"I was well cared for"

Waiting time

I was expecting a painful and distressing procedure that would be challenging to get through, but it was so much easier than I thought it would be and I felt very kindly and professional cared for throughout.

I had a team of four medical professionals looking after me - Lisa, Zoe, Yvonne and Carly.

First, the consultant - Lisa - talked the procedure through with me, rather than talking at me, so I felt able to ask the questions I wanted to ask. I went into it understanding exactly why I was there, what they were doing and why. 

Next, a very kind nurse gave me a hospital gown to put on and clear instructions on exactly what clothing to take off, what to leave on, and which way to put the gown. That was really helpful, as I wasn't left wondering about anything, or feeling stupid for not knowing what to do with my socks, which has happened before.

She and another nurse helped me into one of those delightful gynaecological dentist's chairs - the sort that tips you back and up in the air with your legs akimbo and your bottom hanging over the end.

They were really sensitive in the way they guided me through it all. They were considerate of my feelings, positioning my gown and a sheet to give me the maximum coverage, as well as the consultant the required access. One tucked a heat pad on my belly, which was really comforting.

All in all, the four of them did everything possible to make the vulnerable position I was in and the potentially deeply unpleasant procedure I was undergoing as physically and psychological comfortable as possible.

They did a brilliant job of being bustley, chatty and kind to distract me and keep my nerves at bay so we could all get through it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The consultant inserted a speculum - like when you have a cervical smear test - and passed a tiny camera through my vagina and cervix into my womb during which I felt some mild discomfort.

The consultant took care to suss out whether or not I wanted to look at the screen and see what the camera was showing her. I was fascinated, so she gave me a quick tour of my womb and showed me my pesky fibroid.

Then, she injected some local anaesthetic, which gave me a moment of pain but past almost before I registered it. She then inserted another instrument and used it to shave away the fibroid. This was mostly mildly uncomfortable with the odd few seconds of pain that were easy to deal with because they were so fleeting.

I had a hysteroscopy 17 years ago at the same hospital and found it a challenging experience. I was anticipating that this hysteroscopy would also be very painful and hard to get through.

I read the pre-procedure information and its description of  minimal discomfort and pain and thought, yeah, right that's not what it was like last time and had all the if men had to go through this stuff, it would all be done under general.

But I was a worried about the tiny possibility that my symptoms could be due to cancer and so didn't want to waste time waiting to have the same procedure under general anaesthetic.

So, I went ahead with the outpatient appointment offered to me and asked my GP to prescribe me Naproxen to take beforehand, which undoubtedly helped minimise discomfort and pain.

But I was told during my procedure that the equipment they now use to do hysteroscopies is much better - essentially smaller! - than it was 17 years ago.

What sounded on paper like a horrible procedure was made a fairly comfortable and almost painless experience. I felt well cared for, there was no need for a general anaesthetic, and the four people looking after me were a good team and did an expert job. 

Privacy

Staff attitude

Staff skills

Team work

Seeing the whole me

Being listened to

Explanations

Nurses

Doctor

Pain relief

Treatment