No anaesthetic: am I being a wimp?

Fashionista1
A hysteroscopy is not a hysterectomy! I don’t think anybody would suggest the latter without sedation and very good local anaesthetic, even with keyhole surgery! A hysteroscopy is where a camera on a very fine tube is passed into the womb, for diagnostic purposes. It’s not a walk in the park, and everybody perceives pain differently, but it’s a pretty minor procedure compared to having your womb ( or bits of it) removed!

I wrote earlier about needing a GA for this. I'll just add that I recently had root canal treatment without anaesthetic and was neither up nor down. I doubt many folk would consider that. Pain is very personal, and we should not compare be ashamed if we do find something unbearable.

I had one done and they had to abandon it and rebook me with a general anaesthetic as I nearly passed out. Definitely not a wimp. Good luck x

I too had a GA for hysteroscopy - it was never even suggested that there were other possibilities! It must have been pretty light as I was good to go home a couple of hours later

I said I wanted a general anaesthetic for the same procedure and that's what I got. The anaesthetist did try to gently persuade me to have an epidural but hastily withdrew the offer when I burst into tears. No way would I have it done awake,

they are unsomfortable but considerably less so than having local anaesthetic injected in that area!!

I have had a hysterectomy. I think it depends on which type you have. One is a more simple procedure than the other. I had what I would call the more complicated
/traditional removal whereby my abdomen had an incision and I had stitches because, having large fibroids, it had to be done that way. I couldn't lift anything for 6 weeks. It sounds like you are having the newer method where you don't need stitches and it is much more straightforward. I am sure you will be fine but I don't think you are being a wimp to be worried about having the procedure.

There are a lot of procedures I could never have without sedation. I had surgery to remove a thankfully benign brain tumour and I would face that again before some other things unmedicated. Jackie7698 thanks for posting your experience having had 2 csections myself I will remember that should I ever need that procedure.

I have had many and varied anaesthetics for different reasons (operations and procedures) and I can honestly say that I would avoid them if at all possible. They are toxic and can leave you with unwanted side effects from the chemicals involved

I asked my GP for some Diazepam (I only need to take one) for when I have an MRI now, it calms my jitters and enables me to stay still!

Anaesthetics are marvellous when they are absolutely necessary but I recommend that you don't have one if you can find another way of dealing with the anxiety

You are not being a wimp. Here is what the NHS site says

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hysteroscopy/what-happens/

It would probably help you to have some diazepam from yuor gp. I got these from my GP for my cataract operation and informed the nurse on arrival.

Keeper1

I am worried now I need one, I have had a c section and a vaginal birth. I also have vaginal atrophy so anything going there is painful and that's before they get to the cervix. The gp did mention a biopsy so I am hoping that means some pain relief other than paracetamol and ibuprofen. I am already in pain I don't want any more and I have a bladder problem as well just to add insult to injury.

Firstly find out what the standard offer is at the hospital. If you need help and support in finding out or making sure you will get the sedation YOU want contact the hospital PALs - ime they are very helpful. Please don’t sit and worry. It may be that your trust is fine and if it isn’t, you've time to change that or go to another trust. Btw - the ibuprofen etc is not pain relief for the procedure but for any pain afterwards.

Ask for some sort of sedation if you are already worrying, what are you going to be like on the day? All tensed up. For once I agree with Suziewoozie on this. It is the 21 century and why should women put up with excruciating examinations. Facilities should be made for you if you choose to have light sedation.

I am worried now I need one, I have had a c section and a vaginal birth. I also have vaginal atrophy so anything going there is painful and that's before they get to the cervix. The gp did mention a biopsy so I am hoping that means some pain relief other than paracetamol and ibuprofen. I am already in pain I don't want any more and I have a bladder problem as well just to add insult to injury.

Not being a wimp at all. Asserting yourself is hard but remember there’s no way a man would have an equivalent operation without pain relief and it seems to be a standard assumption to assume women should put up with pain. It was men who made these assumptions in the past and old habits die hard when it comes to women’s health. So stand your ground!

No you're not being a wimp. I've had two cataract ops and told them they were not coming anywhere near me without knocking me out, so I'm a wimp too!! Perhaps they could give you some sedation if you ask. You can't be the only one. Good luck I'm sure it won't be anywhere near as bad as you think. These things never are.

