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

@suesam With all these changes I can understand why you are so frightened. I don't know why your appointments were moved around but I wonder as you did whether this is because your oncologist is rearranging the schedule because of his vacation plans. It's very possible he looked at his appointments and patients and made some decisions on who to see before vacation. Also, while your oncologist said it could take 8 weeks to get back the results it's very possible that the results will come back sooner?

I'm going to share something that happened to me in which it was difficult for me not to jump to the worst case scenario. During one of my appointments there was a long delay before I was called in. I'd had a CT that morning and I was very anxious as I'd been having nausea and digestive symptoms and so I thought it was possible that I had a recurrence or a new cancer. I had the thought that the delay was because my nurse practitioner was talking with the doctors about my CT results and that there was something alarming in those results. When I was finally called it turned out that there were no exam rooms available and this was the long delay. My nurse practitioner said "I was ready to see you but there weren't any rooms so we had to wait". My physical exam turned out to show no evidence of disease and the CT showed nothing new. So, I talked myself into this panic because my thoughts went catastrophic on me. It's easy to do.

I'm very much hoping that when you do see your oncologist that in fact the results will be back you can have a good talk with your oncologist. In the meantime can you try this? Write down reasons why your oncologist changed your appointments that are not that worst case scenario - his schedule is changed, he wants to see as many of his patients as possible before he is on vacation, he's a very thorough doctor. These are all ways to challenge your thinking. Then, gently turn your attention back to the present as many times as it takes for you to have those moments of more calm. When I'm feeling very anxious I like to walk out my front door and stand on my front porch. I breathe in the fresh air (assuming it's not bitter cold) and look at the trees and the sky. I do this night or day. Can you guess why I chose the screen name of naturegirl?

HI there,

I'm feeling really scared right now. My biopsy was 3 weeks ago, and the doctor said it can take 8 weeks and to make an appt. then. So I called the next day they said it will be a phone call and they set up an appt. at the 8 week mark. Then on Monday they called and said he was going away that week (the week after Easter) and reset the appt for May 1 - a week later. So today - at the 3 week mark - I got a call and they said they had some appts. for me. He wants to see me in his office in 3 weeks. And they changed the phone call appt. by upping it up one week. So I have an in-office appt. the week before Easter and a phonecall appt. 2 weeks after Easter. (It sure sounds like he might be taking 2 weeks off for Easter) So the in-office appt. will be at the 6 week mark. I asked if they had my results and that was why he wanted to see me in person and I expected her to say that she didn't know and was just making the appts. at his request, but she said that they didn't have my results yet. She actually told me that 3 times - that they didn't have my results and that it was common for him to make the appt for results in his office. But I sure am scared. Why the change from a phonecall to an in office appt in 3 weeks? He said it could take 8 weeks and that's at the 6 week mark. It just sounds to me that it's cancer and he wants to talk to me in person. I'm just scared right now. Thanks for listening.

Thank you so much for the positive words.

carol1024, I wish you the absolte best. I want you to know that my mom, in her sixties at the time, was dx'd with carcinosarcoma in 2013. She had a hysterectomy and local radiation, and went on recurrence free till 2021. In 2021 it appeared in her lung (it has predilection for that), she had surgery and a few rounds of chemo- she is still alive and kicking in 2025. Hang in there and all the best to you.

PS- I am dealing with my own unfortunate issues, undergoing a uterine biopsy for heavy midcycle bleeding, but that's a whole other story... Prayers up and soldiering on. I might be back on here for support at some point myself.

I agree with you 💯

@gmasuzy Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and especially to our Support Group. Thank you for sharing how you advocated for yourself and reminding us that we are all different even through our circumstances may be similar.

Would you like to share a little more about yourself? What happened after the cervical tumor was found? Did you have surgery? A hysterectomy? And how are you feeling in your life now?

Good points here! Especially about advocating for oneself and asking for what we need. So you had a large tumor in your cervix? Did you end up with a hysterectomy? Hope you are doing okay, now.

My Dr. had ordered a biopsy because I was having post menopausal bleeding and cramping. Because I was already in pain I asked to have it done under local anethesia, I was referred to a Surgeon that agreed to do it. I had 4 previous ultrasounds that did not detect the large tumor that was in my cervix so I’m glad that I didn’t agree to having it done in a drs office with just a zanax for the pain. Everyone is different though and my circumstances were not common but as my Dr found out biopsy’s are not a one size fits all. You are the only one that knows how much pain you can tolerate., and I think alittle more consideration needs to be given to anyone that had to go through something like this . And perhaps given the choice to have something alittle stronger than a low dose pain reliever

@acorvettemom Well done advocating for yourself and having a D&C instead of the endometrial biopsy without sedation. Like you, I got the diagnosis of endometroid adenocarcinoma after the D & C. It was a huge shock to get that diagnosis. I asked for a referral to Mayo Clinic since my rural area does not have anyone who specializes in gynecological cancers. I got in to Mayo Clinic within a few days after diagnosis and had the hysterectomy the following week.

Your oncology appointment is coming up soon. I'd suggest writing your questions down before your appointment and taking someone with you. In retrospect I'm relieved that I did both of those because I was anxious and frightened when I went to the appointment with the GYNOncologist for that first time.

Do you have any other suggestions for our members?

This is good to know - to advocate for being knocked out. So sorry to hear about your carcinoma. You must be terrified. Wishing you all the best at your oncologist appointment coming up. I'm still waiting for my biopsy results. I'm glad you shared, it really helps me knowing all sorts of alternatives. But I am sorry your results show carcinoma.