Hysteroscopy experiences please?

[Summerscomin]

I had an internal ultrasound scan a few months ago as I was having irregular bleeding. Apparently they found what looks like "a small lump" in my endometrial lining and recommended a hysteroscopy- the appointment has come through and it's outpatient, no general anaesthetic offered.

I'm not sure whether to ask for a general or just give it a go and hope it's not unbearable?

On one hand, I suppose I'd have to wait longer for a general, they could refuse to do it under general, I could feel lousy from it (had general a few times as a child and been ok but not as an adult).

On the other hand, I have a tilted cervix and they usually have to delve about a bit to find it. I'm usually ok with smears but colposcopy/biopsy is another level and I nearly vomited last time. I did pass out for a short time with the biopsy. It was very uncomfortable.

Aware this is getting long now but want to add that I also had abnormal smears/CIN2 at the same time as all this (could've caused the bleeding?) and part of me wants to opt out of hysteroscopy completely. But worried that's foolish.

Any thoughts welcome!

I had a general anaesthetic with mine, it was almost 20 years ago.
I wanted them to get on with their jobs without me getting stressed. It was over and done with very quickly, more like a power nap than a GA.

Is it possible to have sedation rather than a full GA?

I took some paracetamol an hour beforehand.
I was really worried because of what I'd read on here but it was absolutely fine. Over in a few minutes and just like a smear.

I had one years ago with sedation and it was horrible. Never again. It was a pre-children fertility procedure, and I thought they'd have to peel me off the ceiling.

I've had 3 DC since then, and had to have a biopsy at one point. I've never given birth vaginally, I have a tilted uterus and bicornuate womb (only discovered the latter on my 5th pregnancy!). The gynae wasn't able to do the biopsy.

I would definitely opt for GA.

I’ve had four with a GA, I’d recommend that.

Also just to add, I had a tilted cervix too.

I forgot to add with a general if they see a polyp or something that needs to be removed they can do it at the same time.

I had one a few months back on the NHS on a 2ww referral and needed a biopsy. I asked for numbing cream but frankly it made not much difference. Very little information supplied about the procedure but it does involve filling the uterus with saline to expand it. Obviously what goes up, must come down so the room did resemble a watery abattoir afterwards…. Mine was performed on a gynae chair thingy. The consultant and attending Nurses were very good and didn’t try to pretend it wouldn’t hurt and did stop each time it got too much. It was still very unpleasant though. If I was required to have another one, I’d insist on a sedation.

I had one recently and it was awful, my cervix is also tilted and he couldn't get the scope passed it. I was screaming and nearly vomited, it also bought back a lot of awful memories of my dds traumatic birth.

The Dr stopped and said I'd have to have it done under a general, I've said no thanks for now. They're going to scan me again in 6 months to see if the polyps have got any bigger.

Oh god I'm due one this week, was already extremely anxious about it and reading this thread has made me feel much worse 😞

I had a general anaesthetic and so glad I did. It should be like a colonoscopy where you get sedation automatically. There must be a half way between nothing and GA, not even gas and air available

I recently had an internal ultrasound scan (due to very heavy bleeding) and the doctor wanted me to have a hysteroscopy that afternoon if possible. I was given the choice but because the
doctor mentioned that she didn’t think it was the C word but wanted to rule it out I went for local so I could have it done asap

it was a little uncomfortable but not as bad as I thought it was, the team were fantastic. My cervix is tilted (never used to be) and they talked me through every step and answered my many questions. I could watch on the screen and it was fascinating, this definitely helped. I also had a biopsy and a coil fitted (that was a bit tricky)

in my experience it really wasn’t that bad the thought of it made me feel a bit sick and the thought is worse than the procedure

turns out I have adenomyosis and I learnt a lopsided womb which isn’t that unusual if you have had a C-section

I had one in June without any anaesthetic. It was absolutely fine. She was through the cervix before I knew what was what, I the. had a coil fitted which was a tiny bit uncomfortable but I've honestly had worse smears. No vomiting, fainting or other issues. The team were excellent and so supportive. They made it really clear before starting that sometimes a cervix doesn't cooperate and if so they'd stop and we'd go for a GA. I desperately wanted answers about my bleeding and thickened lining so was braced to grit my teeth but it wasn't needed. I took the day off work but tbh I could have gone straight back to the office. I wasn't mad keen on the look of the chair but the procedure was very good. I wouldn't take the risk of a GA based on that experience but everybody is different and nobody should be in pain.

I had one with no anaesthetic for fibroid removal. Never again! Extremely painful, they offered to stop halfway, and rebook with GA, but I carried on to get it over with. Beware.

