[angieskidney]

I have had 4 biopsies in 5 weeks. Every biopsy in my new kidney that I have only had for 6 weeks has shown no rejection. Should I be worried about having too many biopsies in such a short time in this new kidney of mine that hasn't "woken up" yet?

[1meanmomma]

Hi, I just recently joined this site for reason of what you are talking about, kidney biopsy! I sure hope you read this!!!! I have just been told that i need a kidney biopsy because of ongoing protein and blood in my urine. I need to talk to someone that has had this proceedure done, well because to be frank, I AM SCARED!! I was wondering if you could inlighten me about the whole thing, does it hurt, does the needle to numb you hurt, i would like to hear from somebody that actually has went through this kidney biopsy proceedure. I would love to type out my email to you on this so i can have you type me direct but i don't want it public. Please i am scared to death to get the biopsy done and would love to chat with you about it. I see where your last post was in 2007 so i sure hope you still get on this site!!!......From 1meanmomma....(scaredy cat)

[angieskidney]

[quote="1meanmomma"]Hi, I just recently joined this site for reason of what you are talking about, kidney biopsy! I sure hope you read this!!!! I have just been told that i need a kidney biopsy because of ongoing protein and blood in my urine. I need to talk to someone that has had this proceedure done, well because to be frank, I AM SCARED!! I was wondering if you could inlighten me about the whole thing, does it hurt, does the needle to numb you hurt, i would like to hear from somebody that actually has went through this kidney biopsy proceedure. I would love to type out my email to you on this so i can have you type me direct but i don't want it public. Please i am scared to death to get the biopsy done and would love to chat with you about it. I see where your last post was in 2007 so i sure hope you still get on this site!!!......From 1meanmomma....(scaredy cat)[/quote]

I have had it done so many times and it doesn't hurt or if it does not a lot at all. More like someone flicks a finger at you type of hurt if any. The sound of the sudden noise (kinda like how if you get earrings for the first time) startles you at first .. so they tell you "this will make a noise but don't jump". I find that to be the hardest part. Not the pain.

Yes I have been through this many times and no it doesn't hurt. BUT there is a risk of bleeding so they need (and usually are .. at least always were with my care) on top of the INR which is the International normalized ratio, a system for reporting the results of blood coagulation (clotting) tests. Clotting is an important part of preventing excessive bleeding of course.

Also I can understand you not wanting to put your email publically as neither do I. But I will give you this way to contact me: [moderator note: e-mail address has been removed]. This is a Recaptcha for security reasons which I use because of the high rate of spam online.

By the way, since we are posting in this thread I started, I wanted to say that my transplanted kidney finally started working and I have been off of dialysis now since Nov 14th 2007! I am not yet back to work however so I have been busy instead working on my kidney site at [moderator note: website address has been removed]

[angieskidney]

Seems I can't put links, my email or quote you (even though the option is there).

Okay well it doesn't hurt. More like someone flicks a finger at you type of hurt if any. The sound of the sudden noise (kinda like how if you get earrings for the first time) startles you at first .. so they tell you "this will make a noise but don't jump". I find that to be the hardest part. Not the pain.

Yes I have been through this many times and no it doesn't hurt. BUT there is a risk of bleeding so they need (and usually are .. at least always were with my care) on top of the INR which is the International normalized ratio, a system for reporting the results of blood coagulation (clotting) tests. Clotting is an important part of preventing excessive bleeding of course.

If you want to talk to me some more then just copy this into your browser and my email address is on the site:

[moderator note: website address has been removed]

[1meanmomma]

Hi, ooh gosh thank you so much for responding to my post, i am just so scared to do the kidney biopsy that it seems to be all i think about everyday. By the way for some reason this site removed your email so it did not show. I will try though... i am with yahoo and so i am going to do it kinda sneaky with hopes you know about yahoo. It is [moderator note: contact information has been removed] and then if you know yahoo then you can add the rest in so that this site doesn't catch on that i am giving you my email, so i hope this works, i would really love to keep in touch with you, i have so much wanted to talk to someone that has had the proceedure done and fill me in on it and how it feels, i am not sure when he is going to set it up though. So i hope you figure out my email just by how i tried giving it to you so we can keep in touch. I look forward to hearing from you soon in my email at yahoo!!!!

[angieskidney]

Seems there is absolutely NO WAY to contact each other through this channel ..

