Hysteroscopy

I didn't have polyps removed. The entire procedure was pure agony. She wouldn't stop. It's nothing to do with supposed pain thresholds either.

Yes quite possibly Greenfinch otherwise it’s just the camera being inserted and poking about.

I wonder if it is the attempt to remove the polyps that causes the pain. My hysteroscopy was exploratory and the polyps found were removed some weeks later under a spinal block.

I had this procedure a few years ago with an attempt to remove some polyps. After a few minutes of severe pain I went into shock, clammy and nauseous, and the nurse with me asked the consultant to stop. I was accustomed to very painful periods and have a high pain threshold but this was dreadful. Had the polyps removed subsequently under GA.

Interesting reading
hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-01-31/debates/6964ABD5-815F-4C26-8759-50EE1CB04E5B/NHSHysteroscopyTreatment#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20hysteroscopy%20procedure%20has,explained%20to%20them%20is%20appalling.

So long as a general anaesthetic is offered and it is clearly explained the 30% of women experience unbearable pain then you can make an informed choice.

I had one several years ago and I am glad I hadn’t read the horror stories. I was advised to take paracetamol beforehand which I did and although a little uncomfortable it was bearable. I guess we are all different and I am glad I didn’t need a GA.

You have my sympathy Drina01 and thanks for drawing attention to this. I haven't had a hysteroscopy before, but after reading this, should I ever need one, I'll know to definitely ask for a GA.

Had a hysteroscopy earlier today. Had read lots of horror stories about them and i’ve been terrified. I was lucky and it was fine! Painful but bearable with a bit of gas and air. It’s not bad for everyone. I wish had read more positive stories and not just lots of negative ones. That’s why i’m posting this. Someone may read it and see it’s not always bad.

I had one unexpectedly. They just decided to go ahead and do it after an initial inspection. I had no warning and didn't know what to expect. A kind nurse held my hand. The doctor was clinical and polite.

I wonder how many have my/my daughter's experience though?
And why?

I endured it twice when my periods stopped suddenly in my 40s. I’d have refused if it had ever been suggested again. Obv that it’s being done without GA to save money. Really an economy too far.

I think I was very lucky reading this...
And my daughter too.
💐 to everyone.

Drina01

I think that’s well said 52bright. Now I’ve been through it I don’t feel that I can’t trust Women’s Health in my area again. What goes on when under GA I wouldn’t like to know. Their attitude was very flippant - when I first went in when they took details - all of which are in my notes anyway - the door opened and a young nurse asked him (the trainee) if he want chocolate or plain ??? She then threw a biscuit bar across the room to him skimmed past me and he caught it. Empty tin of Fanta on the desk. Then went back to the interview. He didn’t gown up at all neither did I observe him washing his hands. (The ladies had scrubs on). I was left to myself to get up traumatised amongst all the debris as they clearly wanted the next person in. When I feel up to it I feel I will inform my GP… though the above sounds par for the course. I’ve needed little in my life re NHS ….

I am so, so sorry you had this experience. I've had two without GA and it was agony. I supposedly needed a third (although it was within 6 months of the previous one). I refused, ultimately l refused a GA too. The female gynaecologist, and 3 nurses with her) were extremely assertive that l should 'just get it done' despite describing how agonising and traumatising the previous ones had been.
It's really left me never trusting a gynaecologist ever again.

I think that’s well said 52bright. Now I’ve been through it I don’t feel that I can’t trust Women’s Health in my area again. What goes on when under GA I wouldn’t like to know. Their attitude was very flippant - when I first went in when they took details - all of which are in my notes anyway - the door opened and a young nurse asked him (the trainee) if he want chocolate or plain ??? She then threw a biscuit bar across the room to him skimmed past me and he caught it. Empty tin of Fanta on the desk. Then went back to the interview. He didn’t gown up at all neither did I observe him washing his hands. (The ladies had scrubs on). I was left to myself to get up traumatised amongst all the debris as they clearly wanted the next person in. When I feel up to it I feel I will inform my GP… though the above sounds par for the course. I’ve needed little in my life re NHS ….

I had to have both an internal scan and a hysteroscopy. Both were arranged for the same day. There was so little information given with the appointment letter...just commentary that I might suffer mild 'discomfort' and should take over the counter pain killers an hour before the procedure. This caused me to find out more about the procedure on line. When I discovered that some women suffer severe pain I made up my mind that I would request a GA. I went armed with copies of the research I had done. There was some attempt to persuade me to go ahead without a GA on the day, but when I showed them written evidence that a GA has to be offered if the patient requests one, they did agree and the appointment was rearranged. I'm not sure that would have been the case had I not been able to provide the evidence I had researched.
A good friend went ahead without any pain killers, She has a really high pain threshold. Gave birth without any painkillers at all yet she said she'd never experienced pain like it. She needed a large polp removed and the procedure took over half an hour. At no point did anyone ask if she wanted the procedure stopped and she blacked out just before they finished.
I know this isn't the case for everyone ... but there should be clear information with the appointment letter so that women can make informed choices. I've no idea whether I would have been one of the more fortunate women who don't experience severe pain or not...but I'm very glad I knew that I had the legal option of choosing a GA. One of the findings of an enquiry on this topic found that some women have no idea that if GA/epidural /Gas and air are requested, they have a legal right to have it.
The enquiry also found that many hospital trusts are deliberately vague on this issue as hysteroscopy without anaesthetic is more cost effective.
Not every woman will want GA but the knowledge that this is available if required should be clearly shown so all women can make an informed choice which is suitable for them.

