Page 3 | Failed hysteroscopy

theotherfossilsister · 2021-02-24T20:28:09+00:00

Hello, I'm feeling a bit crap and wanted some advice. I had a failed hysteroscopy on Monday. It was insanely painful and they said they couldn't open the neck of the womb. After forty minutes of them trying various instruments they gave up. I was then very sick - dry retching for ages and literally lying on the bathroom floor in agony. I feel like something bead terribly wrong with me for it not to have worked but when I came out of the bathroom the doctor just said done women are like that. We have been TTC for over two years now, abs a Hycosy said I had a polyp which was going to get removed at the hysteroscopy. But I failed to get it removed. Weirdly our consultant thinks we have male factor and I am just being treated to rule anything our, but after the failed procedure I keep thinking I must have something terribly wrong with me. I've never heard of this happening to anyone else. Please can folk advise? I don't think I have endo as periods are ok and regular, if a bit clotty, I just don't know why it went so wrong.

Yahhi · 25/02/2021 20:19

Fuck that. I've had two under GA. no chance it should be done without. I'm so sorry that happened to you. That's utterly unacceptable. They bloody tortured you!!

rawalpindithelabrador · 25/02/2021 20:35

@theotherfossilsister

Thank you all. I'm going to draft a complaint letter tomorrow then send it to hysteroscopy action to see if it's ok. I am both glad and horrified that it's not just me.

Good! The more women who speak out about this, refuse to submit to it, refuse to accept the whole 'making a fuss' load of bullying bollocks, the better. They know damn well that procedure is not 'just' 'period pain' or 'a bit of discomfort' for many, many women; they chance their arms and rely on female conditioning that women will put up with it even if it's agony.

Men would never be expected to put up with this. My DH was offered a GA for a vasectomy or local anaesthetic, but women are expected to under biopsies, excisions, treatments on their internal female organs and genitalia, even stitches with no pain relief. It's BARBARIC and it's institutionalised misogyny.

AnyFucker · 25/02/2021 20:38

It’s institutionalised misogyny

It certainly is

Beaniecats · 25/02/2021 21:10

@StuntCroissant

OP you are not weird and certainly not alone. Just adding my voice to the others who found it incredibly painful.

I was not at all prepared and looking back I think I was probably traumatised by the procedure - as I was dressing/putting myself together afterwards, two male hospital porters came in as I was naked from the waist down and trying to wedge one of those awful huge pads into my knickers whilst in pain and in tears. Weirdly that affected me more than the procedure itself as I felt like an object and like no one had considered my dignity.

Do you know what at no point did I ever feel dignity compromised. I'm fairly sure there were some undignified moments but thanks to ga blissfully unaware. I woke up from ga minus paper knickers I had on prior with a pad in place , covered up with a blanket, which they checked occasionally, thinking on I was in a private room and the nurse still pulled curtains round the bed when checking. It was just a positive experience as much as these things can be

Nicp1971 · 26/02/2021 22:39

I wish I hadn't just taken the consultant's word that it is a straightforward and run of the mill procedure. I wish I had done some research on this before today. I had a hysteroscopy today. How bad could it be? I've had a vaginal birth, a coil fitted and removed and treatment for a dodgy cervical smear and thought I'd be fine. I'm traumatised and will never go through anything like this again willingly. It hurt so much and I feel totally violated. It was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life and I want to know why they would pretend it's ok?

rawalpindithelabrador · 26/02/2021 23:35

@Nicp1971

I wish I hadn't just taken the consultant's word that it is a straightforward and run of the mill procedure. I wish I had done some research on this before today. I had a hysteroscopy today. How bad could it be? I've had a vaginal birth, a coil fitted and removed and treatment for a dodgy cervical smear and thought I'd be fine. I'm traumatised and will never go through anything like this again willingly. It hurt so much and I feel totally violated. It was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life and I want to know why they would pretend it's ok?

I'm SO sorry

. No, they should not pretend it's okay and should at least offer and make it a choice. This is wrong.

DramaAlpaca · 26/02/2021 23:40

Jeez you poor thing! I can't believe you were expected to have that procedure without a general anaesthetic. I had the exact same thing, including polyp removal and Mirena insertion under a GA. I can't imagine how awful it must've been for you

TitleOfYourSexTape · 26/02/2021 23:49

Oh god poor you! I know exactly what you mean. I had one 15 years ago and it was horrific - I actually did a silent howl as I was in so much pain I couldn't even get sound out. The nurse saw my face and said to the consultant "I really think this is hurting her" and he said breezily "oh I'm used to dealing with women in pain" - wtf! It had to be stopped in the end as the hysteroscope couldn't get through.

I had not realised till reading this thread though that it was a 'thing'! For all these years I've thought it was just me - I had adhesions (ashermans) and thought it was because my cervix was scarred over and that's why it was so painful.

Melroses · 26/02/2021 23:56

to everyone and hugs.

I have been reading about this over the last few months on twitter and started following the Hysteroscopy Action account.

There is information from a gynaecologist on their site - at least 25% of women suffer significant pain. Yet they still do it on the offchance.