Sorry but I have never known a site that is against links to information as much as this one. Just search this site and rely on answers or search on search engines for my name as it is on here.

But I think really the best thing is to discuss your concerns with your medical team. The fear itself I understand as you have never done this before. I have done many and only linked to my site to show you pics of what I have been through (since my mom had taken pics of my experience since I was 16) for the last 19 years now. Oh well .. no pictures. It is a shame this forum doesn't have attachment abilities but they probably don't because of security reasons (attachments can be exploited) so don't get mad at the Nephrology channel. As for why the links and email were removed, I can understand email as spam bots harvest emails and you don't want spam. But as for links themselves .. I think it is probably just a security measure to prevent spamming for the use of advertising here. Only the moderators here can explain more. I didn't see any rules however so I didn't know til after I posted. (which it would be great if it said that we can't put in links or email where it says the age requirement under posts .. but oh well). Now we know.

Anyway good luck with your Biopsy. The important thing isn't the procedure but what they find right? Take care!

- Angie Essery

[1meanmomma]

Hi Angie! I am not mad at the site but your right as far as never seeing a site that doesn't allow each other to share their own emails with each other if they want to. I appreciate you getting back to me though as you well know the sound of the name Kidney biopsy sounds scary enough. I read how the proceedure is done from off the computer and boy did it sound scary. I was wondering though when they numb your back up does that part hurt? It said on the computer that it may sting or burn and that doesn't sound so good. I am not a whimp by any means, i mean i had 3 kids naturally but that test just doesn't sit well with me. How did they preform your test? You said you had 5 done, i think thats what you said? Anyway, i am sorry to bother you so much about this but as i said i have been wanting to talk to someone that has had that kind of test done before so i can get truthful answers as to what to look forward to other then the results which i know is important but i am talking about how it will feel even the needle they numb you with. How long did the whole process take? I need to be in the know zone so i know what is going to happen.....
Thank you, Jennifer

[angieskidney]

Hi Jennifer,

Ah yes I sometimes forget ... I should have said, my situation was a little different. Yes I had a kidney biopsy, BUT, my kidney biopsies were in the front because they were done in a transplant kidney (I lost my original ones when I was 16). But either way, yes they freeze at first and that is why you don't feel the biopsy needle. The freezing itself however, I have found does not hurt. But I am pretty numb in that area now anyway. You might feel a tiny sting but just like a bee sting or more rather like the sting you might feel for a flu shot. No biggie at all!

Here is some more information for you that I have shared before with others asking about renal (kidney) biopsy:

What is a kidney biopsy?

A biopsy is a diagnostic test that involves collecting small pieces of tissue, usually through a needle, for examination with a microscope. A kidney biopsy can help in forming a diagnosis and in choosing the best course of treatment. A kidney biopsy may be recommended for any of the following conditions:

* hematuria, which is blood in the urine
* proteinuria, which is excessive protein in the urine
* impaired kidney function, which causes excessive waste products in the blood

A pathologist will look at the kidney tissue samples to check for unusual deposits, scarring, or infecting organisms that would explain a person’s condition. The doctor may find a condition that can be treated and cured. If a person has progressive kidney failure, the biopsy may show how quickly the disease is advancing. A biopsy can also help explain why a transplanted kidney is not working properly.

Patients should talk with their doctors about what information might be learned from the biopsy and the risks involved so the patients can help make a decision about whether a biopsy is worthwhile.

What are the preparations for a kidney biopsy?

Patients must sign a consent form saying they understand the risks involved in this procedure. The risks are slight, but patients should discuss these risks in detail with their doctors before signing the form.

Doctors should be aware of all the medicines a patient takes and any drug allergies that patient might have. The patient should avoid aspirin and other blood-thinning medicines for 1 to 2 weeks before the procedure. Some doctors advise their patients to avoid food and fluids before the test, while others tell patients to eat a light meal. Shortly before the biopsy, blood and urine samples are taken to make sure the patient doesn’t have a condition that would make doing a biopsy risky.

(I never had to take any blood thinners or change my diet so if you medical staff hasn't mentioned it, don't worry. Remember EVERY person is different and there is no cookie cutter way to do things. They will do what is the best way for you)

What are the procedures for a kidney biopsy?