I’ve now read up thankyou OldFrill ! There must be something in it then. And thanks to all GN folks as had no one to sound off. It’s late but I’m still going and feel like I’ve got PTSD - it will take days to get over this. Am reading the Kate biography so must be desperate !

I have had 3 hysteroscopies, all under general anesthetic. I also have had 2 colonoscopies both with general anesthetic. I have not heard them been done any other way here in France. The first hysteroscopy was in the 80s so it isn’t a new thing.

Fleur20

In my experience this procedure is barbaric without general anesthetic. No MAN would ever be expected to endure the equivalent level of pain. Absolutely intolerable.
Women are routinely expected to accept procedures like this because ' its unpleasant but necessary'.
What angered me recently was the amount of money spent on developing a blood test for prostate cancer 'because men won't put up with the internal examination used previously'.
Poor souls!

Internal examination is not a reliable test for prostate cancer, nor is the blood test (that is being developed as part of a screening programme, is that the one you're trying to allude to? Or the current PSA level blood test? You're not clear). The PSA test is also notoriously unreliable). Most prostate cancers are now identified by CT or MRI.
My late husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer aged 48, whilst fighting this heinous disease he worked with a wonderful group of urologists in raising awareness of this appalling disease, which killed him.
"Poor soul" indeed. His sons have been advised to have screening from age 40, what a legacy, "poor souls" eh.
Prostate cancer has long been a Cinderella cancer compared to the money spent, awareness raised and subsequent successful outcomes of female cancers. Fortunately a lot of women are extremely supportive and realise how dangerous prostate cancer is. My best wishes to any woman supporting a man going through this, or other prostate challenges, it's awful
Sorry to derail the thread and hope my comments above on hysteroscopy are helpful.

Painful hysteroscopy has been raised in Parliament at least TEN times. It has meant women can now elect to have a general anaesthetic, although in my experience you may well have to fight for it and it is not freely offered (it should be). A third of women suffer excessive pain and if you didn't you were lucky. It's nothing to do with pain thresholds. It's barbaric and unnecessary.
Here's a transcript from the House of Commons
hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-01-31/debates/6964ABD5-815F-4C26-8759-50EE1CB04E5B/NHSHysteroscopyTreatment

Oh thankyou everyone. I’ve been stewing all afternoon’ thinking it was just me !
Am loath to say it but the staff were less than helpful. No advice after, and rather sharp in just mentioning I’ll need a GA and they’ll be in touch. I questioned if they could tell me where the bleed came from given it was only 5 days ago (and know I have an erosion) but chap said he couldn’t say as he couldn’t see. Unfortunately I think he was a trainee as others were advising him. Surely they should have asked me if it was ok ? They were preoccupied with thickness measure (though I don’t fit any of the other conditions) and I’ve since discovered via NICE guidance there are numerous reasons for this.

I have had one and my daughter too.
Mine was totally fine
My daughter said it was "very uncomfortable but bearable"

We both had paracetamol and my daughter had gas and air.

I had the same problem, before my periods finished (almost 60 when they stopped), and I'd had months of heavy bleeding/flooding, lasting for 3 weeks out of every month.

I had 3 hysteroscopy procedures done, and they were agony. I'd had an injection in my cervix, to numb the pain (didn't work), and was made to feel a wimp and told that it's not painful!

In my experience this procedure is barbaric without general anesthetic. No MAN would ever be expected to endure the equivalent level of pain. Absolutely intolerable.
Women are routinely expected to accept procedures like this because ' its unpleasant but necessary'.
What angered me recently was the amount of money spent on developing a blood test for prostate cancer 'because men won't put up with the internal examination used previously'.
Poor souls!

Thanks for the reply. I’ve kind of been thinking that way myself. I had chosen the easier option (Manchester Repair) but - if am to have a general anaesthetic anyway and my repair needs doing why keep going back and back. No one has done bloods lately though and they’ve never been a concern. Never had a bleed out of the blue for 20 years but did have a polp removed in March (which I didn’t know about). Think I probably need a conversation with someone to put it all together as they all seem to ‘do their own thing’.