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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think women's pain should be taken seriously

140 replies

GothAnneGeddes · 12/04/2012 12:21

I recently had a hysterosalpingogram (examination of uterus + fallopian tubes under xray)

The appointment letter said to take pain relief beforehand, so I took a strong ibuprofen.

The procedure turned out to be excruciatingly painful, to the point of being unbearable, ibuprofen didn't touch it.

AIBU to think provision for proper pain relief should be made available (entonox would be a start) as why should we suffer needless pain?

OP posts:
Pinkflipflop · 12/04/2012 12:23

Poor you Sad yes why on earth should anyone have to suffer pain when proper pain relief can be given? It's one of those things you can't demand pain relief in advance as you don't know how sore it's going to be until after iykwim?

WorraLiberty · 12/04/2012 12:24

I'm not sure it's a women's issue

Yes, gas and air should at least be available is something is likely to be very painful for the person involved.

PoppyWearer · 12/04/2012 12:25

Oh, I've had one of those....you poor thing, not nice at all.

Cluffyfunt · 12/04/2012 12:30

I have often wondered this.

I was in a lot of pain whilst having my coil fitted.
Gas and air would have helped a lot!

There does seem to be sexism in pain relief -women being left in agony after c- sections ect.

It feels like the world expects women to carry on doing everything despite illness/pain Angry

foodtech · 12/04/2012 12:32

I've had an HSG which I found ok (think it depends on your cervix) but if you get offered a hysteroscopy I would opt for a General Antithetic as I found that AGONY. I think because I found the HSG ok they decided to do it with GA but suppose it was my fault as did have the option. Note to everyone if they offer a GA-take it. FT

MrsBovary · 12/04/2012 12:35

Absolutely agree.

MadamFolly · 12/04/2012 12:35

There seems to be a problem in healthcare that women's problems e.g. to do with the vagina etc are not taken seriously at all. Pain relief being just one of the things that is ignored.

dreamingbohemian · 12/04/2012 12:36

YANBU!

I've had a gynae procedure with very little pain relief as 'oh it will just hurt a little bit', instead it was total agony, I actually screamed involuntarily from the pain Blush

And DH got much better pain relief for his hernia op than I got for my CS!

It's madness really.

queenrollo · 12/04/2012 12:40

the HSG is a bit of an unknown entity as far as pain is concerned though. I had one last year and it was uncomfortable but not painful. I know others have had it with varying degrees of discomfort.
I do think given the wide margin with this procedure for the level of pain and discomfort you can experience they ought to look into providing G&A for those who need it.

HugeFurryWishingStool · 12/04/2012 12:41

Anecdotally, my father was given morphine for a suspected kidney stone.

eurochick · 12/04/2012 12:42

YANBU. I do think there is sexism in pain relief. There seems to be a lot of stuff that we are just expected to put up with, particularly where our reproductive organs are concerned. It's not right.

Chubfuddler · 12/04/2012 12:43

I told the nurse I would have liked entonox for a smear. She laughed. I said I was serious. She trilled "oh but you've had two children!". Yes. That hurt too.

Ephiny · 12/04/2012 12:44

If they say 'you may experience some discomfort', interpret that as 'it's going to hurt like hell'.

I don't know to what extent it's a gendered thing, obviously I have no experience from a man's point of view - it does seem that lots of women's pain isn't taken seriously though, from period pain (which can be very severe but tends to be dismissed) to childbirth and post-partum, to things like having a coil/IUS put in.

dreamingbohemian · 12/04/2012 12:49

Yes even on MN there is a lot of: oh it's just cramps, suck it up

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 12/04/2012 12:55

My mum had a colonoscopy a while back and said it was the worst pain she had ever experienced. She screamed in pain and nearly collapsed, then realised that the rooms were soundproofed so as not to upset the people in the waiting area!
Pain relief advice? "take 2 paracetemol of you think you need it dear"
She said she'd rather give birth to me and my 5 siblings one after the other than do it again.

Proudnscary · 12/04/2012 12:57

Blimey, sounds awful OP. You poor thing.

Chubfuddler - seriously a smear should NOT hurt. I'm not saying you are exaggerating, I'm saying they are doing something wrong if it is anything more than a bit icky and uncomfortable!

Chubfuddler · 12/04/2012 12:58

They always hurt and they have been done by someone different every time. Something to do with me having a long vagina Blush and a tilted uterus.

Ephiny · 12/04/2012 13:01

I found having a smear quite painful - not unbearable as it was over quickly, but it definitely hurt.

dreamingbohemian · 12/04/2012 13:05

I am actually curious about smears, because where I'm from (US) I think most women just say they are uncomfortable, but soooo many English women I know say they are really painful.

Are there different ways of doing it that could cause more pain?

margoandjerry · 12/04/2012 13:05

Yes I think they hurt too. Or can do. It's over quickly but it's definitely painful - not surprising when you think what they are using to sort of crank you open... Perhaps its the experience of the nurse doing it?

fridakahlo · 12/04/2012 13:06

Sound proofing on the ward where I laboured with my dd would have been nice, listening to someone in the last stages of labour did not help with the progression of mine.

mrsnesbit · 12/04/2012 13:08

I agree 100%
It was suggested to me to take paracetamol & brufen as these are a "great combination" for my mc pain.

I labour, and need morphine & emtonox for about 12 hours when they start.

I wasnt offended but was miffed that it is presumed that this is like having "a heavy period", it bloody well is not like a heavy period, bollocks in fact, it is the worse prolonged pain i have ever ever experienced.

SmethwickBelle · 12/04/2012 13:10

Not sure it is just women. When DH had his vasectomy other than the local anaesthetic jab given for the incisions he was just told to take over the counter pain relief afterwards. Ditto when he was at A&E two weeks ago having hit a car on his bike and battered himself from the waist down, although no broken bones.

I've never found smears painful or coil insertion - but the nurse who does mine is super quick and very good.

Proudnscary · 12/04/2012 13:10

Chub - really, a long vagina? Gosh

Tanith · 12/04/2012 13:12

I don't know that it's a women's thing. My father had a catheter fitted and his flesh grew around it.
When they eventually removed it, he wasn't given any pain relief at all. He said it was one of the most excruciating experiences he'd ever been through.
This is a man who was dying of cancer, had been in the army and crushed by a tank he was working on. Definitely no wuss, yet he cried with the pain Sad

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