Hysteroscopy

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AIBU to think the NHS should offer realistic pain relief for this?

I am currently going through Benenden to get my hysterectomy because after 18 months the NHS is still failing to sort it. Had an appointment with a private consultant and first evaluative step is hysteroscopy.

Now I had this done on the NHS previously and it was barbaric. When I left the room my knees buckled. Staff were obviously all geared up for this to happen because there was a handy wee trolley there, just for all of us ladies leaving that room to lie down on when we collapsed.

So when the private consultant said I needed hysteroscopy, I asked if I could have some decent pain relief. And she said it would be small general anaesthetic as a matter of course. They wouldn't expect anyone to have this without it. If I didn't want it that's fine, but recommendation is to have it.

This is a different world! But why doesn't our health service do this? If you have a procedure with effects so horrendous that women routinely buckle after having it, why would you just persist with the same method? Why is women's pain baked in as an expectation?

I should have had one last week but I refused. I’m not going to be prodded about with jtst paracetamol. Asked GP for diazepam but was refused. Think it’s appalling that adequate pain relief is t offered to all and seems to vary by hospital.

I've had two. I have a high pain threshold (thanks to years of endo and adenomyosis) and took two 30/500 co codamol in advance of one, yet still squealed throughout. The other one was private and fine with a general

The NHS is frankly barbaric when it comes to women's healthcare

Oh and I only had the co codamol because it was in my bag, I was offered absolutely nothing by them

Not all women find them painful. I've had 2 both with biopsies taken, the first with no pain relief at all, the second I took 2 ibuprofen. They were uncomfortable but not painful, I drove home afterwards. I would not have wanted general anaesthetic.

I had a hysteroscopy recently, was absolutely terrified to be honest, had read all the horror stories etc, in the end I found it to absolutely fine it was very much like a smear. Did suffer cramps a week or so afterwards but no different to my usual period cramps (which are horrendous anyway)
Also had a friend who had one before me and found it fine too, we only had painkillers beforehand.

I appreciate everyone will have a different experience and I count myself lucky I didn't find it that unpleasant!

@Intotheoud but if you are on the two week pathway surely they have to make anaesthesia available for you within two weeks?

This is crazy.

I'm so sorry.

I was really pleased to see the aforementioned campaign after reading this recent article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7498yvvjvgo.amp

There should be a choice of pain relief offered. The guidelines need changing.

Same here. Two ibuprofen beforehand and I honestly found it fine, not even uncomfortable if I'm honest. My gynaecologist did a hysteroscopy, biopsy, polyp removal and put in a Mirena at the same time, and I barely felt it.

It's fascinating how different women react to this procedure, but of course pain relief should be offered as a choice. My gynaecologist gave me a choice of GA or going without, saying that he thought because I'd had three babies vaginally I should be fine, but if I'd wanted a GA I could've had one, no question. This is in Ireland.

I had one done privately - I wanted to try and tough it out but my consultant very strongly advised me to have a GA. I'm not sure he would have carried out the procedure without it.

Maybe there are some people who find any kind of biopsy painless and I guess that's fascinating but we'd never know because for every other comparable procedure you have to opt out of anaesthesia, not opt in.

I know 3 other women who had them, without anaesthetic, and all of them complained about the pain .. one threw up

My consultant just offered it, without any issues. You should insist.. all women should insist if this if what you want.

I had something called a “saddle block” … didn’t feel a thing

When I had mine about a year ago on NHS it was under a GA

all women should insist if this if what you want.

I was told it was like a smear. I wouldn't ask for a GA for a smear.

Spoiler : it was nothing like a smear.

I'd had a failed hysteroscopy a few years ago when I had to get them to stop because of the pain. I needed one last year for post meno bleeding, but said it'd have to be with a GA or I wouldn't be having it done.

I had one a few months ago. Was offered a local but they said actually giving the local can be quite uncomfortable so I decided not to have anaesthesia as have had 2 vaginal births so I thought would be fine. The consultant (who I knew anyway) was amazing as were the support staff and they were kind and supportive but it was a lot more painful than I expected. The hysteroscopy was intense and the biopsy afterwards although quick was very painful.
I was sat in a side room after with tea and biscuits.
If I had to have one again I think I’d definitely consider a local anaesthetic at least

I went in to.meet the consultant ready to be all guns blazing and say I wanted a GA. She told me that she refuses to do hysteroscopy without GA as "it is barbaric". She said other consultants in the department do them but she refuses. What a great woman.

I find smears excrutiatingly painful. i also havent given birth.

