To think women's pain should be taken seriously

[GothAnneGeddes]

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?

I had an HSG and I found it virtually pain free- not as bad as a smear. I did have some cramping for a day or so afterwards but I must've been lucky. I didn't have any blockages so maybe that helped.

You know the thing is I went private to make sure I got adequate pain relief and was listened to throughout after poor previous experiences. But I don't feel I should have needed to do that.

hackmum where's Sardines link?

here

I have not used them BTW so can't recommend them that way, I found the link when I was looking for a friend who was having a bad time. I imagine they do what they say on the tin though!

I always think the Hyperbole and a Half painscale is more accurate for the sort of thing everyone on here is describing.

Worrying stuff, to say the least. Do you think midwives just get hardened by seeing people in pain all day, every day? Why don't palliative care nurses in hospices etc have the same problem then?

I had a very uncomfortable smear test today, the nurse was very nice and sympathetic though and needed me to tilt my pelvis because she couldn't access my cervix ( after trying 3 different speculums!) ,she said if I was in pain that I should come back another day, she was mortified when she made me bleed and got the doctor in to have a look to make sure everything was ok.
I felt like I was being treated as an individual, with empathy and respect.
A completely opposite experience to when DH was admitted to hospital last year with chronic orchitis, they didn't take his pain seriously at all and would only give him paracetemol, even when he explained that he has a high tolerance for painkillers and tramadol has no effect on him, they basically treated him like a nuisance.

I do think midwives get hardened to it. Especially as some women do cope without pain relief, that's now seen as the ideal to aim for rather than the exception.

I also had a lovely anesthetist though, two of them actually!

Do you reckon they are the happiest people in the world? I mean, all day long they get to help people feel better, just think how many women are blessing them and saying 'oh my god I love you' after their epidurals...

If anesthetists could accept tips, they would all be millionaires.

Dreaming - I actually said I love you to mines I blame the gas and air!
Malificence ~ I do completely agree men are affected too, my dp had an absess on his erm bum crack that was agonising for him, he wasn't even given paracetamol and could barely move.
SardineQueen- I'm going to have a looknat it when I get back from the shops, Dp is completely agreed that I need counselling, I think I'm making everyone elses life hell too obsessing about it.

I have a friend who's an anaesthetist (probably spelt that wrong) and I think one frustration in his job is dealing with surgeons and doctors who don't take pain seriously enough or let it get very bad before allowing him to help.

SuperSlattern

You shouldn't take cocodamol with paracetamol - cocodamol contains paracetamol, you could easily damage your liver.

See your GP and get high stregnth cocodamol instead, or ask for tramadol.

Sorry I meant codine

Tis all from my GP