Hysteroscopy with just local anaethetic

[Agednotwine]

Has anyone had this done?

@Wintersnowdrop

You sound like me. I've to have a biopsy too. And I don't want to go through an unmerciful procedure. I'd rather die.

Maybe English women are more stoic than me, but there is no way that someone is sticking something into my womb while I'm bloody awake. No - just fucking no!!!!!

My other concern is that I never dilated, so shoving something through my cervix might be different to if you've had a vaginal birth.
Anyway, I've decided, I'm not having it without a GA, and until I'm well enough for that, they can fuck off if they think they're going to shove something into my womb and poke around. JUST NO.

I've had it, first for biopsy then for enlarged polyp (mass) removal. It was fucking painful. I spent ages recovering afterwards. When they ushered/propped me onto the recovery bed it did cross my mind that lots of women must go a bit wobbly afterwards and I wondered if, were the procedure to be routinely done with men, if there would be such a push to not have a GA. Having said that, I'd already had two lots of surgery that year, one of which left me with nerve damage from the epidural, so I wanted in and out of hospital as quick as possible so I gritted my teeth.

I had a hysteroscopy with no LA, they said to let them know if I needed it. It was uncomfortable but not painful.
And I had a c-section, not a vaginal birth.

I had a little bit of spotting afterwards.

I had an exploratory hysteroscopy a few days ago and was scared as I didn’t know how much it was going to hurt. I had flashbacks to the cervical examinations I had during labour, which I really struggled with. (I ended up with an EMCS, so have never given birth vaginally).

I asked for gas and air, and was allowed to have it, although the doctor said it wasn’t usually that painful. But afterwards, she said that the camera hadn’t passed through my cervix very easily, and she decided not to do a biopsy in the end. I was aware of pain at one point, but the gas and air made me experience it differently and I felt detached from it. I’m glad I had the G & A even if everyone thought I was a wuss.

I did take ibuprofen before hand and it made no difference to the pain I felt :(. If you look at the link in my previous post, there’s a campaign to stop this being done without pain relief. Some people don’t find it painful but up to 25% of women find it extremely painful. It was quite quick tho but I was quite traumatised by the experience. I would have a ga if you can but you might be one of women who don’t find it too uncomfortable.

Don't you just love it when doctors say "it isn't usually painful or you won't need any pain relief ". Yeah - right.

I had 2 hysteroscopies and ablation, both with spinal as I have a (very minor) heart condition so they felt the spinal was safer than GA. nobody mentioned any possibility of a local rather than the spinal, in fact at one point it looked like the spinal wasn't going in (scarily shaky handed anaesthetist!) and they said it wouldnt be able to happen if so.

I took pissing codeine and I still not only found it painful but also had to lie down for a while after. Not a surprise though that women's pain is downplayed.

Can I highjack slightly and ask if any of you have also had an endometrial biopsy? How the pain levels compare?
Thanks

I have, it was excruciatingly painful ( and I have a high pain threshold) and the doctor was brusque and uncaring. It may not be as bad for everyone, but I was very distressed. It was my second hysteroscopy, the first was GA and was much better.

I had one in uk recently. Only with local. I was allowed gas and air. Which really helped. It was certainly more painful than I had anticipated but not unbearable.

God I wish I'd thought about gas and air.

I wouldn't have managed mine without the gas and air that's for sure!

I'm in Switzerland and my friend is in France. They wouldn't do an awake hysteroscopy in either of those countries (unless you begged, maybe). I asked my gynae if I'd be awake and she looked horrified and asked if I'd really want to be! I'm pretty sure the reason the NHS uses local is cost-related.

Yes I wonder about cost as well. Especially given as I said there was a bed all made up specifically for people like me who flake, so they're expecting it. They know it's horrendous for at least some people, but they do it anyway. Given that they're probably not sadists, I would imagine that's because they have to due to funding priorities. People pay for medical treatment in Ireland don't they? So get a better standard of care.

Pay outside of taxation, I mean. I know we all pay for NHS treatment really.

Ive had two. More painful than giving birth and I went into shock and couldnt stand after. Horrific. Didnt help that they couldnt get a sufficient biopsy so just had to keep taking chunks out.

Never again without a GA

I had mine done with sedation. I fell asleep. I don’t believe I would want it without some type of relief

Ok, well mind is cemented now from both the Irish gynae ward manager and my own gut feeling. Not a hope in hell without the GA.

Nope, it would be free in Ireland. Inpatient costs are 70/night but most people have either a medical card (everything free) or private health insurance. Either way, the treatment for this would be free, even without either of the above.

I had fairly extensive reconstructive vaginal surgery under local and women have c-sections with spinals all the time. It’ll be fine!

I've had a c-section with a spinal.

That women undergo extensive stitching with no pain relief should not be our god-damned base.