cystoscopy and urethral dilation

Test e indagini
21

Hi Hannah,

I had a cystoscopy and dilation yesterday!

The reason you're gp has suggested to go back for a dilation/stretching is because you're urethra is too narrow, exactly the same as mine! (You'll be put to sleep for this).

The reason I had a cystoscopy yesteray was to find out why I kept on getting weekly reoccurring UTIs and why my bladder wasn't emptying properly.

I am a 20 year old female, so am young to get so many of them and this needing investigating.

Anyway, I'll talk you thorough it, bearing in mind I've never ever had an anesthetic before so I was petrified and didn't know what to expect.

Got to hospital, allocated my cubicle (bed and chair) put gown and stockings on, nurse came round to take my blood pressure, oxygen levels etc and put 2 patient wrist bands on me, told me what to do next ie take all make up and jewelry/piercings out/off. Read my magazine for abit, Then half hour later my surgeon came too see me and told me I would be going down within the next 20 minutes! Signed a form and he talked me through the procedure.

20 mins later 2 lovely ladies came round, put me on the bed and wheeled me down to theatre. It kind of felt like a was on a ride/movie being pushed around on a bed. Haha!

Anyway, arrived down this long corridor with lots of operation and anesthetic rooms. I got wheeled into number 19, she opened the door, pushed me in and I saw a small white room with lots of bleeping machines and masks.

I sat up and said no way is that going on me! Nurses reassured me and I asked if i could have a look in the operating theatre to see what I was going into. Nurse opened the door, all the surgeons and assistants came over smiled and waved at me and said I'll be fine. (About 10 off them in there).

I laied down, held the nurses hand, absolutely pooping myself I let the anaesatist put a cannula in the back of my hand which didn't hurt.

Anyway, the next bit was what I was dreading the most! Being put to sleep.

Anaseistist had a big white syringe in her hand containing propofol (which puts you to sleep) and was waiting to injected it into me, I started crying, went all dizzy and basically had a panic attack!

Without me knowing the anaesatist injected a clear liquid before the propofol to relax me and calm me down which didn't work. (Just went abit woozey like being drunk).

Next thing I know I wake up in a big ward with other people around me with 2 nurses by my side. I woke up and had a oxygen mask on which came off as soon as I woke up, and they were checking my blood pressure. I remember I felt like I wet myself, the nurses changed the sheet on my bed which was soaked, it was the liquid the surgeon had filled my bladder with.

Waited about 10 mins till I properly woke up then they wheeled me back to my cubicle, where my partner was waiting for me.

The first thing I said to him was I wanted a McDonald's haha! Then I looked at my phone and had been gone about 2 hours which felt like 2 minutes.

You know I was expecting to feel awful when I woke up, but I was just really hungry and thirsty. My partner went and got me a sandwich which I scoffed down, and nurse got me a big jug of juice. I was absolutely knackered though.

Next step was having a pee, they won't discharge you until you've been to the toilet.

Standing up and walking for the first time after anesthetic was weird. Felt like I was drunk, nurse came with me and waited outside toilet for me.

There was abit of blood, and it stung pretty bad when I went for a wee which is normal.

Went for a wee then got discharged! By that point I was feeling fine, me and my partner went to mcdonalds (haha) and even went and walked around a shop then went home where I went to bed.

Since the op, I've needed lots of pees which stung and burned and blood too( like a light period). But it felt so good being able to empty my bladder properly for the first time without it contracting.

so basically I was getting UTIs because my urethra was so narrow, I couldn't empty my bladder properly so bacteria was getting trapped which was causing UTIs!

Please don't be scared, I was petrified, had a panic attack and still made it out 3 hours after the op.

The procedure only takes about 5-10 mins and all went well.

Good outcome, lots of pain but keeping dosed up on painkillers and hoping for no more UTIs again.

Good luck, you will be fine, it's no where near as bad as you think.

22

PS,

I remember everything up until being put too sleep. I remember the nurses name, what the theatre and anesthetic room looked like, remember the cannula being put in and me crying etc. and remember waking up.

It was all fine.

Just remember to drink lots and lots when you get home to flush everything through and keep yourself dosed up on pain meds x

23

Hi -

I know this is old post but whats the outcome of your orethral dilation , did that work , i will be doing this for the second time and might need to do again and again as in woman there is no permanenet solution

24

I had a scope and dilation yesterday in the office with only a local anesthesia! Burns like heck today when I urinate. I wish I could have been asleep. I have had both procedures before but never at the same same appointment. Lord help, I hope I don't have to do that again...

25

I just had both of these done last week. I have no clue if the doctor found anything during the cystoscopy. I was half awake, coming out of the sedative and I think all he said was it went well. So, I am unaware if my urethra was too narrow or if I have cystitis. I guess I won't know anything until I go for my follow up in May. 

The procedure itself was very easy and quick. The person I had with me said I was only in the OR for 10 minutes. For me, the worst part was the IV. I had a nurse who liked to put IV's in the wrist and I am horrible with IV's. I get nauseated, dizzy, and anxious. So, that was the worst part for me. 

My 1st few pee's after the procedure were mildly painful. Some burning. Only had blood once when I wiped. Ibuprofen took care of the burning. 

I was informed not to have sex until I seen my doctor but my boyfriend and I thought we would try to have sex (and stop if it hurt me too much). It was fine. I had heightened sensitivity to him which actually felt really good. But now, I'm not sure if sex was a bad idea or what because I am having some burning on my urethra when I sit down for long amounts of time and the constant feeling of I have to urinate. It's exactly how I felt before the procedure. It hasn't even been a week yet (6 days). So, for me I'm going to say my dilation did not work. I can't imagine sex causing things to go back to how they were. Also, I was given cipro during the procedure and that stuff likes to cause yeast infections for me so I don't know if I have a yeast infection and that's why there's been burning. Just unsure on so many things right now.

