Hysteroscopy with Biopsy

[Stellymum]

Please can anyone offer support. I’m going for a hysteroscopy tomorrow - with biopsy - and I’m so scared I’m thinking of cancelling. All I’ve read is how painful it is and how most people have a General Anaesthetic for it. I’m not though - the doctor just said she’d give me a local or nothing if I could manage. I’ve read so many horror stories on the internet that it’s making me want to cancel. Anyone got experience of having this while awake? Please

[Balaur]

I had this a couple of months ago, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Period like cramps at absolute worst, during it, and a little bleeding and discomfort afterwards. The nurses who carried it out were very reassuring and said they would stop immediately if it became too painful. They said it's easier if you've had children (I have). It was honestly fine.

[Stellymum]

Thank you for replying. I’ve had 2 children at nearly 10lb each so I’m hoping this helps! X

[VeraMHughesSingh]

Some women find it painful, but most don't. I was scared too but it was completely fine. I took ibuprofen an hour before, and did a lot of relaxation using various apps. I also decided to try to think positively about it: eg. most women don't feel too much pain, I will be in good hands, I can ask them to stop or slow down if I need to, they are doing this to help me etc. And then the brilliant nurse next to me talked to me all the time.

They used a local anaesthetic. The most uncomfortable bit for me was the insertion of Mirena coil but even that just felt like some very mild cramping.

I was expecting it to be MUCH worse than it was, but everyone is different so you won't know until you try. Perhaps you could explain how nervous you are and ask if they can go slowly and ask them to let you feel in control eg by knowing you can slow them down more if needed?

[longtompot]

I had mine last November and was awake. It was not as painful as I was expecting, not to say it was painful. I was very tense so probably didn't help. The biopsy made me take a sharp intake of breath as it was a bit painful. For me, it's feeling vulnerable as my legs were in the leg rest things, but the nurses and the drs (I had a junior dr training but she was excellent) were very kind, acknowledged how undignified it all is, and told me what they were doing before they were going to do it. I even got to have a look at my insides! Weird.
I really hope it goes well for you tomorrow. I am honestly a huge wimp with regards to these sorts of things and pain, and it was fine. I have to have another one somewhen this year but this time for an ablation and polyp removal, oh and another biopsy as they didn't have enough cells on the last one, and as much as I don't want to have it, I need it and know if won't be as bad as my imagination makes it.

[Stellymum]

Thank you so much for this - that’s very encouraging. I’ll try to think like this tomorrow x

[Stellymum]

Thank you for this - it really helps. I’m a wimp with things like this too. I’m fine with smear tests though they always find my cervix difficult to find, saying it’s sat quite far back. Hope that doesn’t hinder the procedure tomorrow x

[longtompot]

@Stellymum hope it went as well as it could today

[Stellymum]

Can’t believe it - they rang me last night and said it was cancelled- I tested positive for covid. I had covid in January but it can linger for up to 90 days. So I don’t think I can reschedule until Monday to late April . 😢 x Thanks for thinking of me

[longtompot]

Oh no! That's really awful. I hope you get another appointment soon. Nothing worse than the waiting

[Oppain]

@Stellymum there’s a website called campaign against painful hysteroscopy here
www.hysteroscopyaction.org.uk/
I did find it painful and was traumatised by it and no pain relief was offered. They said it wouldn’t work? I decided to go through with it because my hospital is an hour away and I would have to rebook to have it under general. I did take ibuprofen but that really didn’t touch the pain I experienced.
I had to have another 18 months later and my gynaecologist told me not to put myself through that again and I had the second under general anaesthesic. I would talk it over with your gynaecologist. It was quite quick but undignified and when taking the biopsy it felt like really really bad cramps, like labour pains. I’ve also had two children. I think it does vary from woman to woman. I would suggest talking reading the website above and discussing your concerns with the gynaecologist. For me having it under general was a far better experience.

[shiningstar2]

The nhs site on hysteroscopy and the College of Endoscopy site both say that women should be offered a GA if they don't wish to have this procedure while awake. I had an appointment for a transvaginal scan and a hysteroscopy both on the same day. The hysteroscopy was to remove a polp. The hospital literature made no mention of the fact that women can request a GA, just said that some women have 'mild period pain'. I said straight away at the appointment that I would not be prepared to have the hysteroscopy awake. I had copies of what the Endoscopy site and nhs choice site said. There was a small attempt to persuade me to try but they were absolutely fine when I was clear I wasn't prepared to. The doctor agreed that I would probably end up stopping the procedure. She said that where a polp removal was attempted the procedure often had to be stopped and repeated under GA.

