"Hysteroscopy Pain"

After having a hysteroscopy 6 years ago including biopsies with no pain relief I was desperately terrified last week, knowing exactly what I was about to endure.

I must stress that all NHS nurses and the Dr that were involved were so kind and I am sure, carrying out their work according to guidelines. I was referred down the 2 week cancer check route and this seems to be the way things are done for quick diagnosis.

After a quick chat with the Dr and signing of the form I had agreed to the procedure with biopsy. I felt that if I refused they may take me off the list or have to re book me for anaesthetic which could cause a long delay. My Mum died from Ovarian cancer so I thought I better try and be brave and get it done. That way I would get results in about 3 weeks.

I was never offered any alternative to the outpatient procedure.

So I walked into the room, got prepared and sat in the chair. I started to cry and was offered the chance to come back in a few days because I was obviously upset. I said there would be no point as it would mean more days of worry. I explained that I was scared because I had this done before. A nurse said that they could not really help because I knew what to expect. If at this point I had been given chance to be booked in for sedation I would have made that choice.

I took codeine, paracetamol and ibrufen before hand so was as dosed up as I could be. I think that made the first bit bearable. Then the Dr started the biopsy and polyp removal! It wasn't long before I lost control and threw my head back screaming, shaking and crying. Proceedings were halted then for several minutes because my insides had gone into spasm. I asked for pain relief and an injection into the cervix was offered. I said no because I did not want the pain of a needle which would not numb the area they were cutting. So the 2nd attempt started. I now had a nurse each side so 2 hands to squeeze. The 2nd nurse took control by instructing me how to breath to calm myself/help with the pain. So after a few more horrifying minutes the polyp was also removed and I heard the words " I'm finished". Thank God.

Everyone was very kind afterwards. I was sobbing and shaking. I felt embarrassed because I screamed and inadequate and ashamed of how I acted and looked. It was awful. They fetched my husband to sit with me in a side room till I felt I could leave. I was still crying and when I looked up at my husband he was wiping his eyes too.

It seems this is common practice. I am struggling psychologically and it has taken over my mind at the moment. I hope this will improve. It makes me cry and I live in fear that I may have it done again. My mind just won't accept that they can expect women to bear this. I feel helpless and angry. I am wondering whether to write to the hospital but anxious because they will say I worked myself up into a state! However, if I don't say anything I am adding to the successful statistics of having the procedure without pain relief. I feel let down because I was not offered a humane alternative which I believe is due to cost strategy. I am in such a bad state emotionally and may have to consider counselling. I feel like I was attacked by nice people and cannot get my head around it. Proper sedation must be offered for this procedure. I had sedation at the same hospital 2 weeks earlier for gastroscopy and almost slept through the whole thing. I feel I was made to suffer needlessly. I have since found many dreadful accounts of this brutal activity and have joined a support group