EXTREME [pain during cystoscopy

Thanks, all, on the "numbing gel".  I had that too...and it might as well have bene Vaseline. NO effect whatsoever.  This was a deep internal pain along the urethra route.  Again...like a razor cutting the pipeline surface.  On the pain chart, a pain near the top. I can only assume my urethra is more sensitive than most.  Perhaps inflamed if, for example, an ejaculation occurred too close to procedure day.   If ever again, I must insist on full-bore anesthesia. 

Thanks Raffie and thanks all

Hey Raffie --

Did you say INJECTING a numbing agent?  I had no injection.  They may have used a basting tool of sorts to squirt a gel...but no injection.  Was  I missing something?  (I recall the gel being mostly outside the pipeline...not inside.  Though at that point on my back I could only go by what it felt like.) 

I had 4 or 5 cystoscopy exams over the last 2.5 years.  The first urologist I had did two of them, and there was some moderate discomfort.  The others were done at another urology center that is part of Wake Medical in Winston-Salem.  They have very modern equipment and excellent doctors.  The last cystoscopy was done by a female urologist who was working on a fellowship under my regular doctor.  I had absolutely no discomfort during that exam.  I just googled her name, and see that she now in Iowa.  I would recommend her, if anyone here is from that area.

Hi Owen:

Yes. It's called a uro-jet. What it is, is a syringe without the needle tip that comes pre-filled with Lidocaine or Xylocaine as the numbing agent. The tip of the syringe is inserted into the urethra then the solution is injected inside. After 5 minutes or so you should be ready for a pain free test. You might feel pressure but you shouldn't feel pain if enough numbing agent is used.

Regards,

Raffie

Raffie,

I vaguely remember a syringe like you described used for a cystoscopy I had in 2012.  They injected the jell and waited 5 or 10 minutes before starting.  That was the least painful cystoscopy I had.  I think the jell serves as a lubricant as well as a numbing agent.  During other cystoscopys that was not done probably because they were in a hurry.

Thomas

Thomas

I got the euro-jet (or something like it) both times.  The cathing nurses didn't wait 5 minutes.  

I screamed loudly both times.  

 

Waited 20 minutes or so.  Zero pain.

Waiting for it to kick in.  They didn't do it in my case...neither time. Good to know if there is ever a next time.

 

WOWOWOWOWOWOWO... at the most, the cathing nurses waited maybe a minute!

I bled 1 liter of blood (estimated), on top of the pain, but maybe that's due to another cause.

 

Hi Bob:

When the pre-filled syringe first came out, all it was was a syringe filled with lidocaine. The preparer would inject the solution into the urethra then stand there & squeeze the tip shut so as to keep any gel from leaking out.

Many guys weren't too thrilled about having a stranger squeezing the tip shut so the company came out with a kit. Included in the kit is a small clamp they are supposed to use to keep the opening closed.

It takes 5-10 minutes for the solution to do its numbing then the doctor can proceed with the exam.

If they aren't waiting or using the lidocaine injection first to numb the urethra then you have to tell them nothing goes down the chute until the numbing agent is injected first & then make them wait the 5  to 10 minutes before getting started.

It's your body. You're the one that will suffer the consequences if they don't use a numbing agent.

You take control from the assistant(s) until the doctor comes in so you don't get hurt. If they don't listen, tell the doctor not to let them near you again.

Regards,

Raffie

Hi Thomas:

When they hurry, you can get hurt. It's up to us to take control away from the people prepping because they don't have to deal with the consequences. Everybody tolerates things differently.

Make them inject the numbing/lubricating agent, place the clamp then you tell them, "come back in 1o minutes".

If they try pushing you to hurry things along, push back. It's your right as its your body.

Regards,

Raffie

I see.

Neither of the two cathing nurses clamped, nor held tight, my penis.

Your post certainly highlights the recent study which came out on Sept 23rd, that bad doctoring kills 500X more than guns.

Hi Bob:

Don't know where you reside but I'm here in the states.

In the US male healthcare takes a back seat to women. A lot of it has to do with gender stereotyping and the other bigger reason is men REFUSE to speak up for fear of being seen as weak. They'd rather be poked, prodded, and humiliated in front of possible a room full of women instead of speaking up & saying NO.

Healthcare does not consider female staff performing or observing intimate care for male patients to be any kind of dignity violation on their part. That's why they rarely if ever ask you if you would prefer to have a male. Whereas a woman will never see a male when it comes to gender specific intimate care because the medical community has seen to it already. They won't hire or train male rad techs mammography nor will they hire or let male nurses into labor & delivery.

But in urology, where most patients are male you'd think they'd have males available but they don't.

That will only change when men are strong enough to speak up & tell them she doesn't have the same plumbing therefore she cannot possibly know how and what I am feeling. By not having the same plumbing they aren't as careful has a male caregiver would be be he knows what it will feel like.

Nursing schools have classes graduating in excess of 15% males, some approaching 20%. Every male out of medical assistant school training should have a dozen job offers waiting (alas it seems to be just the opposite).

About one third of rad techs are male.

So, discrimination is tacitly present in the health care field - medicine is NOT gender neutral like they would have you think.

The U.S. government has an Office of Research on Women's Health. Curiously, there no Office of Research on Men's Health.

We're just slabs of meat expected to put up, shut up, and do as were told. Men are expected to leave their dignity and privacy at the door or don't enter.

Until men start speaking up like the women of the meetoo movement have, this crap will not change.

Regards,

Raffie

Nicely said.  We thank you.

Raffie,    Now that you mention it,  I do remember they put on a clamp the time the lidocaine injection was used.  I didn't actually understand why then.

Thomas