Cystoscopy

I've had both rigid and flexible cystoscopies over the years

Flexible is easy and doesn't require sedation just local.

I suppose it depends on the urologist and maybe what he/she is trying to find.

I have no idea whether one is better than the other.

But I have one coming up so I'll ask a few questions.

I forgot to add. I've have had many cystoscopies. Interestingly I've never experienced any pain passing urine after the procedure. And my urologist is excellent.

Had one flexible to check on the prostate. Not comfortable, but definitely not painful. A bit of discomfort for a few days afterwards on urination, but didn't need to take anything for it (they did give Cipro to prevent UTIs - for the guy who didn't get it I would change urologists).

I think it depends on what exactly is going on in your urethra. Strictures would probably make it painful.

I would not consider sedation for another one - so not worth it in my experience, but then again some people say that I can tolerate pain reasonably well.

Has any one had a cystoscopy? im scheld for one in 2 months don't know what to except

I had a flexible cystoscopy done a few years ago. They used a local that was injected directly into my urethra and had a clamp placed around my penis. While it wasn't terrible it certainly was not comfortable or pleasurable. The worst part was when it was being pulled back out past the prostate. The best part was urinating immediately after.

The best part was urinating immediately after.

...because the topical lidocaine was still in effect. Once that wears off urinating isn't as fun for the next day or so. Not terrible, but it definitely burns.

So far I am 2-1/2 years into a 3 year B.C.G. OncoTICE treatment. Total of 27 treatments. After 3 treatments 1 scope. So far I had 3 invasive tumours that required removal and I was sedated. That felt like a gut shot in the bladder for a full week. Had 3 superficial transitional cell tumours develope. They were burnt using a laser in the scope

. I am cancer free and on my last three treatments in January. Happy New Year

I just had my very first cystoscopy with my urologist. The flexible cystoscopy procedure was performed in his office. I had he procedure because I had been experiencing occasional blood in my urine.

It took 3 weeks to schedule the procedure after my initial visit with the urologist, so for 3 weeks I researched the procedure and I worried and worried about it and what the diagnostic might find. There are all these horror stories about how painful the procedure is and what the doctor may find. I was dreading going to today's appointment and even thought about cancelling. I was so worried and nervous. But I went.

I asked the nurse if "one size fits all". She said that there is only one size. My penis is a bit less than average size so I was a bit concerned. I asked her how long it takes for the xylocaine gel to work. She said about 30 seconds. She took my BP and it was a bit elevated. She said that was likely because I was nervous and tense. But it wasn't a problem. She then said to strip naked from my waist down and that the doctor will be in shortly. She told me that for the next few days I should stay very hydrated and to call the office if there were any concerns. Then she left and to my surprise did not return.

The male doctor entered the room when I was ready and we exchanged pleasantries. He positioned me on the table. No stirrups. He said that it will all be over in a couple of minutes and that I could watch the monitor to observe what the camera was showing. He said that there may be some slight pressure as he was performing the procedure. He dabbed the head of my penis with iodine then inserted the cystoscope and inspected all the way up to the bladder. He did a detailed inspection of the bladder. All the while his instrument was expelling a saline solution to make his inspection easier. The whole thing took about 2 or 3 minutes from start to finish.

The urologist said he didn't see any problems except for a slight stricture and that it was no big deal. He pretty much said that the blood in the urine may have been because of an infection even though tests showed that I didn't have an infection. Could have been a false negative test result. It happens. Since I haven't had any blood in the urine for 3 weeks he gave me a clean bill of health. I was so pleased with that! He cleaned my penis and the table up because my penis still had some iodine on it and the excess saline solution had made a bit of a mess. He helped me up and asked if I had any questions. I didn't. He told me to get dressed and use the rest room if I needed to. I got dressed and then urinated without any pain.

So my cystoscopy was really no big deal. Just the slightest feeling of pressure and certainly no pain at all. I've had many, many blood draws that were more of a big deal than my cystoscopy was today.

If and when I need another cystoscopy I will not worry at all before the procedure and will not hesitate to have it done.

Next week I am due for a Cystoscopy and full examination! Local anaesthetic only I am told. From your experience, what can I expect? Will I be naked, covered? Any pain involved and how quickly can I return to work? I am told I can leave the hospital / exam room very soon after all is done. Will they shave my pubes?

Anything you can tell me would be welcomed - I am worried!

Quite a few posts here describe the procedure and the side effects. Read them! 😄

@Appointment_Needed , I have one yearly now. After bladder cancer I had them quarterly for a two years then semiannually for 2 years now annually. Mine are done in my urologists office on a chair, pants & underwear lowered. The nurse numbs your opening. Worse thing for me is when the camera goes thru my enlarged prostate. Just very uncomfortable. I just keep telling myself it will be over im a few minutes & it takes less than 5 minutes, maybe 3-4. Best part is when he says everything is okay.

