"Thank you to my consultant and team for making this easier"

I was referred by my GP for hysteroscopy procedure and was given an outpatient appointment for Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot (Frimley NHS Foundation Trust).

I read all the pre procedure literature sent to me, and was relatively sure what to expect - i.e some pain. It is an internal surgical procedure after all. I took painkillers as suggested (ibuprofen and paracetamol) around an hour in advance of my appointment time.

I arrived early (due to traffic anxiety) and was called in earlier than my appointment slot. The lady consultant introduced herself and her colleague in the room (health care support worker I think) and immediately put me at ease. She explained the procedure in detail, and was honest about it not being pain free.

I mentioned to her that I was nervous due to the recent bad experiences in the media (and specifically the current BBC programme “Doctor” that airs early weekday afternoons. She was upset to hear of this, and again did her best to reassure me.

I was not offered any additional pain relief, but I didn’t feel that I would need it. In fact I was advised due to body position under general anaesthetic or sedation (and the patient not being ‘in control’) that there was a higher risk of accidental perforation. The consultant emphasised that if at any time I felt unable to continue then it would be paused or stopped altogether. So I went ahead. A third person / student nurse joined and the procedure was started.

Firstly I felt expected cold water flood, but no pain at that point. Camera inserted, again without pain. Then the discomfort started... I’m not sure it was really pain, it was caused by the considerable pressure of the inflated uterus on my other organs, resulting in the feeling of a very full bladder/bowel. At that point the pressure was continuous and I think I was close to asking to stop. Probably a pain level of 6 to 7. By this time we had been going about 15 mins I think.

The  consultant reassured me that I was doing well. She took the opportunity to remove a polyp, which we’d agreed previously. It was slightly hampered by not having preferred equipment available but it was blitzed and removed in pieces. Small biopsies of endometrium also taken. Then it was over. Once the camera was removed and the water released the discomfort disappeared. Only once during the whole procedure did I experience a fleeting cramping pain.

So I think the whole procedure took no more than 40 mins, and was bearable. I do think pre-op painkillers helped. Less than half an hour later I was at home. I can honestly say I’ve had less pain after the procedure than I typically had with the monthly periods of my youth.

In summary, I wanted to post somewhere about this positive experience to maybe counteract / balance the bad experiences. Whilst I don’t dispute that it will be painful for a lot of women and I’m empathetic, it can also be a not so bad experience for others.

I definitely have to thank the consultant and her assistants for their kindly and professional approach and for making me feel less apprehensive, and I will be writing / providing positive feedback to the consultant and the NHS Trust. In a strange way, the advised two week wait for the biopsy results will be more worrying than the hysteroscopy itself.