Experiences of outpatient hysteroscopy and whether to have it without anaesthetic

I had a positive experience in the end. I had my procedure last year under local anesthetic aged 57. It was slightly uncomfortable but the nurses distracted me with a conversation about holidays which was only interrupted when the doctor showed me exactly what he was doing on the screen next to me.

The procedure had been tried a few days earlier with no pain relief but the doctor stopped after a few seconds stating that it was going to be very painful for me so another appointment was made. He gave very clear warnings beforehand that it was going to hurt so I'm lucky that it turned out not to be the case.

I had a little cramping that evening, but all in all it wasn't so bad.

I had 4 nurses holding me down, gas and air. Had to spend hours in their secret little recovery room waiting on a bad to recover, and I'm couldn't even sit up to take the pain killers they gave me after.

It was one of the most horrific experiences of my life.

I had one without GA a couple of weeks ago for polyp removal. It was very unpleasant but bearable; however, he couldn't remove the polyp so it was all for nothing and has to be rebooked under GA. Despite being very medically knowledgeable, I hadn't realised (and have never seen explained anywhere) that for safety reasons they can't use certain cutting tools unless you are under GA, so this was actually always a possibility. I knew I had a polyp and have had one removed under GA before, which was fine. If I'd realised about the limitations of conscious investigation and knew it was for polyp removal, I'd have gone for GA again with hindsight.

Mine was fine.
Hugs to all the women for whom it was awful x

I had one with no pain relief and was on my period and it was horrendous

I’m not going to go into detail as I don’t want to worry you. I will say that you should insist on having the procedure with GA.

Good luck.

I've had two, both with biopsy. Second time around I was offered both local anaesthetic and gas and air and took both. After that the procedure was pretty painless although there was some discomfort from the water they squirt into your uterus - like a period pain. I enjoyed the gas and air 🤪. Personally I wouldn't have a GA, with all the risk that entails, for this.

Have you read this recent Guardian article?
www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/16/women-routine-womb-examinations-hysteroscopies-pain-nhs

I had polyps removed a couple of years ago and there wasn’t even a suggestion that it would be done without a GA! But I’m in France, maybe that’s standard here.

Agony. Screamed like a banshee all the way through and vomited when it was over. GA all the way.

Try it in OPA first. Go for the GA if necessary but plenty of women get through it just fine.

Had one in my 40s, it was the most painful procedure I have ever experienced. I nearly passed out, it seemed never ending and cried all the way home.
had to have another a few years later prior to a hysterectomy, I had the GA

Hi op. I had it with GA as my gynae won't do the when you're awake.

I was on the ceiling with post procedure pain for a week.

I would never attempt it without GA

I wonder if this depends on how 'normal' your anatomy is? I have a tilted uterus & cervix which has caused problems with various procedures - never had a hysteroscopy and hope I never will!

Hope yours has reassuring results, OP, whichever route you choose.

I have had 2 hysteroscopies, both with biopsies, in my late forties and late fifties, one with no pain relief at all and the other with 2 paracetamol beforehand. They were both uncomfortable but perfectly bearable, drove myself home both times and had slight bleeding and cramping for a couple of days afterwards.

Here in Australia, they are only done with GA. You'd have to argue to have one done without. FWIW.

I had one and it was horrific and so painful I almost passed out. Honestly felt like I had been violated. However I have always found even smears quite painful. I would never contemplate it without GA if I had to do this again and wish I’d at least been offered gas and air.

There is currently a big national campaign, and I think petition, about lack of pain relief with this procedure and lots of awful stories about the pain women have felt during it. But maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and be relatively pain free.

There seems to be so much variation in how women tolerate a hysteroscopy. It is actually great to see women being so supportive of each others differing experiences on this thread. I think physiological and psychological variations make a big difference to how women get on with it. Practically, I would go for it without GA- however with any sort of pain relief available- local anaesthetic, painkillers, gas and air and make it clear that if you are not happy with it at any point, that they stop. I almost passed out and had it under GA in the end, some women- 10% have a vasogal response and can faint, it is involuntary.

I have had three. The first one was fine with no pain relief at all. The second one wasn’t as comfortable - the strings to my mirena couldn’t be found so it took a bit longer. I didn’t have pain relief; didn’t enjoy the experience very much. The third one was awful and I couldn’t tolerate it at all. Ploughed through to get it over with; got up and collapsed. I was very perplexed why I reacted so differently to them.

For me, it was a most brutal, painful, terrifying and invasive procedure. Friends have had it done and skipped out. I had a tilted uterus, PCOS and adenomyosis, I don't know if any of those things contributed to what, quite frankly, felt like a total violation of my body and my rights.

I have had 2 c sections and my cervix has never dilated further than 2 cm, so I wasn't surprised when I couldn't tolerate mirena coil insertion.
However, I managed to tolerate a hysteroscopy very well.
I hope it all goes well for you. I would be inclined to try, and they will stop and book you to have it done with a GA if it's not something you can manage.

I had one, I was fine having it done but they couldn’t get far enough up so told me I’d have to have it done under GA.

After I got dressed , they told me to sit and wait for 15 mins outside and did I want a drink
I sat there for about 10 mins and saw dp coming down corridor so got up to meet him and go home.
By the time we got to the car park(5/10 mins ) I was doubled up in pain so much so I literally couldn’t get into the car because I was too scared to move. I’ve never had pain like it , managed to get home , went straight to bed with hot water bottle and 2 paracetamol.

please take 2 paracetamol an hour before procedure

I've had two, both with local anaesthetic (plus paracetamol beforehand) and it was fine, less painful than a smear IMO!

TBF this was after I had a cervical polyp removed - the gynaecologist said based on how I tolerated that procedure, he was fairly sure a local would be sufficient (this was private and I also had the option of a GA). So my decision was based on previous experience to an extent.

Also I will say it is a bit uncomfortable until the local kicks in, I was fine after that (both times!).

I told my male consultant there was no way I was having one without a GA and he replied "absolutely, for what it's worth I wouldn't either" and he does hundreds of them...

It's very true that it's difficult to know how painful it will be until having the procedure. I've had four children all vaginal births, 1st I had an epidural (very long labour) the others gas and air with pethadine. You don't get a prize for grinning and bearing pain and in any situation I've been in medically where I've reached my cut off I will say stop. I wasn't given the option for GA but if at any point I felt like it was unbearable I would have stopped the procedure. My friend mentioned I should ask for GA but I was reluctant for a few reasons I've never had one so the thought of being knocked out made me anxious plus I was with my son when he was put under and it really upset me. It's a tough decision.