Very worried - anyone any experience of gynae procedures?

Hi there,

O you poor love, it's awful to feel like this....and you feel foolish into the bargain eh ? Had a few Gynae experiences, investigations etc....and all positive. Given your history..you probably WOULD benifit from a general anaesthetic? But discuss it with your doctor....I'm sure if you just had one positive experience under your belt...it would help you in the future....

I can only tell you that the anaesthetic is so good these days....you'll be out and back in the ward before you know it...and if all good home that same day ! My surgeon did a laparoscopic procedure, tiny camera inserted thru your navel ! Which had a plaster on till it healed,  and a D and C, dilated me inside and looked and cleaned up.....all was good. DID have fibroids, which he said would shrink down in menopause.....so no action. And I promise you, other than having to rest and relax for 10 days, I felt no ill effects at all .....

good luck honey. X

Dear Marie

I too was put out by gas at the dentist on 2 ocassions and then had to go to hospital for a general at 14. So I too am terified of a general. When you see the gynae explain this as there are procedures where they can use a local anesthic injection to numb you up. I was told I had to have a general to remove a coil when the strings disappeared. I went to a private gynae and he removed it with a local - much easier for me. I am sure lots of procedures today can be done under local, but a lot of people prefer to be put out and Dr's find it easier too.. So please explain your fear and ask if things can be done without a general and if not why not. The best thing you can do is see the Gynae to review your situation as they are far more knowledgable than the GP on these things.

hi Marie

Girl, you have my complete and utter support and sympathy.  Me and you = one and the same, even down to the Dentist  experience (mine was at 10, removing a baby tooth with gas: a 'lovely(!)' Chinese dentist pinning me down to put the mask over my face).

I too am not great with Smear Tests (I seem to have great muscle control there:  the Speculum shoots out of me down to the bottom of the couch(!) but all have been clear).  Also went for my first Mamogram 2yrs ago:  I will always go for regular checks as I know what's entailed.)

Also, my totally inept GP wasn't able to insert a mirena coil for me when they first came out: I was in a terribly compromising postion (legs a-kimbo and in need of contraception) that I just grunted at him "For Christ Sake!  Just put a Mini Copper in then!!": hence more heavy bleeding.  So there lies my dislike of Dentists, Doctors, and Gynaes in general!!!

 I too have bottled out lots of things 'gynae'.   I'm still bleeding as regular as a teenager (yeah, a 54yr old 'teenager!!), but i don't get the cramps, chunks, pains etc. 

True they're fluctuating a bit in that one month will be light in colour and flow; others have been a bit heavier (like the last one).  But I don't feel I have a big issue with these things generally now.

I did take Tranexamic Acid for heaving bleeding for quite a while  in my mid-40s:  really did the trick.  But the heavy bleeding was largely caused by an IUD (always had them, the Mini Copper's were notorious for it, so just got used to heavy bleeding). Decided to stop taking this med just to check how things were without.....and never felt the need to take one again

I'll warn you: I am brilliant at advising EVERYONE else to go check things out: I am terrible at taking my own advice.  But, true to form, I am going to tell YOU to put your fears/worries behind you.....and go see that gynae, because even I would!

I always say that our NHS comes into its own when you're either accessing it through A&E or its an emergency.  All credit to your GP: he's doing right by you in this case.

As for anaesthetic: I'm sure you will be in completely good hands. I've only had it a couple of times (adenoids, tonsils as a kid; nasal polyps & sinus flush a couple of years ago), but the last time I felt completely safe and in good hands:  believe it or not the Anaesthetist is one of the most important people in that operating theatre, next to the Surgeon!!

There are ladies on here who have had to endure a multitudes of gynae and other surgeries, and I take my hat off to them.  But as I see, they're all replying to you to put your concerns into perspective, get yourself checked out and then you will know the options/issues facing you. 

One of my sister's had abnormal cells after her smear when she was in her late 40s. (she's 62, been on HRT for 7yrs: loves it!). She had something like laser treatment to cauterise the cells:  never looked back.

She's sort of my Heroine regarding gynae issues as she is so matter-of-fact about things.  As she says "if you feel embarrassed, take some baby wipes with you, freshen up in the loo and don't worry about it.  Afterall, these people have seen it ALL, and girl, you ain't THAT special!!!" - and of course I know she's so bloody right!

