my best wishes for your recovery.

All treatment including biopsy and other scans, wires etc were painless, to my immense surprise as I'm a total wimp. My lump was between my underarm and nipple.

Wow , that's wonderful to hear. From one wimp to another, thanks so much!

Best wishes 🙏

I haven’t had one of the breast, but I’ve had it done twice to the side of my face (lymph node in front of the ear). It was fine. Not painful, just mildly unpleasant.

Thanks for this. I hope all's well now.😊

I had a lymph node biopsy for breast cancer 12 years ago. I had some sort of procedure done in my armpit where they took a sample from the lymph node. They used a scanning machine to see where to take the sample from. It's obviously different now so encouraging that advances are being made. Hope everything goes well OP.

I can’t remember which means it must have been unremarkable apart from the lovely colour your wee turns to and the great excuse for not going into school the next day because ‘I am radioactive’. Nothing like biopsy under mammogram- that truly was the most painful thing i have ever been through.

Not for breast cancer but I had one for Melanoma on my back. They injected the dye, I came back a couple of hours later for the scan. It was more like an xray machine that they moved around me. Unfortunately for me the dye didn’t show up as they think the lymph node in question was too deep so I didn’t have the biopsy done because they couldn’t identify the node.

I also had one for a mole and three removed from my groin. My leg felt a bit funny and heavy for a coupe of weeks and I turned a shade of grey for a day.
I am having the same procedure in two weeks time.

Thanks 2 Doggies. I'm not sure how much things have moved on by the sounds of things . Posters here are definitely encouraging to me though.. best wishes 😀

Thanks Pippa. yes it's good to know it hasn't left particularly bad memories for you.

I must be a bit of a weirdo because I didn't find my breast biopsy too bad. When they put the metal thingy in my boob- now that was nasty. I had the bruise for months afterwards. best wishes

Thanks and I hope all's going well for you .

Thanks Happy. I hope it all goes smoothly again in two weeks time 😀

@Liz1tummypain. The lymph node excision is more tricky post op than the lumpectomy. Do do the exercises they give you. My arm pit is still a bit numb from the lymph node 9 years on. Nothing of any note but it was a bit more pulley and ouchy for a while.

Thanks Pippa. Yes I will do the exercises. I'm sorry you're still getting numbness. Hope it isn't giving you any pain..