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[AndieKC]

Hi Ladies
Do any of you have had any experience with being pressurised into having outpatient biopsies? Or is it possible to change the gynae or hospital where it's done?
Without going into too much detail, I had a mirena fitted last August (10 months ago) for a mild simple hyperplasia without atypia. Hysteroscopy under GA, small polyp is as removed and a biopsy showed no abnormality. I am also on Evorel 50 patches to control hot flushes etc. (I am 48), 4 years post-meno.

6 months after mirena had been fitted, I was pressurised into a biopsy, it was the most painful experience ever, complete butchery, I cried like hell. The gynae letter said it was just an ‘appointment', no mention of biopsy, or advice to take painkillers. I even phoned up to check, and was reassured that it was just a check up, yet when I turned up they said it was for biopsy every 6 months. I felt sooo tricked into it, and still very traumatised months later. Worked with a counsellor to move on from this but the gynae insists on another biopsy soon, yet Dr Currie says there's no need as I have the mirena fitted and I'm on a low dose oestrogen.

I know this may sound pathetic to some of you who have gone through much worse, but i am having sleepless nights already, dreading the next appointment, I've never had children or been pregnant, and I'm wondering if there's any way to refuse this biopsy, or at least go to another hospital perhaps?

I've tried to tell myself that perhaps it would be peace of mind if I had another biopsy and knowing that all is well, but the gynae seems to be a dragon and I don't want to give the doctors a reason to refuse me prescription for estrogen. I had a 8 months battle with them, only won thanks to Dr Currie's intervention, but it seems they are back to their old tricks.
 I had terrible symptoms, very severe non stop hotflushes for two years I tried to handle it naturally with no success. HRT worked instantly so naturally I don't want to lose it. I am self employed, life is very stressful as it is but at least with Hrt I feel I have a chance to handle things.

I'm sorry if my post is pathetic, but I am dreading going back to that butcher again. Look forward to your advice ladies, many thanks for reading my post xx


I am thinking about the email service again and asking Dr Currie to intervene on my behalf, but before I do that, I wanted to see what my options are.

[CLKD]

Don't go!  Take someone with you who can advocate and say 'no'.

Where's your GP in all this?   I think you should speak to your Prescribing Nurse at the Surgery and ask advice.

A biopsy is a surgical procedure for which you should sign a Consent Form.   

[anais]

Why do you need a biopsy every six months? Do you have anything in your history that suggests you are at greater risk? Do you have ultrasound scans at these appointments? I ask because I had a biopsy today because my lining was thicker and like you, no idea I would have one there and then at the ultrasound appointment and of course no painkillers. It was horrible and somewhat traumatic, so you have my sympathies.

[AndieKC]

Hi ladies
Thank you for your replies.
If I don't go for the biopsy, the gynae will tell the gp to stop my estrogen because she has a very militant, anti-estrogen attitude. The Gp won't go against the gynae. We had this dance for 9 months, all based on the wrong assumptions by both the GPs ( I changed my GP) and the gynae. Both clueless about HRT. The gist of it was I developed mild hyperplasia with no atypia because they originally gave me sequential hrt tablets, and it should have been continuous hrt as I was already nearly 2 years post-meno when I first started HRT. They wanted me to stop oestrogen completely even when Dr Currie started telephoning, emailing and writing letters to them both. The whole battle took 9 months and I thought that was the end of it but now the gynae keeps sending me letters insisting on biopsy every 6 months. Newspaper articles suggest that they get paid for performing Outpatient hysteroscopies etc so could this be the true reason?

When I had the mirena fitted last August, I also had a small polyp removed which may have been causing the bleeding. The biopsies every 6 months is so something the gynae came up with months ago, but I'd thought after communicating with Dr Currie she educated herself about HRT but I'm scared to stand up to her as I don't want to lose my oestrogen patches prescription. I think the GP would be more sympathetic but I don't dare to rock the boat and lose the estrogen. Before HRT the symptoms were so severe I nearly had a breakdown, and I've finally started to get my life back on track, picking myself up a bit. Then that unexpected biopsy 6 months after mirena fitting, nearly floored me.
Xx