Hi Klqoo9.

It sounds like everybody is being ultra-cautious.  If you have an episode of visible blood in your urine then the standard protocol is a CT scan, prostate check (if appropriate) and a cystoscopy.

The cystoscopy is required because small bladder cancers don't show up very clearly (or at all) on a CT or ultrasound.

I know all this because I had a similar event just before Easter 2019 and went through this process.  The consultant also told me that in 8 out of 10 of cases they never find a reason for the bleeding, so there's a good chance that your cystoscopy will be clear.

In my case, it did find a very tiny cancer. This was removed in an operation called a TURBT and my follow up cystoscopy was clear.  I have another cystoscopy in a few weeks, and one more 12 months down the line.  I'm hoping they'll all be clear, too!  If not, then they can repeat the operation several times before getting on to more serious forms of treatment. 

I didn't find any need for sedation for the cystoscopy itself.  It's over in a couple of minutes and while it's a little painful as the tube goes in, a dental injection is a lot worse.  However, afterwards it can be sore when you pee, so I use soluble co-codamol for about a day.  After that, the pain has gone.