@chuck1026 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thankfully cystoscopes have come a long way since you were a child, way less gruesome. I had one in 2006. My story is way different than yours but here it is. Had a pancreas transplant in 2005. It had a bladder hook up to monitor pancreas enzymes in the urine to watch for signs of rejection. Pancreas enzymes are similar to what is found in commercial drain cleaner products! My bladder did not like this! It caused cystitis and “gross hematuria” (large clots of blood like menstrual flow but coming from the bladder). Long story short I ended up having another surgery called an enteric conversion. My beloved transplanted pancreas was disconnected from the bladder and reattached somewhere to the colon that was better equipped to deal with the pancreas enzymes. I was later told at Mayo that this is how pancreas transplants should always be done. That bladder hook up is a thing of the past. So the good news for you is that the cystoscopy did not bother me in the slightest. I believe it was done with conscious sedation (like a colonoscopy). My hope and prayer for you is that your cystoscopy will go well with minimal discomfort. That your provider will be able to learn about & correct the things that are bothering you (the stricture, the thickening, the hematuria). Keep us posted?