I've had a few of these done over the past few years and never had any conventional anaesthesia. The gel they put inside does numb a little but apart from what felt like a moderate period pain for a few hours, I was fine and I didn't have any Paracetamol (allergic) or Ibuprofen (I've had stomach surgery so not allowed it).I simply went home, found a warm throw and curled on the settee for an hour or so and was right as rain after I'd had a cuppa.

A few women say the procedure hurts a bit but to the majority it's pretty minor, nothing to write home about.

I had two of these in 2017, one in 2018 and one in 2020.
I was really dreading the first, and bought the strongest OTC painkillers I could find( Paramol). I frightened myself silly by reading of people who had unpleasant experiences of this procedure on the net- but all my hysteroscopies have been absolutely fine. I’ve had 2 children and a d’n’ c in my youth- it could well be that a cervix that has dilated before takes to this procedure more easily- but to be fair the scope thingy is only millimetres in diameter. I felt a little period pain discomfort when they were taking biopsies, and the subsequent nights had quite strong cramps ( they inflate the uterus with water, to get a good look-see, and what goes up inevitably will be ejected) but the Paramol worked well there too.( No, I don’t have shares, but they worked for me.) I am a fully paid up member of the wimp club, always thought I had a low pain threshold, but whilst this has never been my favourite way to spend a morning, it really hasn’t been that bad for me. It has helped that the nurses and doctors ( all female- I think that helped, some fellow feeling going on) at the John Radcliffe Women’s’ Hospital Oxford were all kindness and gentleness itself. I hope your experience will be like mine.

I'm the same. I beg for sedation whenever possible , sometimes I'm allowed it , sometimes I'm not. If your not allowed it - it's usually because the procedure isn't painful anyway , so I wouldn't worry if I was you. I think it's more the thought of pain that's the bigger issue here. Just speaking from experience, so hope its helpful.

ExD

I'm hesitant to say this, but gas and air doesn't seem to work for me (two babies and one dental procedure).
My GP says that's impossible (for gas and air 'not to work' for an individual).
Do some people respond better to pain relief than others?

I’ve had three babies with no pain relief after my first whiff of gas and air made me sick.
Then three years ago I was referred for a colonoscopy and the leaflet said not to drive myself there as I’d be given sedation. No such luck! I was offered gas and air but refused it as I didn’t want to be throwing up. Nothing else was offered and the procedure was excruciating, perhaps because five polyps were removed.
I was supposed to have a follow up colonoscopy last year but got a letter saying the consultant had looked at my results and deemed a further one unnecessary. I was so relieved but also a bit suspicious because so many procedures were/are being delayed due to Covid and obviously I don’t want anything to be overlooked.
I shall continue to request the home testing kit for bowel cancer and hope that’s enough.

I wish you all the best JackK and make sure you get whatever pain relief is available. I wish I’d put my foot down and insisted on sedation,

Pammie1

You’re entitled to a sedative for this procedure so ask for it. You have to be accompanied my someone who can drive you or escort you home afterwards and your stay at the hospital will be a couple of hours longer until you’ve recovered enough to go home.

I was treated sympathetically during the initial examination and subsequent ultrasound examination due to issues involving an assault when I was a child...I did have to explain this but the nurses could not have been nicer. The consultant recommended the GA and I went home the same day with no ill affects. I had to have someone take me home. The Consultant found a large polyps and removed it. The biopsy was negative. Had I had to have this done without sedation I would have totally freaked out.. !

It’s better for both you and your healthcare team to have a successful procedure with sedation than a failed procedure without.

I recently had a scope, was nervous, and was sedated. The procedure went excellently and I remember nothing of it.

Please do ask for sedation. Good luck with the scope.

Listen to Blossoming and others! You demand some sedation! ??

JackK

You're all wonderful - I'm very grateful for your kind and helpful comments ?

I did hesitate before weighing in but felt it would have patronising and wrong of me not to point out what a contested area of women’s health care this is ( as is so much to do with all aspects of reproductive health) Don’t get me started on the wholesale neglect of endometriosis.

I had an attempted hysteroscopy but screamed in pain. My uterus had collapsed after an endometrial ablation 25 years ago. I was then given a GA. No you're not a wimp.

Fortunately I’ve not had one of these procedures.
But, my last smear was excruciating, I had to ask the nurse to stop. I’ve had 3 vaginal births. I’m now 65, and up to that point never had a problem. I should have gone back to try again, but was too traumatised.
As someone else said, would men tolerate having a painful procedure without proper pain relief.
Stand your ground , your not a wimp.
Good luck ??