Any reassuring experiences of having a hysteroscopy under general anaesthetic?

[pikachu11]

Following on from another thread, are there any less frightening experiences with hysteroscopy? I'm having one under GA soon.

Thanks for this. I think GA is just routine for this doctor. I did have a colonoscopy without being intubated, and this seems along the same lines in terms of duration. Just no prep and maybe slightly shorter. I don't think there's anything about me that would lead the doctor to think I'd specifically need a GA. Spinal wasn't offered as a consideration.

I mostly dislike the idea of being in that position while unconscious, but given some of the reports of pain, it seems like a good idea. I have a pretty high pain threshold too.

If you don't really want a GA why not ask about a spinal - it may be a reasonable option and it's an anaesthetic/patient decision rather than one for the surgeon. For any procedure being done with anaesthetic assistance it's worth keeping an open mind until you've seen the anaesthetist...occasionally we have quite different insights to what's safest/ideal/possible to the surgeon!

Good for you. It's still a shock to the system so you deserved to be fussed over afterwards.

Are people saying that intubation with GA is not always needed, or did I misinterpret it? Maybe it was in reference to sedation or spinal block! How would one breathe under GA without intubation?

Anyway I had TCRE recently (transcervical resection of endometrium) at 68 years old. I know everyone is different, but I am not over the trauma of that procedure six weeks later I'm afraid. I was a bit unlucky I think. Nothing to do with GA I had, that was fine, it was the aftermath of the procedure! Good news is all tissue was benign, so onwards and upwards.

not everyone having a GA needs to be intubated. There are other airway devices that can be use, or occasionally we just support the airway by hand (doing a jaw thrust like you would in a first-aid scenario). A lot of the time we can let people continue to breathe spontaneously under anaesthetic so just need a patent airway for them to carry on doing that. For those people who don't continue to breathe under GA, intubation is one airway technique, but there are others. There's quite a lot more to anaesthetics than most people realise!

That is fascinating, thank you! I'd imagine non intubation will only work for short procedures? I had the mother and father of a sore throat after mine, but I knew what it was and it wasn't unexpected. Damned uncomfortable though!

you can do medium length procedures with a supraglottic airway (sits above the vocal cords, whereas intubation passes a tube through the cords), but duration of the surgery is one of the things that does influence the decision and nudges us more towards using a tube. Spontaneous breathing for a long time may not be ideal even if the operation doesn't strictly need for the customer to be intubated but you can ventilate through a supraglottic airway too for a while...there'll be more flexibility with someone slim or someone without any respiratory problems for example. These are just a few of the sorts of things things we'd factor into the decision making about how to do the anaesthetic....it all depends very much on the procedure and the patient - there isn't just one recipe. Some people need intubating for even the shortest of procedures (and that may be one reason we'd try to encourage a spinal or regional anaesthetic instead).

You can get a sore throat what ever airway device we end up using... it does usually settle down pretty quickly but a lot of us warn everyone to expect that.

I had this done a couple of weeks ago, no problems at all, I had a new coil put in at the same time as the biopsy, bit of bleeding but that's it
Some fabulous painkillers straight after, no after effects from the general at all, back to normal in a few hours

I had a hysteroscopy and biopsies done a few weeks ago. No anaesthetic at all (and no preparation, they announced they were doing it at a gynaecologist appointment). I drove myself back to work afterwards and carried on my day (teacher). The procedure was uncomfortable but there was no pain afterwards.

I was so grateful to have it done under GA - initially the GP referred me without and the surgeon sent me away and said it needs to be under GA. Huge relief and it was absolutely fine. Bit groggy but chilled and back to work the next day.

I’ve had multiple. They’re fine.
One piece of advice - if they’re doing anything apart from a simple look around (I had multiple large fibroids removed) - ask for a couple of pillows to raise your knees as you come around. Supporting your knees/blended knees works far better to manage any discomfort than extra painkillers

I had one back in January, with ablation and mirena coil fitted (going for the treble :) )

Didn't have any issues at all - they'd given me dire warnings about not driving home, but actually I'd have been fine. I did take it easy the next few days just because I had the excuse to - but no pain, no nothing for me.

Unfortunately the ablation (he only managed partial) seems to have done very little, and the mirena too - as my last 2 periods have still been ridiculously heavy, and now I have horrible acne across the middle of my face that I have to deal with (I think caused by the mirena) - but the hysteroscopy was a walk in the park.

