Surgery "down there"

[Dogmama]

My gyn is going to biopsy two places on my vulva next week because they look "suspicious." (Maybe they were whispering to each other during my annual exam??)

This sounds painful. Has anybody had this done? I'm sure there will be a local anesthetic. How long before I can get back on my bike (ouch!).

[Wahine]

I haven't had the test, but there are some types of tissue changes that occur that can be precancerous, so that's likely what they're screening for. I can say that while I was in China I saw women treated with acupuncture for this. Yes they put needles directly around the suspicious area and then electrically stimulated them. I think I'd rather have the biopsy.

[Sprocket's Mom]

GULP!!!!

[Zen]

I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on tv but my guess would be normal healing time for tissue repair...maybe a week or a bit more.

while I was in China I saw women treated with acupuncture for this. Yes they put needles directly around the suspicious area and then electrically stimulated them. I think I'd rather have the biopsy.

sounds exciting to me

[Wahine]

The vocalizations that these women gave during the treatment where not sounds of excitement. There was a lot of calling out and yelping.

ETA - my mandarin is limited to ordering cold beer, so who knows, they could've been saying anything.

[Grog]

I have had some. It hurts a little but it was not terrible. I thought it felt a bit like the pain I get right before my periods sometimes...

Remember to bring your own pad in case of light bleeding, otherwise they give you the hospital ones which feel like diapers! (At my hospital anyway.)

[Zen]

There was a lot of calling out and yelping....

I'm not touching that one

[tc1]

Hi Dogmama. I sent you a private message. Thinking good thoughts.

[Dogmama]

Thanks! After Wahine's input, I was thinking about going into the procedure heavily medicated...

[Wahine]

They'll give you pain killers and anaesthetic.... and I bet there won't be any black mold growing on the hospital walls even.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I had some similar ones on my vulva most of the fun has been on my cervix.

Ask for Valium before you go to the docs office and get someone to drive you. Just my two cents. It's not totally terrible but it's not like a Pap either. Not alot of fun.

Ask your doc how long. I was not allowed to ride for about 2 wks until after my follow up. My cervical stuff I was allowed to ride but you just don't feel that great so don't push it if you don't feel good. Everyone is different.

And by all means, let those two vulvas breathe- if you can go as much as you can without underwear/pants, like at night. That helps alot, or it did for me.

Sending good thoughts your way!

[Dogmama]

Ugh. Three stitches in each area will probably keep me off my bike. No riding for 10 days, at which time the stitches come out. Wouldn't have been so bad if she had used more lidocaine - I had to ask for additional shots when I felt the cutting.

But ladies - it isn't as bad as road rash!!

She said it looked "suspicious" with "irregular margins" so off to pathology they go.

[Dogmama]

Saw the gyn - said everything looks OK - so why does it hurt?? Well, it's a sensitive area (duh!!) and the stitches will fall out by themselves. OK to bike when it doesn't hurt anymore.

The good news is - the biopsy came back OK. Just a couple of moles. They could have happily co-existed and I'd be riding today.

Sigh...

Thanks for everybody's advice & well wishes.

[Triskeliongirl]

That's great news!!! So glad you got them checked out though, at least you won't have to worry about them anymore.