Hysteroscopy without anaesthetic is a women's rights issue

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'Being a woman means living with pain!'

Ever heard that lie?

Ever nodded along with it, resignedly accepting some intrusive gynaecological procedure that causes you excruciating pain?

BECAUSE THEY WERE OPERATING ON YOU WITHOUT ANY ANAESTHESTIC?

I’ve heard about this ,and I couldn’t believe women agreed to have it done ..
then I thought that they probably had no idea it was going to be that painful,
and the doctor passed it off as a minor procedure that doesn’t hurt

Totally agree! I’m horrified women are just expected to have (for many women) this deeply painful procedure without anaesthetic and worse that when they ask for one, they’re made to feel that they’re making a fuss & being cowardly

I had an HSC that was absolutely barbaric. The (male) doctor brutally shoved a fabric swab with disinfectant up my vagina with no warning, and then the nurse had to physically pin me down when they put the dye through my fallopian tubes as it was so excruciatingly painful. And then the doctor kept telling me that it shouldn't hurt that much as if I was making up how much pain I was in.

Absolutely awful. I would never ever consent to one of those without pain relief ever again. It wasn't far off feeling like I'd been tortured and then told off because it hurt.

I had one a few years ago, and was told it could be as painful as having a coil fitted, but if I wanted I could have sedation. I chose not to have sedation as I can react very badly, plus I would have needed to take someone with me as I wouldn’t have been allowed to drive home.
Yes, it was very painful for about 30 seconds, enough to make me very shaken afterwards for a few minutes. However, given the option, I’d most likely have it done again without sedation as it was very quick and I was able to return to work within the hour. I think people experience pain to different degrees and sometimes you won’t know how painless or painful it might be until you’ve actually done it.

I should add that I know that an HSC is not the same as a hysteroscopy but same principle.

I have this procedure later this month, now you have all terrified me!

@AutumnBrooke

I had an HSC that was absolutely barbaric. The (male) doctor brutally shoved a fabric swab with disinfectant up my vagina with no warning, and then the nurse had to physically pin me down when they put the dye through my fallopian tubes as it was so excruciatingly painful. And then the doctor kept telling me that it shouldn't hurt that much as if I was making up how much pain I was in.

Absolutely awful. I would never ever consent to one of those without pain relief ever again. It wasn't far off feeling like I'd been tortured and then told off because it hurt.

Crikey, that sounds horrific!

@SpnBaby1967

I have this procedure later this month, now you have all terrified me!

What are you having it for? Mine was because of very heavy periods and I had a biopsy.

A hysteroscopy where they just have a look and don't do anything is uncomfortable but doesn't always hurt, certainly mine didn't. It's when they take biopsies or whatever not giving pain relief seems cruel.
What got me was the paracetamol post crash caesarean. Can you imagine a man being cut from hip to hip and coping with a couple of headache pills the next day? And being expected to look after another person to boot? It's insane.

@Summersnake

I’ve heard about this ,and I couldn’t believe women agreed to have it done .. then I thought that they probably had no idea it was going to be that painful, and the doctor passed it off as a minor procedure that doesn’t hurt

Yup. That was how it was sold to me: minor procedure. It was painful. I was holding a nurse's hand during the procedure - she ended being in pain too. I remember telling the consultant that he was a sadist.

I’ve had 2 under general, I find this really shocking.

Well, time's up.

The Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy is showing her teeth and roaring with rage.

Caroline Criado Perez and Caitlin Moran have both recently tweeted about the horrors that so many women are put through during IUD insertion, hysteroscopy and other procedures.

The Campaign have gathered many distressing and remarkably consistent accounts by women detailing what the NHS have put them through.

Because it is NHS policy to carry out hysteroscopies on women:

At outpatients' appointments

In an examination room that is not an operating theatre

With no warning that the operation is going to take place at that appointment where you think you're going to talk about your scan results

With infantilising and misleading language that does NOT explain what's about to be done to you

No checking whether you might have suffered any past trauma that might well trigger PTSD

And therefore without your informed consent

With no advice about or provision of painkillers, or any form of anaesthestic or sedation

No checking how you will get home safely afterwards

No aftercare - just a pad bunged at you and off you go, bleeding, shocked, tearful, shaking, traumatised

Sounds unlikely?

It's the reality for many women.

www.hysteroscopyaction.org.uk/

So what is a hysteroscopy?

If you need something investigating - post menopausal bleeding, removal of polyps, biopsies for cancer tests - it's a very useful way to investigate your uterus without abdominal surgery.

