Endometrial Biopsy

Well. I have had three. And yes they do hurt. I don’t know why drs don’t give anything stronger for pain for the procedure. Fortunately the procedure doesn’t last too long and once it’s over you will be fine. Hope your results are negative.

@suesam Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Many the members of our Gynecological Cancers support group have had endometrial biopsies. This is a good place to talk about what’s involved and get some advice and support.

I did not have an endometrial biopsy so I cannot comment on that. Based on my ultrasound and recommendations from the radiologist who read the ultrasound my gynecologist went straight to hysteroscopy and a D &C while I was under sedation.

You may have already read this. When I do research on the internet I look for and read reliable and valid information that comes from places like Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic or from .gov websites that come from the National Institutes of Health. Here is what Cleveland Clinic has on endometrial biopsy:

— https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/15676-endometrial-biopsy

I hope your results are negative. What is the scheduled date for the endometrial biopsy?

Thanks Topsz, for sharing. That is good news - that it doesn't last too long. Thank you.

Thanks, Helen. I really should know better than to do a search and see such horrendous acct's of the biopsy. I understand people feel pain in varying degrees, and I'm not knocking their experiences, but I wish I never read them. It just scared me more. I landed in the ER last week with abdominal pain, so that's why I know my CT scan and ultra sound showed nothing but a mild thickness. I need to keep my research on reliable sites like you said. I had a hysteroscopy a few years back and found it just fine. My doctor wants to do the biopsy to be safe. I guess he was telling me that it was painful to tell me the truth and he's trying to prepare me the best he can. I guess the worst case scenario is that we can't get it done and I'll be sent somewhere for some sedation. The date is on Jan 20. He wanted to wait until then to do the pap smear and biopsy all at once - to get it over with. I don't mind some pain and I know it's a fast procedure and I know I need to do this because catching endometrial cancer in an early stage is key. I just was shocked. I have no signs of bleeding and my thickness is mild - a 6 - so I wasn't prepared to have a biopsy. Anyhow, thanks for listening. And thanks for responding.

@suesam I am tagging a few of our members who have had endometrial biopsies.
@gynosaur42 @bethmcbab @idaho1960 I am hopeful that they can fill you in on their experiences.

Thank you for your reply. It's good to know that the CT and ultrasound did not show anything other than some thickness in the endometrium. It's also great that your gynecologist is following up and then on (or after) January 20 you will have more information.

Did the visit to the ER result in a diagnosis for the abdominal pain?

Hi Helen,

It's actually my family doctor, not the gynecologist, who is doing the biopsy. He offered to send me to one, but said he could do it. A friend of mine thought he was cruel to mention it would be painful but I didn't feel that at all. He was preparing me by asking me to take the vagifem tablets for a month and advil before I come in, to help me. My friend kept going on and on about how cruel my doctor was to say that, but he's always been kind and gentle with me and I just thought he was stating a reality and trying to help me. The ER was very thorough with blood work, urine testing, a CT scan and an ultrasound but couldn't find the source of the pain. There were no masses or anything in my abdomen and pelvis. My family doctor thinks it might be IBS because I've had this pain in the past when I'm stressed. The biopsy is scheduled for 1:00 on Jan. 20th. Thanks for listening.

Not to get your business but an obgyn would have so much more experience doing this procedure. All I took was a couple of naproxen one hour before the procedure. Just a thought! You got this!

Thanks, Topsz. My doctor did offer to send me to a gynecologist but I'll let him give it a try. I'm much calmer now. I had landed in the ER and they found nothing suspicious in my CT scan and ultrasound except that thickness in my endometrium. I was just startled at the biopsy - since I have no symptoms and my thickness is a 6, I figured they'd just monitor it. And my doctor gave me ways to help with the pain, so I'm okay. I think I was just focused on the pain to avoid thinking of cancer, but I need to do this to rule it out. Thanks. I appreciate your thoughts and advice.

I had no gyne symptoms whatsoever, but urologist recommended a vaginal and pelvic ultrasound and found that my endometrial lining was 14. Then, went on to do a PAP, which was positive. D&C was scheduled right away to do the various biopsies. The gyne recommended general sedation because it is painful and the procedure would be longer than a typical biopsy of the uterus. I did not have any significant pain afterwards except for some soreness in the abdomen and spotting for about 6 days.

Perhaps you could ask for a paracervical block? I did, and other than the little pinch of the needle from the block.I felt no pain.