Hysteroscopy

[HysteroscopyWorries]

Has anybody, who has not given birth vaginally (failed induction leading to emcs, my cervix was not going anywhere) nor had a coil, had a hysteroscopy without a general anaesthetic? I'm on the urgent referral path and have been told to take 2 paracetamol in advance but am worried it will be agony. Any experience please? TIA

I had it under GA, twice. Experiences vary so widely. Some people find it an easy experience, some horrific. I had a cervical stricture so they couldn’t do it without causing extreme pain. I am glad I had the GA. There are a lot of threads on here if you search. To add, I’ve had several coils and two vaginal births.

I had one and it was ok.

If I ever need one which I probably will at some point after having numerous gynie issues I’ll be asking for GA . I’ve read too many horror stories

A hysteroscopy is meant to be an outpatients procedure

Yes the same history as you and I had mine under a local anaesthetic (they give you an injection to numb the cervix). It was not pleasant but I had the option to stop at anytime if it was too much- I really just wanted it over and done with and I had a fantastic nurse holding my hand and supporting me though it.
I had got myself worked up about it beforehand as I had heard some not very pleasant stories which probably didn’t help!

Yes, I've read lots of threads, various experiences, but I'm worried having never given birth naturally it will not be pleasant. Smears have been OK and I had a d&c under GA for a mmc. You can't know before you get there I suppose, and I could call a halt if it's hideous.

Thank you!

Just insist on a GA.
Look up the Campaign against painful hysteroscopy. Paracetamol only is barbaric, men would not put up with it!

Agree with this. I had a hysteroscopy on Tuesday under GA. Three polyps removed, plus an endometrial biopsy. Took about an hour and a half, apparently. They would have been grim with just a couple of paracetamol.

Mine's going to be a biopsy for thickened lining, suspected fibroid, but I'm post meno and never had fibroids (that I'm aware of) before. Thank you for all the replies x

It’s barbaric, we are in 2026. Just give women the drugs FFS

I think I'll message my nice GP and see.what she thinks of my history and how long the wait would be for a GA. Woman on the phone booking me in was surprised when I asked about anaesthetic on top of my '2 paracetamol an hour before'.

That’s not a useful comparison tbh. Trans rectal prostate biopsy is extremely painful for men.
better to advocate for this procedure to be under GA on the grounds that most women find this procedure painful

I've had two DC vaginally and several coils.

And after I had a D&C hysteroscopy under GA I was in so much pain I needed codeine and I was on the ceiling for several days the pain was so awful.

My private gynae won't even do them under local. He insists on GA.

I hate that faux surprise. They just want people to feel odd for asking.

I was due to have a hysteroscopy without GA but backed out when I got to the clinic. They tried to persuade me by saying I'd be fine because I'd given birth but I had very straightforward vaginal births with no pain relief needed and I was freaked out by the whole situation. I walked out and insisted on a GA at a later date. No regrets refusing to go through with it at the time.

I had one with no anaesthetic, not even the paracetamol because they told me I was going in for a 'pre-op' and consultation only to be told to at the appointment that I was there for the procedure - it was the worst pain I have ever experienced, the nurses had to hold me down while they completed it, i was screaming in agony, they tried to give me gas and air but I couldn't even hold the thing in my mouth - I physically couldn't have asked them to stop but I guess they assumed they had consent and they had already started so might as well finish. I fainted soon after and was in pain for days - please please ask for the anaesthetic. I am genuinely traumatised by mine and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Hands down the most painful thing I have ever experienced. They had to give up and I eventually had it done under general anaesthetic.

Im due to have one of these and opted for local anesthetic thinking I wouldnt want a GA unless I had to. I mean Ive had 2 c-sections with locals. For those of you who found it very painful did you have locals, or just painkillers?

I’ve just had one under GA for possible endometrial cancer, and I only had to wait 3 weeks. No children, though I briefly had a coil (which I expelled in a week).

They had tried to take Pipelle biopsies in clinic (twice) but as I have had an endometrial ablation and had a lot of scar tissue, it wasn’t possible to get in. The GA was necessary as they knew a certain amount of butchery would be needed to get in to get the samples, as my MRI showed a lot of scar tissue over my cervix.

I don’t know if they’ll offer you a GA if they haven’t already tried to get the biopsies another way.

A c-section under spinal/epidural is different to having a hysteroscopy with cervical local. Lots of women are on with the procedure done with local but as per PP’s some aren’t. Spinal can be an alternative to GA if it does end up needing to be done on an anaesthetic list (and for a moderate chunk of the population who need hysteroscopies spinal can be the safer option).

I've not had kids or a had coil fitted and found my hysteroscopy without GA uncomfortable but not painful - they numbed the cervix and I was offered gas and air if I wanted it, and had a nurse holding my hand throughout. Not sure what the wait would have been if I'd requested a GA but suspect it would have been much longer and I wanted it done ASAP (suspected endometrial cancer)

Can’t edit… should say ‘ok w the procedure’ not ‘on’

Well I had 4 nurses holding me down, gas and air and lots of screaming, several hours in a bed in the hidden room behind the procedure room unable to walk, and was in bed for about 3 days - paracetamol wouldn't have cut it for me.

Thank you all for your experiences! Food for thought.