Kidney biopsies are usually done in a hospital. The patient is fully awake with light sedation. A local anesthetic is given before the needle is inserted.

Patients lie on their stomachs to position the kidneys near the surface of their backs. Patients who have a transplanted kidney lie on their backs. The doctor marks the entry site, cleans the area, and injects a local painkiller. For a biopsy using a needle inserted through the skin, the doctor uses a locating needle and x-ray or ultrasound equipment to find the kidney and then a collecting needle to gather the tissue. Patients are asked to hold their breath as the doctor uses a spring-loaded instrument to insert the biopsy needle and collect the tissue, usually for about 30 seconds or a little longer for each insertion. The spring-loaded instrument makes a sharp clicking noise that can be startling to patients. The doctor may need to insert the needle three or four times to collect the needed samples.

The entire procedure usually takes about an hour, including time to locate the kidney, clean the biopsy site, inject the local painkiller, and collect the tissue samples.

Patients who are prone to bleeding problems should not have a biopsy through the skin. These patients may still undergo a kidney biopsy through an open operation in which the surgeon makes an incision and can see the kidney to collect tissue samples.

What happens after a kidney biopsy?

After the test, patients lie on their backs in the hospital for a few hours. Patients who have a transplanted kidney lie on their stomachs. During this time, the staff will monitor blood pressure and pulse and take blood samples to assess for blood loss. On rare occasions when bleeding does not stop on its own, a transfusion may be necessary to replace lost blood. Most patients leave the hospital the same day. Patients may notice some blood in their urine for 24 hours after the test.

A rare complication is infection from the biopsy.

Patients should tell their doctors or nurses if they have any of these problems:

* bloody urine more than 24 hours after the test
* inability to urinate
* fever
* worsening pain in the biopsy site
* faintness or dizziness

(Now this for me was different as they say people who have a transplanted kidney lie on their stomach. I lied on my back with a pillow on my stomach to hold the area. But I imagine it would be hard to hold a pillow on your back so you probably would be told to lie on your back .. perhaps on a pillow? Who knows. You should ask so you know what to expect. Sometimes they seem to think we already know these things .. because they do it routinely.. so just ask. I am sure they will be more than willing to answer. Also I have never had any complications after biopsy. Even when they thought the one time I might have excessive bleeding from a low INR, but nope, I was fine.)

Points to Remember

* A biopsy is a diagnostic test that involves collecting small pieces of tissue, usually through a needle, for examination with a microscope.
* A kidney biopsy can help in forming a diagnosis and in choosing the best course of treatment.
* Before the kidney biopsy, patients should
o talk with their doctors to make sure they understand the need for a biopsy
o sign a consent form
o tell their doctors about any allergies they have and medicines they take
o follow their doctors’ orders for food restrictions

* After the kidney biopsy, patients should
o lie on their backs—or stomachs if they have a transplanted kid-ney—for a few hours
o report any problems, such as

+ bloody urine more than 24 hours after the test
+ inability to urinate
+ fever
+ worsening pain
+ faintness or dizziness

I hope this helps you Jennifer! Also you can search on Google for Kidney Biopsy or else Renal Biopsy for more info.

Take care and if you have any more questions I am here for you! :)

- Angie Korner

[1meanmomma]

Thank you Angie! I will go ahead and do the biopsy because i need to know what kind of kidney desease i have and my nephrologist said that is the only way he is going to find out to be able to treat my condition because he knows i have kidney desease but unsure of which kind. I have has persistent protein and blood in my urine for about a year now. My creatitine level has been a 1.6 which is a little high and that has been the same for awhile also, normal is a 1 so they want to fix the problem or control it before i end up with renal failure, so i definetly don't want that so biopsy here i come!! I sure hope that your life and health get better everyday, i don't know how old you are but, i sure wish you the very best in life, good luck and i am sure i will let you know how it goes after the biopsy. I sure wish we could keep in touch with regular emails but i guess this will have to do. Take care..

Jennifer Foote

[angieskidney]

Good luck! And make sure to read the whole consent forum they will give you to sign just before the biopsy. I never read them but the last time I did I learned a lot. It is informative and helpful to ask questions at that time. A lot of people don't bother reading and just sign because as we know there is a lot of paperwork we end up signing over our lives so after awhile we just sign and trust .. but reading before signing is a good thing ;)

Take care!

- Angie Essery