Argh. That should have read Liver - not Live.

I had a laproscopic biopsy. My doc can't understand why docs are still doing the needle biopsy. So I can only say that laproscopy was pc. of cake. The CT guided needle, have heard mixed reviews. Ask Crystalcrane, she recently had one and I think she said wasn't bad at all.

I had one done last year. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. They put you into that "Twighlight Sleep" state. So you kinda know what's going on at the time, but by the time you really wake up,it's like a dream. I vaguely remember feeling a little pressure. It really wasn't bad. No complications after. I had scheduled a CT scan the next morning and thought I would just go to work after. Hahaha. I made it to the scan, but not to work. I came home and crashed.

Good Luck on Thursday. Let us know what you think

Thanks guys for sharing your experiences. So far sounds about like what I was thinking. They didn't mention "twilight sleep" though - ony local anesthesia. I was picturing like a novacaine shot but in the abdomen (?).

Sooo... sounds like I need to plan on not going to work afterwards? I originally told my boss I would be in afterwards.. maybe I'd best make other arrangements.

uhm no you should book the day off and NO heavy lifting for a couple of weeks after. You may want to take a book or some MP3s to listen to because you have to lay on your side for about three hours before you can move around

I have had two liver biopsies. The fist was a real easy. They put me in lala land and when I woke up didn't remember it all and they went through the side towards the back. Recovery was fine. That was in the day when I had insurance. This last one in December was a whole new ball game, no insurance so I had it done at our local hospital by a radiologist. They didn't put me out, just numbed the area. They did give me a valium before to take the anxiety away. I swear I felt everything, and I hurt for a couple of days afterward. It really only takes a matter of seconds, and the hard part is to lay on the area so it doesn't bleed, which is about 3 hours. So take some good company with you, reading or music. They gave me a pain pill after and I slept...lol.

Had mine took about 5 minutes.used twilight and there was no pain. Gl

Just had one done last week, was so scared, same as you ultra sound guided. Did not feel a thing. They give you an intravenous drug that relaxes you, then they take you in the room, use the ultra sound, tell you to lift your arm, and don't remember anything else. never felt a thing!! woke up in the recovery room, had to wait for a few hours, but all you do is sleep anyway. Then they gave me something to eat and drink and sent me home. You have to have someone to drive you home. it was a piece of cake.

My last one (of three) was conscious sedation. Yep, I was conscious through the entire deal and remember everything. My first one in '85 was done the only way back then. Just lie very still, take a deep breath hold it, and it's over. In and out. Glad they are more compassionate these days. Second one, totally knocked out. They even used my own blood to plug the hole.

You may or may not be a little sore. I have a very high pain tolerance, so I'm not the right one to ask about pain.

Thanks all, for your advice and sharing experiences.. I will go ahead and schedule that day off of work entirely. Gahhh, now I am scraed because when they were making my appointment, they made a point to stress that i wouldn't be sedated and that i could even drive myself... My "pre-op" visit is 2 days prior, I think I'll bring this up. Maybe I can request that i be sedated. i honestly don't think I can handle the giant stabbing needle, otherwise.

Thanks again.. will keep you all posted.

Some get the "twilight" sedation and some only local anesthetic. I would find out what your dr's plan is, and ask for some sort of sedation or anti-anxiety meds. They did both with mine, but I'm a chronic pain patient with a pretty high tolerance to pain meds, and they failed to take that into consideration, so after giving the local and some IV pain meds (that I didn't feel) they started with the biopsy, which brought tears to my eyes, and I had to ask if they had given me anything in my IV. They had a quick conversation about what else to give me, then I heard one say "Just give her both"....Next thing, I'm waking up in recovery and ended up having to be watched over night because my blood pressure dropped so low because they gave me too much! This was at the VA, so...not a very pleasant experience.

Thanks for this post. I think I will be having a liver biopsy after my child is born in July and I have been feeling somewhat anxious about it after reading about the procedure. I am going to request that I be knocked out if possible!

I've had two. One blind and one guided. No meds no big deal. Do as directed. Take the day off. Lie still after for a few hours. Like Mo says no heavy lifting for a couple of days. You could get referred pain in your right shoulder. I used a couple of Acetaminophen.. that did the trick. The unfounded fear was so much worse than the actual event. Good luck!

Thanks y'all for the advice and input. Sounds like, ultimately it isn't *horrific*, but still better with sedation. Or at least some anti-anxiety meds. I will ask about it at pre-op, I hope they listen to me. I have a low tolerance fo rpain. I wish I were tougher! :) Probably WILL be, after everything is said and done.

Yeah, if they said already that there's no sedation, you might want to insist on it. My first one in 2000 was with the 'twilight' sedation... you are actually alert during the procedure, but have NO MEMORY of it. That worked for me really, really well!!!
The one I just had a few months ago, even though I REQUESTED semi-sedation, I was given ONE mg. of the proper drug, which really wasn't enough to sedate a guinea pig. I FELT and REMEMBERED the whole thing. Granted, it didn't make me cry, I lived through it, etc, etc..... but it was the PRINCIPAL of the thing. I told the dr. that I didn't want to feel/remember anything; yet he acted as though I hadn't said anything. THAT is the kind of medical treatment I despise. If this dr. won't consider your preferences, FIND ANOTHER ONE!!!
Truly, the procedure isn't bad, just uncomfortable. But if you are a weeney like me, GIVE ME THE DRUG!!!
Also, PLEASE bring someone to drive for you. You should NOT be driving yourself home after an invasive procedure (into a very bloody organ) like a liver biopsy.