Painful hysteroscopy

So sorry to hear that you had a bad experience…I’ve had a few hysteroscopies and have always found them ok but each time I was told if it was too painful they would stop, I’m lucky that I never needed to ask them.

When I had a mirena coil put in I was given a local anaesthetic to apply myself and then a painkiller (usually Adrenalin, but they couldn’t use that with me because my blood pressure was too high, so they found a substitute) I can’t believe they didn’t offer you anything at all, that is so poor and I would be writing to PALS at the hospital because if people don’t tell them, they will never know.

I hope you soon get your results back and that everything is normal x

I should add I’m post menopausal and have no children so I was expecting things to be difficult, I have a low pain threshold normally so still can’t understand why I didn’t find things more painful!

Hello Lolac 

So sorry to hear about your dreadful experience. I can't imagine what that must have been like for you. I had two caesarians and am post menopausal, my hysteroscopy was relatively painless. The biopsy part felt like mild period pain but not painful, just uncomfortable. I had taken two paracetamol an hour before.

I wish you well with your complaint and am thinking of you.

Hi Lolac

My hysteroscopy was extremely painful, I wasn't offered anything before it either.  It really does feel brutal.  I had to have a second hysteroscopy that was performed by a male doctor and he gave me a local anesthetic which dulled the pain and it was tolerable.

I hadn't heard about the campaign but I'm going to look into it and support them too.  Thank you for the information.

I do hope that everything goes well for you and you don't have to go any further down this road.

Linda

Thanks Duffers mum - it seems to be very hit and miss who has bad pain snd who doesn't.  I think also to do with the shape/direction of the womb.  I do have fibromyalgia but wouldn't say I have a low pain threshold - am fine with injections, have had no problems with smear tests or my vaginal scan.  I have two kids but both had to be caesareans.  I wonder if the scarring from them might have made a difference but my biology isn't good enough to know.  

Thanks for replying KT89.  Just goes to show how unpredictable this is.  At least now I know that if I need further hysteroscopies I will insist on a GA.

Really sorry to hear you also had a bad experience.  Please do check out the campaign -by its very nature the numbers are going to be small so the more women who've actually experienced severe pain and sign up the better. Feels like something the NHS could easily fix.

Morning,  I also had a very bad experience with my first hysteroscopy,   It had to be halted and I waited to have one under GA,   When I attended that appointment they actually didn’t give me GA but gave me sedation and carried it out,   It was very good, no after effects and although I was fully awake I didn’t remember anything about it.    The consultant did comment on the way my womb lies so I wonder if that is what makes it so painful/impossible for some of us.

When I was referred for my hysteroscopy in October 2021, I was aware it might or might not be uncomfortable/painful so I took a couple of paracetamol an hour before. The gynae consultant was lovely and told me that if I was at all concerned I could opt to have it under general anaesthetic a few weeks later. But I wanted to try and get it done as I didn’t want to have to wait. The consultant asked me if I’d like to look at the screen so I could see what he was doing and I said yes please. He used a small speculum and was gentle, and talked me through everything as he did it. It was all going okay till it was time for the camera to go through the cervix. I had the local anaesthetic injection for the cervix and didn’t feel that. But when he tried to push the camera through it was very painful. He wanted to stop but I said to try again. He did and it hurt badly once again. I said to try again but he wasn’t willing to as he said he didn’t want me to have a bad experience or to risk fainting or being damaged. I was very upset that I’d gone through all that for nothing but was grateful for his care and consideration. I had it under GA 3 weeks later and it was a breeze.

I have had 2 hysteroscopies and was fortunate in that first time around, the doctor told me I would need general anaesthetic. So at that time I didn't realise anyone did it without. Next time was at a different hospital and I knew a little more by then so I requested a GA. 

I don't know why that first doctor specified a GA, perhaps he identified some anatomical reason, and I am glad he did. I have undergone (unrelated) a gastroscopy with no sedation and minimal bother but for me a hysteroscopy would have been unthinkable.

I suggest that any medic intending to perform invasive procedures without the option of anaesthetic or sedation should be forced to undergo it themself first. And if they don't have the appropriate body-parts then maybe a colonoscopy instead.