None of the five I had without anaesthetic have been traumatic, just unpleasant for a short time. And I am really not a brave person when it comes to medical treatments.

With outpatient hysteroscopy, it's unpredictable how much pain you will feel. I understand that around two-thirds of patients feel mild to moderate pain and about a third suffer severe pain, so it's impossible to tell what you will experience from compared to other people. There is nothing to indicate whether you will have mild pain or severe pain, other than that being post menopausal or not having had children will increase your risk. Health care professionals will massively downplay the risk of and severity of pain, often comparing it to period pain or a smear test but if you are one of the third who will suffer severe pain this is terribly misleading.
I've never had a problem with any gynae issues, no great period pain, ok with sweeps and smear tests, gave birth twice with no pain relief so I thought I'd be fine with it. The GP said that if I was OK having a smear test I'd sail through. How wrong she was.

My hysteroscopy was absolutely agony and I was left completely traumatised by it. I was left with PTSD. I took pain relief beforehand as advised, but it was a drop in the ocean. No further pain relief was offered during the procedure, even though the staff knew I was suffering. And my procedure was only to have a look and take biopsies.

I certainly would never agree to outpatient hysteroscopy again. If the option was available I would opt for sedation with analgesia as a safer alternative to GA but I don't think many hospitals offer that, but they are obliged to offer GA. I have heard that some hospitals are very reluctant to offer GA, as quite frankly outpatient treatment is cheaper for them. Misogyny is at play here and patient's best interests don't come first when all the patients are women. Men aren't expected to put up with the risk of pain like this, but you have the right to demand a GA if that is what you want.

Please be sure to have your hysteroscopy, though, as it's so important.

I've been offered a local anaesthetic for mine, for those of you who found it agonising/traumatic was that without any anaesthetic at all? (I'm shocked tbf that's even a consideration).
I'm hoping a local will make it more bearable?.....

I like many others have been left traumatised after the procedure as an outpatient. I was given no advice prior to the procedure and dared not google anything. I took painkillers beforehand as the stress led to a headache. For those who are given advice to take painkillers beforehand is ridiculous as that does nothing to ease the pain during the procedure, it is basically to ease ant afterpain.
I had a female doctor and came away thinking how could a woman put another woman through this torture and so this for a living?
Gas and air was offered but had little effect, to get a decent enough sample of my womb lining three possibly four attempts were made. Each time she had to remove the rods and start again. Eventually she suggested we try again another day as I was clearly distressed, but there was no way I was going to do that.
It is just barbaric, legs up in stirrups with a bucket beneath you and all that water...
No aftercare, get dressed and go home, shockingly brutal basically.

I watched the procedure on YouTube, fuck that for a game of soldiers, no way am I putting myself up for that medieval torture, as someone said in the comments, at least in Victorian times you were given chloroform and a cloth for pain relief on medical procedures, it’s barbaric that women in 2023 are not offered sedation or GA as standard.

Brutal isn't it? Why are women in 2023 having these invasive procedures with inadequate pain relief? Disgusting.
I find smears very painful so think I would faint with one of these.

Some people are more prone to cervical shock. I’m one of these as they need to grip and twist my cervix to get up there which really, really hurts me.

You don’t need a full GA, I had one under sedation in June. I woke up and asked my lovely doctor when he was doing the procedure! Absolutely fine the next day.

Horrific. Absolutely horrific. I was wheeled in ON THE DAY as the male doctor said, let’s do this, it’s easy, get it done now.

oh, and while we are there we will stick a mirena up there, best thing ever.

lying there like a slab of meat, in a pretty full on operating theatre. Fainted with the pain and shock, shaking for hours afterwards. Couldn’t do the procedure and was booked to go back under general.

the (male) doctor indicated it was my issue, probably due to the fact I had had ceaserians rather than vbs.

what the actual fuck

my husband had to leave work to come and get me, he was so angry at what I was put through.

was back the next week to get it done under GA, with very clear instructions I did not want a mirena fitted.

I will never forgive that fucking sadist

I have one every year because of my cancer risk. After the first one - in which I screamed like I was being burnt at the stake with the pain - the consultant said that he would not have it without GA and I would be having GA in future.

It’s a feminist issue IMO. I also had a narrow pelvis and tilted uterus.

I had this and a laparoscopy back 2018. I was put to sleep. I had irregular bleeding for 2 years and they couldn't find the cause. After u had the surgery the bleeding stopped and I was able to concieve.

Another vote for a GA. I had one without. Wouldn't do so again.