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[hope]

Advice   please .  Need a hysteroscopy   should I  have    anaesthetic   or not.  Will have a longer wait  for the anaesthetic  but pain free . Think I would be too tense .   Body was in pain after  coil was put in  and when a swab was done.   

[Northerngirl]

Hi Hope, do you mean local or general anaesthetic?
I have had both...first with local was extremely painful and the second one was this January under GA was much better, but like you've said the wait is much longer.
If I had to go through it again I would definitely have another GA even though I was extremely anxious.
Are you also having a biopsy aswell?

At the end of the day we're all different and it is your choice....good luck

[buffy26]

I had a local, was advised to take strong pain killers two hours before, I am sure that this helped a lot. It was bearable. I was last in, saw all the women walking out of the room, none looked distressed at all. It was uncomfortable at worst. If I had to make a decision now having had the experience, I would go for a local over general, definitely. Compared to childbirth, this is very doable.

Hope this helps, ask a pharmacist for the best kind of pain relief and make sure its a good two hours before so that it has time to kick in.

[shrosphirelass]

I had a general, I was having a mirena fitted at the same time and I was really anxious and don't think I could have done it otherwise. As it turned out they removed a fibroid which they probably wouldn't have been able to do unless it was under general. It was a long wait though and I was classed as urgent.

[suzysunday]

We are all so different how we cope.  I knew I wouldn't cope well so opted for a general.  Fortunately I didn't have to wait too long for one.  I would always go for a general.

[GraceM]

There is no point in anyone saying that you will be fine, it's just a bit uncomfortable, its torture or its painful.  It would seem that women vastly differ in their experiences of this procedure when awake for it.  I have had 3 under GA and it was never even suggested I have it without GA.  I don't know how I would be if I was told to just take a painkiller beforehand.  I haven't had natural births and I know my cervix can be awkward to access for a smear, so I've been happy to have a GA for the hysteroscopies.  It really is a personal choice but I suppose it is best to know that it can be painful rather than be told its a bit uncomfortable and you then think you are somehow being dramatic if it is too much midway through the procedure.  If you have had previous experience of pain from the coil and smear then personally I would wait for a GA, depending on the urgency and reasons for the procedure. 

[ConfusedAboutHRT]

I recently had my biopsy. I was extremely apprehensive as I’d had what I can only describe as an horrific experience having my coil fitted in 2022.  I have never had children and my cervix was very tight and the coil involved a lot of wrangling for a long time and a lot of pain that I would never go through again.  I have previously had an injection in my cervix to have diathermy loop treatment for pre cancerous cell removal and I didn’t find that too bad.

I had decided there was no way I was having the biopsy without a GA or local, but somehow I ended up having it with neither. I did find it painful and I did shout out. But it wasn’t as painful as the coil and lasted about 10 seconds at most.  I had very minor period like pain for about an hour afterwards and small amount of spotting.
The person taking the biopsy said she could try it, and if it was too painful she’d stop right away and I’ll have to come back for a GA. I did have my partner with me. That helped.
Ultimately, as another member on this forum has said, the pain is very individual. I was surprised how well I tolerated it after such a horrific coil experience. It does annoy me that the NHS letter and guidance says “you might find it uncomfortable” - complete lack of acknowledgment that all responses are very different. I’m glad I did the biopsy. But I would’ve stopped it if it was too painful, so I thought I had nothing to lose. Let us know how you get on. X

[suzysunday]

A GA wasn't offered to me as a matter of course but I read online you could ask for one, which I did as I said.  To be fair to the NHS my request was never questioned and I had one without too long a wait.

[laszla]

I too would never have it without a general - I had it last year under general after a horrible attempt without and it was fine - and actually I found the anaesthetic quite relaxing (I am a longterm insomniac so anything that knocks me out for a bit is welcome)