scared of cystoscopy

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I have to have a flexible cystoscopy next week due to gross hematuria.
Urine sample at GP's office didn't show any infection.

I'm terrified...mainly at the prospect of the cystoscopy at this point. (moreso than the possibility of having something very bad wrong with me)

I've done some reading. Probably shouldn't have!
It sounds like it's a lot more painful for men than for women due to womens 'tube' being a lots shorter.
Also, of the men that ive read about, it seems that the much older men handle it much easier. Not sure why. I'm still in my 20's.

I wonder if i'll be able to get something for my nerves.
I've suffered badly from social anxiety and some depression for years, but i've never seen a GP about it, so I don't have any pills.
I'd like something to relax me and take away my nerves.

(it's another conversation, but hopefully when all of this is over I think i'll finally see my GP about my anxiety. Maybe there's a pill out there that can just make it impossible for me to ever be nervous? Would certainly help me being so useless in job interviews!!)

I hope I don't get lost at the hospital or do something really stupid.
I hope i'm not so 'tense' that they are unable to get the wire into my bladder.
I hope that there's nothing serious wrong with me.
I ho[e it doesn't hurt too much and isn't too embarrassing (I hear that often there's a number of young, female nurses there for the operation which will be super embarrassing as my nervousness make my penis retract into my body!)

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Any guys here who are fairly young had this done?

JayC40

I have been for a number of cystoscopies, due to being born with a defect in my renal system they are part of my regular "MOT".

It is hard getting past the psychological "block" of anything going up there for some, if not a lot of, men.

Perosonally I would go to your GP as soon as possible before the procedure. Tell them about your anxiety problems and how this is making things bad for you on the build up to this. You may get what you need from them before even getting to the hospital. There is no pill that will cure anxiety, if there was I would have taken it a long time ago, however there are some that GPs can give for a very short time or for a specific siuation.

You won't get lost, just ask for directions when you get there. Generally, from my own experience, the people at the front desk of any enterance are helpful. Also there should be plenty of signs and a few maps depending on the size of the hopsital.

The nurses can and will be either gender. However that is nothing to be nervous about. They will not be looking at you as a person in the sense of someone they want to go out with or find attractive on a night out, you are a patient and they will be professional about it. Believe me they have seen them all shapes, sizes and reactions to situations.

You can ask for them to leave the room for a period of time where the camera is being inserted and when you may feel most exposed. They will not be offended, you will not be the first or last that has made that request.

The nurses can also help if you are nervous by talking to you and trying to distract you from focusing on what is happening.

The hardest part is relaxing. You should get some local aneasthetic in the form of a gel that is inserted first, ask them for it if you are that nervous. This will sting, however that shows it is working as it is also contains a cleaning agent to reduce the chance of a UTI. It takes a few minutes for this to kick in. It will not stop you feeling anything but it should make it less uncomfortable.

You need to relax as the uncomfortable part of the whole process is getting past the bend in the tube just before the ring of muscle and then past the ring of muscle that closes your bladder off. The more tense you are the more uncomfortable this will be. The urethra, the tube urine travels on its' way out, itself is very stretchy so the insertion should not be a problem.

If at any point it becomes unberable to you then tell them to stop and they will. Do not be embarrassed saying so if this is the case, you are the prime concern here for the people in that room and they do not want you to be in pain if it can be helped. It could be that you are one of the few who need to be under a general aneasthetic for this procedure. If that is the case it will be rearranged for such a thing to be done.

The problem now is that you are working yourself up into a tizz with worry over it. It is easy for others to say, but you need to stop doing that. If you know any do some relaxation exercises to help calm yourself down now before you even get close to the date. Do them regularly during the week and even on the day, it can do alot to help.

Also the whole younger feeling it more is tripe. People react differently regardless of age.

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Thanks for that thoughtful, informative response, JayC40.

JayC40

I forgot to say: You may find it uncomfortable to empty your bladder for a while after the procedure, this is completely normal and it will go away in a couple of days. Therefore do not panic about it if it happens, some people don't have this problem. I use anti-inflamatories during those couple of days as I am one who does have this happen to them.