As I'm getting older, I'm getting more comfortable with all aspects of 'Me'.  So much so, that reading your post is going to get me making an appointment for a Smear in the next week!!!

Chin Up Kid, You're not on your own with worrying about such things, but just see this referral as a positive thing.  I would say if your GP hasn't put something in his referral letter about your being a 'nervous patient', then you feel free to tell the gynae, and don't forget they'd prefer to know this in advance.

Keep us all posted x

Sx

 

Visits to the Gynae every year? You either have private health care or you don't live in the UK! Here it's smears every three years and mammograms every two after the age of 50. Marie....none of these procedures are pleasant - I had to have a colposcopy years ago which freaked me out but the alternative freaked me out more!!! I'm sure they are only suggesting anaesthesia because you are so tense. Unfortunately you are in a catch 22 situation as your anxiety will only make things worse. Hopefully talking about your fears here will help? Whatever you do you need to get this sorted. *hugs*

you poor thing.

i know theres no point telling you to calm down. you already know that.

remember thousands and millions of your sisters have had gyno proceedures.

you are making life more difficult for yourself.

i daresay you are getting an anesthetic as they realise this is best thing so you are relaxed or even asleep.

i've just had a uterine polyps removed under general anesthesia and was home in my own bed that night.

didnt even need painkillers.

if an anesthetic is what it takes to get their tests done, get your head around it.

its easy.

tell yourself you can do this.

deep breaths and all that.

i'm not the calm person that your conceiving from this message.

i 'd heard i was getting an epidural and told the anethstetist i had a disk problem so they gave me a general.

also they'd have to hogty me to have another colonoscopy(wide awake)

we all have our fears but you take one thing at a time.

this proceedure will be like a walk in the park.

dont dread the unknown.

it may be all ok and then you'll think why did i get so stressed.

Hi, I can really relate to this.  Firstly, like you, I had 4 teeth out by gas, which has given me life long claustrophobia.   Then I lost my first baby and had to have a D&C, and it took ages for me to come round, so I was really concerned about anaesthetics. However, having had 3 hysteroscopys under GA, for much the same reason as you, ie being tense, I can assure you modern GA's are a doddle, really, truly no need to worry about that.  Secondly, as you might guess from all the procedures I've had I have a history of post menopausal bleeding, so far all have been ok, as most times they are.  On the subject of smears many years ago my GP kindly gave me a speculum to practice with on myself and armed with a tube of KY Jelly I managed to get to the point where I could have smears.  Once all this is behind you see if yours will do the same, or buy one, incidently there are different sizes of speculum so ask them to use as small a one as possible.  Good luck, and really, don't worry about the anesthetic.

Finally got back here after a busy few days. Also trying to shut out the worry for a bit and step back and look at it subjectively.

Reading the replies again, thank you all...couple of points though is that I don't even have time to rest up for a few hours after, never mind the ten days someone mentioned!!! I have to work and as we don't get sick pay, I can't afford time off work. I work in a care home and it's hard work...tend to get called in on my days off too often, also.

Never realised that there were smaller speculums! (speculi?!) I have added that to my copious notes to ask the gynae for if relevant! I wish my GP 30 years ago had suggested KY and a smaller speculum! Maybe I would have been able to have smears then. Nobody ever suggested what to do about my difficulty and at that age I wasn't forthcoming enough to push any points. (Unlike now! - when I am extremely forthcoming and they won't do anything to me that I don't allow them to, and I want to know everything they have any option to do before I choose my option!!) - they just told me to not worry and to try again next time I was called. This happened about 3 times then they gave up.

For all I know I could have a slow-growing cancer in me that's been there for 10 years or more but if that were the case, it's a bit late to worry about that now!