I had one and polyps removed and also a d&c removal of tissue. I thought I was going to have local but then the anaesthetist said I should have general. So I went with it. I have never been in so much pain in the aftermath. My entire abdomen was blown up and agony. I couldn't walk or sleep. This went on for about two weeks. Eventually they gave me antibiotics but I had to BEG for them. It was insane and I will never ever listen to a gynae tell me something is minor and I was fine! I wasn't fine, I was in serious pain and distress and I felt like my body had been subjected to major surgery which it had - having pieces of your womb cut out is not minor. It disgusts me that women are subjected to this. When I had a "minor" uterine swab taken / not painful at all but I had a vaso vagal response when the swab was pulled out and I ended up on a drip and oxygen after tearing all my clothes off sweating profusely and feeling like I was going to throw up or die. I was completely out of control and it was terrifying. It took an hour for me to come back to normal. They knew it would happen or was a possibility. And just said oh it won't hurt. It didn't. But that vaso vagal thing when your BP crashes is very frightening. I know this is a thing for me now and I tell doctors . Even having a smear makes me feel sick after. There is no normal. Women should not have to experience or feel bad for their reactions.

I had a hysteroscopy under general anaesthetic earlier this year on the NHS so it is available. Initially I turned up to have it without but as soon as they took me into the consulting room and got the equipment out, I burst into tears and refused to go through with it. At that point I didn't know much about hystereoscopies and hadn't heard any horror stories but instinct kicked in. They then offered me a GA at a later date which I agreed to.

I have been diagnosed with a small fibroid after having newly heavy periods.
My GP was unsure what to do with my HRT so said would refer me to gynaecology out patients. Anyway last week I got a call from gynae saying due to a cancellation they could fit me in for an out patient hysteroscopy the next day.
I was surprised as yGP said the fibroid was very small so I didn't know why I needed a hysteroscopy, the lady on the phone was admin and said she didn't know why I was having it but I could have it done tomorrow.
I said I was not keen to go straight in to have a hysteroscopy without discussing my options or why it was needed.
I was told if I didn't accept the appointment my gynae referral would be Sent back to say I had refused 🤷.

I can't bare the thought of having a hysteroscopy without speaking to someone and honestly not under local.

I had one about 8 years ago with just gas and air offered. The (male) consultant who performed it was extremely kind and sympathetic but why they don’t offer anaesthetic is appalling considering how painful it was.
40+years ago when I was shy and young I had freezing treatment for a cervical erosion. As I inched away in agony the doctor performing it told me it wasn’t that bad a pain! If it had been now I’d have offered to shove it up his dick and see if he felt the same!

Should add the first person who attempted to take an endometrial biopsy (with me as a patient with difficult obs/gynae history and with other medical conditions that introduced additional risks to the procedure) WASN'T EVEN A DOCTOR.

You will meet someone tomorrow before the proceedure so you can express your concerns to them. They should tell you why you need it and at that point you can ask for a GA at a later date it's such a waste of money though, why can't they offer the options upfront? They are also very bad at explaining what the procedure actually is before you go in.

For the future, you can phone a consultants secretary and ask to speak to them about the procedure.

I was also given a 'refusal' mark because I asked for a GA. Atbthat point they told me I didn't really need the procedure but it still went on my records that I had refused. Bonkers.

If there is one thing I have come to realise after undergoing several gynalogical biopsies on multiple occasions for cancer treatment within the NHS, it's this:-
If they say it's painless, it's uncomfortable.
If they say there'll be some discomfort, it's painful.
If they say it's painful, it's agony.

General anaesthetic every time now for anything not described as painless - I've learned my lesson well - and my consultant agrees.

They also lie about recovery times. You'll be uncomfortable for a couple of days means you can't sit, stand or walk without pain for at least two or three weeks.

Also, stitches that don't dissolve or others that dissolve too fast, so you end up bleeding and having to be restitched (oh joy!) and subsequent infections requiring strong antibiotics that have extremely unpleasant side effects when you're already feeling like shit and at a very low ebb.

Yes, it's great being a woman! If I get my time back on this earth again, I'm coming back as a man.

I had a hysteroscopy on Monday, being on the two week pathway.

I took one paracetamol before hand. They offered me a local anaesthetic but when I realise that involved four needles and I’m anti-needle… I said no thanks.

I did it with gas and air. It was painful but for me, not excruciating, torture or barbaric to reassure women who are having this in future that it won’t necessarily be awful for you.

I don’t think a general anaesthetic should be offered as a matter of course because that is obviously a bigger deal than not having it but should be available for those that feel they need it.

The staff who did it were absolutely brilliant and said I was totally in control and they would immediately stop if I wanted them to.

It wasn’t a fun experience, but it really wasn’t a nightmare either.

i should add mine involved polyp removal and biopsy during.