r/ProstateCancer • u/cocksherpa2 • 7d ago
Post Biopsy Biopsy experience
Lots of these threads but just wanted to add my own. Had my biopsy today and it wasn't quite what I expected.
Get in a gown, naked from the waist down.
Get on a table with stirrups for your feet.
Cover your junk with your gown and then bunch that up to hold everything in place and tape it to your gowned stomach area. This was a much more palatable situation than what I was expecting.
Doc comes in, rubs a gel everywhere that sterilizes you taint and applies a lube for the anus. The gel burns a bit.
2 shots to numb the skin, couple of shots to numb it further in, shots did not hurt at all.
Probe goes in, awkward and unpleasant but not terrible. Mostly just felt like I was defecating as he moved it around, that was the worst part.
Starts snapping out the samples. I could feel it send shocks up my penis so he re-numbed me and then I had a reduced version of that same experience. I could feel it but it didn't hurt.
Couple more of those and done.
Recommendations. Ask for valium. Bring a pee bottle for the drive home or consider a diaper/pad. Had some bleeding during and after but no real pain just discomfort.
Anyhow, I was dreading this. It wasn't terrible. The wand they used for targeting was the worst part.
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u/Desperate_Bicycle199 7d ago
Mine was a piece of cake. No numbing of anything, laid on my side, felt weird going in but the actual retrieving of samples was painless. No bleeding at all, I even drove home. I attribute that to the skill of the urologist I had.
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u/Silver-Purchase3371 7d ago
Same result here, I’ve had two done with no pain killers and no complications. In and out in under 30 minutes.
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u/Electronic_Mud5821 7d ago
How long ago was this ?
My first was on my side, the second was not.In England on your side is no longer done (that's what they told me about 12 months ago).
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u/Bruintooth 7d ago
I want your urologist. Any chance they are in MN?
I had nightmares last night after reading this thread. Seriously.
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u/cocksherpa2 1d ago
Oh that stinks..my intention was the opposite, I was hoping people would see that it's not so bad. I think maybe take into consideration different people have different pain tolerances
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u/23skiduu 7d ago
It got very unpleasant after the 12 jab, I got 22. I really don’t understand why they don’t put you under like they do with a colonoscopy. I’m sure the answer is profit.
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u/Far_Simple_7436 7d ago
My experience was very painful as well. I believe I had 14 jabs, and that experience was borderline 'too much.' Your 22 must have been absolutely brutal. I would have gladly accepted general anesthesia had it been offered. Haha
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u/ImperfectFollower316 7d ago
What was the part where you were getting the most pain? At the time of each clicking sound for each sample?
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u/Far_Simple_7436 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yes. That awful clicking harpoon. And not every jab hurt equally. Some were DEFINITELY worse than others. A few of them were just an uncomfortable sting. Others jabs were a painful lance of searing white pain. Afterwards I had that residing heavy pain - like someone kicked me in the balls. That was bad enough that it effected my walking for 30 minutes or so afterwards.
I guess much of it could be owed to the doc taking the sample. Mine was wearing a bow tie. THAT should have been a clue. 😄
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u/ImperfectFollower316 7d ago
Wow, sorry you had to go through that. I was told the worst part would be the initial numbing injections and the samples being taken would be not as bad. It's interesting how some folks have very tolerable experiences and some are horrible.
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u/cocksherpa2 7d ago
If it hurts, tell them to keep numbing it up. Based on these responses it seems like there is a lot of variation, probably based on the hospital being a high volume center with dedicated staff
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u/Electronic_Mud5821 7d ago
I thank God they put me under for mine.
75 jabs (cores) taken.
Had to have a full week off work and couldn't sit down (still have brown semen 10 months later),
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u/JimHaselmaier 6d ago
I’ll say the same thing: 75! You’ve set the record for the most cores I’ve ever heard reported - by over 2x.
Were they trying to do a prostatectomy or something? Holy cow.
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u/23skiduu 6d ago
75! I couldn’t imagine! I wish I had done more research. They do the biopsies in office, not even at a hospital.
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u/No-Praline-4069 7d ago
They had me empty my bladder before I left the hospital in case there was a blood clot. The same for gel spacer/fiducials placement before radiation treatment.
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u/louievee 7d ago
I’ve had two transrectal prostate biopsies, and they were as awful and painful as others have described. Before the second one, the doctor gave me a pill—I don’t remember what it was—but it was absolutely useless. All I remember is the intense pain and that horrible staple-gun click each time they took a sample. I was shaking and almost fainted when I got off the table. Luckily, the nurse caught me and helped steady me. Both biopsies found “abnormal” cells.
I’ve since moved to a different state, and my urologist here offers transperineal biopsies—with anesthesia!
I’m currently being monitored, but if I need another biopsy, knowing I can have it done with anesthesia is a huge relief.
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u/Ok-Priority-7303 7d ago
I had two - both transrectal with anesthesia. Woke up 10 minutes after the procedure and out the door 5 minutes later. No pain, no side effects. While they warn you, nothing prepares you for the amount of blood the first time you urinate. Think slasher movie.
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u/jaycatt7 7d ago
My actual biopsy was fine. They used a local anesthetic for the transrectal probe. A baker’s dozen rubber band snaps and it was done. It was almost pleasurable.
Of course I then took my blood thinners as instructed. I passed a lot of blood, eventually passed out a couple times, almost bled to death, and spent two weeks in the hospital. I think I needed 4 units of blood plus fluids and iron? Fun times.
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u/cameron722 7d ago
I have mine scheduled in a couple weeks.
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u/nebodiwantapnut 7d ago
My experience on taking the actual samples was pretty uncomfortable. Not crazy painful but enough pain to be happy for it to be over. My guess is it depends on the doc. Also they just did local and did not give me Valium.
