"Painful hysteroscopy"

I had a hysteroscopy at QA hospital in Portsmouth and was not warned of how painful the procedure would be until I arrived at the hospital. The letter I received did not ask me to take any pain relief beforehand, this I found out from the NHS website and it did not come with a leaflet explaining the procedure.

On arrival to the hospital I was taken into a room and asked if anyone was with me and when I replied no the nurse was shocked. My husband was at the hospital but was waiting with our daughter downstairs. Had I have known I needed him we would have arranged child care. This unnerved me but was assured if the procedure got too painful then pain relief would be discussed but this was not the case.

On waiting to go into the room a young girl came out of the room crying and in distress and rushed to the toilet with a nurse behind her, this again put fear into me and I was starting to regret the appointment before it had started.

When I got into the room I was asked to remove my clothes from the waist down but was told I could keep my socks on, no gown was offered.

The nurse was very friendly and overly chatty which I found unusual but also found a comfort.

As soon as the procedure started I felt pain which seemed to intensify the longer it was going on. The nurse asked if I was in pain and I replied yes and they asked if I wanted them to stop which I also said yes to. The Dr stopped for what felt for just a few seconds and then proceeded to carry on. By this point the pain was radiating into my lower back as well as what I can describe as extremely painful, strong contractions.

Even at this point no adequate pain relief was offered. I then again said it was painful and the nurse again told the doctor who didn't seem to hear so they called the doctor by their name and said I have had enough so to stop. The doctor's reply to this was that they just needed to get over the ridge so they could see the fibroids to remove them and I think the look on my face said it all, so they huffed and said I would have to wait to have them done under general anaesthetic. I couldn't apologise enough and said I was sorry for being a wimp.

But then after accepting the fact that I would then need it under a general anaesthetic, the Dr proceeded again by explaining that they needed to take a biopsy. I was confused on why they needed to take this as I was there to originally have polyps removed which have turned out to be fibroids but there was never a mention of a biopsy being taken. As, by this point I was very light headed, my whole body would not stop shaking to the point my legs felt uncontrollable, I didn't fully understand why the biopsy was taken. I tried to fight the shaking off by trying to joke about it when all I really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. I was told it was due to adrenaline.

When it was all over I was first left with my legs in the air on the bed whilst the nurses cleaned away what was on the floor, the Dr had left at this point. They helped me down and allowed me to get dressed behind a curtain. I could hear them the other side rushing about and clearing everything away. I was the last appointment of the day so felt guilty that I was making it late for them to finish their shift. Although this is no blame on the nurses as they were really lovely. 

After dressing I felt dizzy and as if I was going to pass out so I was sat back down and a fan was put on next to me but as I knew they needed to go home I didn't want to make a fuss so I said I was OK.

When I came out of the room I noticed all the lights to reception area were now switched off and a nurse asked if it was my husband the other side of the door. I said yes and asked her to let him in, he thought he had missed me as the department now looked closed.

The nurse offered me a cup of tea but as I knew they were now closed and waiting to go I said no and was grateful for the water my daughter had got me with a chocolate bar to help me feel better.

I have had many tests in the past relating to my bowel which have not been the nicest and also two children but this has got to be the most horrific thing I have ever been put through. I cried for days after to the point I was sent home from work and have not yet returned, I am awaiting a GP appointment. I felt like a failure and that I have been violated.

I personally feel that not just adequate pain relief needs to be offered but some form of mental/emotional assessment before hand. This procedure can unearth all sorts of memories and emotions for some people which could take them months to recover from.

I am now awaiting further appointments and one with the doctor who did this procedure, which I am now dreading.