"Biopsy aftercare (VACO 4 pages)" PDF

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can also speak with your GP or your practise nurse about getting some Instillagel prior to the biopsy. Take some pain killers beforehand so they will be in your system - the numbness soon wears off and the swelling starts quickly. Rinsing with tepid water after passing urine and then drying on the cool setting of a hair dryer, or with soft swabs, (particularly ones that do not shed lint which can inflame the area) apply a soothing cream afterwards, whichever one you have found that suits you best. A mixture of Epsom salts and warm water put into a squeezy bottle and used when you pass urine will soothe the area for you. It also helps soothe the area when it feels irritated Also, bathing in a warm tub with baking soda helps. Dermal lotion is one to be sure to have in for bathing in after the biopsies. This is a really soothing lotion and is dermatologically tested and as yet, none of the Ladies have had a reaction to this, but always do a test area before applying to the whole of the vulva. It is very soothing and you can also add this to the bath water, and use it to bathe with applying this on warm damp soft swabs. It also keep the vulval skin feeling very supple which will be more comfortable for you. Feme Pads will also help numb your vulva and these can be purchased at Mothercare you just need to pop them in the freezer for approx 45 minutes, then apply the disposable gauze sleeve and place over the vulva. “Do not apply a Feme Pad without the gauze sleeve or you risk getting a freeze burn which will be very painful”. This will numb the area for you so you will not feel any discomfort they are very flexible and soft and contour to the vulva area. They are also useful to apply after the biopsy as keeping the vulva numb will help keep you pain free. If you have had stitches after your biopsies there are a few things you can do to prevent these feeling uncomfortable. Have a bath every day which will help keep the edges of the stitches soft so they do not dig in your skin and cause discomfort. If you do not have a bath, use the shower head for a few minutes on a cool and low setting every day, anything higher will aggravate your vulva as you could be sore for up to 2 weeks depending on the size of the area removed and the stitches you have in. Always check the temperature of the water to be sure it is not too hot. If you can purchase a sitz bath this will be a great help for you to pass urine in (this fits safely over your toilet and you pass urine in this water, which will dilute your urine and will guarantee no pain ot discomfort when you do). If you have a problem finding a sitz bath in the UK, please email vacouk@yahoo.com and put Sitz Bath Query in the subject line as this will help us to easily identify your query, Thank you. I will put you in touch with a supplier in the US as it is very difficult to purchase one in the UK, although I am still trying to find a supplier in the UK. Try not to wear any underwear as the stitches will catch on this and can be quite painful if you do catch those stitches. Most stitches used on the vulva are dissolving ones, unfortunately they do not always dissolve and they may have to be removed by a district nurse or your practise nurse or sometime in back in clinic. You can make this procedure a lot easier if you know in advance when the stitches are being removed.
Have a soak in a warm bath prior to them being removed as this will soften the stitches and make them a lot easier to remove. You can also apply some Instillagel prior to them being removed, this will numb the area and you should not feel anything. If you go back to clinic and they find any stitches and they tell you they have to remove them, ask that some Instillagel be applied to numb the area which will make this procedure a lot less painful and much more comfortable for you. Again “do not allow them to fob you off and say, there is no need”. Only ladies who have had this done can say whether this is painful and we can’t all be wrong! It takes a few minutes to work and anything which makes this procedure less painful has to be worth doing. Wear loose fitting clothes, i.e. long skirts preferable with no underwear as underwear will also irritate you. Avoid jeans and any tight fitting trousers till the area has fully healed. Take a sanitary pad with you the ones they supply in the hospitals are not as soft as the ones you would usually use yourself. Ask how long will the results take and find out if they will contact you or you will have to contact them. If you have not heard by the date you have been told, call the hospital and have them check your records to see if the results have come back. As one Lady said: The Doctor referred to it as just being a "bad bee sting" so she wishes that Doctor could have that "bad bee" sting him just once! ☺ We hope your procedure goes well, and your results are good ones and we wish well with your recovery. The VACO Ladies Website: www.vaco.co.uk Email: vacouk@yahoo.com Tel No: VACO helpline 0161 747 5911 Copyright© 2008 VACO. All rights reserved Revised July 2011
Page 1: www.vaco.co.uk Vulval Biopsy Afterc

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