Liver Biopsy

[Scout19075]

Go on, give it to me straight -- how much does a liver biopsy hurt?

Lovely nurse (?) just booked me in and joked she'd love to book me in overnight so I could rest (I have a 3.4 year old who's go-go-go) but said to definitely take the book/s and/or magazines I don't get a chance to read with SmallBoy around. She said it's six hours bed rest immediately afterwards -- ahhhh, bliss, but at what (pain) cost?

I've seen them done, and they don't hurt that much - just a sharp stab feeling at the time. But you have to rest there just in case of bleeding

Long time no see!

Thanks for that. I have a reasonably high pain threshold but the thought of something going in between my ribs has made me a bit squeamish.

I've had one- it was fine, over very quickly. I had been terrified beforehand but wouldn't worry about having it done again.

Hi - my mum had one - over quickly and not nearly as uncomfortable as you might think - good luck.

Can you eat normally before/after? MrScout is talking about taking SmallBoy & I out for dinner when he picks me up.

I was told by a specialist that the Liver has no pain nerves, and that is why Liver primary cancer is so hard to diagnose early, as patient can feel no pain there.
My DH had an extended cancer disease in his liver, but he had no pain there. it was all in his tummy, which was endoed several times and no cancer found in the stomach.
His Liver cancer was eventually diagnosed at my insistance with ultra sound , but it was too late.

So I do not understand how a Liver biopsy can cause pain, as has no pain nerves>

Well in order to access your liver they have to insert a special needle deep inside you, between the ribs. This is what tends to worry people. They insert local anaesthetic first which stings a little, then when they take the sample it's a weird sensation. But in my experience not painful and over very quickly.

Sorry to hear about your husband

I have held the hands of lots of people who have had one and no one broke my fingers or punctured my skin with their nails so I'm guessing not too bad!

I've had a couple done and it's not a pleasant experience exactly. The last one I had, in Jan this year, was painful, i'd say in the 'deeply unpleasant' category in fact. I had problems breathing deeply afterwards (there is a capsule round the liver, and it gets punctured obviously), had shoulder tip pain (this is a kind of referred pain) for a few hours. It did all settle though and I got to snooze during my 6 hours' bed rest. Some places they keep you in overnight - this was case for me - but it seems to vary across the country frm unit to unit. Get someone else to carry your bag of books and mags .

The biopsy I had a few years ago was less painful, but ironically it caused more bruising and pain afterwards. you do have to rest up afterwards, not just for the basic 6 hours, which is of course when the bleeding risk is greatest, but take it easy for a few days. No heavy lifting, like moving furniture, lifting toddlers etc. You should be in a unit where they know to check you vital signs regularly - sadly, this doesn't always happen due to 'farming out'. The other thing is they do warn you about the very loud 'clunk' when the biospy needle is put in - it's quite a surprise and can be alarming.

I have progressive liver disease so know I've not had my last biopsy - i'd ask for light sedation next time, i think. I had more 'stuff' the first time, and wonder if that's why I found it much less painful as i was kind of floaty. So, OP, how did you find it? hope it wasn't too bad.

isshoes

Thank you.
He was in hospital for 2 weeks for further investigations, after the ultra sound, but he didn't tell me much , as many men are like. Only found out afterwards when he was pulling a face and holding his stomach, and I asked, that he told me he had a liver biopsy and 3 outer stomach wall lymph gland biopsies and showed me the plasters. Bless him < teary face and was 17 years ago>

I've had two. Neither really hurt at the time - though the first time I had an unpleasant shock, rather than pain, because it felt quite invasive and I hadn't expected that - but they can be painful for a few hours afterwards, iyswim. It depends what nerves get touched, I suppose, because the first time I had pretty nasty referred pain up in my neck/shoulder - the second time I had very little pain at all.

The bedrest isn't quite as much fun as it sounds either, because you have to lie on one side and not move too much for at least the first few hours - rather than getting comfy and snuggling down! But then, I didn't have a 3year old at the time, otherwise I might have appreciated it more

Oh digerd, that's so sad.

Biopsy isn't for another three weeks, so I get to psyche myself up for it. I'm quite comfortable with hospitals, don't usually mind needles/blood tests, etc., but after confirming my booking I got a bit, well, nervous. And having a few weeks to think about it doesn't help. MrScout is taking the day off to take care of SmallBoyScout so no one, really, to go with me and "hold my hand" as it were.

I'm hoping I'll get to eat during that time I do like eating and it will be a treat to eat by myself/not have to share food/eat while it's hot or cold as appropriate--. Also hoping to have decent reception to MN from my phone.