# What to expect for a scratch



## futuresbright (Apr 21, 2013)

Hi ladies 

Hoping someone might be able to help. I'm due for a scratch on Thursday this week and just wondering what to expect eg how long it will take will it hurt etc? 
Feeling a little nervOus


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## Londonkitty (Feb 26, 2014)

Hello
I had my scratch on Thursday so still a recent memory! Thankfully this is one test where I wasn't asked to have a full bladder which I always find really uncomfortable. Basically the doctor inserts the speculum, then a small catheter (like when you have ET) and they wiggle it about to scratch the lining (sure there's a more technical word but that's what it felt like!). It hurt more than ET but less than the 3dSIS or hycosy if you've had one of those. They didn't use ultrasound at all and the whole appointment took less than 20 minutes. I was given a dose of two different antibiotics and that was it. Pain was afterwards was like the 3dSIS so a dull ache in my lower tummy and I've had a little but if old blood as spotting since then but that is it. 

Good luck!


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## smallbutmighty (Aug 5, 2013)

Hi futuresbright,

Whilst I wouldn't choose it as a hobby, I'd say the endo scratch is not so bad. I found it worse than an HSG but still pretty tolerable. I managed to squirt a load of antiseptic hand cleanser in my eye when I was dressing afterwards and that hurt a lot more!

I'd say maybe take a paracetamol before you go in (check they don't object). I do wish I'd done that to take the edge off it. 

It is all over pretty quickly.


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## smallbutmighty (Aug 5, 2013)

I've just looked at your signature; my heart goes out to you.


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## Londonkitty (Feb 26, 2014)

Should have said, I took an Anadin an hour before so maybe that helped
Xx


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## Lilly83 (Jan 19, 2012)

Hello

I had one fur my donor cycle, I had a full bladder and ultrasound guidance, they struggled getting access and it look quite a long time they changed equipment a few times, tiny bit of cramping but no pain or spotting after, it was less painful than a hsg and my first egg transfer, it served as a good 'dummy' run for my next ET as due to my problems they insisted on my ET being by sedation so they could man handle me a bit more

Lilly x


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## futuresbright (Apr 21, 2013)

Thank you both for your replies think I'll feel better once it all over. 
Smallbut mighty your comment about squirting the cleanser in your eye made me chuckle haha


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## Fairycake34 (Jul 30, 2013)

Hi futuresbright! 

I had the scratch in June and as she started the procedure, I was thinking "ummm this is a bit uncomfortable and she hasn't even started it yet - it's going to hurt!"...

Only she had started it - in fact she had finished it!! I was waiting for the pain and it never came! And I was only on the couch for 2 minutes.

I bounced out the clinic - so happy I had done something positive.

My lining was a triple stripe - I haven't had that in 7 years worth of doctors peering at my insides  

I don't think this cycle has worked for me   but I would do this again on my next cycle!

Good luck Thursday xxx


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## futuresbright (Apr 21, 2013)

Thanks fairy cake I think I'm just nervous about doing it all again. 
Sorry to hear your cycle was a bfn  was this your first cycle?


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## nikki.ryder (Feb 16, 2007)

Hi Futuresbright...


I had my Endo scratch last Monday and I am hoping I never have to have another one.


My consultant did say the more it hurts the better ( probably trying to make me feel better)


I think it would have been ok if he had stuck to just the speculum and catheter thingy but he decided to do cervix support? That is what really hurt.


The scratch felt like the worse period pain in one hit with some follow up scraping around, but it is over very quickly.


Looks like I was unlucky with mine as everyone else seems to have had a better experience ( or I'm just a softy!)


Good luck 
Xxx


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## MariMar (May 14, 2013)

Hi,

Like everyone on this thread, I have to emphasise that I'm sure it's different for every woman, but truly, for me it was just as bad as a smear... Uncomfortable to be wedged open, then a little scraping that is so quick and just makes you twitch for a second, then done. Good luck to you!

xx


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## Itsallokay (Aug 10, 2014)

Hi Ladies, 
This is all new to me and I'm reading through a load of posts. 
Can someone explain why you need a scratch?    
what's the purpose? 

