In office cysto (plus first time seeing a urologist)

[massagedoula]

I am going to see the Urologist on Thursday. I have waited 3 weeks for this appt, since the start of my symptoms (which started out of the blue after a PAP smear at the gyno) of pain and frequency/urgency. I always thought that the first uro visit would be a non-invasive one, where they would talk to me and ask me about my symptoms and then maybe do an ultrasound or some other non-invasive testing. But when I called the office a few days ago, they said that I was scheduled for a cystoscopy. I rebelled and said "NO!" But now, 3 days later, my symptoms have gotten worse and I am in SO MUCH pain that I called them back and said that I would do it, because I need to know what is wrong with me. I know that the in office cysto cnnot diagnose IC, but it can rule out other possibliites, right? I was thinking that maybe I had a urethral stricture as a resuly of the PAP smear or something...I guess I was just hoping for something that was not IC (or cancer.)

Will I get antibiotics after the cysto? I have not taken any in years. I thought all this was a low grade bladder infection, since no nitrates show up on the urinalysies (4 of them) that I have had, but Leukocytes do. When my urine gets sent away to be cultured they always say when it comes back "normal vaginal flora" and that is all. But I really think that there may be an infection in there...and if not...I dont want to get one from the cysto!!! I think my immune system is WAY DOWN from the constant pain. All my old injuries are flaring up, like where my wisdom tooth got taken out last year and where I got stabbed in the hand 3 years ago. They are both swollen and painful too.

Any advice about the cysto or meeting a uro for the first time or about ANYTHING I have written will be very appreciated.
Thanks. :bunny:

[ICNDonna]

The best advice I can think of is to relax as much as you can. What I do is to concentrate on relaxing my abdominal muscles and on breathing slowly and evenly. The more relaxed you are, the better. And by all means talk to the doctor about your concern about infection.

Sending an encouraging hug,
Donna

[vm]

Good luck with your appointment. :kissing:

[Babs RN]

Good luck with your appointment. Hopefully you will get some answers that will help relieve some of the anxiety of not knowing anything. If you need to vent prior to Thursday, know we are all here and are pulling for you.

Hugs,
Barb :grouphug:

[IC SARAH-CPP]

The in office cysto isn't bad at all. It is uncomfortable, but not bad. I didn't have any sedative or pain meds or anything and I was fine. Now if you were having the cysto w/hydro - I might warn you!! Just Kidding.
Anyway, I was like you when I went to the uro in that I pretty much refused to have a cysto because I knew it didn't really do anything. However my uro told me that almost all uro's do that first for a few reasons.
1.) A bladder with IC will most likely show a few signs of IC with an in office cysto, so if the uro sees those, they will want to proceed.
2.) A cysto w/hydro and biopsy is usually a surgery and is much more expensive and invasive, so it makes sense for them to start with the cheaper, easier tests first.
3.) My doctor told me that it is important to have both a record of how much your bladder can hold without sedation, and how much with sedation. I am not sure why this is important, but he said it is.
Good luck with it. Like everyone else said, it is really important to relac during the procedure, so that you aren't all tight down there.
Let us know what happens!!
Love Sarah

[massagedoula]

Thank you all for your advice. I really appreciate it. I had a nightmare last night about the cysto, so I guess I am really scared. I know I need to do it, though.

PS...since Uro appts are so HARD to get, I made another appt with a different uro, their earliest was April 20th. I thought that way I can see this uro and see if I like him and if he helps...and if not, I already have another appt. lined up! If I really like him then I think I can just cancel the other one, though I will probably go anyway for a 2nd opinion. I really am still hoping that I dont have IC, but I dont know what else it could be...

[VickiB]

After the cystoscopy my Uro did give me an antibiotic as a precautionary measure against infection from the procedure. If yours doesn't offer, ask for one.

Best of luck and let us know how it turns out for you!

Vicki

[newbee]

HEY Massagedoula just wanted to say that after pap was when all my trouble started too!!!!! I was told "again" that uterus was tilted or prolapsed cant remember which I think I've been told that several times anyway I have had alot of the other symtoms that people talk about for many years but the real problems started just like yours about 11 months ago but I just went to a Uro 1 month ago and he told me I had IC but that's all I really heard from him the rest was given by his nurse and I didnt have a very good experience there the girls were great but he was indifferent but he probably sees alot of "US" in there I guess no excuse for being a jerk I wish I could have found a female URO but not in my area I still hope that after my new URO the Doc will say just a kidney stone like I thought but I dont go unti the 24th so I really am apprehensive about it also but your story is so close to mine I just had to reply
Best Of Luck
Ranada

[massagedoula]

Wow..I cant believe that there is someone else out there who's symptoms started with a PAP. Do you have any theory of why that started your (our) symptoms???

[dminton]

I had an office cystoscopy too, and it wasn't a picnic but wasn't horrible either. It is very routine to take one antibiotic after a procedure like that as a precaution. If it isn't offered, ask for one. Would your family doctor give you one dose of something to calm you for the procedure? That too is totally acceptable. Another thing that could be of use afterwards is to take some pyridium. That is standard for office procedures like this. Another thing that helps is to have them squirt some numbing gel into the urethra about 10 mins. before they do the scope to make the urethra more comfortable. Those things should help cover the bases to make it as smooth as possible.

Diana.

[Debgail]

Massagedoula, i know everyone sofar has posted that the in office cysto was not a big deal, not to painful. I don't mean to scare you, but my in office cysto was horribly painful for me. I hope it wont be for you...just thought you should know in case you need a few days down.
Best ofluck...painLESS cysto!!!
Love, Debbie

[newbee]

No I dont have a clue, my paps have always been very painful so I just expect to have problems for a couple of days after but this time I got more than I expected I actually thought I was passing a kidney stone by listening to other people talk about what happens with a stone so I really expected to have the URO tell me that's what it was. By the way you did have your office visit yesterday right? How did everything go?

[massagedoula]

My experience at the uro is posted under the "not yet diagnosed" section. I have to go on Monday for a sonogram. Then the uro will make an appt. for cysto/hydro if he does not see anything. HOWEVER, I am feeling better and better now each day, so I will ask him if maybe I can wait to schedule the cysto/hydro again if or when I go back into pain. I dont want to go back into pain from the procedure needlessly.