SusannaMorvern · 26/02/2021 23:58

I had a biopsy on a polyp taken from my womb last year, no pain relief, it was fine. I was then called back to see a different consultant, as he wanted to remove the polyp. He's said the procedure required a GA, I said I was fairly robust and didn't want the risk of a GA, he refused as he won't perform the procedure without one. I had the anaesthetic, it was fine, virtually no bleeding either.
After reading all the responses above I now feel totally grateful to that consultant.

Holothane · 27/02/2021 00:01

I’m disgusted at this, we’re 2021 not 1821 with no anaesthesia available, I had both of mine under ga, couldn’t be done otherwise.

DiscontentedWoman · 27/02/2021 00:06

There is a petition here

rawalpindithelabrador · 27/02/2021 00:51

@Holothane

I’m disgusted at this, we’re 2021 not 1821 with no anaesthesia available, I had both of mine under ga, couldn’t be done otherwise.

James Simpson, an obstetrician, spent much of his life working towards and championing for pain relief in childbirth, beginning in the 1840s. He found it barbaric that women were expected to endure childbirth with no option of pain relief. How little we have come on.

Women expected to endure massively internal procedures with no pain relief.

Unbelievable!

rawalpindithelabrador · 27/02/2021 00:55

@TitleOfYourSexTape

Oh god poor you! I know exactly what you mean. I had one 15 years ago and it was horrific - I actually did a silent howl as I was in so much pain I couldn't even get sound out. The nurse saw my face and said to the consultant "I really think this is hurting her" and he said breezily "oh I'm used to dealing with women in pain" - wtf!

It had to be stopped in the end as the hysteroscope couldn't get through.

I had not realised till reading this thread though that it was a 'thing'! For all these years I've thought it was just me - I had adhesions (ashermans) and thought it was because my cervix was scarred over and that's why it was so painful.

No, NOT 'just you'.

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 27/02/2021 01:37

@rawalpindithelabrador

That ol' BULLSHIT chestnut, 'A little pain and discomfort'. So sick of women's pain being minimised and dismissed like this.

Me too. It's outrageous!

Footle · 27/02/2021 07:23

I had a hysteroscopy to remove a polyp over 40 years ago. The female gynae told me there are no nerve endings in the cervix so what I was experiencing couldn't be pain.

alpinia · 27/02/2021 07:38

I'm really sorry you had such a bad experience OP. I'd have expected them to stop much sooner and rearrange with GA. You aren't the first person I've heard of who has had serious pain with the procedure.

I just wanted to add though, in case anyone reading is panicking, that I've also had this procedure done with biopsies taken etc. with not even a paracetamol and while the biopsies were mildly uncomfortable the test itself was completely fine. I've never given birth either.

I was very happy I didn't have to have a GA and could walk out and go home straight away.

LizziesTwin · 27/02/2021 07:45

I’m another woman who has had 3 children vaginally and then felt the worst pain ever when they tried to perform a hysteroscopy. I thought I was going to be sick with pain. I made the gynaecologist stop (NHS).

AnyFucker · 27/02/2021 08:32

@Nicp1971 I am sorry you experienced that. It mirrors what happened to me.

I managed to get through it and the procedure was successful in removing polyps and ruling out endometrial cancer which I am grateful for. But I would never do it again without a GA.

PeanutbutterPickle · 27/02/2021 18:04

I am having a hysteroscopy to remove a polyp next week. Consultant said they normally do under GA as can be a painful procedure. I feel relieved especially as I had two c-sections and have heard it can be more painful if you haven’t had a natural birth. Sorry you had such an awful experience

Holothane · 27/02/2021 19:40

James Young Simpson certainly did. He went against the church in the very early days of anaesthesia. He helped make midwifery a science and women to be looked after.

Crosswithlifeatm · 04/03/2021 14:06

Many women tolerate hysteroscopy under local anaesthetic and it means more women can be seen quickly,problems detected and timely treatment given.
Your problem was that they tried for too long and this made it painful and traumatic.They should have stopped as soonas they knew it wasn't possible to pass the scope or at any time you asked.
Then a chat about booking you for a GA.
If this had happened your outlook would be different.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience,you should get an appointment for another under GA.

megletsecond · 04/03/2021 14:18

"Tolerate hysteroscopy under local..." sounds a bit "put up and shut up". You don't necessarily know how wretched and traumatised they were afterwards.

Beaniecats · 04/03/2021 16:05

@megletsecond

"Tolerate hysteroscopy under local..." sounds a bit "put up and shut up". You don't necessarily know how wretched and traumatised they were afterwards.

Absolutely right

rawalpindithelabrador · 04/03/2021 16:21

@megletsecond

"Tolerate hysteroscopy under local..." sounds a bit "put up and shut up". You don't necessarily know how wretched and traumatised they were afterwards.

And the minimising and guilt-tripping, you should try to tolerate and shut up or you're the reason more women aren't treated in a timely fashion. No wonder the OP felt like shit afterwards. So many aren't even given a bloody local, told to take paracetamol before it or reluctantly given gas &air, which is not an anaesthetic.

There you have it, folks, institutionalised misogyny at work!