Hysteroscopy

I had it with a local anaesthetic and it was really fine. I had a v good female doctor.

I did go home and sleep all afternoon though so I think my body was in shock. But pain wise it was fine .

Yeah, it's so scary when you have that response. It happened to me many years ago having a difficult coil fit. Everything fading away sweating and nausea. I was still bouncing off the walls when I got home.

The problem is that advice to medical professionals is written on the basis of the many women who have little or no pain during the procedure. Maybe they believe everyone else is imagining it or making it up.
My procedure resulted in me being referred to urology and the difference in pain relief (and attitude) was astonishing.

I’ve had three during OPD appts over the last few years, first two with small polyps removed and I’ve been fine each time with paracetamol afterwards and driving home etc.
third one was stopped by female doctor who stated that it was too painful despite my protest to continue ( was actively caring for my parents at the time and just wanted to get on and get back to them) and I returned 3 days later for a GA and they removed a huge polyp which luckily was benign - but I understand it’s not the same experience for all

Yep. I’m exactly the same.

Since i stopped HRT seven weeks ago i havent bled. I wont be taking HRT ever again. The risk of having to possibly go through this painful procedure (just in case) just isnt fucking worth it.

I was not offered anaesthetic and found it extremely painful. The nurse who commented that I was "very nervous" didn't help.

I was out for 25 minutes for mine, a biopsy taken and a few small lesions which turned out to be nothing to worry about

@Ladymuck2022 It’s very different from an internal scan though. A scan probe only goes into the vagina. A hysteroscope goes through the cervix - very painful for some of us - and into the uterus. Not only that, it isn’t quick, because it takes time to do the examination of the uterus with the camera.

I went on a 2 week pathway for bleeding with HRT. I have a titled womb or something like that so they found it difficult to do it. The consultant had a go and it actually took my breath away. I've never felt anything like it and they've messed around fitting coils before and its been okay. They had to give up in the end.

They tried to do this to me last November unprepared middle of a gynae appointment I just screamed the place down as unknown to me I probably had vaginal atrophy going on and after 20 minutes and 2 positions later they said ga was the way forward as they’d run out of the allotted time I suspect.

Bit annoyed/confused with myself as it seems I can tolerate internal scans, but not this.

4 months later into theatre I go, ended up coming round fairly rapid due to low blood sugars and as for pain relief they sent me home few hours after having oramorph for the period cramping which probably had more to do with the coil insertion carried out same time. Worse was to come where I’d been sleep I was told the fibroid had dis appeared, I still had symptoms and took myself off to a private scan where I learnt it was still there, in a live setting you’d hope they would show someone the camera.

To be honest if I knew it was a hysteroscopy for a small fibroid they’d never treat beyond the coil I’d have refused it.

There has been a few press stories over the time quite rightly. Personally I don’t understand it as when you go for a colonoscopy (just don’t ask! this fibroid likes to have the last laugh) the first thing is would you like to be sedated? and all the options appear for that and no one appears waking anyone up telling mistruths.

I hadn't realised myself until the gynae physio was taking my history about when the issue started and it all went back to that and the HSG which was around a similar time and where i was also told to just take paracetamol before and had a similar experience of nurse holding me down, telling me it would be over soon. I now find any examinations incredibly painful, sex is almost impossible.

I have read many horrendous stories since when researching. I know for some women it is fine but the fact it can be excruciating for a high number should mean sedation / GA or better pain management options are discussed and offered.

I was offered GA if I wanted it, but they suggested I try it without, and if it hurt too much they'd stop, and make appt for GA. Even though I've not given birth or even had a coil, it didn't hurt at all under a local. There were several lovely nurses in with me who constantly asked me if I was Ok and told me what was happening. This seems like a good approach to me.

I think your question is the problem because how can we tell what we need?

I was absolutely fine with no pain relief (I only had a biopsy rather than anything being removed). I really did breathe through the couple of times it was painful.

But. Lots of women have an awful time. I was offered a general anaesthetic but I didn't want to wait longer for an appointment. Then on the day the staff explained everything and kept emphasising that they would stop anytime I needed and if I wanted it give me gas and air or a local. They were also encouraging me that if it was bad they would stop altogether and re book me for a general. They really centred me and I'm sure it helped me with the procedure.

I've read awful experiences here where people weren't listened to and their pain dismissed and I hope the campaigning means that no one has to go through that going forward.

I am resting up after a hysteroscopy this morning with polyp removal and a coil fitted. I have to say this time and the original investigative hysteroscopy were both not too painful apart from some discomfort and cramplike pain. The whole precedure is unpleasant but, for me, it was mostly uncomfortable not agony. I definitely wouldnt have needed a GA (the time money and aftecare required from that would far outway the discomfort I had). But how can you tell if it is going to be bad for you or not?

Penny drop moment for me - it could have been the trigger for my vaginismus but I hadn’t even considered that.

I also had a great woman she too said always under GA - this was a private appt a few months ago

Totally works doesn’t it 🙄 I mean how insulting. It’s a technique you use on e.g. kids having a blood sample taken, absolutely anyone should be able to understand that it won’t help with the pain of having a tube shoved in your cervix and instruments in your uterus (and in my case, a biopsy I didn’t know they were going to do - bonus!)
Why not abolish anaesthesia for all minor surgery and use a selection of nature videos instead?!

My rule is anything that says uncomfortable or take 2 paracetamol is something I want sedation, GA or a spinal block for unless I've had it before and know I'm fine with it

Totally agree. I had a hysteroscopy before starting IVF as they thought i had a polyp on scans, that and the HSG test were horrendous. I was told before they started the hysteroscopy i could have gas and air if i struggled, only to then be told 'it'll be over soon' and 'it can't be that painful' when I asked for it due to being in excruciating pain.

4 years later and I can still remember the pain and have vaginismus which started following those procedures. Definitely recommend doing the survey shared by a PP.

I am now having pelvic physio and have been referred for psycho-sexual counselling, which could have been avoided had proper pain relief options been offered, and had i (like many others) not been gaslit by health professionals.

Interesting. It’s all very personal I suppose. I’ve had a few now, polyp removal too. At worst it was uncomfortable

I've had 3 on NHS and all with general anaesthetic!

Oh my God @FictionalCharacter you've just reminded me, they had a TV on the wall showing a nature programme for me to watch so that I could be distracted - like watching some hippos in a mud bath is going to make it painless!

I completely support the campaign by Hysteroscopy Action.
It’s true that not all women experience significant pain but a large proportion do, and the proportion who experience severe pain is way too high.
One of the most disgusting aspects is that the staff are told to use “distraction” to take women’s focus off the pain. The idea that it’s ok to subject women to severe gynaecological pain as long as you chat to them about holidays, like a hairdresser, is abhorrent.

No, for most women it's nothing like having a coil fitted. I'd had coils fitted in the past and having the hysteroscopy bore no relationship whatsoever when it came to the pain levels.