I saw your post earlier and didn't post because you were about to have the procedure and needed reassurance. Now that it is delayed it may be worth taking a look at the choices you have and making an informed decision. As others have said, lots of women find it ok and you may be one of them, but it is good to know that you can have it done under GA if that is what you choose.

[lookdeepintotheparka]

I had a hysteroscopy, polyp removal and biopsy under GA a few years ago. I was offered this as an option immediately by the Consultant and didn't need to ask for one. It was absolutely fine and no pain at all when I woke up.

I'm quite surprised so many have it done without GA - is this due to cost/time

[rawalpindithelabrador]

@shiningstar2

The nhs site on hysteroscopy and the College of Endoscopy site both say that women should be offered a GA if they don't wish to have this procedure while awake. I had an appointment for a transvaginal scan and a hysteroscopy both on the same day. The hysteroscopy was to remove a polp. The hospital literature made no mention of the fact that women can request a GA, just said that some women have 'mild period pain'. I said straight away at the appointment that I would not be prepared to have the hysteroscopy awake. I had copies of what the Endoscopy site and nhs choice site said. There was a small attempt to persuade me to try but they were absolutely fine when I was clear I wasn't prepared to. The doctor agreed that I would probably end up stopping the procedure. She said that where a polp removal was attempted the procedure often had to be stopped and repeated under GA.

I saw your post earlier and didn't post because you were about to have the procedure and needed reassurance. Now that it is delayed it may be worth taking a look at the choices you have and making an informed decision. As others have said, lots of women find it ok and you may be one of them, but it is good to know that you can have it done under GA if that is what you choose.

This.

[rawalpindithelabrador]

@lookdeepintotheparka

I had a hysteroscopy, polyp removal and biopsy under GA a few years ago. I was offered this as an option immediately by the Consultant and didn't need to ask for one. It was absolutely fine and no pain at all when I woke up.

I'm quite surprised so many have it done without GA - is this due to cost/time

Yes, of course it is.

[Justme10]

I had one back in January and when reading the leaflet before hand it read as though you would need a good reason to want GA such as trauma for example, so I assumed paracetamol would be fine and was surprised by how painful it was during and after.
Obviously some woman are okay with it but it shocks me that GA or a least a suitable pain relief isn't standard since it's widely known that a lot of woman find this procedure painful and traumatic.

[willibald]

@Justme10

I had one back in January and when reading the leaflet before hand it read as though you would need a good reason to want GA such as trauma for example, so I assumed paracetamol would be fine and was surprised by how painful it was during and after.
Obviously some woman are okay with it but it shocks me that GA or a least a suitable pain relief isn't standard since it's widely known that a lot of woman find this procedure painful and traumatic.

Yes, they want you to believe this and feel guilty so they can fob you off. No way on earth a man would be expected to have an internal procedure like this with no pain relief at all whatsoever.

[lookdeepintotheparka]

Yes, of course it is.

Apologies if that seemed a stupid question. I didn't know if there might be medical reasons for not giving a GA. I potentially need another hysteroscopy done and now very anxious I'd need to fight for a GA this time

[Justme10]

*Yes, they want you to believe this and feel guilty so they can fob you off. No way on earth a man would be expected to have an internal procedure like this with no pain relief at all whatsoever.
*
That's exactly what it is.
Hopefully I won't need another but if I do I won't be relying on two paracetamol to get through it again.

[TrinityWaves]

Sorry, it's been cancelled OP!

They really should give the option of awake or GA but let me give you my positive experience of the procedure...

I decided to have it done awake, if it got too painful they would stop and book me in for GA. I was expecting LA in the cervix but they didn't even need to use that. I also had a biopsy taken and I didn't feel a thing. It honestly was so straight forward. I'm obese and haven't given birth naturally too so I thought both those things might make it harder.

I'm not invalidating the experience of many women who fine it awful too but I just want to show there's a good chance it won't be that bad either.

[KellyMarieTunstall2]

Hi OP
I had a hysteroscopy this morning. I must admit I was worried after reading women's experiences of the procedure. I raised my concerns via email and discussed with the consultant prior to the procedure who said he would stop immediately if I was in pain.
1 hour prior I took 2 co-codamol. The procedure itself felt mildly uncomfortable. I had a local anaesthetic in my cervix. I had biopsy taken. I felt fine. The pain relief worked very well. The nurses chatted to me throughout and it was over quickly.
I had a positive experience and appreciate that I'm in the minority. Good luck op.