Hysteroscopy under general - advice

[Pinkelephantisreal]

After a failed attempt at a uterine biopsy last week I’ve now been booked in for a hysteroscopy under general this week.

Can anyone tell me what to expect after (I’ve had General anaesthetics before)

No idea on recovery, am I likely to need any time off work etc, no idea how much bleeding to expect (I normally use tampons and can’t after this so need to stock up on pads!)

Any one got any advice or anything helpful to share? Really really nervous. Thanks

Is it through lamparoscopy? if that's rhe case my cousin had it and it was a pretty quick recovery. She was driving two weeks later.

I've had two hysteroscopies under general and five without.

Generally, most of the bleeding is over by the time I'm back in the car and it's really just the water they flush into you, with a little bit of blood, so it looks like more than it is.

I was working from home the next day with the ones I had under GA, and the ones without, but taking it easy.

I really didn't have lingering discomfort at all. Obviously we all differ in our internal geography, and I had had a fairly big second baby vaginally.

it's a minor day case procedure... doesn't take long and not usually particularly painful. Usual rules re. work/driving/needing a sensible adult around for 24 hours at least if you're having a GA (it can be done with spinal anaesthetic too). Bleeding depends a bit on what they're doing exactly but shouldn't be huge - surgeon should be able to advise.

I had one recently under general. Quick procedure, up and about within the hour and home an hour later ( although you will need to be collected as you can’t drive straight after general. Back at work the following day, nothing more than light spotting the day after but that was from a polyp removal at the same time!

I had one under GA. I felt tired and weird for the rest of the day and was lying on the sofa still by the evening, was an effort to stay upright. Certainly could not manage to eat anything till the next day, but was fine by then.

I had H with GA. The pain was next level, though I had a D&C too as endometrium was considered thick, so he emptied me out.

I ended up on the phone to GP 24hrs later for codeine. Never known rolling cramps as bad. Took a week or so for the cramps to disappear. Two weeks for the GA crying to stop!

Gynae said 'I did have to pull the uterus around a bit' 🤢

I had this with a GA. Had a coil put in too. I was woozy from the anaesthetic and was collected about 2 hours after. Didn’t work the next day but that was due to the anaesthetic and I have an active job. No bleeding that I can remember.

I was a bit fuzzy and crampy for the rest of the day and the next. 100% back to normal thereafter.

Thanks everyone that all sounds good.

I’ve only ever had big generals (where I’ve needed to be out for a fairly long period of time, so hoping I’ll be recovered pretty quickly. It’s all been so quick I haven’t had time to prepare anything so it’s good to have others experiences.

i’ve just had one. was out of hospital within 2 hours (hospital tea, toast and wee duly done). i bled for two days and had dragging back ache for a couple of days needing codeine. i took 3 days off work. the next day because of the GA and my job involves high level, rapid decision making so not recommended to do that with the drugs still in my system. day 2 because i still felt unbelievably tired and had a horrible sore throat from the laryngeal mask and day 3 because i realised that at my age i don’t bounce back the way i might have done ten years ago and wanted to be sure i was mentally and physically well enough as i don’t have the kind of job that allows for rest if i wasn't feeling tip top. everyone is different and i’d say don’t feel you should be back to normal by the next day. a GA is still quite an insult to the body. also i get annoyed when women are expected to minimise these interventions and not feel a little battered and bruised after and need time to recover. good luck and just do what’s right for you.

I had one recently. I was really nervous about the GA but it all went fine. They did hysteroscopy, a biopsy, a smear test, and changed my coil at the same time.
I was crampy afterwards but no worse than period pain.
I felt a bit wobbly after the GA but I was well enough to get the bus home (only realised once I was home that you're meant to get lift/taxi).
You'll be fine OP. Just take a good book, some sudoku puzzles and/or headphones and podcasts. There's a lot of waiting around.

I got the bus home that afternoon!! After a whole load of fuss that they wouldn't let me go home on my own and having to arrange someone to come and stay with me etc etc I was absolutely fine. The GA was really short, I wasn't away from my room for an hour even.