What to expect???

[tommygal]

I'm sure there are posts that have the answers to the questions I have, but I just can't sit here forever going through them all! So hopefully you won't mind me posting this, and will answer my questions. I'm having my first cystoscopy in two weeks and just want to be prepared. Any advise or anything would be great! My questions are:
1. How much pain will I be in after? Will I need pain pills?
2. How long after the surgery until I'll feel at least ok again, and how long will the pain last?
3. I have heard that it hurts to urinate after, how long will this last?
4. What can I eat after it? And for how long until after can eat normal (if you can count my diets being normal) again?

I think that's it! Thanks a ton for anyone who replies! It will help me out a ton! Just too sick lately to be able to sit here long.

~Rachel

[ICNDonna]

There are two possibilities here. If you are having a cystoscopy in your doctor's office, it is different than having a cystoscopy with hydrodistention in the hospital. I'll try to answer both ways.

The cystoscopy in the office is comparable to a catheterization. An instrument is inserted into the bladder through the urethra and water is instilled so the inside of the bladder can be viewed. The bladder collapses similar to a balloon when it's empty so they do have to put the water in. It's not a comfortable procedure, but if you concentrate on relaxing it's not horrible. The first couple of times you urinate after a cysto can be painful, but after that you should be okay. No diet restrictions after a cysto.

If what you're having is a cysto with hydrodistention in the hospital, you will probably be given medication to relax you before you go to surgery. In this procedure you would be given an anesthetic, either a general or spinal, whichever you prefer --- and you don't feel the procedure. Because the bladder is distended (stretched) during this procedure, there may be some bleeding, typical for an IC patient. The first few times you urinate afterwards can be very painful. I always say it feels like by bladder is turning inside out. I usually need pain control for at least a day afterwards and some need it for several days.

Again, after the procedure, there are usually no specific diet restrictions other than the IC diet.

Sending gentle hugs,
Donna

[aantol73]

Donna really did sum it all up for you. The pain isn't crippling it is just pain....

[kadi]

Yep, Donna described it beautifully. I flared up the day following surgery, but was back to my "normal" (IC) state the day after that. Some people don't feel well for longer than that, BUT some people feel better than before the surgery once the initial flare up dies down...

[tommygal]

Oh, I didn't realize there were two different ways of having it done. Mine will be with the anesia (or however you spell that) and it's actually not going to be in the hospital but at a surgical center. So that will be a new experience for me, since my last 9 surgeries were in the hospital. Not too excited about the pain afterward, but excited to finally get a diagnosis after having bladder problems since I was a little kid!
One question though. I will be on my period during it, and the doctor said this was fine. But has anyone else had it during there period? Does it make it worse? Cuz I have endometriosis so I will already be in bad enough from that as it is. But I'm sure it probably won't be too much of a problem hopefully!

[~*~Christine~*~]

I had the exact same thing done when I was 16. When I woke-up I had a strong urgency to urinate and when I got the strength to do so I went to the bathroom but it was so painful that I didn't urinate until I got home (I was released a shortly after). It did hurt the first time, and less the second and so on. I wasn't on pain meds so you may want to talk to your doctor about giving you some.
Try not to eat anything acidic (apples, oranges, etc) and no caffein because that can cause stinging.
I didn't have mine done while on my period but it can work either way for you: some women have more pain tolerance while on their period therefore easing the pain of the procedure, others (like me) experience more pain during that period.