Is a hysteroscopy very painful.

[bigmistake1]

I'm having one next Tuesday and am dreading it. I've been referred following post menopausal bleeding and a thick endometrium was discovered after an ultrasound last week. So they'll also need to take a biopsy at the same time.

No sedation / anaesthesia apparently.

[TheCrocIsOutOfTheBag]

I had one a few years back, no pain relief or sedation. It did hurt, but it was very very quick. Wasn't too bad, would have another, if needed, wouldn't be concerned about no pain relief etc.

[quickkimchi]

OP I'm sorry they treated you that way, it's that sort of belittling attitude that makes women scared in the first place. A lot of women say that it's fine, you may not have any problem at all.
Clearly you're not ridiculous for asking, a lot of places do a GA as standard so it's hardly a crazy thing to ask.

[bigmistake1]

Thanks all. Justme10, that's so true, thank you for the reminder that I'm in control and can stop them at anytime. Are you due to have one too?

I will let you all know how it goes. I think I have some nurofen plus somewhere so will take some before the appointment.

[Justme10]

Yes I just got my appointment through today for the end of Jan, not looking forward to it either if I'm honest.
Just hoping it won't be too painful and that the idea of it is worse than the reality.

[bigmistake1]

Mmm, slightly concerned now that the GP phoned me later the same day I'd had the scan to book me in for the hysteroscopy for 4 days later ( over Christmas) and started the phone call by asking, "did they tell you anything at the scan?" 🥺

[doodleygirl]

I’ve had two, first one offered no pain relief. Second one I would only agree to with a GA.

[MoreRainbowsPlease]

I had a hysteroscopy with no aneasthetic, not even local. It wasn't pleasant. I had contraction type pain. But the consultant was very kind, explained what she was doing the whole time, and was very quick. Just as I got to the point where I thought I couldn't bear it anymore it was over. Afterwards I did have a little light cramping and I did bleed quite a bit, but they are shooting water in whilst they do it so I think that made it look more than it actually was. I was told to rest afterwards for 24 hrs, which was impossible as I had small kids at the time, but I did then get an infection and I always wonder whether I would have avoided that if I could have rested, so if you can put your feet up afterwards do.

If I had to have another hysteroscopy then I probably would opt to not have aneasthetic just so I didn't have to stay in hospital for any longer. But I do think it's wrong that it seems that only Britain does them without aneasthetic. All other countries I read about at least offered to do it under GA. I feel that if men had to have this procedure with no pain relief then they wouldn't do it without GA. I do feel women seem to get shat on when it comes to dealing with gynae problems.

[Craftycorvid]

Had one earlier this year due to endometrium being slightly thickened (post-meno’). It was fine - no worse than a coil fitting, there was a bit of a pinch and slight cramp afterwards but nothing terrible. I walked home afterwards and didn’t need painkillers. Sorry you were made to feel foolish for asking though, that’s very poor. All sorts of reasons someone would make that request.

[WhySoSensitive]

I had one last June/July and only found it a little u comfortable.
I guess it really is one of those personal pain threshold type things!
Good luck OP.

[Justme10]

I wouldn't worry about that, this whole process has took ages for me so I would imagine waiting times are different in every area

[Balaur]

I'm 44 and had one a few weeks ago. I barely felt anything beyond mild discomfort. I'd taken pain relief before as per the instructions and the nurse said she would stop it was unbearable. There were 3 nurses, one just to chat to me throughout as a distraction I think. It was absolutely nowhere near as bad as I thought and not bad at all in fact. I went from someone who hadn't even had a smear in 18 years to having a smear, an internal scan and then a hysteroscopy all within a few weeks

[SusannaSpider]

I'm wondering if all the procedures mentioned above were hysteroscopies? I had a womb biopsy that was performed in the dr's office (without warning), but no camera was used. No pain relief, it nipped a bit and I felt a bit light headed afterwards. I'm fairly robust, but felt really vulnerable afterwards and am embarrassed to admit I needed a wee cry in the car.
When seeing a different consultant for the results (not private), he wanted to remove a polyp and have a look inside, there was no option other than GA, I asked as I wasn't keen, but they said they didn't have the equipment to do it without. It all went fine, tiniest amount of bleeding, no after effects from GA and I went home the same day, felt far better than after the original biopsy, although I did feel knackered for a couple of days afterwards.

[bigmistake1]

Well it didn't go well . It was so painful they had to stop. My pain threshold for that kind of pain is really low, can do other types of pain ok. I didn't find child birth too bad, but this felt like a red hot poker. They did a smear which was fine, but it was agony when they put the scope through my cervix.

They're going to do it by GA. I must have been really stressed though which would t have helped, as my blood pressure was 250/123!

[DuchessofDerbyshire]

I'm sorry to hear that. :(

Just for anyone reading, I do think a bit depends on the dr doing it.
I had one and it was fine- no pain- BUT it did take the dr 30 minutes to get the scope in and complete it all. I had the option to have a local at any time, or reschedule for a GA.

[Justme10]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that at least they will do it under GA now though, did they give you an appointment or are you waiting?

[Murinae]

@bigmistake1 don’t feel bad. The consultant doing mine said they often have to stop when they don’t use a GA when I apologised and said sorry for causing all the fuss and choosing a GA. I also have a heart condition which means they had to get cardiology involved as well to turn off my implanted defibrillator before the procedure and turn it back on afterwards. As I said earlier mine ended up with a spinal rather than a GA as they said it was better in Covid times. Mine was definitely a hysterescopy with a biopsy. I got to see inside my womb on the camera as I refused the sedation (just had the spinal and was fully awake for it all). Downside was the spinal lasted for four hours!

[MostIneptThatEverStepped]

That's so awful, I'm so sorry you went through that OP.

It's unbelievable that there isn't standard sedation or GA for this.

Hate to say but if men had to have a similar procedure I can't imagine for one second it would be done without pain relief!!

[Cantbelievelife]

Sorry it was so sore..I had to have the nurse holding my hand while consultant did it,I hated it and found it traumatic. They had to bring me.back for cell removal.but thankfully the consultant said I couldn't handle it and offered ga

[quickkimchi]

Oh gosh OP, I'm so sorry, I was hoping for the best for you. They proposed that I have it without any pain relief and 'see how you go, you can stop it if it's too much'. It doesn't seem fair to ask you to potentially undergo an unbearable procedure where the burden is on you to stop the whole thing, it's traumatising.

[bigmistake1]

I do think I need to add, some people dont find it painfully, apparently, but yes, as a previous poster stated, I did find it traumatic, I was shaking and sobbing afterwards.

[Jaffapaffa]

I had one in June. It was very painful, but I was offered gas and air.

[bigmistake1]

Jaffapaffa I think I could have endured it if I'd had gas and air. Would have saved the NHS a lot of money.

[Holothane]

Hugs lots of them you should never have had to go through this, thank goodness your next is under ga, oh and I’ve had the biopsies done as well.

[DuchessofDerbyshire]

I think women should always be given the choice and a local can be as good as a full GA.

I didn't want a GA or a local unless absolutely necessary.

And I think the skill of the dr has a lot to do with it. Ramming in the scope isn't good- my dr took ages and ages to gradually get it in.

Just posting to give the other side because although I'm sorry OP you found it horrible, not all women do.

I did have a coil fitted once decades ago and that was agony so it just shows how different the experience of something like that can be.

[JillofTrades]

I had one in November and it was under GA. I didn't even know it could be done without. I went private though. Can you ask if it could be done under Ga? I had scarring that needed to be removed.