preparation for biopsy

[Marcia2202]

I have my biopsy coming up in a week. I wanted to ask, if you stopped taking blood thinning supplements like Vitamin E, fish oil and selenium, garlic pills, cayenne etc. before the biopsy.

I have read that one should stop these and certain meds like aspirin two weeks before SURGERY. (I am NOT taking any medication, so I am ONLY asking about supplements) So I am wondering how this would apply to a liver biopsy.

What is your experience with this?

Thanks for any input.


Marcia

[Xenigma]

I was told to stop my Vit.E one week before my bx.
and stopped centrum silver too.  I think I stopped before the week they told me.  (Maybe 10-14 days before)
The only thing I was allowed to take was my BP meds with a sip of water the morning of.  

Good luck with your bx - hope all goes well
and you get good results!...
enigma

[Marcia2202]

Thanks so much. I stopped all kind of blood thinning stuff about ten days ago. I eat a lot of chili and garlic everyday and stopped that, too. I was just wondering if I was exaggerating with this.

Marcia

[Annie441]

Your liver is a very vascular organ. So some people, like me (but I have von Willebrands disease) have had problems with bleeding after their bx. The vitamins that you listed can cause or exacerbate bleeding, like you said they are blood-thinning supplements. I stopped all of my vitamins a week before my bx, even ones that I knew would not effect the bleeding. For me, I would rather be too cautious.

Good luck on your bx next week.

Ann

[mremeet]

No student doctors - PERIOD. 'nuff said.

[Marcia2202]

Thanks. It's good to know that I am not exaggerating. I thought better safe than sorry.

[Marcia2202]

Your comment really made me laugh, as it kind of came out of nowhere.

Thanks, I'll interrogate the person doing the bx before they start.

Marcia

[mremeet]

Hey, no problemo. I've had two biopsies performed, BOTH performed by student doctors. TRUST ME ON THIS, NO-NO-NO STUDENT DOCTORS! NONE! And if you see one coming your way, DON'T FALL FOR IT, DON'T BELIEVE THEM. It's all a massive scam, they are LYING! And make sure they don't try and gyp you out on the pre-op pain meds either. Cheapa$$es...

[fretboard]

Dang!  I must have gotten gypped b/c I didn't get anything but a valium once and the lidacaine or whatever to numb the area.  I was hook-up to an IV both times so they may have been giving me something.  Being on meds for pain messes with my tolerance level when it comes to anything good anyways.  LOL  I never really thought about any blood thinning supplements.  Good idea, the last time I had a bx was in June of 05 and the doctor who took it asked me before hand if I wanted him to get two specimens.  He said your doctor will have a better reading maybe, I said oh yeah sounds good to me.  So I heard that second thud, tap or whatever you want to call it and that was it.  I don't know if it benefited me, when my doctor gave me the results all he said was oh yeah there were two specimens.  Then he told me I was good for another 5 yrs.  I don't know where that 5 yr. rule came from, maybe insurance companies.  I just ignored him with that nonsense.  I'm going for an ultrasound at the end of this month then it's off to tx.  God I feel like I'm going in the Army or something, it sure don't feel like I'm getting ready for a camping trip, I'll tell you that.  LOL

[Isobella]

I am so glad your biopsy is right around the corner.  Good also that you stopped the blood thinning supplements.  Please keep us posted.

Izzy

[meNtoby]

Hi Marcia,  I only stopped the aspirin, and had a lengthy list of meds and supplements on my pre-biopsy forms, all taken the day before.

Had the biopsy without any meds at all, and drove myself home 30 minutes later. (Now I know that the hepatologist was doing me a huge favor with that, because I got pretty sore as the local anasthetic wore off.)

Never bled apparently, but I stayed on the couch as much as possible, and walked very softly when I had to get up.  Perfectly fine the next day.

Good luck to you with the results, because I know you'll breeze through the biopsy!  

c.

[Marcia2202]

Thanks so much!!!

fretboard and mremeet - for trying to scare the sh1t out of me... it didn't work, ha ha... I grew up with a big brother 7 years older than me!
(I know you know that I'm being sarcastic)

Isabella -  for the softer words and reassurance

meNtoby - for trying to turn me into some kind of daredevil. ROFL

I am less tired today and you guys crack me up! I'm in a very funny mood!

Love ya all, Marcia

[nygirl7]

Bring a good book with you - you get there so early and then spend hours waiting. Then the procedure is like only three minutes long literally and then you have to wait another four hours before they let you go home.  

A book is definitely a good idea - a magazine or two just wouldn't last long enough!

PS I didn't get any good meds beforehand either - if I ever do it again I'm INSISTING on them!  Oh they did offer me one whole entire percocet afterwards I just laughed at the nurse and politely said no what is that really going to do for me?

[Marcia2202]

Thanks, I'll take a book and my ipod. That should be good enough. Maybe I should take my mac, too. Then I could be online with you all. :-)  I will actually look into this, if I have to spend hours there after the procedure... It would be nice to get online...

Marcia

[marsfreek]

my first bx was by a student doc. and i had pain for three days, my second was
done by my hep doc. I got the versed and demerol it feels real good for about 25
seconds and the all of A sudden you wake up 45 minutes later in strange surroundings
no pain and no memory.

[mremeet]

No student doctors. Just say no. Noooooooooooo. ;-)

[mremeet]

Oh and do NOT visit the following websites. DON'T DO IT. ;-)
No student doctors.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6551255-0-large.jpg

http://www.gta-uk.co.uk/5558/5585.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*

[Marcia2202]

You are SOOOO NAUGHTY...

[meNtoby]

Daredevil, lol, you need to be a dd to start and continue treatment, in my opinion!

c. aka,
Wonderwoman, starting in 6 weeks.

[Marcia2202]

Did you check the links mremeet posted. They are a MUST!! He got me laughing sooo much, I had tears in my eyes.

[Annie441]

That's just wrong....LOL

[Kerfluffle]

I was told not to take any aspirin or Ibuprofen for a week prior to my biopsy

[Isobella]

I wonder if you can request....I'll take the Disposable Guillotine, please!!!!

Those were either too funny or TMI..can't decide  :-)

[Mary4now]

I took a nice long nap after my bx, with the strange medication they gave me.  I was not concerned about anything for a couple of hours.  M

[fretboard]

You'll be fine, I knew you had to look at those links, there was no way of not taking a peek and mremeet knew that.  That was cruel, but funny.  Know that you're loved on here and don't try to look at that needle, it's a honker:)  On the serious side, take a book.  I didn't think either time to take a book, it sure would have came in handy.  The needle part just takes a cinch and then it's over, then you sleep wake up and go home.  The waiting part is the long part, but I've heard that you don't have to wait for 3 hrs. afterwards anymore.  You'll be fine.  God Bless