Hysteroscopy...does anyone have any good experiences?!

[TheGreenGoddess]

I have been urgently referred on the two-week pathway by my GP after she became concerned about my symptoms, and I have to go for a hysteroscopy next week.
Does anyone have a good experience of this procedure? Everyone I've spoken to says it's awful and everything you read online says much the same. So now I'm bricking it...I had a really bad painful experience with a coil insertion some years ago, so am worried this could be the same (or worse!)
Any hints or positive experiences welcome....not sure I want to hear any more bad experiences thanks!

@Etinoxaurus

I had one last week on the two week wait. Not painful but fascinating- although I said I’d rather the consultant could see the screen clearly rather than me, I could watch and he pointed out my Fallopian tube entrances, fibroids etc. I could also see the scraper 🤢 Nurse and consultant were both exceptionally kind and reassuringly chatty, this was at King’s. I was given time to gather myself and antibiotics to take before I left. Only thing I was surprised by and would have liked more time to consider was the other of a Mireya coil, I’m 53 ffs. I said no and having researched since I happy I made the right decision but if it’s worth looking into not trying to make a decision legs akimbo.

I had a mirena put in a few weeks short of my 57th birthday as part of my HRT. It's been brilliant.

I have had one this week.

Wasn't offerred GA or LA but was advised to take paracetamol beforehand - so I did.

It wasn't excruciating but did take my breath away at times, was painful and very uncomfortable. I tried to focus on my breathing and not tense up.

I had some "polyp-like" growths removed too so all went on for quite a while.

Hope yours is uneventful, OP. Good luck x

I had one this week. Uncomfortable but not intolerable for most of it, until the doc tried to excise a polyp and then I had to get them to stop. Never felt pain like it. I have Crohn's disease which is in a flare at the mo, so I think the combo of both was a bit much for me.

@BobbinThreadbare123

I had one this week. Uncomfortable but not intolerable for most of it, until the doc tried to excise a polyp and then I had to get them to stop. Never felt pain like it. I have Crohn's disease which is in a flare at the mo, so I think the combo of both was a bit much for me.

^^agree about the polyps, that was the worst bit. With hindsight, I would have liked yo have Bern offered pain relief. The consultant kept saying if it was painful, to ask him to pause. I didn't want it dragging on longer than it had to, so I really didn't want him pausing!

*to have been

@comfortablyfrumpy yep, they put the pain relief responsibility on the patient, by asking you to take 2 ibuprofen before you come to the hospital. I can't take most painkillers thanks to the Crohn's and I wasn't offered any until I was in agony (gas and air). 6+ Calpol isn't going to cut it!

I was awake. I felt the sample being taken which felt like a sting.

When I stood up, I was bleeding a bit. On the way home had what felt like period pain.

Took some painkillers. The bleeding got less and by the next day, felt fine.

[quote BobbinThreadbare123]@comfortablyfrumpy yep, they put the pain relief responsibility on the patient, by asking you to take 2 ibuprofen before you come to the hospital. I can't take most painkillers thanks to the Crohn's and I wasn't offered any until I was in agony (gas and air). 6+ Calpol isn't going to cut it![/quote]
That sounds awful.

I took paracetamol beforehand as was advised, bit they didn't discuss anything stronger.

Hi all, so I used this thread and read through feedback before I had my Hysteroscopy and Polypectomy today and so wanted to share my experience in case it is helpful for others. I took paracetamol and ibuprofen beforehand and then had local anaesthetic. It was like very strong period pains at one point and then just felt very uncomfortable/strong period pains on and off. I would say that if you find smear tests ok, this might help you consider whether LA or GA would be better for you but also appreciate based on feedback from others, this is still very variable. The procedure took about 10-15 minutes and I’m pleased I went down this route rather than general.

I was expecting it to be awful and was happy it wasn't nearly as bad as expected. I didn't feel the biopsy at all. The bit I didn't like was my uterus being filled with water to pump it up, that was very uncomfortable.

Take paracetamol and ibuprofen beforehand - it really makes a massive difference. The nurses told me it's always obvious who takes pain meds beforehand as the patients are much less bothered.

Good luck.

Had one the day before yesterday carried out by a very experienced gynae-oncologist. Have had several before and for me they are not that uncomfortable.

I take 400mg of ibuprofen and 500mg of paracetamol around an hour before my appointment and always eat something before I go. I had four nurses and health care assistants in the room when the hysteroscopy was being carried out. (Usually it's just two but I think the additional two were trainees/observers.) They were all lovely and we were chatting throughout and that helps to distract.

