Hysteroscopy & biopsy - absolutely terrified.

[Lioney]

Basically my consultant at the NHS menopause clinic I attend, increased my Estradot to 150 but didn't change my Utrogestan. (100 daily & continously)

I took this dose for about 6 months.

Seen a different dr at the menopause clinic and they sent me for a scan.
Lining was 8.7mm and 'lumpy'. No bleeding or spotting.

Now they want me to have a hysteroscopy and biopsy.

Except I'm absolutely terrified of medical procedures.
Even a smear totally freaks me out. Until I went into premature menopause, I avoided doctors for years.

I know logically i should have the biopsy but I just can't cope with the anxiety its causing.

Its all I'm thinking about and I'm exhausted after knowing about this for only 5 days.
My so called 2 week path way appointment isn't until 12/8.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Our local trust is the same - they are all done under GA. In and out in half a day.

Well you'll have to make a plan for the GA I think. Not doing anything is not an option. Endometrial cancer is very successfully treated when caught early. You can't muck around with this. You need a hysteroscopy to be sure what's going on.

If you don't want a GA, you can have a local jab (in cervix) preceded by application of numbing cream.

I've had seven hysteroscopies, five without GA.

It was actually fine each time. A bit of cramping. A bit whoozy when I'd had the GA. I actually preferred not to have anaesthetic and just get on with it. During lockdown I had to drive myself there and back because my husband was by some freak of timing also having a procedure at a different hospital.

The anticipation is often worse than the reality. The nurses are lovely.

Thats the point of my post... I'm more scared of the process not a diagnosis.

I’m glad all was okay with you . Do you mind me asking why they did the biopsy in the first place - was there symptoms leading to endometrial cancer and did they find out only during the procedure? Hope you don’t mind me asking .

I am due to have an urgent hysteroscopy and biopsy done under GA, just waiting for the appointment. Having a mirena fitted too.

op - I can understand how you’re feeling. Have you spoken to anyone? I have horrendous anxiety and my GP has been very supportive. Good luck- let us know how it all goes and keep posting 💕

I've had two hysteroscopies, polypectomies and biopsies (all ok) in the last 2 years. Ask me anything.

Both were done under general anaesthetic - I'm post meno, have a stenosed cervix, never had children, which are all predictors of pain.

Initially, a lovely nurse stopped the gynaecologist I first saw as he attempted to do a pipelle biopsy which he had not properly explained and therefore didn't have informed consent to do. He stamped out without speaking to me again and I was put on the list for having it under general.

It was fine. So straightforward, pain on waking was immediately treated with tablets and it went away. Unfortunately I did get a post op infection, treated with antibiotics - this can happen.

Second time around I was an old hand by now - no problem there.

In at 07.15, home in time for House of Games and dinner.

Rest for the evening.

Nurses who chat inanely in a kind voice and hold women down as surgery without anaesthetic is inflicted are not lovely, they are complicit in a misogynistic NHS policy that seems to think it acceptable to withhold pain control for gynaecology. It's institutionalised abuse.

@Mojitosaremyfavourite irregular bleeding is the main symptom of endometrial cancer, but it's also the symptom of many other things as well. I presume if you've got to that stage you've already had an ultrasound showing a thickened womb lining, which may be cancerous but more likely statistically to be hyperplasia or polyps or fibroids. You'll have a biopsy with the hysteroscopy, they may be able to say whether I think it looks like cancer or not, but they often don't know. Biopsy results will then be probably a couple of weeks. Good luck!

It's just about ok. I maxed out on painkillers before and after. Had a lovely chatty nurse who stayed at my head the whole time - I reckon she would have held my hand if I'd asked her.
Bring really old comfy underwear. They needed to spray / use some contrast - I wasn't really listening as counting backwards from 1000 and it comes out afterwards as black. I bleed quite a lot too.
Good luck for your appointment.

Precisely because of the fact you have young children, you need to do this for them. If you don’t you may have bigger problems than finding a bit of childcare for a few hours.

Ask for a mild sedative from the doctor. I think I’ve cried loads of times for scary procedures. It won’t be unusual to the staff. Think that you are doing this for the kids.

Bring really old comfy underwear. They needed to spray / use some contrast - I wasn't really listening as counting backwards from 1000 and it comes out afterwards as black. I bleed quite a lot too.

That sounds quite unusual. Are you talking about the same procedure?
They usually use a saline solution like clear water.
It's also not normal to bleed a lot. A tiny spot maybe but nothing more.

It's also not normal to bleed a lot. A tiny spot maybe but nothing more

That’s not true - the bleeding I had was like a period and the nurse in the gynae ward who checked it said it was perfectly normal.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hysteroscopy/recovery/

Spray?
What and where?
Weren't you given a sanitary towel?