I'm a 20 year old male and I have a bedwetting problem. My urologist scheduled me for a cystoscopy next week. I'm wondering what I should be expecting?? Please help me

Thank you for the detailed description of the whole process.... my urologist just scheduled me for a cystoscopy and reading this really help me... Thank you so much

I have had a number Cystoscopy looksee's. All of a sudden I could not pee. I went to emergency and they drained my bladder and suggested I see a urologist. I did and he would not do surgery until I talk to my cardiologist. He said no, not until my stents are year old. So for eight months I had I wore a catheter and bag. After the surgery I still had the bag for a few weeks. When the catheter was to be removed they pumped about a half pint of fluid in bladder to see if I could release it. Now that hurt. I passed the test and was sent home. Before I left a very attractive older nurse toyed with my 88 year old foreskin put in its proper place, patted it and said "Take good care of it. Part of the surgery was installing Urolift where strap the prostate on opposite sides too keep the urethera open. This is now done in the office. When I left I was given some catheters is case of I need one. I tried one and I liked the sensation. One time I was getting dress after the camera treatment and the doctor left the camera on, It was pointing out the window of a two story office of the parking lot and the picture was beautiful.

My first cystoscopy was 27+ years ago and i dont have any idea what it wzs like ? Back then they mainlined you valium before they even put the lidocaine in your urethra , since then i have had many ,its not a big deal ,matter of fact my urologist laughs that i can hold a conversation without missing a beat ,unlessi ask the nurse to move the doctor because hes hogging the screen ,i am paying admission for this tour ,i better have the best seat in the house!

Lay back relax and watch the screen ,you will see areas of your body ,most people never do . It's an easy procedure ,no worse then straight cathing ,I do that every four hours for last 9 + years.

The tech told me they put lidocaine on the catheter for men because it burned going past the prostate.

Last week I had some mild abdominal pain and some discoloration in my urine, so I went to my general practitioner where I was seen by my usual physician assistant (PA). After checking my vitals, she had me provide a urine sample and wrote me a referral to a urologist. As I’ve mentioned previously, I recently moved to the area so I didn’t have my usual specialists.

Urine tests came back designating hematuria – blood in the urine, and kidney stones were suspected. So I called the urologists’ office and took the first appointment available the next day where I met with a female LPN. She was middle aged (50ish) and dressed professionally wearing a white lab coat. She took my vitals, asked lots of questions about diet, medical history, etc. She wrote me a referral for an abdominal CT scan at the nearby hospital so they could get imaging to confirm the presence and location of any kidney stones. She said that she wanted to consult with “Dr. K” and left me sitting in the exam room for about 15-20 minutes.

When she came back, she said that “Dr. K” would like to do a cystoscopy and could fit me in later that afternoon if I could come back. Admittedly, I had no idea what a cystoscopy was or what it would entail. I asked the LPN if I needed to do anything special prior to the procedure – was it okay to eat lunch, etc. She said that I could eat a normal lunch and that they’d just ask me to empty my bladder prior to the procedure.

Okay, I thought, no big deal... and I went in to the office and went to work. I guess I should have looked up cystoscopy on the Internet, but figured that if I could eat a normal lunch and come back that afternoon, that it was probably a non-invasive procedure.

Details of my visit are here: https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=blog;ox=showpage;pg=5507

After the removal of a small spot of bladder cancer, I get one every six months.

I pass on the lydocain gel injection into my urethra. The incontinence side effect I have makes it not worth it for me.

My first time was the roughest. I had the doctor, a student doctor, my nurse with her student nurse, along with my wife in the room! It was a full house, and very awkward.

I now have a new urologist that does the procedure using a modern gyno chair. My former urologist used a regular exam table. That’s going to be a new thing for me. All in all, it’s not that big of a deal.

Hi all

I have now had 9 cystoscopies all under general anaesthetic which included TURPS x 2 and also a bladder neck incision this is partly to do with urine retention an the next op is to have a emplant into the back so I don’t have to use catheters anymore, I am aged 59 and I am hopeful that this electro emplant will work for me.

After each procedure I have had to have a foley in place for 3 weeks and every time I have had big huge painful bladder spasms which lasted from about 30 seconds to 10 minutes and peeing blood outside the catheter, several times I went to the Accident and Emergency at my local hospital and some times they may change the catheter and sometimes they wouldn’t and would have to take pain killers such as morphine as the over the counter products didn’t even touch my pain.

Has anyone gone through what I have experienced ?.?

Martin

I had laser surgery rather than TURPS so the recovery time was much less, just three days with a foley catheter. It was full anesthesia for that. Before that I had a TUNA procedure which used a rigid cystoscope. That was uncomfortable and they gave me Demerol and a tranquilizer for the procedure. Only had catheter for one day. The procedure didn’t go as planned because the heated needle got stuck in my prostate and they had to wait until it retracted on it’s own. I had the cystoscope in me for an hour instead of 20 minutes. That left me sore. I have had three other cystoscopies with flexible scopes which are no big deals. It sounds like you had quite a pleasant ordeal and I’m sorry for all your troubles.

I've had three cystoscopies from my urologist. All of them have been with the flexible cystoscope. They all followed the same pattern. First, the nurse injects the lidocaine gel into my urethra. Then, about five minutes later, the urologist appears and inserts the scope and does the exam. Saline solution is pushed into my bladder via the scope as part of the exam and then withdrawn from my bladder, also via the scope. We watch the whole thing on the monitor, which is pretty cool.

@Deviant1 has also had a cystoscopy, and it's little bit bigger deal for him. The nurse puts a clamp on his penis after inserting the numbing gel, which I personally get a kick out of, but Dev doesn't find as amusing. And the male urethra is much longer than the female, so his discomfort is a little more than mine, even with the lidocaine. But other than that, it's pretty much the same exam.