"Hysteroscopy -don't want to go back after the experience"

I'm 51, mother of three (15, 18, 20), peri-menopausal. My periods are sporadic but I have hot flushes, sweating, insomnia, fatigue,  headaches which last up to seven days (the latter impacts my daily life). I requested HRT last July but had to have hysteroscopy because of heavy bleeding.

I was offered either a general or local anaesthetic by a Registrar at an earlier appointment, but thought I'd be fine. I gave birth with little or no pain relief, think I have a high pain threshold. Plus I regularly have vaginal examinations for my bladder and bowel pelvic prolapse. This is managed with a ring pessary but will eventually need surgery to repair.

In January I had an ultrasound first, inside and out, not a problem. It revealed a polyp and fibroid.

I then had the hysteroscopy which was awful. Not so much painful, though I did yelp a few times, but really uncomfortable, disconcerting. I felt it prodding deep inside, to my right. I didn't like the sensation one bit. I wanted it to be over and asked the consultant to stop. They said they needed to get photos and biopsy, so I kept going.

I told the consultant to stop - repeatedly. I was supposed to have a mirena coil fitted (the whole reason I was there), but was in too much discomfort. I just wanted it to be over.

they said said the lining of one of the walls was thick, offering to scrape it and kept saying it would only take a minute.  They also wanted to remove the polyp and fibroid. By this point I felt faint and said I felt queasy. I said I didn't feel comfortable to continue. I just wanted whatever was inside me out. The consultant said that they would have to monitor the fibroid and polyp in future if not removed.

The nurses took my blood pressure and it was low. I was about to pass out. They turned a fan on me and offered me water. They took my blood pressure three of four times before it returned to normal. All the while, with the tubes still in, the consultant kept asking if I wanted to have the coil fitted. - It'll take one minute -  as if I was being ridiculous. I think one minute more and I'd have had a full blown panic attack. I felt helpless, trapped. When it was clear I was not backing down, the consultant relented. I was still feeling faint and wobbly on my feet. The nurses were concerned, asking if I was okay.

I got dressed and couldn't leave fast enough. I felt dreadful and had to go and sit outside. I just wanted to cry.

I had what felt like period pain and bleeding for a week, spending several days in bed. I felt traumatised by the whole experience and vowed not to have it done without a general anaesthetic again.

Cut to now:

Consultant rang with biopsy results. Confirmed that lining was thick and had pre-cancerous cells. They said that to treat this I can have the mirena coil fitted to release progesterone (or take tablets twice a day). I'd have to go back for another biopsy in six months. I immediately said I'd want a general anaesthetic.

The phone call lasted 16 minutes, which was them basically trying to convince me to have the coil without a general.They said they did these procedures all the time, knows what women can tolerate, that the tube to fit the coil isn't as thick as the tube for the camera. It'll take just a minute, said in almost incredulous tone. 

They asked if I was going to have a general anaesthetic every time I had an exam, again which seemed to me in an incredulous tone. It made me feel I was being completely unreasonable. They kept being silent, waiting for me to say something. It was horrible.

The consultant told me that they can do nothing, but there's a chance it can develop into cancer. I joked that I clearly didn't want cancer.

I felt really uncomfortable throughout the call. I was made to feel guilty, like I was wasting NHS resources, asking for a general for what they clearly thought was a minor procedure. Maybe it is, but I don't trust them.

I said that if I had the general anaesthetic to have the coil fitted,  they could remove the fibroid and polyp at the same time, which they had wanted to remove in January under local. The consultant said, no, you have thick lining, not a polyp or fibroid. That just confused me even more. I don't know what to believe. 

When I eventually said, fine I'll have a local,they asked if I was alright because I sounded "low". I felt beaten down basically and they clearly realised this.

The consultant then said you can always have tablets, so I said that I'd prefer that. I kept insisting I wanted a general for the hysteroscopy/biopsy in six months. I was told they would need to see me  beforehand anyway so we could review my decision nearer the time as I may feel differently. That made it clear to me thay they were just going to try and talk me out of it again.

I couldn't sleep last night and have been in tears today, can't stop thinking about it.

I have been made to feel I'm being pathetic, guilty I'm wasting NHS resources asking for a general for a two-minute procedure. 

I've contacted my prolapse consultant, asking to see them instead. I now just want to have everything removed. I've got to have prolapse repaired in future and it's likely I'd have a hysterectomy then anyway. At least I'd be under general anaesthetic, never need a hysteroscopy/biopsy again, and can't get cancer of the womb. I feel very distressed. I don't want to go back to the other consultant and worry other women may not have strength to stand up to her.