Female Cystoscopy ~ DON'T worry!!!!!

Hi Tracy!

I had a prior appointment with him first, another urine sample taken and an ultra sound scan of my bladder. The consultant then made the decision to do a Cystoscopy a few days later. Hope all goes well for you Tracy.

i had a ct scan and ultrasound and still have to have one too..

Hello,Pat....

I cannot stress enough how very apprehensive I was when I was informed I'd have to have one just a couple of months ago....then I found this forum on browsing through the internet sites.

Pat,I can assure you with all my heart,just as the kind ladies here testified that you truly have not one iota of anything to worry about.

It was all over so quickly and with such reassuring nurses around who do this procedure day in,day out and are very well aware that people are naturally concerned.

There is no pain,all I personally felt was a slight sensation of the camera for less than a couple of seconds and then it actually became interesting in being able to view on a screen all that was going on and the amazing body we take for granted is there to see if you wish it.

I was beyond glad that I found these posts because they reassured me beyond belief and I can promise you absolutely that every word is the truth.

I was home within 30 minutes afterwards,with a cheering cup of coffee not even needing paracetomol.

The slightest of stinging on the first couple of wees and for me,that was it!

Get it done and know it is there to help you and please keep all the genuine and heartfelt comments that are here in your mind.

You will happily feel loads better just for reading them before you go and will be wondering why you ever worried at all even for one second once you've got it done and dusted.

Please don't worry one more minute.....it is precious sleep-time wasted,it really is!

Warm wishes....Karen x

was yours in the docs office with a numbing gel while you were awake? is the flexible procedure the one they do while awake?

Dear Jen6969

There are a few things you need to check on and ask for, if necessary.

1. Ask for or insist that the procedure be a flexible cystoscopy; much more comfortable for patients of either gender.
2. Make sure they lube you up well. Believe it or not, I've come across a text book written by a renowned urologist and fellow countryman of mine (Argentinian) who stated, in writing: "..... for female patients, short urethra and only one sphincter, so no need to lubricate ......" WHAT?!!! Yet again and for the umpteenth time I apologize to all women, on behalf of this dear man, he was accidentally drunk from a poorly vented lab, or aging, or because he didn't feel any pain himself, or whatever, he was dead wrong! But, I am not medically qualified so I have to shut up. Nonetheless, DO ask for plenty of lubricant, with or without a numbing agent.
3. Th attendant nurse will probably say, "Now relax, dear", but forget to tell you what to relax. What the nurse really meant was, "bear down as hard as you can as though to pee.". Never mind if you dribble a little, or break wind, there should be nothing embarrassing in the medical setting surrounding your procedure.

   This said, my best wishes to you for a comfortable and very bearable cystoscopy with good diagnosis following it! alan86734.

Thank you! its an in office procedure so i was thinking its going to be a flexible procedure. i will call tomorrow n ask for sure. everyone i know that has had one said its not painful just a lil uncomfortable n only takes a couple minutes. i guess if i can handle 3 all natural child births this should be cake,right..

Hi, Jen,

I was out all day yesterday hence this delay in my response. You're right, office cystoscopies are usually flexible and do not require a general anesthetic, just a numbing agent such as lidocaine which is mixed in with the lubricant which is local and does not need any special recovery time. It is perfectly normal for you to be apprehensive when faced with something you have never experienced before. Rather than discomfort, I would describe it as an "unusual feeling". You might ask how much total experience, in terms of number of procedures, the urologist/nurse team have between them. Skill counts very much in this.

In my own first time ever case I had a cocktail of numbing agent, muscle relaxant, and lubricant and that was all for a rigid cystoscopy. Then I was instructed to grip the tip of my penis and, "Squeeze tightly, don't let this stuff run out; it costs money!". I was 17 at the time. Now, many years later I stuff foreign objects (catheters approximately the same diameter of what you are going to get) on a regular basis, three times a day, right though my longer urethra, my prostate (which you don't have), and into my bladder. Special instructions: no numbing agents, please; just oodles of lubricant. The fact that I once taught the Grantly-Dick Read method of natural childbirth probably helped considerably.

I wish you all the best, Jen, a good outcome, and the sincere hope that you will qualify to join the "Happy Band of Believers" who will shout in unison, "See, a piece of cake!"

alan86734.

i found out my particular doctors office dont use numbing gel on women because it runs out n dont work. i am hoping its still not to bad,i mean i had 3 kids all natural but still am terrified of this! thy say its like getting a catheter and still no help to me cause i dont believe ive had one.

Hi Jen, I don't want to scare you any more than you are already! That his a totally c**k-eyed answer: "because it runs out". B.S.!!!. Even if it ALL runs out, enough should stay behind coating your urethra to numb it.

I'm hoping it was an office employee who passed the message on to you without understanding what he or she was saying.

So some more information that should help: the part of the instrument that slips into you (the sheath) should be properly lubricated. You are certainly in your rights to ask about this. I think bearing down as though to pee should still be helpful.

Here I am giving you this advice when I don't even know where you or the doctor's office is located! So I hope this message gets to you in time to be of use to you. Hoping for the best for you!!!

alan86734

hey so today was the most stressful day i have had a long time!.especially when they rescheduled from last month to this month so the anticipation was agonizing. and then i have a bad habit of researching too much medical on the internet.

It was not bad at all! barely any pain at all! and no numbing gel,just some ky . and it only took like 2 min literally!

Thank you all for all your supporting words and info!

Hi, Jen,

What a relief! I was really concerned over your situation. I assumed that it was all a "first time experience" for you and it is precisely then that the nurses and doctors involved will usually do their utmost to use "plenty of everything" to make the procedure as comfortable as possible. But sadly this does not always happen.

You got through this event as well as might be expected (no numbing gel!) so next time, if there is a next time, I reckon you'll sail through just fine. In fact, you might already be in a good position to reassure others facing similar urological events.

Since it was all over in about 2 minutes I think it safe to say that nothing serious was found, but you will not know for sure until you see your doctor's final report.

Jen, it's been good to know that we were able to offer the support you needed. I wish you the best of health in the future! And have a happy Saint Valentine's day, too!

BTW, for your guidance, I live in Vermont, USA.

Warm regards, alan86734.