No anaesthetic: am I being a wimp?

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'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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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

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,

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 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 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.

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!

Please don’t assume it will be agony - I’m not the bravest & I had a hysteroscopy & biopsy 2 years ago with no anaesthetic, the consultant and nurse were very kind and I was fine (glad when it was over but also glad that I had it done and all was ok). It was nowhere near as bad as I expected, I wouldn’t worry about having it done again if necessary.

My husband had sedation for his colonoscopy and said he remembered virtually nothing. I was allegedly given sedation but felt exactly the same as normal and certainly remembered everything. I had to ask them to stop. They gave me more sedation but it didn't kick in properly until the procedure had finished - then I fell asleep!

I think you should let them know your concerns and that you want at least some sedation or a GA. I would be nervous too. I agree with suziewoozie, it is not being a wimp to want to avoid pain. As she says, bravery is much overrated.

I agree it’s horrific to expect women to undergo a biopsy without sedation. Just to say that my husband had a prostate biopsy, which involved 26 snips of the prostate, without sedation or painkillers. He also had several doctors try to insert larger and larger catheters when he couldn’t pee, without any pain relief. It was beyond excruciating. He was also made to wait 24 hours before they put in a supra pubic catheter and his bladder and body held on to five litres of water. It caused so much damage and unbearable pain. So this isn’t a male female issue, it’s a horrible procedure issue that the NHS pretends doesn’t hurt when it usually does. That’s just wrong. By the way I lost my husband from the prostate cancer and was generally grateful foe the treatment, but not all of it is good and not all medics are kind and caring.

Nanatoone,

"^Inject plenty of Lidocaine hydrochloride 2% jelly (Xylocaine) intraurethrally for lubrication and local analgesia.^ "

from Central European Journal of Urology. Local anaesthesia is usually effective for all sort of local work including dentistry. I hope your husband complained at the time that he was uncomfortable or feeling pain as there seems to be no need for anyone to suffer.

I have never known a patient , male of female, made to wait long for catherisation. I hope you complained to the local trust.

I have learned really fast to demand politely what is needed from hospitals
I have a hysteroscopy and i find it excruciating. I am somewhat of a wimp though.

2 days to countdown ... took your advice and phoned the hospital for advice. No answer. Left an answerphone message for them to call me back. Nothing.
Phoned my doctor who stated that '"it is a straightforward and easy procedure ... and no sedation is necessary".
Then she (she!) added " but if you find it too painful, the consultant will stop - and book you in for a GA".
Oh dear ?

Oh for goodness sake, JackK, isn’t that ridiculous? I’m angry on your behalf!

I think basically it's about saving resources (I would imagine it is much more labour intensive and time consuming to have a GA and therefore more costly. Also, to be fair, GAs do carry a higher risk. Probably many patients go along with it because they don't want to make a fuss.

On two occasions I have had procedures that have been so painful that I have asked them to stop. On the first occasion, they abandoned the procedure and booked me in for something similar that required a GA. Some people don't like GAs because of the higher risk but I would take that risk any day.