Second Lip Biopsy Wednesday

[kelene]

almost four yrs to the date of my first one I am having a second one...

they didn't get any glands the first time around.. but new drs need to establish an autoimmune connection... I remember the whole experience as a bad one.... maybe because I went through it and they never got anything.. I think It was that fact that they are right in your face literally ....for the whole thing.... trying not to get nervous about it but its hard.... so I think I might even take some advan to help calm me down... I think being tense and nervous is goin to make it worse....

I am wondering if anyone that had to have two biopsies .. ended up without a dx at the end of all of it... I am sure I have sjogrens. abnormal schimirs abnormal parotid scans all signs and symptoms  and my drs have excluded all the other possible problems.. re.. HIV Hep and meds that would cause dryness etc....

I am trying hard to visualize a postive experience... mind you I have had to deal with  two normal muscle biopsies and a dr trying to send me to a shrink.. so I think half of my fear.. is fear that it will not tell them anything.. ( alittle post traumatic too many medical tests goin on...)

I was half hoping by venting here It will make me feel better.. I am not looking for a decision on whether or not I should have it.. in my case its necessary...... I think I need ways to help me make it through the procedure and stay calm.... is that possible???

thanks

[inga]

Ativan is a benzodiazepine that can affect the result of your biopsy.  It can cause dryness, so can the interdose withdrawal.  All benzodiazepines produce a sicca like syndrome, both as a side effect and it gets very bad when the drugs are wearing off or if you choose to withdraw from them.  Ativan is lorazepam.

The lip biopsy is not a threatening procedure.  It may be better to do some visualization or relaxation techniques.

[navydad]

Surely they didnt do the first one while you were awake,, they put me out for mine,,and I am sorry I had it done,, all it showed was fibrosis,, what ever that means,, but tehre still treating me as I have SS,,,

I know all to well the shrink route,, its disgusting that they think we make all this stuff up,, seems when they cant figure it out,, were either nuts,, or its all Fibro,, we know our bodies and we kow something  is wrong,,,, like this neuropathy I am dealing with,, its disgusting the way I;lm being treated,, try not to worry to much,, I am sory you have to have this again,, my experience was horrible,, I still feel where it was numb,,

They never got any glands on the first try,, who did it,, the Janitor?,,

[kelene]

AN experienced ENT ... apparently.. he commented that my glands were very athropied... and I think he destroyed them when he spread them on the slide.... I was awake... and I will be awake on wed,,,,. the ent on wed is the doctor that does it for most of the dr in the area and there is a 6 to 8 month waiting list to get into see him for one...

[Scottietottie]

Hi Kelene 

Good luck with the procedure.  I assume all your blood tests must be negative or you wouldn't be needing the biopsy done. As you'll have read in here - quite a few people have negative blood but do still have Sjogren's.

Let us know how it goes. Doing a bit of 'relaxation' sounds like a good idea.

Take care - Scottie 

[kelene]

MY immunologist quotes 30% of patients are seronegative

[kelene]

Done and over with... this dr was great.. he numbed the skin before freezing it.. so I felt very very little.. I did have to take some tylenol... So all I have to do is wait a few weeks...

[eyeamdry]

[quoteSurely they didnt do the first one while you were awake,, they put me out for mine,,and I am sorry I had it done,, all it showed was fibrosis,, what ever that means,, but tehre still treating me as I have SS,,,
][/quote]

I surely was awake when I had mine done. 

You said you have to have this done.  That should be what you focus on.  If you had it done once, well then you know the routine.  Or, you can just say no.
I'm not writing about my experience so as to not try and influence you. 

Navydad was out while he had his done.  I didn't get any sissy treatment. lol I sat in the oral surgeon's chair and the assistant pulled my lower lip down as far as it would go and the dr used little snippy scissors and I knew they were scissors because I could feel him clip, clip, clip.  Then finish up with some stitches.  I would not have it done again.

[Billydude]

I'm having my second one done next week.  I was part of a Sjogrens study at UCSF two years ago and agreed to have it done again a part of their program.    I did get a confirmed diagnosis from the first one.    The only part that I refused to have done again was the Schrimers test.   My eyes are not particularily dry but I just hated that test.   The lip biopsy itself was nothing ...and I was awake.

[Patze]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too Kelene!  I was wide awake for mine (wish that I hadn't been), but toughed it out.  Would I do it again?  No way in heck would I even consider doing it again, nope, and told the rheumy the same (have already posted my story several times so I won't bore you).

Take care -

Patze

[eyeamdry]

Billydude-Just flip us around.     I can't believe you hated the Schirmer's test over the biopsy.  lol.  Shows how different we are.  I could have one Schirmers test a week for a year without problems.  I could never have another lip biopsy and be happy.

I see you were asleep.  You had a cushy deal.  I'm glad you did though.  Maybe others will read of that and ask for it.  I could have used it.

[Billydude]

No.. eyesmdry....I was awake.   It was nothing at all.   I had someone who knew what she was doing.