I'm going to have a Rigid Cystoscopy and I have some some questions regarding general anaesthesia.

I think you should either ask why you can't have a flexible scope used (and not worry about going under) orfind another doctor who uses a flexible scope. I had one done about a month ago and it was not bad at all. I was awake for the procedure and even watched the monitot with the doctor.

Why worry about having to be put under when it is not necessary.

my urologist im seeing thinks i may have a stricture after seeing results of a retrograde urethrogram, and he said i can either have a flexible scope with local anesthetic lidocaine gel, which will only let them see with their eyes the beginning of the stricture if there actually is one, but as the only tools you can get down the flexi one is the little grabbers they cant fix the stricture, or have a rigid while under general anaesthetic in which they will be able to look for a stricture and fix it there and then if there is one with a DVIU ( direct vision internal urethrotomy ) which would save both you and the uro alot of time. and save you pain, as the alternatives to that DVIU are: dilatation ( rods of increasing thickness to stretch the restriction, also under general, or open reconstruction, also general. id choose the DVIU as it has a good success rate of about 50%, dilation is about 25% and they usually always come back in a year or less. open surgery is far better sucess but iv read people saying how they had to wear catheters for weeks and dry friction was agonising. only gotta wear catheter for few days after DVIU / dilatation.

im due for a flexi on 14th march to check the possible restriction that was spotted on Retrograde urethrogramand check for causes of the other half dozen symptoms / problems, but the uro did offer to check and sort it with the rigid but id rather start at bottom and work way up, as its not fully determined if it is a stricture or just the sphincter pinching the urethra pipe.

i had a rigid cystoscopy under general 6 years ago at age of 16 without prior flexible cysto as they could see the stone i had on ultrasound so they knew it was there.

you can opt out of the students watching, iv said to my uro already "no students".

nkt sure about if the marijuana should effect general anaesthetic, but it would be good to ask a GP or your urologist. im not sure what general anaesthetic is actually made of, iv always wondered how it works, iv had it 3 times in past, if youve not had general before, they usually insert a needle drip thing into back of hand, and inject it into the drip, you go really dizzy within about 5 seconds and feel really lightheaded then black out in a few seconds, like 5 seconds of darkness then wake up in recovery room with no strength to move for like 10 minutes as the muscles will all of been completley relaxed for a while, some people can have reactions to it and be sick but my 3 times aged 9/10, 14 and 15/16 seemed ok. just make a list of any medications / substances and ask about them, or if on the day of procedure ask the anaesthesiologist will be able to say if its ok to go ahead.

the retrograde urethrogram was the first procedure i had to check for stricture, i requested it after id had a flowmetry and post void residual ultrasound which shiwed awful flow rate, and high residual, they used the foley catheter method, in the radiology room a big machine above the bed, i laid on my back, a urologist was borrowing their equiptment as they are just around the corner from each other at york hospital, 1 urologist 1 assisstant 1 radiologist, they do 1-2 of the procedure a week, he cleaned the opening, punped some gel in, and used a 3mm catheter, inserted about 4 cm ( i wasnt watching, he decribed the whole procedure beforehand as i was anxious ) inflated the balloon to create a seal, ( balloon wont inflate in a sphere, will inflate elongated like the tube shape, and he pumped the contrast dye through while radiologists controlled machine, was no discomfort, couldnt feel a thing except pressure feeling from balloon, and the sphincter kept trying to re close when it already was closed, took 10 mins. you could ask for one of these to check for stricture before the cysto but i do regret saying no at first to the cysto as i could of had it done by now if i hadnt of panicked and said no, when i needed it doing then. retrograde one only sees the urethra whereas voiding cysto urethrogram shows bladder and bladder neck aswell as urethra.

any update on if you have had a talk with your urologist about tests and procedures?