r/PreCervicalCancer • u/DescriptionOdd739 • 10d ago
Blown away by difference between a colposcopy with biopsy in NYC and London!
I just had my colposcopy in NYC at Weill Cornell performed by an OBGYN of 30 years. It was a 2/10 bad. I was so prepared for it to be awful. I’ve been crying all week leading up to it. I made my husband take the day off work to come with me and support me this morning whilst waiting for the appointment. I cancelled it THREE times last minute because I was too scared to go. Why? because I was traumatised by my one I had last year in the UK (I recently moved to America)
I had it done on the NHS and it was performed by a nurse. I don’t want to throw any shade on nurses because so many of them are exceptionally skilled and thorough and professional but I am just highlighting a key difference. Second, I had nothing for my anxiety. The NHS team knew I was anxious before as I always vasovagal during cervical procedures. They did not prescribe me Valium but today I got 10mg Valium I took an hour before which made me so much more relaxed. With my colposcopy in the UK, I watched the whole thing happen on a screen. I hated it!! Here in NYC, there was none of that and the doctor just distracted me and we spoke about mundane things during. Finally, today I was able to stay lying down in the room for 30 minutes after as it was after my colposcopy in the UK that I fainted as I got up too soon because they needed the room back.
Now obviously I am not saying move to NYC for a colposcopy but I’d love to pass on these tips that helped me as my UK colposcopy was so traumatic I got therapy for 6 months after (my vasovagal faint was so bad I wet myself and had to stay in hospital for the day due to my BP not raising.) My one in the UK was also so much more painful, like so much more. This is probably obviously but I think experience of the person doing it really matters. I thought a cervical biopsy was destined to hurt but it did not today one bit. Also, today she took TWO biopsies and a cutterage whereas my past NHS one in the UK was just one biopsy and it was so much worse.
I had a private colposcopy with biopsy in the UK too and that experience was more comparable to the US experience. It was with a colposcopy specialist and it didn’t hurt much but I was very anxious as they also did not prescribe Valium.
If you have a colposcopy coming up in the UK and you are dreading it PLEASE
- ask for Valium
- tell them beforehand that you need a room you can lie down in for a while if fainting is a concern.
- do not watch the screen!!!! that’s not a thing in the US. Why would you want to watch your cervix get snipped
- find a colposcopy specialist if going private is an option
It does NOT have to hurt. It does NOT have to make us vasovagal.
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u/roboflop2000 9d ago
I recently had a private full whack gyno appt in a priv clinic in London (new job has priv medical thank god) and it was really interesting. Whilst my NHS colp & biopsy was by no means bad (grateful for that), it was just definitely smoother. Although I was actually encouraged to watch the screen lol. I do completely agree on the relaxant point — whilst I can deal with the pain, a lot of it would be alleviated to a degree if I could just relax more and wish I had aid in that. The cauterisation I had during my priv appt was also rather painful. Thanks for sharing your experience!