Breat biopsy using stereotactic technique

I had a biopsy in 2010, which was painful...but not all that bad. I could tolerate it.  That time it was positive for cancer. Then.....this past Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017...I had a stereotactic breast biopsy ( or attempted biopsy) and it was very very very painful. The Dr. was very kind, and the two ladies in there helping were fantastic...but this procedure needs to be changed. The only pain relief was local injection of lidocaine, then lidocaine mixed with epinephrine to go a little deeper. The probe is air driven by a machine after the doctor pinpoints the area she wants to biopsy. I had my head turned so as not to automatically try to get away when the probe came at me. The doctor activated the probe and I felt everything. They may as well not of done any of the local, because it didn't help at all. I felt like a gun shot victim, shot in the chest with a bullet.

I am not happy about this, and I don't think women ( and some guys too ) should have to put up with this and figure this is just the way it is. This is a barbaric procedure, or at least mine was. I became hot and sweaty and light headed after the probe entered my breast. I told the doctor so, and she pulled the probe out to lay me back and elevate my feet. They put a cold wash cloth on my head and gave me some orange juice. They asked me when I last ate, and what. I am here to tell you that it wasn't a result of low blood sugar, but a reaction to extreme pain.

Once I felt better, they asked if I was willing to try again. I wasn't thrilled to do it, but wanted to get to the bottom of this long process. So far this has been going on for a month, two mammograms, one a screening and the other a diagnostic. Then...an ultrasound...then this biopsy. The doctor was unable to visualize the area when I sat back up, she said the lidocaine she had injected into the tissue was obliterating her view. So, I was not able to have the biopsy completed. Now I have to go for a breast MRI.

One reason I joined this group is to ask all of you who have recently had a biopsy using this stereotactic procedure....how was your pain during this?? I want to help make a positive change in this procedure. There needs to be another form of anesthesia offered to patients, I really feel that briefly putting the patient out would be the most humane. I think we should be given that option. It wouldn't have to be for long, probably 5 minutes at the most. Something like with a colonoscopy or oral surgery.

I have been a nurse for 35 years, and OB is my area of speciality. I have not practiced for the last few years, but I know how the medical field works. They want facts to facilitate a change. I want to hear from you if you or someone you know had this procedure....and how painful was it? Use the pain scale from 1 to 10 to rate the pain. 1 is the minimal amount of pain, and 10 is the most awful pain you can think of. I want to protest loudly to get this procedure to be more humane, but I cannot do this alone. I need facts from others. They tell me this was unusal for a patient to have that much pain. I find that hard to believe. So...please if you would....help me out here so that we can hopefully help others to not have to go through this without the choice of a more effective way of dealing with the pain.

Thanks so much!