Hysteroscopy

Hi- I didn't have a hysteroscopy - they went straight to the pipelle biopsy. From what I understand the hysteroscopy is when they look with a little camera. The biopsy just went straight to taking some samples. I was very anxious before the procedure - more about the actual procedure than the potential diagnosis. I had a pretty good idea what it would show. The nurses were lovely. I took pain relief an hour before. There was a quick internal to check position of womb. Then the speculum. This was not painful. The unpleasant bit for me was when they first pushed the instrument through cervix- but it was done in seconds. I felt in control though and I knew she would stop if I found it too painful. I believe other ladies have had an anaesthetic but although it wasn't nice- I did find I was able to cope with it. Good luck

Hi Jane,

Thank you so much for your reply, I'm really glad it wasn't too painful for you. I think that'll probably be what they do with me if needed, my GP has said they'll probably do another transvaginal ultrasound at my appointment as it's been so long since my last one, then I think if it's still showing the thickening they'll do a biopsy. 

Hi CS1981, if you do find you need a hysteroscopy, I’d suggest you bear in mind the following - some find it no worse than a smear but some do. When I told the consultant that I was worried about it, he said I could opt to have it under general anaesthetic a couple of weeks or so later. But I decided to try, to see if I could cope, with the proviso that i could say stop at any time. Unfortunately it became quite painful and the consultant was unwilling to continue, so I did in fact end up having it done under GA. But others here and others I know in real time have been able to have it done with just some discomfort 

Hi MarmiteFan59, 

Thanks so much for your reply. I keep hoping that they'll suggest doing it under a general anaesthetic as it sounds like I'm going to need surgery either way as I've also got a large ovarian cyst that my GP has said I'll probably need to have removed, so hoping they can do both together, but will probably try having the hysteroscopy without GA if there's going to be a long wait.

I had a hysteroscopy it was mildly uncomfortable but nothing more. No worse than a smear test.

Hi Riotous,

Thanks for your reply, it's good to hear that it's not always really painful, I know Google is such a bad thing to look at when going through tests like this but read so many awful stories 

Hi

This probably doesn't help but my gynaecologist did my hysteroscopy under GA. Like you, my transvaginal ultrasound showed a thickened endometrium and, although she suggested it could be done under local, she  seemed to think GA would be better.

Hi Rosiexsam, 

Thanks for your reply, I've just found on the website for the hospital I'm attending that they do the procedure with just a local anaesthetic to the cervix, which isn't great but at least I feel better prepared knowing what they'll do. Glad you were able to have it done under GA, sorry for all your having to go through at the moment, it sounds so tough. 

Hi CS1981, I think all hospital info would mention doing it under local anaesthetic, mine certainly did. The GA option doesn’t tend to be broadcasted - you typically have to ask, even in the UK. But it will likely exist as an option in Portugal too.

Thanks MarmiteFan59, I'll definitely discuss it with the consultant, even just as an option if I find the procedure too painful.