You lie in the stirrups
The speculum is inserted
Your cervix is entered and opened up
A hysteroscope is inserted through your cervix
Your uterus is flooded with water to expand it
The hysteroscope with light and camera sends an image to the screen
The gynaecologist then proceeds to cut bits out from inside your uterus for testing.

With. No. Anaesthesia.

1/4 women describe this as excruciating and horrifically painful.

I had an HSG without any pain relief and it was fine. They did say it might be painful and they would have stopped if it was but it was ok. I had the subsequent polypectomy under general anaesthetic. I could have had it under local but they recommended and I accepted that to be fully under would be better.

I don't know how hysteroscopy compares to an HSG but I wouldn't want an unnecessary anaesthetic. Recovering from the anaesthetic can take days.

I insisted on a general. This was 17 years ago. There was no way I couldn't see it being a horrible experience if I was awake.

That wasn’t my experience at all - I was referred to a gynaecologist by my GP and when I booked online one at the local Nuffield hospital was available, so in effect I had an experience that a private patient would have had. 1st appointment was a consultation, scan and bloods. Next one 2 weeks later was the procedure, which she had discussed with me at length during the initial consult. I had the option of sedation but declined. After the procedure, I was left in a room to lie down for a while with a coffee and biscuit! I guess you get what you pay for? (even though I didn’t pay)

My experience wasn't like that at all. I had one where they took a biopsy and the worst it got was just a sharp twinge at a couple of points.

They were very good about asking me if I was ok, and had discussed how much pain there might be, and that I could stop at any point and opt for the procedure with anaesthesia.

I felt really confident that they were listening. An all female care team. For me, that's always made a difference in how confident I felt about being listened to.

Not saying this to take away from anyone's experience of pain, but more to reassure anyone that has got one coming up. But definitely they should talk it through and make it clear you can stop at anytime.

I had one without sedation and I was fine but, obviously, we all feel things in different ways.

I’ve also had an unexpected biopsy, done by a female gynae btw, she said it would be a bit of a pinch. thankfully, although a very painful pinch, it lasted just a few seconds.

Tbf my periods were horrendous and far more painful so I was pretty used to suffering. Maybe that’s why it didn’t trouble me too much.

Agree it’s appalling, and many women will trust that if a GA isn’t offered then it isn’t needed - which is in this case is not necessarily true.

And I got a biscuit, a drink and a chat afterwards to make sure I was ok! All NHS.

Another one here who thought it was a very minor procedure. Obviously this is something that is experienced very differently by different women. Personally, I have a bit of a dislike of anaesthetics, and the biopsy itself was not more painful than a local anaesthetic injection for me, so I can see why this is a difficult thing to standardise.

I did receive a booklet in advance that said that some women find this very uncomfortable, and if this is the case, they would be offered a general anaesthetic.

In fairness, most women tolerate it well and the benefits of no anaesthesia are not insignificant.
For me it’s a bit uncomfortable, but not worse than a splinter. Being able to drive yourself and go straight back to work was good.
I got homemade carrot cake.

I think the trouble is that it is very difficult to identify who is going to experience severe pain. If it is turned from an outpatient procedure into a theatre case with an anaesthetist and epidural, the wait times are going to increase massively, it's much more inconvenient for the patient, and for most women it will be using a hammer to crack a nut.

It seems more obvious to offer pain relief when a biopsy is going to be performed, although even this is individual as PPs have mentioned. I know when DSis had a polyp and IUD removed under hysteroscopy she found it fine.

I wonder if the option of pre-procedure sedatives should be much more frequently considered?

If you are post menopausal, have never given birth vaginally, have a stenosed (very tight) cervix and a tilted uterus you're likely to be in the 1/4 women who have a bad experience.

You should receive a patient leaflet in advance warning you they intend to do the procedure and what it involves. Many of us don't get that.

You should be advised of your options for pain relief / sedation. Many of us don't get that either.

I had the procedure done under general anaesthetic as a day hospital in-patient after the unexpected attempt at an outpatient procedure was abandoned. It was absolutely fine.

This is available - so know your rights and go in fully informed and prepared to ask searching questions and refuse to accept the lie that 'being a woman equals living with pain.'

Already on this thread there is a presumption that if you're "tough" or have a high pain threshold that's why your experience wasn't painful. It's like competitive pain threshold syndrome or something.

E.g. Tbf my periods were horrendous and far more painful so I was pretty used to suffering. Maybe that’s why it didn’t trouble me too much.

I find this attitude insulting. I have a high pain threshold and a chronic pain condition so I'm used to pain too. It didn't stop me being in the same excruciating pain I had with my HSC that I had with my forceps delivery with no pain relief.

It's another way of diminishing women's pain. Even if unintentional.