Txs, xx


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## Fairycake34 (Jul 30, 2013)

Hi Itsallokay

Apparently the scratch is supposed to help implantation  

I was recommended it as I had a previous cycle where the egg quality was great but it still didn't take.

The only thing I would say is that on my first cycle I hadn't had the scratch and I had a chemical pregnancy (so some implantation) and on my second cycle (with the scratch), I just got a huge BFN. Eggs were great quality both times! So make what you will of that!

But I will still have it done on my next cycle as my lining was still the best ever - triple striped - so I am still quite impressed  

My cycles are NHS cycles and they don't offer the scratch so I had it done privately alongside my NHS cycle x


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## Natalie280884 (Aug 7, 2014)

Nikki.ryder you are not alone! Mine was equally as awful because of the clamp thing! I'm all ok now though and the bleeding stopped that night but hope I never gave to have one again! Hope you're fully recovered now though? X



nikki.ryder said:


> Hi Futuresbright...
> 
> I had my Endo scratch last Monday and I am hoping I never have to have another one.
> 
> ...


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## Eggs1 (May 7, 2014)

Hi guys, this is my first time posting
I have my endo scratch a week on tues and I am a little nervous. Had a really painful HyCoSy and couldn't sit down very well for a few days.
This has reassured me a little though.


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## Dee28 (Jul 17, 2013)

Hi girls, i wondered if anyone has any views on the endo scratch? My first IVF cycle has just failed, we did have the scratch but alas it didn't help. My hubby has said yes to trying to one more round but as we are self funding he wants to keep the costs down as much as possible and he's not sure we should bother with the endo scratch this time - has anyone got any strong views either way on whether they think it did or didn't help?

Thanks x


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## Bluebell82 (Jan 24, 2015)

Hi Dee,

Sorry that you had a failed cycle. 

I didn't have a scratch first time round and didn't get pregnant. I had a scratch the second time round and didn't get pregnant. 

Look like it hasn't made a difference to the outcome. I've been hoping that the scratch may have some longer term effects, but two natural cycles later, we haven't go pregnant naturally either. 

I'm still glad I did the scratch, at least I know I've tried and can cross it off the list. and it's not so expensive compared to the rest of the treatment (think that you may avoid another IVF cycle and the associate heart-break - how much is it worth to you and hubby?).

I researched the scientific literature beforehand and found quite a few studies showing that pregnancy rate improves with endoscratch, at least for certain subgroups of IVF patients, such as unexplained couples. But rates still nowhere near 100% even with scratch.

I'm now using ARGC to do the immune/implantation issues work-up, as i may suffer from implantation failure and the endoscratch doesn't seem to fix it (our sperm and egg quality seems to be good, although our embryos tend to develop slowly after day 3, so embryo issues may also play a role). 

Hope this helps a little.


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## Lilly83 (Jan 19, 2012)

Hello

I had bfn my first scratch but BFP my 2nd, first time was lower quality embies, we are also short on cash but for the cost im too scared not to! Would kick myself if I skipped it 

Good luck 

L x


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## Dee28 (Jul 17, 2013)

That's kind of how i feel Lilly83! Although i also have a severe case of impatience and by the time we have our follow up consult it will be too late to have the scratch before starting next cycle...but i think my headspace is mashed today as its meant to be my OTD but AF arrived Sunday.  Hey ho, by the time the consultation comes around in a couple of weeks I'm sure I'll be more level headed about it all.

