"Hysteroscopy - No information or pain relief"

It's taken me over 12 months to write my story as I still feel pretty awful about and don't like thinking about it.

After an internal scan of my uterus, I was suspected of having a polyp. I spoke to my GP on the phone, who said they would refer me to a consultant gynaecologist. I got my appointment through. All I was given was a letter with a time and the name of my consultant. I assumed we would be meeting to discuss my symptoms (heavy/irregular bleeding) and where we would go from there.

When I arrived at the hospital, a nurse asked me if I knew why I was there. I said to talk to the gynaecologist. The nurse told me I was booked in for a hysteroscopy and I should get changed out of my clothes and into a gown. This was the first I had heard anything about a hysteroscopy. At that point I should really have said 'No, I'm not ready for this. I don't know anything about this.' But I thought I was there now, and I wanted a diagnosis, so I got changed.

I was sat in a chair that looked something out of the Handmaid's Tale. The consultant arrived, very late and harassed, and told me they were going to pass a camera into my womb, have a look around, and possibly take a biopsy or remove the polyp. I was not given any warning about pain or offered any pain medication.

I have not had children, so when the instruments reached my cervix I froze and cried out. I felt shocked that this was happening to me. The nurses told me to breath and relax (ridiculous!). They managed to get a camera into my womb briefly, but it was so uncomfortable I told them to stop. Which they did, thankfully. Only after the procedure was stopped was I given a form to sign giving my consent. 

In the changing room they showed me where the sanitary towels were. I hadn't brought any with me as I wasn't expecting to have the procedure. I quickly got dressed and left as quickly as possible. I felt like a failure. I got into my car and started driving home, and burst into tears on the way home from the shock. How I managed to drive myself home after that I'll never know. 

I later discovered that I should have received an information pamphlet telling me that I was booked in to have a hysteroscopy. The form says you should take painkillers in advance and have someone with you to drive you home afterwards. I didn't know any of this. 

Next, I booked in with a private gynaecologist using my husband's company healthcare scheme. The new doctor said they were not surprised it was painful, as I have not had children and the cervix was very tight. I had the procedure under general anaesthetic, where they removed a sizeable polyp. They also fitted a coil. I can't believe the first doctor would have cut the polyp out of me with no pain relief, if I had not told them to stop.

I feel like I was given no information about the procedure. I also feel I should have been given the choice of general anaesthetic or a sedative: it's barbaric to be chopping bits out of people with no anaesthetic.

There must be a better, kinder way of handling these procedures. We are not pieces of meat to be poked and prodded with no care for our well-being. Do no harm.