Cystoscopy - How Painful?
Posted , 26 users are following.
I'm likely having a cystoscopy and have been reading descriptions from various medical sites saying it isn't too bad. true? What's the truth?
0 likes, 38 replies
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Notes on Cystoscopy - How Painful?
russ_777 keith35298
Posted
Excellent question. I've had 4 done in the past 4 years. First was completely exploratory, 2nd was in conjunction with a UroLift, 3rd was in conjunction with a bladder biopsy/fulgeration and the 4th was also exploratory but ended up including fulgerizing an inflammation on my bladder wall and urethral dilation. These were all done in ambulatory surgery centers using rigid scopes and some form of anesthesia. I can't imagine having one done with a rigid scope without being put to sleep or at least "twighlighted." So I guess I've been lucky in that regard.
As it turns out it looks like I'm going to have one done in-office in a couple of weeks in preparation for an aquablation procedure. I've been told it is with a flexible scope but the uro requires administration of gas to relax you similar to some dental procedures.
The only time I've had something shoved up my urethra when I was conscious was during a urodynamics test. That was a special catheter containing a pressure transducer. The nurse shot a large syringe full of gel into my urethra before inserting the catheter and warned me it would probably hurt when she got to my prostate. It felt strange but not painful until she got to my prostate. She had me take a deep breath and blow out hard as she pushed it through my prostate. Unfortunately, the body's natural reaction to that is to tense up the sphincter muscles which only makes it worse. I would describe it as a 4-5 out of 10 burning sensation that only lasted about 2-3 seconds. No fun! Oddly, it did not hurt when she pulled it out.
Like others have suggested I'd find out first what type of scope will be used (rigid-vs-flexible) in advance. If rigid no way I'd do that without being heavily sedated; if flex make him/her prescribe some valium for anxiety and an oral analgesic for pain. The problem is you don't know how sensitive you'll be to it until it goes in....so better safe than sorry!
owen35669 russ_777
Posted
Excellent advice...which I have copied for my next time -- if there is a next time. I have had two procedures over 30+ years -- one of them a "urodynamics". And both with excruciating pain. All the precautions you list were seemingly by-passed. Now it will never happen again. Too bad I had to read it here instead of the docs taking care of the detail.
steve07664 keith35298
Posted
In my case, there was just slight pain during the procedure. But for the next 3 days, pain while urinating was off the charts. It felt liked barbed wire was being pulled through my urethra every time I urinated.
keith35298
Posted
I just had a cystoscopy this morning and overall I have to say the worry was worse than the procedure itself. The numbing gel didn't particularly sting...just a feeling of fullness in my urethra. When the doctor began, I didn't particularly feel anything...just a bit of a sense of something going in but not painful. It did sting when he went through the sphincter into my bladder. He did have to withdraw to make adjustments to the machine and go back in. The 2nd time into my bladder still stung but less than the first. Since we're evaluating for a possible Urolift, he backed out a bit and gave me a tour of my prostate. 2 kissing lobes blocking my urethra but I'm a good candidate for Urolift.
2019Guy keith35298
Posted
Had one yesterday, my second. The anticipation is worse than the actual procedure, which this time was a relative walk in the park. I attribute this to the fact that I'd had a Urolift back in October which gave me a bit more room in there.
Keith, glad you're a candidate but I have to say that in my case it didn't help very much. The experience varies greatly from man to man, which isn't to say that I'm dissuading you from going ahead with it but only to temper your expectations.
Happy to tell you more if you'd like. There's also a very large thread here on the subject (that I expect you've visited).
David
greg79427 keith35298
Posted
Yep, I have had this done. Creepy feeling as the probe was being pulled out. It did hurt a bit pulling the probe out. It is important for the Doc or technician to wait 20 minutes or so until the local anesthesia takes effect. They will squirt some numbing liquid into your urethra before the probe goes in make sure they wait until the medicine takes effect before the probe goes in. More 'creepy' than painful.
russ_777 greg79427
Posted
I described in another thread the most recent cysto I had done which was the first I'd had done in an office setting with a flexible scope and mostly awake. I'll repeat what I concluded which was that you don't know how sensitive you'll be to it until its done. The only other time I'd had anything like that run up my urethra while conscious was the special catheter used during urodynamics test. The cysto I had done week before last was with me breathing some nitrous oxide as the cystoscope went in in addition to the lidocaine gel. The N20 made a huge difference in the level of pain as it went through the prostate compared to when I had the urodynamics catheter inserted and also reduced my anxiety a lot. The N20 gas was a $95 upcharge that's not covered by insurance but well worth it in my opinion if your uro offers it. In retrospect I should have taken a few hits off of it while I was waiting for the doc to come in while the lidocaine took effect...would have reduced my anxiety quicker but probably not a good thing to do without someone else in there.