26

Hi,

I've also had a cysto and dilatation under GA 1 week ago. But unfortunately I'm still having really bad cystitis symptoms. My surgeon thinks it could be irritation from the op or else blood clot's in the bladder from after surgery. I'm at a loss!!!

Will let u know how I get on.

27

Had it done 8 months ago , surgeon said procedure took 3 times longer than usual . Had no problems since procedure . Quailty of life greatly improved , wish I had it done sooner .

28

I've never heard such horror stories and ive had 2 dialtions but 15-25 years ago. They helped and I might have another next week. Go with it if they are telling you that's what you need. Stop worrying. From what you are saying you need it !

29

HI HEZ64

WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT WITH PAIN AND PROCEDURES

I HAD THIS DONE AND EVERYTHING WENT WRONG

BUT IT HAD TO BE DONE IN JULY 2016

I AM 74 YEAR OLD MALE

TRY NOT TO WORRY NHS STAFF WILL DO THEIR BEST 

FOR YOU

WISHING YOU WELL 

 

30

I am 74 year old male , had my rigid cysto and dilatation done 1 year ago every thing is great now , I have no problems at all , really glad I had it done . Life much better now , no worries when I go out anywhere or travel . Do intermittert self catherterisation but that is not a problem . I just wish I had the procedure years ago .   

31

Hi there, I read your answer, and your answer is the closest I found to an answer. When I was younger I had many UTI'S. it started with the bed wetting and then the utis constantly kept happening. I went to the Chinese doctor for acupuncture when I was 8 and took a herb that made it go away for what I thought would be forever. I was wrong so once I had sex for the first time the utis came back. After a few months, I had this long period of time where I always felt like I had to pee, no burning no pain just this urgency and I would pee and only a dribble would come out and seconds later I had the feeling again! This feeling would come and go. I would go to the doc and they didn't find any utis or anything else. This still goes on. I've been to multiple doctors and specialist and no one has helped me. I can't go to work or school because of this constant feeling of having to pee. It also gets worse when I get my period. I've done so much research and haven't found anything that it could be. I've done bladder scans and cystospys and bladder ultra sounds. The doctors found nothing. I then went to this new doctor who I'm actually going to tomorrow. He is said to be one of the best urologist. And he seemed a lot better then the other docs I went to. I'm having a cystocpoy and dilation of the urethra, and I'm praying to god this will go away for good! I guess I'm just looking for suggesting and some help possibly. By the way I'm 22 if age makes any difference.

Thanks in advance.

32

Sorry for the typos!

Xoxo

33

I have very similar symptoms to yours in terms of needing to pee all the time. I've recently been diagnosed with painful bladder syndrome also known as interstitial cystitis. It is a chronic condition that mimicks the symptoms of utis but doesnt show up on the traditional dip stick or hospital microbiology tests. Mine was identified through my symptoms, two hospital stays and was finally hundred percent confirmed via a cystoscopy last week. It's a lousy condition to have and is difficult to diagnose. Maybe worth exploring with your urologist

34

Yes it is defineltly lousy to go through this, epsecially with out knowing the cause. I was already diagnosed with not having intersticial cytisis so now im stuck, I've been too so many doctors, with out any results its just super overwhelming. 

35

I'm sorry to hear that. I can relate as that was how I was treated until things deteriorated badly last year. I was even told initially by one doctor that it couldn't be IC and he was quite dismissive. He has had to eat humble pie now. I have had over six months off work in the last year with it. Mine also got worse with period and I am under gynaecology as well as urology. I am being treated for a problem with oestrogen production . Apparently the gynae and urology are linked. You are younger than me so I'm not suggesting you do this but my gynaecologist authorised for my periods to be permanently stopped due to urology impact. I also want to say persevere.

36

Hello. Any luck when you went to the new urologist? I'm 24 years and out the blue just started experiencing symptoms like you. I'm having to pee every 15 minutes . I can barely do anything. I've been this way for about 2 months now it is so fustrating! I've been to two different doctors and tested negative for UTI. I'm set to go to an urologist Tuesday! I wish I could go sooner. I want this to go away! Any news from your situation

37

Came across this old post and thought to reply for future readers seeing as finding info on females w/narrow urethra (stricture) can be hard. I was diagnosed with urethral stenosis/stricture at age 4 or 5. About age 5 or 6 started getting urethral dilation under general anesthesia once a year for six years. About four of those procedures I awoke with a catheter which was left in for 24hrs then was released that day (one overnight stay). I didn't see urologist again until age 21 for UTIs. Had cystoscopy (?- tube w/camera) and was told there was a lot of scar tissue in urethra ( don't know if it was there before all those dilations). Will see a urologist for the first time in 22 years next week. So having to self-catheterize is not a foregone conclusion or definite outcome after dilation(s). Hope this helps relieve someone's worry.

38

Hi Kathyc I have had the same as you. For the past 15 years since my daughter was born I have been having constant urine infection which go in to my kidney. I always have blood in my urine recently I had a cysycoscpy done and I prolapsed while I was under. Since then I have been to the urology who have said I need to go in to get some sort of chemical through me by a catheter. I not looking forward to this at all. How did the doctor find out that it was your prolapse that was causing this. Because they haven't mentioned anything else about mine but I think that's what the pain is x

39

I had the surgery done as a child and then had to have the surgery done again and what I can tell you is that I notice 24 years later slight leakage when I use the bathroom

40

You are quitre right , self catherterisation is not a foregone conclusion , but if necessary it is a very easy and completly painless procedure .  I do self catheterization because my bladder does not empty completly , I only need to do it twice a day to help prevent infection .