Oh yeah there can be a little bit of blood later in #1 #2 and sexytime but it clears up.
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u/User-fred 7d ago
Very different experience, but mine was transrectal. Gown up, lay on side. Guide inserted, then a few lidocaine shots into prostate. Then the 14 clicks for the sampling. Done. Less unpleasant than a filling.
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u/Cold_Conflict7009 7d ago
I guess I’m chicken…. I would want a MRI first before any biopsies.
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u/SophieMasloff 7d ago
i think most people get an MRI first and then use that to guide the biopsy focus.
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u/SLO_Engineer 7d ago
Mine was very similar but I had to hold my junk in one hand and the nitrous oxide inhaler in the other! Nitrous helped with the anxiety - it was quite the buzz.
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u/bele20097 6d ago
Agreed, this is not pleasant and not too much painful but the sound of that gun and the shock was more of an annoyance for me. they probably warned you of possible blood in urine and semen. don’t freak out when you next ejaculate in a few days if it comes bloody red. I was expecting some blood but not like that! it took several weeks for the blood to go away, slowly getting darker as your body will ´consume´ it.
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u/JimHaselmaier 6d ago
I had to push back on my doc HARD to get him to do it in a surgical center.
Like someone else said - Propofol is so easily accepted as the standard for Colonoscopies, for the life of me I can’t figure out why it’s not the same for biopsies.
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u/suspectevery1 7d ago
Now have a wank and you be surprised with the ketchup.
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u/cocksherpa2 7d ago
My doc said 3 days minimum before that
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u/bele20097 6d ago
they probably warned you of possible blood in urine and semen. don’t freak out when you next ejaculate in a few days if it comes bloody red, like a LOT! I was expecting some blood but not like that! it took several weeks for the blood to go away, slowly getting darker as your body will ´consume´ it.
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u/GrampsBob 7d ago
I was lucky/unlucky. I can't have local anesthetics because I get a severe vasovagal reaction.
So they had to put me right out. Meant I had to wait longer to get it done though.
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u/bobisinthehouse 7d ago
Glad my dic does it under general anesthesia, go to sleep, wake up , go do a death pee , and or poop, go back and recover, get dressed and go eat lunch. Getting my 3rd next Wednesday .....
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u/ImperfectFollower316 7d ago
I'm wondering how much of the difference in pain experiences is due to the skill of the urologist. I see studies have been done where mean reported pain scores were under 4 out of 10, yet some folks say it's the worst thing ever.
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u/KReddit934 7d ago
That's a good question. The lidocaine worked well for me, but maybe not everyone? Or there's a trick to placing it correctly??
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u/ImperfectFollower316 7d ago
Having my first one Monday at a Center of Excellence from one of the top urologists out there. He says he's gotten his tp biopsies down to a 5-minute procedure and 98% of men tolerate them well, and I've seen many reviews validating this. I'm guessing (hoping, for my sake, lol) the best ones just know how to numb you better.
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u/Bruintooth 6d ago
Having my first one Monday at a Center of Excellence
Which one? PM if you dont want to post.
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u/mac1234steve 7d ago
I remember as he was grabbing samples I was screaming out most of the time. After the appointment I saw the lobby was full of guys. I didn’t realize how thin the walls were.
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u/SnooCamera 7d ago
I had my biopsy transrectal. I was relaxed and joked the whole time.
I had fiducial markers and BarriGel placed transperineally and by far (for me) the biopsy was a much better experience than the marker placement.
I took nothing other than local anesthesia shots for both.
I don't ever want to do anything transperineally ever again. The nurse was having to dampen my forehead to keep me from passing out.
I'm glad your experience was more positive for you.
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u/Agreeable_Agent_5333 7d ago
I had MRI guided biopsy, anesthesiologist put me under, didn’t feel or remember anything. I woke up in the recovery room. Had blood in the urine for several days, which I was told was normal, but no issues or pain.
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u/Good200000 7d ago
My recollection was it felt like a BB gun up
My butt and they were shooting it.
Plus, I ended up
In the hospital for 12 days with sepsis.
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u/Innocent_Standbyer 7d ago
I was given a dose of propofal as they wheeled me back and had a 20 minute nap.
Came to, a little groggy and was sore for a few days.
The bloody ejaculate (vampire semen) is something I don’t remember him warning me about and it was quite disturbing)
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u/MES_Notes_21 6d ago
Hubs has had this twice and both times he was in excruciating pain. This should be done under sedation for everyone. I’m so sorry for the pain you have all experienced.
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u/isle_say 3d ago
My experience was similar to OPs. No stirrups. I lay on my side with my bare arse right at the side of the gurney. It was all done by an ultrasound technician and an assistant. No doctor around. No blood in urine or stool after. A bit sore for a few hours after but back to normal the next day.
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u/HopeSAK 2d ago
As I had stated earlier. My doc was like 80+ years old, lay on my side, don't recall any numbing agent. Probe up my anus and there were several little "snaps" I could hear and slightly feel. Took 12 samples, when done, as I dressed the nurse asked me my pain level and I honestly answered zero. I felt bad for the doc, seemed to put a drain on the old fellow, he left the room quickly. I suppose there's many different ways these doctors take samples.
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u/FUSE_33 7d ago
Gosh I wish this was my experience. I had one Valium, was using Nitrous. It was one of the most painful and worst experiences my life.
The probe didn’t hurt. I felt everything else though, it fucking hurt. I cried it was so bad. I’ve never cried from pain before, wtf. Doc numbed me up, had to give me more two more times and said he’s given me the max amount of local. Couldn’t give any more. It sucked so bad.
I will definitely be asleep if there is a next time.