Sometimes I watch the procedure on a screen near my head. When biopsies are being taken that can sting a little, but for me, it only stings for a few seconds. I didn't have any local anaesthetic this time and the camera passed easily through the cervix. I don't usually feel wobbly or faint afterwards.

I didn't experience any uterine cramps while the procedure was being done nor directly afterwards but I did have some cramping and bleeding last night. But I have a "16/18 week" enlarged uterus with two large currently degenerating fibroids and from time to time they give me cramping and moderate to heavy bleeding. I understand the saline solution used to dilate the endometrial cavity can irritate the endometrial lining and cause some spotting and bleeding for several days after a hysteroscopy but I have an ongoing PMB problem anyway so it's difficult for me to know whether I am currently bleeding as a result of the procedure, two days ago, or as a result of the ongoing fibroids and hyperplasia issues.

All the best with yours and I hope it goes well and that your biopsy report will come back "NAD".

Hi

I was dreading mine today but it was fine. I took 2 co codomol and 2 neurofen. No pain at all. The water all falls out. Good news he was a bit aghast at my prolapse so booked in straight for a hysterectomy.

I had this done earlier this year. They also inserted a coil at the same time. Previously coil insertion was agony as I have a wonky cervix. I was so anxious... but I had an injection in my cervix and then gas and air during the procedure and didn't feel a thing... def push for injection and gas and air

Hi all, has anyone else experienced their period being 4+ days late after a Hysteroscopy and/or Polypectomy? I’m definitely not pregnant. Presume the procedure has messed up my cycle a bit. Would be helpful to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience x

Yes!
I'm a 69 year old with post menstrual bleeding which started 6 months ago.
I was terrified as smearctedts have been impodssible due to pain for almost 40 years.
I had my gynae appointment today and, having read some negative accounts here and elsewhere about pain of hysterectomy, I was ill at ease.
My consultant talked me through the procedures she was hoping to undertake: trans- vaginal scan then, if indicated, hysteroscopy, then if indicated a polyp etc. removed and sent for biopsy.
All 3 procedures were carried out with a very tolerable level of pain: stinging and cramps.
Please don't be afraid of this / these procedures.
My consultant explained what shexwould do, potential pain and duration( ie. "pressure and cramps for 5 seconds" ) and why.
This helped tremendously as, yes, it was painful at times but knowing it was temporary made a huge difference.
Ask whoever is carrying out the procedure/s to talk you through it/them as they do them 🙂

Apologies for typos
Hysteroscopy

@KarenWoody53 I totally get that for you it was fine & I'm really pleased for you

Please don't assume that it will be fine for everyone - studies have proved that for around 30% of women it is the worst pain they have ever had - I will tell everyone I know that they have a 7 in ten chance of it being pretty ok and a 3 in 10 chance of it being horrific and let them make the decision

I wasn't assuming it was fine for everyone at all.
I was terrified due to my own experience of smear tests and reading negative experiencescso simply answeing a question about if anyone had positive experiences 🙂

I had one without anaesthetic, I was referred for post menopausal bleeding and was told I would have to wait longer and come back another day if I wanted an anaesthetic.

I was glad afterwards that I got it done, but felt really sick with the pain and would probably have anaesthetic if I needed another.

Sorry you felt unwell after the local and totaly understand why a GA may well be a future choice.
I think much comes down to the individual practitioner unfortunately.
It's not a 'nice' procedure at all but being talked through it helped me.
Asking practitioner to explain all during the process my help.
I was all for ssking for a GA when I arrived for today's appointment, panicky din't come close, but all was toletable.
I undetstand this may not be the case for everyone but just sharing a more positive experience in answer to a specific question.
I took diazepam the evening before and co- codamol an hour before procedures...may have helped.
Long wait fir biopsies but please realise positive experience of invasive procedures do exist 🙂

I've had 2 this year - both at Addenbrookes, Cambridge.

1st. I forgot about taking paracetamol beforehand. It was (very mildly) uncomfortable but not at all painful. I'm sure I had a local anesthetic injected and seem to recall that hurt the most. I then had a biopsy taken and Mirena coil inserted. No pain afterwards

2nd. I remembered to take the paracetamol before. I didn't have a local anesthetic and while the hysterscopy itself wasn't a problem they then took a biopsy which was fairly "ouchy" but only for a matter of seconds. Again no pain afterwards.

My referral was for prolonged bleeding (I'm 51).
Conclusion was "disordered proliferation" due to an imbalance between the levels of oestrogen and progesterone around the time of the peri menopause.
Follow up 6m later was to check this after Mirena insertion which was all fine.

I hope it all goes well for you and your results are good.