Hysteroscopy

[ohsuzannah]

Due to bleeding after menopause ( I'm 68 ) I've been referred to a specialist clinic. I'll have a tv scan first and depending on the results of that I'll be having a hysteroscopy without anaesthetic, where they will take biopsies. I've had one before , but that time I was given an anaesthetic and a large fibroid was removed. I have a retroverted uterus and smear tests have always been difficult and painful. I'm not expecting this to be very pleasant, so if anyone has experience of this I'd be very grateful for some advice!

Not a hope in hell I'd have one without a GA. Sorry but there have been plenty of experiences on MN where it's been horrible. I've had a couple done and it was never even an option to have it without GA. Have a word with your consultant again and ask what your options are regarding anaesthetic.

I agree! I've had womb biopsies taken both with and without general an aesthetic. For the one without, I was not given an an aesthetic at all. Sheer hell. Press for a GA.

Thank you both !
I've decided I'm not going for it, I will have that but done privately on my partners insurance, he's just told me about it 🙄
If anyone else has any experience I would still like to hear about it!

Ps, the letter tells me to prepare by taking paracetamol 👍🏻

I had one (no anaesthesia offered) and it was awful. There is a campaign about this www.hysteroscopyaction.org.uk/ and they are also on Twitter. Like a lot of women I was told it isn’t painful which is a complete lie - some find it OK, but some do find it very painful.

I’ve had a couple, inc. removal of polyps. I was a bit horrified when they said there was no option to have any anaesthetic - no sedation, no gas & air, no LA. But in the end it was fine, a few cramps when they removed the polyp and that was it. The fibre optic scope thing is really think and flexible so couldn’t feel anything in my cervix.

Weirdest thing was at one hospital it was in a proper operating theatre with a surgeon all scrubbed in and staff etc. And at another hospital it was just a specialist nurse who wasn’t even in uniform who just did it on a chair bed in a normal examination type room!

I had this and it was absolutely fine! Much better than having a GA for me.

Agree with the posters who say that there is absolutely no way I'd have one of these without a general anaesthetic, please think hard about it.

Had an attempt at one in April, they weren't able to open my cervix wide enough to insert the hysteroscope so decided to do a D&C to get the samples they wanted. I was sore enough to need painkillers for days.

Subsequently I bled for months ( in hindsight it looks like they nicked a polyp) and recently had to have a total abdominal hysterectomy.
I know mine is an extremely unfortunate set of events but given how long it is likely to have been since your cervix has opened, I can't imagine it's going to be a comfortable experience.

I had one and while it was unpleasant and slightly painful it wasn’t unbearable. More very uncomfortable. Everyone is very different however. The best of luck x

I have had one just for an investigation and a biopsy, but I wouldn't have anything else done during one ie a polyp removed. I've only had those done under ga.

I had one done last week with nothing, I was worried as I have issues with smears and during IVF treatment they had to do the transfers under sedation as they struggled getting through my cervix, it's always been said it sits in a funny place. It was actually fine just some cramping when they took the biopsies but nothing like I was expecting, they did inject some local into my cervix right at the end but only as they were fitting a coil at the same time

Thank you all for your answers . I've decided not to go ahead with it if it needs to be done on the day. My partner has private medical insurance so I'll use that to see someone who will give me a GA.
Oh and I have various numbers on my letter that I can ring for advice, so I might do that as well

Hi did anyone say you had a bulky cervix?

No, nothing was said about that.
As it happens I had the procedure on the day, with a local anaesthetic. I didn't feel a thing! I was busy having a chat with a lovely nurse, when the doctor said ' ok, we're all done' ! She had taken the biopsies and I never noticed!
I have to wait two weeks for the results, but because I have a 10cm calcified fibroid, she recommends a total hysterectomy. I'm still making my mind up about that!

I never felt mine.

No way in hell I’d sign up for a GA unless the surgeon insisted.

I've had two. Both were fine with no GA and just a local. Had a small fibroid removed during the second one and felt a few twinges but nothing to really bother me. I would not like to have a GA unless absolutely necessary. That said, if my first procedure had proved painful I would gave opted for a GA on the second.