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Author Topic: Worried about painful hysterocopy  (Read 838 times)

Catlover67

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Worried about painful hysterocopy
« on: October 03, 2025, 07:33:34 AM »

Following on from my previous post where following a 2ww appointment for still bleeding/spotting at 58, I've been booked in for a hysterocopy without sedation in two weeks time.

Having done some research I'm getting rather worried it's going to be horrific! I don't do well with smears and had a colcoscopy last year that wasn't pleasant either. I did express concern at the appointment that it would be painful. I've had 3 hysterocopies previously for fibroid removal and they were all done under GA. The consultant said a GA wasn't necessary on this occasion and just take painkillers before the appointment. I did ask the nurse on the way out if I'd be OK to go to work afterwards and she was non-committal, just shoved a leaflet at me that just mentions mild discomfort. Stories I've read online suggest otherwise!

I know I'm within my rights to refuse the procedure or insist on a GA. I know they're only doing it "to be on the safe side" due to my age, given that I have just had a normal ultrasound (apart from my usual fibroids which have shrunk slightly compared with a previous ultrasound just 9 months ago) and I've had 12 years of erratic bleeding & spotting due to the fibroids as well as 3 hystercopies with biopsies taken and multiple ultrasounds in that time. However, I feel I should have it for total peace of mind, just in case there IS something wrong.

I've talked it through with my husband and am leaning towards biting the bullet and going to the appointment dosed up with strong painkillers but be ready to tell them to stop if necessary.My husband will accompany me for moral support and so I don't need to drive. I just want an end to this episode before I go on holiday next month and to insist on a GA will just delay things.

I only went to the GP to enquire about HRT due to worsening peri symptoms (which seemed to magically improved over the last  few weeks) and opened a massive can of worms!!

Would be grateful for any advice and especially to hear from anyone who found it ok, as all I can find is horror stories!
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Snowcat

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2025, 08:35:57 AM »

Hi Catlover! (I love cats too!) I had a hysteroscooy & biopsies without sedation - they inject a local into the cervix first - I was apprehensive as, like you, I’d always had a GA for previous ones and removal of polyps but as I really trusted my gynaecologist and he promised to stop if it got too much, I decided to go ahead.  I’d not had any natural births either (onky C section) which I worried would make it harder, but actually it was ok.  I remember thinking that root canal was probably worse! But we’re all different.  I had some period type cramping pains afterwards but other than that it wasn’t a horrific experience.  I’d have preferred a GA but had to agree with my gynaecologist afterwards that it wouldn’t really have been necessary and I’m not particularly brave when it comes to medical procedures .. I hope it goes well for you and you can soon put the whole thing behind you.
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Nas

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2025, 08:48:53 AM »

I’ve had 3 hysteroscopy procedures without sedation. They were painless and expertly performed. I experienced mild cramping afterwards, but after a couple of paracetamol, I was fine. Drove myself home and went back to work.

Why do you think it will be horrific? Sometimes you only hear the negatives, not the positives.

Best of luck.
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CLKD

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2025, 08:54:33 AM »

This is your body.  Your decision.  It has been suggested by many medics in recent months that a GA should be offered for these procedures. 

The consultant said a GA wasn't necessary on this occasion and just take painkillers before the appointment. I did ask the nurse on the way out if I'd be OK to go to work afterwards and she was non-committal, just shoved a leaflet at me that just mentions mild discomfort.



U haven't been listened to - I would have my holiday B4 the procedure, explaining that I prefer to have a GA rather than risk the pain stopping a procedure which will then require repeating = more stress.

For example I am unable to take strong painkillers because they make me very ill.  !!! Anything with 'co-' in the title !!!  so which pain relief was suggested?  Stand your ground if U R at all concerned about this, also, who suggests that this is in face 'essential'? 

Not offering a GA means that more patients can be seen as well as saving the NHS money! 
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chopsuey

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2025, 09:43:11 AM »

There are several threads about this matter on the forum, with various experiences. I have had two hysteroscopies with biopsy and polyp removal - one wth GA and one without.

I was terrified of how painful it would be, especially with not having had children but they injected a local anaesthetic and gently dilated the cervix beforehand. I'd taken prescription level codeine beforehand, which is the only painkiller that works well for me and it was tolerable. The doctor and nurses couldn't have been nicer. They kept asking how I was and I could have asked them to stop at any point.

Some women do seem to have had terrible experiences but it's just the nature of things that you always hear more about the negative stories than the positive. The point is, women should be offered an informed choice. If you are going to go ahead without GA, I would take the strongest painkillers you can beforehand and remember that you can ask them to stop at any point if it is too much.

« Last Edit: October 03, 2025, 09:55:41 AM by chopsuey »
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sheila99

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2025, 11:08:21 AM »

I had the same advice as you. No local anaesthetic or anything else was offered. It hurt.
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Suziemc

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2025, 11:54:13 AM »

I had a hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy, plus mirena coil insertion,  a couple of years ago without GA/sedation. I took two paracetamol and two ibuprofen a couple of hours before the procedure and it wasn't too bad at all. There were a couple of moments of discomfort but nothing that wasn't bearable.

If you're going abroad for your holiday dont forget to declare the investigation to your travel insurer.

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Catlover67

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2025, 12:06:58 PM »

Thank you for the replies  I really hope it's a case of people being more likely to share bad experience than good. I don't want this hanging over me on holiday so I think I'm going to go through with it so a line can be drawn under the whole episode. I think they are just being over cautious because of my age as, it seems women who aren't post meno by 54 are not normal! It's reminded me why I try to give Drs a wide berth these days as most symptoms seem to cause panic once you're over a certain age  which does not help my health anxiety at all!
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CLKD

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2025, 01:05:04 PM »

What's the point of going into an apparently essential personal examination knowing that it can be stopped if it's too painful?  That not only means a waste of that appt., as well as that another appt has to be made as well as extra stress for the patient. 
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Minusminnie

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2025, 02:20:04 PM »

I read up the QR codes given to me by pre op nurse before a recent hysteroscopy under GA.

One survey of over 5000 women asked to rate pain levels with hysteroscopy 0 being low 10 being high one third rated over 7.

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bombsh3ll

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2025, 02:43:37 PM »

You are absolutely within your rights to insist on sedation or GA.

These are routinely provided to men undergoing comparable procedures in terms of pain and invasiveness.

Unfortunately healthcare is rife with structural and cultural misogyny, including the belief that women should endure pain and indignity without complaint because we have periods and some of us give birth, and suffering is just our lot in life.

Even when males and females present with the same condition such as an MI or kidney stone, males are seen more quickly and receive more analgesia per body weight.

If everyone insisted on adequate anaesthesia for gynae procedures, I also believe the threshold for subjecting women to these would be reviewed and this would force clinicians to use a bit more skill and history taking rather than sending low risk women for invasive procedures, often repeatedly, with a less than 1% positive yield.
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Minusminnie

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2025, 04:49:49 PM »


If everyone insisted on adequate anaesthesia for gynae procedures, I also believe the threshold for subjecting women to these would be reviewed and this would force clinicians to use a bit more skill and history taking rather than sending low risk women for invasive procedures, often repeatedly, with a less than 1% positive yield.

This is interesting could I possibly pm message you at some point for your comment as to why I ended up advised recently to have a hysteroscopy.

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bombsh3ll

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2025, 07:19:06 PM »

Sure.
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Minusminnie

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Re: Worried about painful hysterocopy
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2025, 01:48:41 AM »

Thanks.
Have sent you a pm.
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