That sounds similiar to me bluebell, everything went pretty text book until day 3 when my most of my embies suddenly stopped growing or really slowed down x


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## Kieke (Apr 8, 2015)

Hi Dee - sorry to hear about your BFN.
I had the scratch but unfortunately we also got a BFN. We now also have to self fund so won't be doing 'all' the extra's. However, in the greater scheme of things the scratch isn't expensive so I will be having it done again.
Actually just booked mine in for our next round!
I will also use the embryo glue again but will have less or non acupuncture sessions.
Good luck! x


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## Dee28 (Jul 17, 2013)

Thanks Kieke, I had acupuncture also, we do all the right things and bfn, boo :-(


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## Tati100 (Feb 10, 2015)

Hi ladies,

My DH and I are just starting ICSI #1 at Nurture Nottingham, and I have had the Endoscratch procedure today.

I thought I'd tell you all how it went as I've not seen that much about it on fertility friends and so wanted to share my experience.

This cost £300 which we paid for as we are having an NHS funded cycle and Endoscratches aren't included.

From what I've seen / been told, most people have this after a failed attempt, but our viewpoint was that we will try anything to get a successful pregnancy and even though we may not have needed the scratch we wouldn't want to wish we had have had it if this cycle turns out to be a bfn. 

Our fertility issue is my DH as sperm count and motility, and so even though as this stage there seems to be no issue with me, we want to give this go every chance we can.


So, I was told to take paracetamol an hour before hand, to get started with some pain relief, just in case! 

I had to do a sample pot of urine for them to check I wasn't pregnant, as if I was the scratch could have harmed the baby. (I was 100% negative!) 

I laid on a bed with my legs in the stirrup things and the lovely lady inserted a plastic speculum. This was followed with a catheter about the size of a straw. At this stage I felt the same discomfort you do when you have a smear. 

she then started to scratch the lining of my endometrium which had a strange sensation; it felt like very acute period cramps and with the odd sharp twinge. Unfortunately at this point my body involuntarily pushed out the speculum! I was quite embarrassed but she said this is a natural reaction.

She then used a metal speculum as she said they are harder to push out, and we went through the same procedure... Catheter through my cervix in to the womb to scratch. This time it was a little sharper and I took some deep breaths to keep myself relaxed. 

When she finished up (only a matter of seconds.. 45 seconds tops) she pulled out the catheter which had blood and tissue in it. She checked this to ensure she has enough tissue so she knew she had scratched enough. 

Then I was all done! I was told to bring a sanitary pad as you can sometimes bleed after. I found that I didn't bleed in to the pad but there was blood when I wiped when I went to the toilet. 

For about half an hour I felt like I had mild period cramps and now, 2 hours later I just have slight discomfort if I bend / twist funny. 

Overall, it wasn't that bad at all.. And I figured it was good practise for everything still to come! 

I feel it was worthwhile and even if I don't know whether it will help at all it felt silly not I try it.


First down reg injection tonight... The journey has begun!


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Thank you very much for sharing your experience Tati - i have merged it with the Scratch experiences thread so that other ladies can easily find it. Things tend to go off the front page and get lost quite quickly so i want to make sure people can easily find it as it is very reassuring.

Good luck with your treatment xxx


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## KateMart (Jul 14, 2014)

My experience was that the scratch hurt, but it was short lived - sharp pain then fine. I took codeine/paracetamol beforehand. Good luck x


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## Tati100 (Feb 10, 2015)

Thanks Cloudy! I hadn't seen this thread before.

Just an update on the scratch.. The following morning now and I have had to have more paracetamol and run some 'freeze' cream on my tummy. 

It's not really painful, but feels a bit like acute period pains mixed with a stitch. 

I am sure it will go soon, and still all worth it!


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## Kieke (Apr 8, 2015)

Just sharing my experience as well!

I had a scratch a couple of months ago and missed the note regarding taking some painkiller beforehand...
I did read up on it but did not expect it to hurt as much as it did. The pain only lasted 45 secs though. It took me about 10 minutes afterwards before I could get up and move. I had no after pains and no bleeding or spotting.

This morning I had to go for another scratch and was better prepared! I took some codeine/paracetamol tablets 45 mins beforehand and it was more bearable and I was up and running straight afterwards. I was in and out the clinic in 15 minutes!

Again no pain afterwards and no bleeding or spotting (so far).


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