"treatment for uterine polyp"

My brilliant GP arranged for me to have a scan at the Heath Hospital Cardiff. At my appointment I had a brief chat with the Consultant who asked questions about my symptons but did not go into detail about what to expect. In the examination room I first of all had a scan which showed I had a growth in my womb. The consultant said this looked like a polyp and that he would need to take a biopsy. The letter I received in advance from the hospital explained that in the event of a biopsy needing to be performed I would be offered gas and air, but this didn't happen. I didn't have much chance to process what was happening before I experienced excruciating pain as he conducted the biopsy. I could feel what I can only describe as sharp claws scraping my womb. I gasped and shouted with the pain and on the 3rd wave of agonising pain I screamed for them to stop. There was a nurse by my side trying to soothe me but I could see she was also affected by my obvious pain. They stopped the procedure. I was shaking and gasping and my arms and legs had gone complety numb. It took some time for the numbness to go and the nurse seemed to be genuinely concerned for me. The consultant said I had caused the numbness through hyperventilating. That may have been true but what was also true was that he was completley impervious to my pain. Once outside the hospital I cried and cried. It was traumatic. The result of the biopsy were 'inconclusive' as not enough sample was collected. If they had given me adequate pain releif then maybe that sample would have been sufficient to tell whether or not my growth was cancerous...

Almost a year later I was given an appoitnment to have a hysteroscopy and removal of the polyp with the same consultant. I asked for a GA and was told that was not possible but that I would be given pain killers. The letter they sent me in advance suggested that most women find the procedure not too painful but also that some do. And it is clear from the reserach I have subsequently done that some women find it excruciating.  I have now been taken off this waiting list (for my insistence on having GA or at least conscious sedation) and have been told I will go to the bottom of a new list and could be waiting for a very long time. I will do all I can in the meantime to campaing that women are always offered the option of adequate pain relief including GA - where appropriate - for a procedure that is potentially very painful.