I wanted mine under GA or at least sedation. Wasn't offered either even though they knew how nervous I get. I took diazepam and zapain beforehand instead.

No problem . Tired but it was an operation......you tend to be tired.

Has anyone a link to the "survey" thread please?

I am so squeamish about this stuff, its had a major impact on my life, but I had this procedure under anaesthetic and was absolutely fine. A bit tired but no other symptoms. They tried to do it without anaesthetic and it was a complete waste of time. I think age and gynaecological has an impact on how easy it is without but I am v grateful I was under!

Yes. I had one in the morning and had lunch with my husband the same day. Apart from feeling a little groggy I was fines we went for lunch straight from the proceedure, just had a main course and then I went home for a little nap :)

You wouldn't have said that if you were involved in an accident. At fault or not. You can't drive for 24 hours after a GA or sedation.

Mine was fine and I recovered very easily. Ended up going on to a hysterectomy but don't regret a second.

I ad two last year with no anaesthesia and both were fine. A little uncomfortable but fine. A nurse talked chit chat small talk to me while the doctor did the procedure. All fine to leave straight away after. I think the worry about the procedure beforehand was worse than the actual thing.
you will be fine.

I had a failed attempt at a hysteroscopy in an outpatient setting (due to stenosis) so then had one under GA just over a month ago.
Due to the stenosis I had some muscle relaxant drugs about an hour before going down - they made me feel a bit crampy but that soon settled.
Honestly, I did have quite a bit of pain when I came round but they kept trying different pain relief until they got that under control - within an hour - and I was then temporarily moved to a ward to monitor me for a couple of hours to make sure there were no ill effects - I was definitely in the minority though - everyone else seemed to come back quickly, eat and go home (I was last down).
Had a great nights sleep that night, I didn’t drive the next day as I’d had a lot of medication, and wore looser trousers for the next week as I felt quite bruised around the abdomen.
Best wishes!

I had one a few weeks ago and biopsy without GA. I took paracetamol a couple of hours before. I drove myself there and back. Was a bit uncomfortable at times but the staff were brilliant and said they would stop if needed. It felt strange having so much saline pumped in to me, like I was weeing and afterwards I stood up and it poured out of me! They gave me tea and biscuits and checked BP before I went home.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_campaigns/5510464-painful-hysteroscopy-wed-like-to-hear-from-you-help-us-tackle-medical-misogyny

I had one without anaesthesia or sedation (my choice) and it was fine. Worst bit was severe cramping afterwards for a short time (minutes) then all ok.

I had one under GA in November. I asked for a morning surgical list if possible and was the first person in theatre. I did that as it meant I could have a cuppa sooner.

No problem at all. The team were super professional. I had a student who asked if he could do a pelvic exam and observe whilst the procedure was being done under the supervision of the consultant which I agreed to, as everyone has to learn. Procedure explained to me in depth. Got into surgical stockings, paper knickers and gown.

Walked to theatre, popped on the trolley with the anaesthetist and scrub nurses chatting to me as they wired me up for monitoring. I already had a cannula in my hand. Anaesthetist kept chatting and gave me a mask to hold over my face and then boom - out like a light!

Woke up in recovery feeling drowsy but no pain as fentanyl was administered. They had put a pad on me for any discharge. I snoozed for a bit apart from observations and was taken back to day surgery ward. There I was given tea, water and toast and checked on regularly. The consultant, registrar and anaesthetist all popped by to see me to tell me what they had found visually and that biopsies had been taken and to see how I was feeling. Post surgical advice given. I was advised to rest, not drive or operate machinery for 24 hours. I had to have a friend come to pick me up.

Got home, light discharge, kept topped up with painkillers, light food and slobbing in front of TV with a period drama. Felt a bit tired but that was more likely due to my anxiety and not sleeping the night before. They don't give you lots of anaesthetic as you aren't under for long.

Honestly, I had a really good experience with an excellent surgical team, med staff. No pain. No crushing fatigue. Very light discharge/bleeding for a few days but then fine. My results were negative for anything malign. Do take lots of deep breaths after surgery if you feel a bit tired and treat yourself to a day or two of downtime but please don't worry. I am so glad I opted for the procedure under GA.