Biopsy Today

Good news. Thanks for letting us know.
I was the same.... read all sorts of horror stories about pain, bleeding & swelling...
It was a big nothing.

Good luck with the results.

One step at a time is key for this. I have a repeat biopsy soon. As you said the biopsy procedure isn't horribly painful just mildly annoying. What I found horrible was the reaction to the Antibiotics ( I got colitis from it) and the blood in my semen for 8-9 weeks after. Go get some rest and heal up. For the repeat biopsy I have drugs that will help with the colitis, etc.

I just had the transperinal yesterday.. not sure on cores but it was very easy. Walking around with no blood issues..

@stew80
We all have different reactions to having biopsies done and how. It really comes down to what is best for you and your ability to endure, discomfort, stress, and anxiety.

If you had no choice, you did a great job getting yours done with little discomfort. Usually, and I don't know how yours was done transrectal it is done in a doctor's special office. Transperineally is done in a surgery room. Normally transperineally has anesthesia thus the surgery room and anesthesiologist needed. It is such a different procedure between transrectal to transperineally.

Transrectal per my Mayo urologist comes with a 1-2 percent of increased infection risk. There are some good antibiotics to help prevent this. But when my urologist said: "Well if you got the infection, you would only have to spend a couple of days in hospital." So, I wanted to do whatever I needed to do to reduce that. I have read several post now of those who regretfully fell into the 1-2 percent. Note: Some urologist cite 1% my Mayo urologist said their research showed 1-2%.

Several years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD that developed into anxiety/panic disorder. A lot of individuals with prostate cancer (like me) have a low threshold for discomfort, stress, anxiety and thus you will see many recommending transperineally. I am not sure how they do transrectal in relation with transperineally but transpernial can use MRI/Fusion biopsies to guide urologist. I am not sure transrectal can do that as just don't have information on that method.

I am glad you got through it and posted a positive post to others who may not have a choice.

Thanks for writing this. I'm similar to @jc76 and am nervous, anxious and always envision the worst. My pre-biopsy research had me reading all kinds of horror stories such as bleeding for weeks, getting permanent ED from the biopsy, etc. I was concerned because my biopsy was transrectal but I took the antibiotics and requested twilight anesthesia and the doctor agreed. I did wake up covered with blood on my lower body which immediately panicked me but the nurse just said "oh, yeah, the doctors don't do a good job cleaning up" and she wiped it off and I was fine.

I had blood in my urine but for less than a day and only had "murder semen" for the first 3-4 times. I was in low-moderate pain when sitting for about two days but 5 mg THC gummies (legal here) did the trick and killed the pain without making me too loopy. It was MUCH less bad than I had expected, and that has held true for most of my treatment as well so far.

"murder semen" LOL... I called mine "vampire semen". BTW there aren't really any images from internet searches that show what this really looks like. You just can't imagine......

BTW, referring to your other post about anemia, I forgot to mention the possibility that you may be on a medication - aspirin, blood thinner, etc which is making you bleed microscopically in your intestine; you may be passing blood in your stool not visible to the eye — VERY common.
Waking up “covered in blood” certainly suggests a bleeding issue IMO, even for a biopsy which should not be that bloody no matter what kind you have.

I've had two biopsies, April 2023 and April 2024. Both were MRI fusion ultrasound guided transrectal procedures, done under anesthetic. The first was 13 cores, the second was a "saturation" biopsy with 28 cores. No pain to speak of either time. I had a few days feeling some "pressure" like I needed to have a bowel movement - but not really bothersome. Blood in my urine for a few days after each procedure, but after day 1, it would just be a little pink that would fade after a few seconds. The "vampire semen" (love that term @jayhall) was unsettling, especially the first time around - they told me to expect blood in my semen, but I was expecting it to be more like the blood in my urine. Second time around, I was prepared for that, so not so unsettling. But it probably took 10 ejaculations before my semen got back to something resembling "normal."

I'm sure there's a wide variation in guys' experience with this procedure. A good friend had a biopsy done in the doctor's office with no anesthesia - said it hurt more than the "rubber band snap" he had been told to expect, but not tragic.

@stew80 - hope your procedure went well!

Good comments here. 24 hours in for me and no infection so that's good. After the procedure they gave me 'absorbent underwear' immediately to wear and sent me on my way. At the end of the day I removed the underwear and it was quite bloody. I had no idea, so it was a bit of a shock. The blood in the urine only lasted a few pees. At bedtime things were back to normal. Just some sensitivity 'down there'. I read that it takes a month to fully heal the gland.

Yup the amount of blood right after the procedure can be shocking. You will continue to pass blood in some amount for 2-3 days. Good job on not getting an infection. That's the Major concern. Also you might want to wear some older regular underwear for the next few days. Don't try to get the blood out if you bleed on it, it's mostly impossible. Just throw it away.