Liver Biopsy etc.

[john]

Hi all,
i had a call from my hepatologist today saying they want to do a "trans-jugular liver biopsy next week, and to measure the liver blood-pressure differential and to possibly fit a stent to improve the blood pressure around my liver!!!
this obviously all happens by entering the jugular vein in my neck and pushing down from there.
anyone ever had this procedure?? apparently it's "state of the art" and saves going in through the side with a meat skewer under ultrasound guidance, something i had done a few years ago and never want again!
even so, this sounds a little scary.
help please, if only kind words
john

[slf]

Hi John
Have to excuse my total ignorance,but if they are prepared to do anything really scary sounding I think it means they have to know precisely what they're doing to you. While with a normal biopsy,hit and hope is probably a simplification,this does sound comfortingly scientific. I think you're in safe hands,micro-surgery is incredibly safe and very routine these days,but don't blame you for needing reassurance,think I would.
If its going to make you a bit better let em do it,can it be worse than canulation with a nervous nurse!
Good luck John and tell us all about it
Steve

[glowing]

Hi John.
Very best wishes for next week.
Glowing

[barbfrombc]

It is rather amazing how far our medical friends have come with these tests ... that doesn't mean they are any less unnerving for patiencts needing one. I hope this one is an improvement for you. You have a large cheering section here wishing you all the best (even from across The Pond).

Barb

[liz2mac]

Hi John,
Wow, this is somthing for you to get your head around. I'm guessing that the very thought of another in-patient visit fills you with somthing other than eager anticipation, quite apart from the procedure itself. It does sound as though the end result will be worth it though. Thinking about you, cheering you on from my corner of our world.
Liz

[mali42]

Hi John
Just what you need another hospital visit, I think it sounds worse than what it is, but at least its next week so it will be over and done with soon.

Best wishes Malcolm

[gilliem]

Hi John. We've compared notes on the state of our livers already, so I'll just wish you a safe procedure and a good outcome.
Love,
Gillie.

[beckag87]

Good luck John, my thoughts are with you. I have recently started singing in the church choir in a beautiful little church in the next village. As a 25 year old, I'm still not sure where my ideas on religion lie but there is something very comforting about sitting in a church. Therefore I will say a little prayer for you, not that you need it as I'm sure you will be absolutely fine and I'm sure the doctors know exactly what they're doing, just as a little extra help in case someone is listenng

[john]

hi peeps,
thank you all so much for your support. i do appreciate it.
i couldn't sleep last night trying not to imagine how they are going to get into my jugular vein. i think i just have to resign myself to the inevitable and hope that the knowledge they'll gain will far outweigh the temporary discomfort to me.
the hospital have taken all the blood tests the hepatologist asked for, now i'm waiting to hear when they want to see me!!
i'll try to enjoy the weekend, and i really hope you all have a good one too!
take care - john

[liz2mac]

Becks, how nice to hear you sing in a choir. Choral singing is my biggest delight. I wonder if we could start a choir of our own, anybody else want to join? We could have virtual rehearsals! Lol
John, my best wishes for a good w/e for you. Hope there is somthing to make you smie.
Liz

[mali42]

Hi John

Its never as bad as we imagine, remember the bone marrow biopsy, I would not look forward to another but would not be worried this time.

Have a good weekend :-)

Malcolm

[s162216]

May 4, 2012 19:50:23 GMT john said:

i couldn't sleep last night trying not to imagine how they are going to get into my jugular vein. i think i just have to resign myself to the inevitable and hope that the knowledge they'll gain will far outweigh the temporary discomfort to me.

Hi John,

It'll be from what I can work out, like having your jugular vein cannulated essentially. It'll be similar to having a central line put in and having it advanced down until it reaches the liver where the needle can make a small nick in the liver and collect cells on its tip. It can also be done from the groin in the femoral vein as thats also a central vein. It shouldn't be too uncomfortable as they'll give lots of local anaesthetic etc.

Ironically a few weeks ago when I was having an infusion, it was taking several attempts to get the cannula in (it doesn't help that I have skin like 'rhino hide' as we nickname it!) and one of the nurses commented that she had always wanted to do a jugular cannulation but had never had the chance. Guess I had better watch out!

Sam

[john]

hi sam,
i had a central line put in a few years ago in order to give myself iv antibiotics to clear pseudomonas. whilst it wasn't the best thing that ever happened to me, it certainly wasn't the worst!
so, if this jugular job is something like that, i feel a lot easier about it.
it's probably the connotation we have that opening the jugular vein is the best way to bleed to death etc. that puts the wind up one!
here's to next week!!
hope you are well yourself and having a good time at uni,
take care - john

[liz2mac]

Sam,
Its so reassuring to have your access to stuff that the rest of us either don't have or wouldn't understand if we did have. I feel better since your explanation and it's not even being done to me! :-) Hope Sam's made you feel a little better about it John
Liz

[liz2mac]

Hi John,
I don't know what day you're going in for this, but we'll all be thinking of you.
Liz

[john]

hi liz,
the dreaded day is fixed - monday at 3.00.
i will not be sedated apparently, so i'll need to get all my courage together, although i bet it will turn out to be a breeze (if only!!)
ivig tomorrow so i will be all topped up antibodywise.
take care - john

[emsy]

Good luck John, I'm sure that everything will go just fine. Will be thinking of you on Monday

[liz2mac]

Hi John,
Hope your "top up" went well. I'm sorry that you've got to wait until Monday for the procedure. I often think that we are all SO brave, the things we go through and don't turn a hair at, whereas other people look at us in awe for just accepting them as part of our "normal". It seems that Sam feels it will be only a little different from having a canula put in, in which case a peice of cake? Hope so any way, here's crossing everything that can be crossed until Monday. If you want somthing to take your mind off of it we're putting together the first UKPIPS newsletter. Poor John is chained to his chair. Periodically I throw food and drink at him...................................
Liz

[gilliem]

I'll be thinking of you on Monday, John, and hoping all goes well. The weather continues to be horrible here and it's really getting me down. In the last 24 hours I've done a round trip to Amesbury and back with Tommy. Visibliity was so bad my eyes are still winding themselves back in!
Love to you and Sue,
Gillie.

[john]

hi gillie and liz,
my infusions went well yesterday - no reactions that i didn't want, and at least now i know i'm as ready as i can be for monday.
because there is a lot of 'flu-like stuff around we decided that i should not go into the clinic to do my befriending today - just as well as it's poured with rain all day. horrible is the only word for it.
one really positive thing, my last blood tests had the team cheering for me, in that all my critical numbers are better, even my electrolytes are now all within the normal range!! i don't know what i'm doing that's right, but i must try to keep it up!! lorena, my nurse yesterday, even said my veins were super-plump and that cannulation was not only simple but completely painless!!!
hope you two ladies are well. we can't choose our weather but we can choose our friends and in you i have two absolute winners! (flattery will get me everywhere!)
love john