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Menopause

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Original poster

Hysteroscopy advice

95 replies

Snog · 10/01/2022 19:57

I'm due one of these for post menopausal bleeding.

Has anyone had one and can share their experience? It can be done as an outpatient with ibuprofen as pain relief or as a daycase with a spinal block or General anaesthesia. I'm very anxious about it and am pretty bad with pain.

OP posts:
JinglingHellsBells · 10/01/2022 20:06

I will PM you as I don't want to broadcast my entire medical experiences here. But in a nutshell, not as bad as I'd thought- no pain relief at all.

LoveMyPiano · 10/01/2022 20:07

I can only speak from my own experience, which was with GA, no other option offered. Discussed with Anaesthetist my concerns as had a reaction years ago.
Of course it is more of a production if you are out, but I think I would have preferred anyway. Good recovery, and home before lunchtime after early slot. No pain, or discomfort at all and no cause for concern in my case. Just polyps, which I hope is the cause of the bleeding for you...
I hope all is OK for you, I don't think there will be much pain from the procedure itself.

LittleMouseOnTheFairy · 10/01/2022 20:10

I’ve had three or four (lost count) with no pain relief. Not pleasant, but tbh if they’re just having a look it’ll be fine with a couple of paracetamol. If they’re doing anything (cutting, scraping, burning) take the general.

nzeire · 10/01/2022 20:10

Some people breeze through it, some don’t. I was one who didn’t, it was awful and they couldn’t continue. I was booked in for general 2!weeks later. If you are anxious, I would ask for the spinal or general, as my first experience was traumatising (sorry, not what you want to hear)

Antsgomarching · 10/01/2022 20:12

I found it excruciating but I had a blockage which they cleared by pushing the obstruction out if the way 🙄 with fluid no pain relief. I would go with GA. Was shaking when I left.

Antsgomarching · 10/01/2022 20:13

Oh one second I had something different but I think I would have probably still found it quite bad.

Nononoah · 10/01/2022 20:15

I had one last week with a local anesthetic and gas and air was managable but not nice.

JinglingHellsBells · 10/01/2022 20:16

I forgot to add to my message OP that I had a biopsy done at the time. It felt like a tiny nip and lasted a second.

Lanique · 11/01/2022 09:30

I was very scared beforehand but it was fine. Mildly crampy, no pain relief. The most uncomfortable part was fitting the Mirena, which I had done at the same time, but the actual procedure was very quick and the staff were AMAZING.

Original poster
Snog · 11/01/2022 11:36

Thank you so much to everyone who has been kind enough to share their experience of this procedure. From my research so far it seems that 75% of women find it either uncomfortable or a tolerable level of pain and 25% find it extremely painful to the point of crying and fainting from the pain and finding it worse than childbirth!
I also wonder if my bleed was triggered by my recent Covid vaccination as there seem to be a lot of reports of this and other menstrual disruption.

OP posts:
bellabride · 11/01/2022 20:50

I had a hysteroscopy and biopsy a few months ago, to investigate unexplained post menopausal bleeding.
I was very anxious beforehand, having read all sorts of tales online about it being an agonisingly painful and barbaric procedure.
But it was absolutely fine.
I just took the recommended over the counter painkillers beforehand, and it really was nothing more than mildly uncomfortable; I needn't have worried at all.

BonnyandPoppy · 11/01/2022 20:53

I had one with a spinal block. Would definitely recommend that. Was awake but no pain.

Dontgetyerknicksinatwist · 11/01/2022 20:58

I think some women find it ok and others find it excruciating. I have a small pelvis and my cervix is tilted. The nurse often finds it difficult to find my cervix when I have a smear test. I have never had a vaginal birth. I think these are some of the reasons why I found it so bad and will never ever go through one again.

cecinestpasunepipe · 11/01/2022 20:59

I had a failed hysteroscopy due to cervical stenosis and scarring due to previous surgery. All the attempts by various people went on for over an hour and was extremely uncomfortable leaving me very sore. I am now booked in for an mri instead which has had to be postponed due to my having Covid. If the mri shows up anything I will have a hysteroscopy under general anaethetic and hormone treatment to try to soften the cervix beforehand. I am another one who thinks that her post menopausal bleeding may have been due to the Covid jab. I am almost 2 decades post menopausal so it came as a bit of a shock!

itsgettingweird · 11/01/2022 21:03

I had one with ibuprofen and co codamol. Coil was
Bloody painful so I was really anxious but the consultant was amazing. Took her time, nurses talked to me whole way through and allowed me (their suggestion) to remove my mask.

