cytoscopy? Hospital phobic...

[futureme]

Hello!

I have had quite a lot of small operations and generally recover from anaesthetic really slowly. I was still on oxygen last time when I was supposed to be back on the day ward and have always ended up in overnight for day case things.

I'm really hospital phobic and seem to be getting worse each time - what will a cytoscopy be like? I'm being put to sleep but will it be lighter than say a dental anaesthetic? I'm wondering if the "quick procedure out same day" will be the case for me!

Also google/nhs tells me I will bleed/be in pain afterwards. I'm now really panicky about that and it will be miles away.

I've had some really complicated operations and it seems so silly to get anxious about "small" things but I seem to be getting worse :(

Can anyone tell me what its like?

Im not that clued up about anaesthetics - I work on a surgical ward, but not too sure if they can do some lighter than others. I know when I had a cystoscopy I had it done by a spinal anaesthetic with sedation - so you're totally numb from the waist down and won't remember a thing of the procedure usually. I found that reassuring as I don't like anaesthetics at all (does anyone?) and I was awake coming out of the operating room afterwards. Only disadvantage is that my spinal didn't wear off until long past 10/11pm despite being placed at 8am - that was difficult as I spent most of the day flat on my back. Meant an automatic overnight stay, but it was a very quiet ward and I didn't mind it much!

With the actual cystoscopy - they do hurt, but it's a hurt that gets less each day. It just feels like a uti without the urgency to pee, in my experience. They say it depends on whether you have a rigid or flexible 'scope' - mine was rigid and I had work done too so you can imagine that's going to be a little more sore. A flexible scope is probably less painful.

I found peeing in the bath, diluting the bath water with bicarb or salt, helped hugely. I also washed myself after each wee with a sports bottle filled with lukewarm water, and that took the sting out. I was bleeding afterwards but only for the first two or three pees, after that it wasn't obvious at all. I had urethral dilation done as part of it as well as major vulval surgery - not my favourite day, that wasn't! - and I think that contributed to the bleeding I had.

They should give you painkillers and I think some places give antibiotic cover too to prevent infections, but if you drink LOTS (at least 2-3 litres) and make sure you try to pee regularly you should flush it all away.

I certainly didn't need to go back to hospital - I had to take strong painkillers the first night home , and the next day was seen by GP/district nurse but that was more due to the amount of surgery and stuff I'd had done. If it was just the cystoscopy (not 'just' but you know what I mean) I can't imagine I'd have needed that even.

Thanks so much for the reply, and so much detail. I assumed I'd be put to sleep with a canula (which I'm terrified of) but I must admit I'm even more terrified of spinal is that like an epiduiral? I convince myself they're going to paralyse me and I came out of labour (I was iin intensive care) not able to move for a couple of days and that terrifies me.

So much of my issues are irrational. I guess they wouldn't say I needed it if I didn't. He said ii dd be asleep for it. I think its just the camera at this stage.

I'm going to see a women's physio for the pelvic floor issues too. Don't like anyone down there but managed 4 years after the birth...

Deep breath .

Hope you got your issues sorted with the surgery. Did it take a long time to be up and mobile/looking after kods/back to work?

You're not being irrational at all xxx being treated in ITU isn't at all pleasant, many people struggle afterwards. Did you get any support afterwards - we have a team of follow up nurses who can visit you on the ward and can liaise between GP etc once you're home :)

Yeah a spinal is pretty much the same as an epidural and you can't move your legs with it.

Could you maybe get sedation before going down? That might help, reduces the anxiety of going to theatre and means you won't really remember getting the anaesthetic.

I didn't have children at the time, I was only just turned twenty :) but I was up and about within 2 nights :)

Not really. I saw my hv a bit more than usual as I found it hard initially bonding as I hadn't seen my baby. I think I was only in ITU for 18hours or so but when I woke up I wasn't allowed my baby and then transfered to hdu at the maternity. Thinking about it now 4 years on still makes me feel funny. Obviously Im glad they looked after me and I'm alive etc but I found the first year really really hard and now around her birthday or any hospital treatment myself I properly freak :(

I asked for a premed last time I was in for jaw stuff and she said they didn't like to for smallish procedures as it increased likelihood of overnight stay (which I stayed anyway) .maybe I should really lay it on the line. I do feel like they will see it is as such a tiny quick procedure and yet to me it becomes huge.

The consultant in this area doesn't know me at all and acted as if it was just a quick minor thing. I hope I can panick less!

A stay in ICU is traumatic, how people process it varies and everyone processes it differently, but the atmosphere alone makes it traumatic. Part of it is that you get a hard look at just how seriously the doctors were taking your condition, there is no escaping reality.

Make sure the people caring for you know that you are phobic, they can't offer support for thing they are unaware of. One thing that might help is going over your ICU experience with an ICU nurse, understanding the how/what/why of your stay could help you rationalise it.

The 2 places I feel safest in a hospital are resus and ICU...they are the 2 places where my care has never been messed up (and I've spent a serious amount of time in both!).

I have had 2 x cystoscopies both with GA. both were given via a cannula. It hurts to pee after for the first few times and a small amount of cramping for me. Very small amount of blood both times. To me I was so terrified about having it done but it really actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting and within 24hrs I was back to my before frequency etc.

Thank you nmg that is encouraging! My husband works away a lot. Were you safe to look after kids rather than rest after a day or two?

I had one in August. I did have a GA. Was in and out in a day.

I felt a bit ropey the following day - like you I don't tolerate anaesthetics well and I'd been quite sick during the night.

I felt like I had an ITU when I peed for about 3 days. Other than that I was fine within 24 hours though. Good luck!

I was fine the next day maybe a little more tired then normal but could function.

Thanks both of you. I will just assume I will be as before I guess and hope for the best!