Hysteroscopy

Hi Sair,

I wasn't dismissed, but at first they could not see anything wrong and thought it was vaginal thinning. The biopsy proved otherwise, so if there is anything to worry about your biopsy should pick it up!! Sometimes I meet nurses that should never have been in the profession. Fortunately they are few and far between!! xxx

Thank you so much for replying. Wow the hysteroscopy was soo painful, will ask for a general anaesthetic if i need that done again. Hopefully the results will come though quickly. Much love xx

Hi . As NannyAnny said the biopsy should pick up any irregularities. As the why some medical professional are so off hand defeats me. Surely they must realise, we the patient, are in a state of total anxiety and need reassurance, not feeling like we're being dismissed!

It’s always helpful to others if you write a little something (or a lot) about yourself and your journey to date. You can enter it into your profile (click on your username and select “Profile”) It’s helpful to other members with a similar diagnosis who can then hopefully answer your questions. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. You can amend or update it at any time. If you’re not sure what to write, just click on my username.

If you want to ask any of us any questions please come back and do so. There's always someone around and we can offer a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold or listen to a rant, we’re here for you.

It might also be a good idea to download this booklet Understanding Womb (Endometrial) Cancer. I found it invaluable on my journey. 

Click on the link I’ve created to find out more information covering diagnosis and treatments for Womb cancer.

You might also find this link to what to take in my overnight bag useful if you have to have surgery.

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Sending you welcoming hugs, Barb xx 

Thank you so much for the advice and kind words. I feel very tearful today. Xx

Bless you Sair. I’m sorry you had such a upsetting experience. My endometrium was found to be 8mm thick and so I had to go for a hysteroscopy. The hysteroscopy failed as it was so painful trying to get the camera through that the consultant was unwilling to continue as he didn’t want to hurt me further or for it to be a negative experience for me, I had a hysteroscopy and biopsy under GA about 3 weeks later and two weeks after that received the news that I have grade 1 stage 1a cancer, have they told you when and how you should expect to get your results?

Hi Sair,

That sounds so dismissive. Following my hysteroscopy, my husband who was in the next room, asked the consultant straight out if she thought it was cancer, and she said no, she didn’t think it looked sinister. - She was so wrong!  Following biopsy being sent for histology, I was telephoned to return the next day to see her in her private consulting room. She apologised and said she was so surprised by the result, but said she was glad she had taken the biopsy from the opposite side of the uterus from where there was a polyp, as the polyp she said was sure to be benign.I was then referred to the gynaecologist/oncologist. Thankfully following surgery, the cancer was caught early, and staged and graded as 1a, which I was assured by my specialist nurse was the one to have should you have to have this cancer! Have they advised you how quick the result will be? Let’s hope all is fine, but be assured that if there is anything untoward, any cancer of the womb is slow growing, and can be dealt with so well. If you need a chat I’m here, any questions, whatever. It’s such a worrying time, and the waiting is definitely the worst. Sending lots of hugs, Emm xx

Dear Marmite and Emma,

Thank you so much for your kind words. The nurse specialist who did the hysteroscopy said 5 weeks!! I'm worried because she thinks it looked normal that she hasn't marked the histology as urgent. How can she tell after what felt like 2 minute look, it was all normal. That's the other thing, is the biopsy just random, how can they tell if they have got the right area? So I think after two weeks, if I haven't heard anything, I'll start asking. This so stressful, Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experiences. Much love to you both x

Hi Sair, were you put on a 2 week fast track from your GP? 5 weeks seems a long time for a wait but it may be your particular area is very busy. If my understanding is correct then a biopsy of anywhere on the endometrium is sufficient. Do you have a consultant’s name mentioned on the letter you received who is in overall charge of the hysteroscopy clinics? I think that should be the case and you can then direct any questions to his secretary. There should be a secretary who is responsible for assisting one or more of the gynae consultants. Have you been told how and from whom you will receive the result?  If not, then that could be a very valid reason for phoning and asking the consultant in charge, and then you could add in any other questions you have. Just because you sensed an unhelpful vibe from this nurse practitioner it doesn’t mean that’s what you will get from everyone there, so hopefully you will find a more helpful person to talk to. Bear in mind that she’s not qualified to give any observations or results, and that aside from seeing polyps, fibroids etc, there’s not much to see in there from the surface so she may have genuinely not been able to answer questions in depth. Her attitude sounds uncaring, which isn’t right, but that doesn’t mean she’s no good at her job - which was just to look and take a biopsy. Saying it looked normal might to her just have meant no polyps or fibroids, not that there wasn’t anything wrong. I understand your worry, and hear you, but chasing the results with the consultant may be the best way forward. FWIW at my hospital all results have to go to a “team” for a meeting before next steps are decided and phone calls or face to face appointments are made. The meeting is on a Friday morning and phone calls then happen late morning and afternoon, if results come in on or after the Friday afternoon, they are dealt with the following Friday. My results took 3 weeks not 2, because they came in on a Friday afternoon and waited till the following Friday for the meeting. I then got a phone call that morning from a gynae doctor.

Hi Sair,

When I had my biopsy I could feel him snipping bits from all around. I would imagine they wouldn't have taken just one bit from you. xx

This is such great advice. I’m going to find out who the over all consultant is and take it from there. Thank you so much. Xx