Update: this freaked me out also....I went to the GP on Thursday and on Saturday I had the letter for the appointment!!! Why so quick, when he had told me within 2 weeks? Do they think it's urgent? has he written something in his notes that he hasn't fully told me?? The NHS aren't normally that quick! If I had a breast lump, it would typically take me 2-4 weeks here to be seen!! Then the appointment was this Thursday. So soon! I am working in the morning and there's no way I can get time off before the end of this month. So I went online to change it and managed to lock myself out of the page by just nipping to my calendar to see when my next whole day off was. The letter, btw, told me absolutely nothing except the day and time of my appointment. The online booking page said I'd have to ring up to unlock my login. Which it said I couldn't do before Monday due to opening hours. So Monday I nipped into my GP surgery and the receptionist rang up for me and then their computer at the hospital was down! so they suggested a date (next Tuesday - I can only do Tuesdays) and said they will be ringing or writing with the new appontment. In the meantime, Monday's post had brought ANOTHER letter, this time whilst also confirming the appointment (the Thursday one) it said I would need to allow up to 4 hours for this appointment!! Which made it all the more imperative I have to go on a Tuesday as I can't get back in time for shift at work on any other day. Nothing about what they are going to do to me in those four hours!! Didn't say "don't eat or drink" so it can't be anything real bad this first time. However, if it were ONLY to have a chat with the gynae (which I assumed the first one would be) why would they say up to 4 hours?!So now I have to spend 4 hours of my precious only day off next week, sitting in the hospital picking up any bug and cold germs going around (and there are a lot in our area atm) and also fight my way into the city with petrol I don't have in the car, and because of dire parking problems also spend £1.90 I don't have, on park and ride. As I don't get paid until the 7th or so of next month, I kind of resent the fact that I will be using food money to get to the hospital for tests on something I probably don't need to have tested in the first place!!

Sorry nto rant. I don't know what I'm angry with...probably the fact that I am never ill and reject the possibility of any ill health at any time in my life. Unrealistic maybe, but that's how I was brought up. (Trying to remember that my mum, who brought me up this way, probably caused her own relatively early demise at 79 from breast cancer because she took so long to go to the doctor about the lump in her breast, refusing to admit that there was even the glimmer of possibility that it could be anything serious!!! Like mother like daughter...)

It will suit me fine if they can't get me an appointment until after the 7th but then I have a friend coming to stay from Finland for a few days on 14th and on 6th May I am on holiday for 10 days. I don't want to risk feeling sore and facing more tests before all that, but on the other hand nor do i want to sit back and wait until after 15th May to even talk to the gynae. I figure the reason why the GP freaked out, is that it was a month after the first signs of my period before I even saw him. So now is he maybe trying to make up for what he might perceive as lost time?

Anyway - will keep you posted.

Reading many of the threads here, it's stunning what so many of you have been going through with menopause and peri

I feel both fortunate and apprehensive. I have, like my mum told me of hers, "sailed through it" so far. Can my luck hold or is it now coming back to bite me on the butt with something far worse than any menopause/peri?

I had the night sweats (I think) at about 40-ish. Didn't bother me other than that I had to change my nightie at least once every night mid-night. It was actually quite nice because I didn't have any heating in my house and yet I could sleep without feeling cold, but quite the opposite! I figure I probably had fairly mild night sweats.

Haven't noticed any hot flushes. If there were any, I have mistaken them for something else. I have felt the heat since about late 30s but put that down to the fact I have also piled on weight. (Due to eating several choc bars and lots of bags of crisps EVERY day for several years when I was working in an office; it was out of sheer boredom!) Working indoors when the heating is on, or in summer, has caused me to sweat like a pig for years although this is now toning down a little bit compared with how it was. Never had any depression, anxiety, dryness (don't think I'd recognise dryness if I did suffer from it) or any other symptoms that could be related to peri or to menopause, or at least not that I can say isn't applicable to some other cause. Someone mentioned "nobbly finger" somewhere. I thought this might be the start of rheumatoid arthritis, and told the doctor so, but he said it doesn't affect only one joint. So maybe i have had the full spectrum of peri and meno symptoms but just had them so mildly I didn't realise what they were. And thus they have never bothered me.

Btw I too have a high pain threshhold. But it wasn't the pain of the smears but the anticipation of pain that made me tense up. Think there's something else going on there too and it's psychological. (Without going into details, it's kind of akin to a phobia but nobody has ever suggested anything I can do about that.)

As said - will keep you posted!

Actually, ranting has made me feel a bit better! more in control of my body! So thanks for listening, if you have got this far! x