# Questions about FNB?



## sheliaflor (Jun 8, 2013)

Hi. I was scheduled for surgery last week but before I left the office, the doc requested that I get the ultrasound results that I had recently, sent to him so that he could look at them. Well apparently there is a large nodule on the right side of my thyroid, so they decided on a FNB. I have to wait for it to be scheduled but I'm hoping its some time this week as the surgery is next week and I don't want to have to change it.

My question is what is a FNB like? Is it painful? Can I drive and go to work afterwards? I'm really starting to get depressed about this whole thing. I basically have no friends where I live to talk to about this, my husband and I are having issues, work has been stressful, and now this.

TIA for your answers.


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## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

I was really nervous about the biopsy too. In the end though, there was a little bit of discomfort each time they went in, and a pin prick from the anesthetic, but otherwise I just felt a lot of pressure.

There was some stiffness and that lasted about 3 days, and I had some bruising too. Overall, though, it was much easier than I anticipated.

Hang in there - there are a lot of lovely people on these forums, so if you're feeling a little bit alone through it hang out here.


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Welcome to the forums Sheliaflor, you now have lots of friends to talk about this with. :hugs:

Like Karen said, there was some pressure with mine. My endo did it in house and numbed me up good beforehand. It's only a local so driving shouldn't be a problem. Some of us have had bruising afterwards and some haven't, length and amount of tenderness or discomfort varies from person to person. If you have something to do afterwards, like returning to work or school, you might want to bring some tylenol or ibuprofen with you to take when you get done. Some, including myself, have felt like our thyroids were "angry" afterwards, like there was some hormone dump or something, but it doesn't happen with everyone and is livable if kind of disconcerting and bit of a pain to have to deal with.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I didn't get numbed up. My nodules were large and right under the surface, so they could find them easily.

I just leaned back and one, two, three, four, five, done. I felt the first prick but other than that, nothing.

I drove an hour back to the office and worked a full day. I did have some throbbing discomfort later than night, but nothing Advil couldn't take care of.  good luck!!


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## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

I had 3 FNAs - one without numbing and 2 with. I can only describe them as 'unpleasant' (pressure more than pain, and being told NOT to swallow seems to make swallowing the only thing I want to do!) but not really painful. I drove off and worked straight away afterwards. A little bruising but nothing spectacular and I bruise very easily. I've had much worse visits to the dentist!


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## Eliza79 (Jul 23, 2013)

I agree, the FNA was unpleasant but not painful. I even told the Dr in charge that the procedure wasn't that bad in between needles and he told me that men are often chickens about it but women don't have any problems. So I really wouldn't worry too much about it. The key is to remain calm and be perfectly still. It will literally be over before you know it.

After the procedure I took some Advil and put some ice on my neck for a little while but was pretty well recovered from the whole thing after an hour or two. My husband did drive me there and back and I didn't go to work afterwards but I could have.

PS: going to the dentist is definitely worse and I always work right after that!


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## Velcro (Jul 26, 2013)

Same as the others. My FNA was not as bad as my pea brain had imagined it would be. Felt the numbing needle just barely and after that, I didn't feel anything but pressure until the last syringe. Then I did feel a couple of the jabs. The Radiologist said it was because by now, he had irritated the nodule. It still wasn't bad pain, just annoying. I drove myself and went to work afterwards. I was pretty sore that evening, neck stiff, but by the next morning, just a little sore and gone by the next day. Do get some Tylenol and start taking it right afterwards as I waited until it was getting pretty sore and that made it worse because I wasn't on top of it.

I will caution you, that I normally take Advil (ibuprofen) but my Radiologist told me to take Tylenol and no Ibuprofen for a week due to it causing more blood thinning and the teeny, tiny chance it would cause the site to bleed. I had to go buy Tylenol. I'm sure not all of them recommend that, but mine did.


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