My Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) Experience

Huge sigh of relief.

Last week of October, I was bothered by the most painful sore throat I've ever had. No amount of Vitamin C / Strepsils / Orofar / Salt gargles could take it away. I felt weird because unlke my other sore throats, this one seemed to have "localized pain" . To make things scarier, I felt a marble like lump in my throat.

It was a weekend so I scrambled to find a clinic. We don't have a regular family doctor (maybe it's about time we get one) , so I just made do with the first clinic I saw. She checked me out, felt the lump , and said that it may just be a swollen lymph node - but she sent me for a thyroid ultrasound just to make sure. I declined antibiotics for the swollen nodes because that would mean I will have to stop breastfeeding.

When I had the ultrasound, we found out that (1) Yes, indeed I had swollen lymph nodes , BUT (2) I also had a small "nodular cyst" in my right thyroid. Sheesh. They advised me to visit an ENT doctor for interpretation and future action.

I decided to get an ENT closer to our home in Taguig, so the soonest available one was from Healthway at Market! Market! I was surprised to meet the handsomest doctor I've ever met (haha!). But hated him as soon as he told me that we had to perform a biopsy on my cyst to determine whether it was cancerous or not (benign). Now, I am super afraid of needles that when I was in 4th grade they had to chase me all the way home from the village clubhouse to give me a Hepa booster!

He told me that the sensation would just be like expressing blood from your arm, "Pero sa leeg nga lang ang tusok." WTF! That was reassuring. I asked him if he has ever pricked himself before and he candidly admitted giving himself Botox (kaya pala gwapo...) The procedure was called FNAB or Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy where they stick a needle through your throat to access the lump and get samples. Dr. Pogi scheduled me for an ultrasound guided one so we can make sure that he will just make one prick (because my lump was still small)

I wanted to put it off because I wasn't feeling anything anymore - but decided against it when I thought about Sam's colleague who got diagnosed with throat cancer. He used to always dismiss recurring sore throats.

The procedure was postponed TWICE. First because the radiologist was not available, then the next one was because Dr. Pogi had an emergency! I was so frustrated because I wanted it over and done with to put an end to the stress, and I wanted it done before I get back to work. My dad's doctor friend then referred us to a well-known pathologist who holds clinic in front of the PGH.

Apparently, this Dr. Avila is very well known! He performs FNABs and you get the result within 20 minutes (unlike in hospitals or labs where you have to wait for a week!). I waited for more than an hour with all the other patients who came to see him . There were people from Batangas, Bicol and one even came from Aklan! Turns out even big hospitals like Asian send specimens to him for analysis.

You know when they tell kids "parang kagat lang yan ng langgam" when talking about injections? Well, injections feel like REALLY BIG Ant bites, hehe. But for FNAB, I guarantee that it is even less painful than your red ant bite! I felt so proud and brave afterwards. Dr. Avila also told me that my lump was easy to find and it was a good thing that I did not waste my money on an ultrasound-guided procedure. I saved almost Php 3,000.00.

So there, I got my results. More than half of it I didn't understand - but was happy to see the word BENIGN. Good, good, good! I consulted an Endocrinologist and now I am on thyroid medication which can hopefully melt away the cyst. I am to take it everyday and will have to go back to my Endo for blood tests/ ultrasounds in a few months. Thank you God talaga that it's benign!

I really hope you wouldn't need this but I am throwing in Dr. Jose Avila's details. I really did not find anything realistically helpful to me on the net, so I hope this personal experience of mine on FNAB can help others in need.

Dr. Jose Ma. C. Avila, MD
Pathologist
Unit 307 3rd Floor
West East Center Bldg
1336 Taft Ave, Ermita, Manila

(he's also the Chairman for Pathology at UP PGH)

Clinic: MWF, 9-11 (first come, first served)
Tel Nos: 524-6143

Cost: Php 3,000 for one "prick" , additional Php 1,000 per additional prick (for multiple pricks) - might sound expensive but it is really cheaper and more efficient than having it done somewhere else - where they still have to send the specimen away to a lab for analysis!

I would like to thank my mom and dad who came with me! And I am happy to report also that the first four patients' results came out negative for cancerous cells as well. I hope all of those who remained in the waiting room were as lucky as us.