Endometrial Biopsy: I’m terrified, what can I expect?

Wow - Chrissie - you definitely are a Miracle Patient. Thanks so much for sharing your journey, your strength, and your deep belief and faith. You are incredible - 80 and going strong. So sorry for the loss of your mother and sister. That must have been so hard. How beautiful that your faith has seen you through all of this and I appreciate the prayers so much. That's also good advice to discover techniques to keep us calm in the face of storms. Great advice. I loved hearing from you and I wish you all the best. You are incredible. Thank you.

We are stronger than we can ever imagine. Not only did I have a metastasis, about 8 months after my first diagnosis of endometrial cancer I developed breast cancer. I was taking estrogen pills to combat the night sweats from the hysterectomy/ovary removal. I had gone into immediate menopause after that surgery. The breast cancer was estrogen propelled so I was taken off of it immediately. I had a lumpectomy because the breast cancer was caught very early. I was given radiation because at that same time my dear sister had Stage IV breast cancer and ended up passing away that year. Three months later my mother who was so broken by this also passed away. Wow, that was a tough year. It was then I decided to change my life and moved from the east coast to the west coast to start a new life. I went for a few good years until I got the metastasis. It was touch but as I mentioned in my previous note, my faith got me through. I was cancer free from 2002 until 2021 when I developed bladder cancer. I was told it was a result of the very hard radiation I had with the metastasis. I had surgery to have the lesion removed and a year of chemo directly into my bladder. Seems to have worked because I'm now three years cancer free, yay! I tell you all this to let you know life will throw you curve balls. No one is exempt from life's difficulties. You'll make it but you have to believe in yourself and in something even greater than yourself. It works for me. I'm now 80. My first cancer was at age 50. I outlived so many healthy appearing friends. My oncologist called me her Miracle Patient in all her reports. So miracles still happen in this day and age to just ordinary people. But I guess each one of us is very special in our Creator's eyes and not so ordinary. Do study techniques on staying calm in the face of a storm. You'll use these techniques throughout your life. My very best to you and I'll keep you in my prayers for strength.

Thanks, Chrissiebee, for sharing your story. Wow - you had a metastasis over 20 years ago and you're still going strong. That's awesome. That is a good point - most of what we worry about doesn't even happen. I'm surprised this is taking such a toll on me but I think it's just that it's been taking so long. By the time I go to my appt. it will be about 5 months since I was told I needed a biopsy, and it just seems to wear on me. But I need to pull myself together. I'll find out in about 3 weeks, the results. But I'm so happy to hear you're doing well. Thank you for taking the time time to respond. I appreciate it.

I had a biopsy several decades ago because I began spotting blood. The only pain I felt during the biopsy
was some cramping, nothing worse than some hard cramping during my menstrual cycle. The biopsy
only lasted, from what I recall, a very short time, a few minutes, and it's over. I can't imagine why
your doctor frightened you by saying what he did. I did have end up having endometrial cancer, and had a full hysterectomy . Six and a half years later, I had a metastasis, much to everyone's surprise. But the good news is
that was back in 2002, well over 20 years ago. So take one day at a time and don't overthink it because from my experience, most of what I worry about doesn't happen and if it does, you deal with it and come out fine. I have a very strong faith and rely on that. It's really the only thing that I can count on and trust. My best to you.

Hey thanks, Jean, and I'm so glad to hear that you recovered so well after your surgery. Sounds like everything is moving quickly for you and I wish you all the best with your chemo. Thanks for sharing. It really helps me to read about other people's experiences. Thank you.

Thanks, Helen. It sure is an interesting and often scary road to be on. And I find so many people will say, "Oh, don't worry", "Don't be afraid", "Think positively", "Don't think like that". I guess they think they're helping and I do know they love me but it's hard not to conjure up all sorts of things - and I'm not a negative person by nature at all. I found myself reading into everything the doctor and secretary said - like the doctor told me to make an appt. in 8 weeks and he never said it was going to be on the phone, the secretary said it was on the phone, then changed it 3 times and now I have a phone appt. and one in his office. She never said the doctor wants to see me in his office, just said 'Oh, I have some appts. for you." My assumption is that I do have cancer because now I have an 'in office' appt. in 3 weeks. But if I have cancer, wouldn't the appt. be sooner? It's all so confusing which of course stresses me out more and I feel like I've become a whiner.

So you have snow? I live in Ontario and our snow is gone but it's still mighty cold out. I'm a huge walker and me and my dog walk every day and I love nature too. I love getting outside and breathing in fresh air.

Thanks a lot for your peaceful comfort - a safe haven in the middle of my stress. I really appreciate it.

@suesam Yep, my experience of waiting for a medical appointment although shorter in time is well, about waiting. While we wait under extreme stress we manage to conjure up all sorts of scenarios for ourselves.

I'd like to share that the amount of time you've been waiting from being informed you need a biopsy to the present time as you wait for the results and to see your doctor is all just too long. I've been on Mayo Clinic Connect for almost 6 years now and I'm amazed at the variation of time frames for appointments and waiting for results between medical systems. I don't know what any of us can do about that other than advocate for ourselves. You are so right. The ambiguity that comes with confusion just causes more stress.

On the nature front, we had snow last night and I awoke to a peaceful and pretty scene outside my windows. It's supposed to be Spring but no one told Mother Nature that on the south shore of Lake Superior where I live. We have that variation of a familiar saying - "we have two seasons: 6 months of winter and 6 months of poor skiing conditions" or something like that.

I had both ultrasound and biopsy and didn't feel much beyond a quick pinch. My Gyne told me she suspected cancer, and then called me personally when the pathology came back. She also said endometrial is a slow growing cancer and I also had 6+ thickness. I wish you well. I had surgery and recovered very well after that, I begin chemo treatments this week, 8 weeks after being diagnosed. Stay strong.

Hey Helen,

Just wanted to thank you again for your response. By the way - thanks also for sharing with me your CT scan scare where it turned out they just didn't have a room available, and all was fine. I think I have 'waiting fatigue' - by the time I see the doctor for results, it will have been 5 months of waiting, since I was first told I needed a biopsy. And they keep changing the times and dates of my appts. And now I have an appt. in his office in 3 weeks. I just assumed he wanted me to come into his office because the results were bad, but she said they still don't have my results. I just find it confusing which creates more stress, but I'm going to try to find peace with it all because in fact, I can't change it. So thanks for listening. I appreciate it.

Awwww... Helen, you are so sweet to message me back so fast. You are so kind and thoughtful. It's been dragging on for so long, that I find I just so tired. It's been almost 4 months now since I was told I needed a biopsy and when I finally get to the appt., it will be almost 5 months. I just feel confused by it all. My doctor said to make an appt. in 8 weeks, the secretary said it would be a phone call, then they changed the date of the phone call, then called back and asked me to come into the office in 3 weeks, but still have a phone call 2 weeks later. Weird. I just assume that he wants to talk to me in person because it's cancer, although the secretary said they don't have the results yet. I just find it all confusing but I'm so surprised at how scared I feel. If I look at it calmly, I realize that he never said it would be a phone call, his secretary did. He just said to make an appt. in 8 weeks. So maybe he does see his patients face to face to give the results and is scheduling them around a vacation. The other secretary said he was going away the week of my first appt., so maybe he's away for Easter because the clinic is closed anyway for several days those weeks. And if he doesn't have the results - like the secretary said - then he's not calling me in to give me bad results because he doesn't know them yet. Guess ultimately there is nothing I can do, so I need to somehow find some peace about this. I love your idea of letting nature heal and soothe you. Thanks for listening. I'm still so surprised at how scared and shaky, I am.