I'm a postmenopausal mum of 6 i only own old comfy underwear

How much and what painkillers did you take?

Thats why I posted...
Normally I can disengage from my fear or I minimise everything to get me through it.

This is overwhelming to a different level.

The staff are irrelevant.

I can't explain my fear.
Its totally illogical.

I will do an econsult tomorrow to get some sort of meds to try and control the anxiety and fear.
Irony, contacting my GP makes me incredibly anxious too.

I think it really depends on the doctor doing the procedure. My first was quick and painless. The second one I was hanging upside down for an hour, screaming and crying with the pain. The doctor told me not to be such a big baby, and it was difficult because I was fat. The last one I requested a local anaesthetic. That was also quick and painless, and they popped in a Mirena as well. I told the doctor about the last time, and she said it had nothing to do with my weight - I had a high cervix, which is why the previous doctor had found it difficult.

@Lioney I have never heard of spray or dye.

In my own experience, they clean the cervix with a bit of cotton wool before the procedure. (Maybe they can use a spray for that?)

In all honesty, if you've had a smear, this (IME) is not much different. Remind yourself you have also given birth!

The instrument used is tiny (about the width of a small straw.) If you get yourself worked up it's going to be a lot worse TBH. Try to switch off from your fears and stop thinking about it if you can. Deep breathing at the time and relaxing really helps.

I took my own panty liner and there was barely anything on it afterwards.

@Lioney , would a spinal anaesthetic be better for you?

I had an hysteroscopy and biopsy in January. It was supposed to be under GA but the anaesthetist wasn't happy (as I had a slightly runny nose) so I ended up with a spinal anaesthetic instead.

Actually having the spinal was the bit I was most concerned about, but it was fine. And I didn't feel a thing throughout the hysteroscopy. I was completely conscious (but very very relaxed...!).

On the downside your appointment will take longer as you have to wait until you can walk again. On the upside you can drive the next day (unlike GA where you need to wait 48hrs I was told).

@Mojitosaremyfavourite I was 48 and had heavy bleeding for 3 months. My GP did think it was just a peri symptom but sent me for a scan anyway with a view to having the Mirena fitted. That showed that my womb lining was 23mm so I was referred under the 2 week pathway. This was all in the first lockdown.

Early stage endometrial cancer was confirmed a couple of weeks later and I was in hospital having a full hysterectomy 10 days later. I consider myself very lucky that it was caught and treated so quickly.

Unfortunately the fear has totally overwhelmed me and all my usual strategies have failed.

I can't stop thinking about it. I can't sleep properly.
Haven't eaten properly since I had the call from the hospital 11 days ago.

Appointment isn't for another 3 and half weeks.

I refused to give birth in a hospital. My babies were all born at home. With my 6th dc i compromised and agreed to a birth centre. I spent 4 hours there in total and left as soon as I could.

There is nothing logical about the fear I feel.

No idea as I have no information or even a point of contact to discuss the procedure with.

To be honest I'm not scared of pain. Its about control so not sure if it would help.

Honestly @Lioney the procedure is nothing like as bad as you think. The medical staff will chat to you and put you at your ease. It’s over very quickly really and uncomfortable rather than painful but definitely not awful, I didn’t have any kind of anaesthetic.
Don’t take ibuprofen as this will make you bleed more, paracetamol should be ok. I barely bled at all and drove myself to and from the appointment as I couldn’t get there any other way.

I would recommend stopping for an hour afterwards and having a drink and snack rather than leaving straight away.

I think it is normal unless that's just me. I don't blame you for being anxious, the procedure makes me feel anxious just reading about it.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, and hope it isn't too bad.

You gave birth to 6 children at home?
Honestly, this is nothing in comparison.

I know it might not help you in the short term, but longer term have you considered CBT? It comes over as if you have a 'control' issue where you are unable to cope if you're not calling the shots.

How about things like dentists and smear tests?

CBT might help. One thing it would do is to ask you to focus on the very worst thing you are imagining.
What might that be? Crying? Shouting? And if you do - so what? You're never going to see the nurses again (in all probability).

@TootlesAlong

I'm not scared of pain but losing control. That's why I had 5 at home and the last at a birth Centre which I was really annoyed about.

I avoid smears as long as possible.
I avoid all things medical.
I'm a total health freak. I don't drink or smoke. Very careful about my weight.

I hadn't seen a GP in years until I suddenly went into premature menopause at 41.

I avoid going into the surgery and only communicate with a GP by econsult.

My dentist is my friend and I consider it more cosmetic then medical.

Its very difficult to explain.
I don't talk about this in RL no-one knows the extent of my phobia or anxiety.