All in all it wasn't as bad as I expected due to amazing caring staff and I wouldn't have wanted the GA effects to avoid doing it how I did iyswim?

ChurchlightJane · 11/01/2022 21:07

I had one recently and also the removal of a polyp. I took a couple of paracetomol an hour before. I was terrified but although it was uncomfortable it was bearable. I used labour breathing techniques which really helped and the doctor performing the procedure was a really lovely woman which may or may not be relevant.
Afterwards just a little period like pain.

iluvnettletea · 11/01/2022 21:15

A few weeks ago I had a hysteroscopy with a polyp removed, a biopsy taken and a mirena coil inserted. I asked if I could have it done with a local anaesthetic or pain pills because I was nervous about GA, but my doctor recommended GA and I took his advice.

SusannaQueen · 12/01/2022 21:02

I had a womb biopsy with no camera, no painkillers (and no warning!), it was fine, just slight cramping . But had my follow up with a different gynae who wanted to do a hysteroscopy to remove polyps and only does them under GA. It was fine, minimal bleeding, felt wobbly and slightly uncomfortable for the rest of the day, but no further bleeding.

HPFA · 13/01/2022 19:59

Another one who was lucky enough to have a good experience.

They were all very nice - assured me that they would stop immediately if I asked and a nice nurse held my hand all the way through. It was uncomfortable when they were filling the cavity with fluid but nothing more.

It is strange how varied the experience can be - the consultant told me he'd got the camera through and I said "oh, I haven't felt anything" and they all went "oh, wonderful" in a surprised and relieved kind of way.

You do get a chance to talk with them first - I would make sure that you are confident that they will stop instantly and then try it out with that in mind. For me it was done in about ten minutes and I was heading home on the bus in half an hour, after a cup of tea and biscuits to calm down.

As to vaccinations - bit of a saga. Had bleeding about five weeks after the first jab and didn't really connect it, then had same again after the second (no need for investigations as it was only six weeks after the hysto.) On the one hand five weeks seems too long for a connection, on the other it's odd it happened twice with the same time interval.

Had the booster two weeks ago and really hoping it doesn't happen again.

Original poster
Snog · 14/01/2022 16:23

Really interesting to hear different peoples experiences- thanks so much for sharing.
My worst nightmare is trying to go without anaesthesia, it failing due to intense pain and having to do it again WITH anaesthesia.
Has anyone had a spinal block rather than general anaesthetic?

OP posts:
Original poster
Snog · 14/01/2022 16:42

@HPFA re the possible vaccine link - did your doctor give you a reason for the bleeding in the end?

OP posts:
JinglingHellsBells · 14/01/2022 18:14

Is a spinal block even offered? I didn't know it was.

Original poster
Snog · 14/01/2022 18:40

Maybe not everywhere?
Conscious sedation is also apparently an option at some hospitals although not at mine.

OP posts:
BonnyandPoppy · 15/01/2022 20:11

I had a spinal block. They offered it me as the said was better if I ended up getting covid and I hadn’t had a tube down my throat. I thought it was a really good way of doing it. I was awake throughout as I declined the sedative. They showed me the screen and took me for a tour through my uterus. Only downside was you can’t walk for a few hours afterwards and I ended up staying the night as they did it so late in the day. I left early the next morning. Thankfully I had anticipated this and had taken overnight stuff with me just in case.

HPFA · 15/01/2022 21:51

[quote Snog]@HPFA re the possible vaccine link - did your doctor give you a reason for the bleeding in the end?[/quote]
@Snog

The consultant who did the hysto didn't - I believe that's quite normal though, if they don't see an obvious cause and they decide it's not cancer they don't think it's really worth investigating any more which I suppose is fair enough.

The second time I only spoke with the GP who thought I was just having a period - I'm 55 and was only 18 months post menopause so not impossible.

So I'm really just waiting to see now if the same happens to me five weeks after the booster. On the one hand - the time lag seems to suggest vaccine = innocent, on the other if it happens for a third time it seems like quite a coincidence.

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