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Women's health

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Original poster

Talk to me about a hysteroscopy

51 replies

iluvsummer · 12/04/2023 22:16

Hello! I’ve been referred for a hysteroscopy, date has come through after only 2 weeks so that’s put me into a bit of a tizz. I have adenomyosis and very heavy painful periods so the consultant wants to take a sample of the lining and make sure everything is ok and nothing sinister going on, which he was quite confident there isn’t and it’s just the adenomyosis but I always think the worst! He also wants me to have the coil as he thinks this will help! Has anyone been though this and have any advice? My pain threshold is very low despite 3 kids and they told me to take 2 paracetamol and an ibuprofen before 🤣😁

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 12/04/2023 22:26

My sister had one under local anaesthetic recently and apparently it was awful and they ended up pausing and getting gas and air for her as the pain was like being in labour.

My hysteroscopy was done under GA which I am thankful for.

IronicElf · 12/04/2023 22:32

A friend had one and said it was incredibly painful (she had previous cervical tearing from labour which might have been a factor but there's a lot of evidence and support groups out there for women traumatised by hysteroscopies).

Of course some women are fine. Personally (as an ex-theatre nurse who has been involved ion the other end) there's no fucking way anyone is mucking about inside one of my major organs without me being under a general anaesthetic (or possibly spinal block).

If a doctor is minimising the pain experienced by a lot of women, that's a red flag right there.

Africa2go · 12/04/2023 22:41

Not wanting to frighten you but agree with pps. Had one about 6 weeks ago. I'd like to think I'm quite tough and it was really painful. I had to ask the doctor to stop - she had enough to determine a result as it happens. I was also in pain afterwards (went home to bed).

user1471550643 · 12/04/2023 22:45

Sorry not what you want to hear. I had one too and found it really painful .. like really extreme period cramps. I had to ask the Doctor to stop for a while at one point as I thought I was going to pass out. Bled and felt out of sorts for a couple of days afterwards. Definitely take pain killers beforehand, that might help. I also have never has children, so that may have also made it more difficult.

Tailfeather · 12/04/2023 22:46

I've had 3 under sedation. Obviously didn't feel anything during but didn't feel anything after either. Just a bit of bleeding.

I have very, very heavy periods and polyps.

supermodel · 12/04/2023 22:47

I have to be honest too, I found it extremely painful and I think I went into some sort of shock as I collapsed afterwards. Of course it can vary but I certainly wouldn’t contemplate having this procedure again without an anaesthetic. I hadn’t realised how many other women have suffered with this procedure and thought maybe I was just a wuss so I would advise you to find out what options you may have.

elm26 · 12/04/2023 22:47

No way would I have this done without sedation or general anaesthetic.

I've had 3 and laparoscopy's done at the same time for endometriosis. It's tender after but the relief I get for 6-9 months from the heaviness and pain of bleeding is worth it.

I know 2 people who've had it done whilst awake who both said it was painful and they wouldn't do it again.

I'd push for sedation at the least. Good luck xx

HariboHippo · 12/04/2023 22:53

Just to give another view, I had one for a polyp investigation and was absolutely fine with no anaesthetic or anything at all. It was a last minute thing following a scan so I wasn’t expecting it and had no clue what it was, but it was no worse than a smear for me. I do have an incompetent cervix though - no clue if that makes a difference! I’ve had a friend who said it was agony for her and another who also said it was fine, so seems a huge spectrum.

Annoyingnamechangerperson · 12/04/2023 22:54

I had this done recently, no local or pain relief and I didn’t find it painful.
I was dreading it as I’d read horror stories about how painful it can be.
There were parts of it that felt uncomfortable I would say but I was never at a point where I felt like it was painful or I needed anything additional. I was assured that I could have local or gas and air if needed.
I did take paracetamol and ibuprofen before the procedure so I don’t know if that made a difference.
I was recommended the coil too but opted out because I’ve heard that it’s a nightmare to get someone to agree to remove them if you have side effects.

Thea91 · 12/04/2023 22:56

I had a surgical one a few weeks ago so I needed to be put to sleep as they operated on me at the same time . Can you ask to go under general?

Totallyaddictedtoshoes · 12/04/2023 23:02

I refused one actually, as there was so much minimisation about what the process would be like, there would be no anaesthesia at all and I had no confidence in the care I would receive, I was made to feel ridiculous that it would be anything more than a smear type sensation and that loads of women have them all the time with no issues. Mine was for adenomyosis and I was being heavily pushed to have a mirena coil fitted at the same time, which I knew I didn't want. I'd had colposcopies in the past and knew from scans etc there was nothing suspicious going on so I decided to try the progesterone only pill instead, which did sort me out. But I didn't appreciate being made to feel over dramatic and silly by the consultant and nurses. It's completely ridiculous women have to suffer this, there's not a chance men would be put through all the rummaging around, pain and after effects with no anaesthetic.

Desmondo2021 · 12/04/2023 23:05

Isn't it a hystercoscopy? That's what I've been calling it!!

I had 1 two weeks ago. Was nervous as hell but with gas and air it was absolutely fine. Seriously it was. I wouldn't have wanted to do it without but I think that was cos I was so tense through worry!

WhoToBeToday · 12/04/2023 23:09

I've had 6. First and most recent under general/sedation.

Others with pain killers and local.

Local were a bit like the dentist. Ouch/scratchy not great with the needle...but dealable as not for long.... Rest of it just some rummaging and a bit undignified. Better than the faff of general ...having to wait/get lifts home etc .most recent was general as had an ablation not just the hysteroscopy.

Do Not let them proceed without a local.

Spudlover · 12/04/2023 23:11

I’m a total wimp and I had one with paracetamol and ibuprofen and was fine. It was no worse than a coil fitting.

It seems to be very random but it’s not always horrific. Good luck whichever way you decide to do it.

dementedpixie · 12/04/2023 23:16

Desmondo2021 · 12/04/2023 23:05

Isn't it a hystercoscopy? That's what I've been calling it!!

Definitely Hysteroscopy

Stripycatz · 12/04/2023 23:16

Very traumatic. PTSD to the level that I am currently refusing smear tests. I'm no snowflake either.
If I ever need another I'll probably refuse unless I can have a GA.

greyhairnomore · 12/04/2023 23:19

Big campaign on Twitter atm. They have to offer you a general if you want one.
I refused one , heard so many horror stories.

Amipreg1 · 12/04/2023 23:20

I'm surprised at the horror stories. I had a hysteroscopy and biopsy and barely felt a thing. Slight cramps for a few hours after but other than that it was fine.

fridascruffs · 12/04/2023 23:20

I had one
No pain relief, bit uncomfortable getting past cervix but once in it was fine, quite interesting watching it on screen actually. Very variable though I think.

silverlentils · 12/04/2023 23:23

I had one 10 years ago, they just gave me diazepam beforehand.
It was like being back in labour....and I had very hard labours. I had to make them stop as it was not tolerable. No way would I ever do anything like that again without proper sedation or a GA.

Swannning · 12/04/2023 23:26

I had one recently, it was uncomfortable but not unbearable. What hurt like fuck was the part where they removed my coil, the rest was fine.

However I did feel very faint for half an hour afterwards and wished I'd asked someone else to drive me.

icelollies · 12/04/2023 23:36

Mine was absolutely fine - I had a local (which I didn't feel at all) and then got to watch the scope on the screen. It was quite interesting. I had a coil fitted at the same time, so had some related cramps afterwards. This relieved all my period issues for 5 years.

It was incomparable to the time i had the coil replaced with no local. I was violently ill with severe cramps and nausea, and had to have it removed.

So, i guess you wont really know how it will feel until you’re there.
Best of luck with it!

shiningstar2 · 12/04/2023 23:37

There is no reason for any women to take the risk of how painful it might be without anesthetic if they don't want to. I did a bit of research before mine. Went armed with the information that they should offer GA if it is requested. There was a bit of an attempt to persuade me to go ahead without as I was there for two procedures. Did the internal scan but refused the hysteroscopy. They said the scan showed I would need a large polp removed so agreed to arrange under a GA. Hospitals often try without first if the woman is willing because it's cheaper that way but quite often the procedure has to be stopped, especially I if polos have to be removed then the whole thing has to be done again under GA. If you don't feel up to having it done without a GA request one op. There is nothing wrong with having a lower pain threshold than some other people .. I know I do so probably saved them having to do the procedure twice to get it completed.

CherryMaple · 12/04/2023 23:48

Very, very painful - and I am good with pain. I wish I had had a general anaesthetic. I have only had C-sections, although a long labour with DD1 - I wonder if that made a difference?

If you do decide to try without a general anaesthetic, OP, you must say if the pain is too much. I soldiered on after ‘2 Nurofen beforehand’ and really regret it. I have fibroids and polyps and have declined further treatment because the hysteroscopy was so awful ☹️

Spiderysenses · 12/04/2023 23:49

I had a womb biopsy that wasn't a hysteroscopy, that was a bit fumbly and uncomfortable, but not traumatic. Although I oddly felt really, really wobbly afterwards.
I then went on to have a polyp removed during a hysteroscopy. Our hospital only offer them under GA because of the equipment they have, I was pretty resistant to having a GA as I'm fairly robust, but couldn't face having a long journey to the next nearest hospital. The consultant was actually quite pro having a GA, said there is no way of knowing who will cope with it well, some people's cervixes were more accommodating than others, no connection with pain thresholds.
I had the GA, it was day surgery, quickly over, virtually no bleeding or soreness afterwards. I then read a few horror stories and was glad I'd not had a choice!

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