HSG Test

[hockey24]

Ok ladies, I am going for an HSB test on Monday morning. I have heard that this can be uncomfortable and that I should bring some painkillers or atleast some Advil but the scheduler didn't seem to think that is necessary.

What have you girls experienced? Is this a simple and painless process or should I expect some cramping and discomfort?


Thanks!

 

[Ruth2307]

I'm really sorry to have to say this but my HSG wasn't very pleasant at all. Don't know if this was just me but more than likely it was the lack of skill on the part of the shaky and inexperienced medical team.

DEFINITELY take painkillers beforehand. I was one of the unlucky few who developed an infection afterwards but I must stress that this is quite rare. If you're worried about this then ask for antibiotics before you leave the hospital.

I would love to tell you that my own personal experience was a breeze but it wasn't. Please bear in mind that the majority of women are fine so I'm sure you will be too.

All the best
xxxx

 

[hockey24]

Yikes! I'm sorry you had to go through that. Thanks for the heads up as I will definitely take some pain medicine beforehand then!

 

[mrshanna]

You may not want to hear my answer either.

I had mine a little over one week ago. I had a very experienced doctor doing my test herself...and it was still pretty horrible. I didnt develope an infection afterwards, but the test itself was very painful. I have read posts from lots of ladies who said they couldnt feel a thing, but I wasnt so lucky!

The good news is the pain was gone completely within an hour. No cramps. Nothing. Just some light bledding for 36 hours.

Good luck hun! Just remember, its worth a little pain for a BFP!

 

[sarahincanada]

I had a sonohysterogram which I think is the same as an hsg but they use ultrasound not xray, but the actual procedure is the same (please correct me if anyone knows Im wrong). I had read so many horror stories I was in a panic as I hate things 'down there' and fainted after a pap smear once!! but mine was fine....the first part is just like a pap when they put in the instruments, there was a little 'ow' pinch as she pushed the catheter through my cervix, and after that nothing! I didnt feel much when she flushed in the saline (people talk about cramps), Ive heard people who have really painful experiences are the people with blocked tubes (dont know if the 2 members above had blocked tubes? perhaps they can explain what the pain was from) so hope that you have clear tubes then it should be fine....a girl on my thread in the groups section just had one and said the same as me, wasnt bad.
good luck

 

[hockey24]

So if you develop an infection, what does that involve? Is it painful? Will it mess up your cycle that month or make impossible? How long until medicine cures it?

Yikes!!!

 

[crystal443]

Mine felt like a pap test until it was time to push the dye through and then I cramped for about 20-30 seconds. Wasn't bad at all..I was told if I wanted to take Ibuprofen or Panadol beforehand that was fine. I had no lingering pain or anything afterward, my tubes were clear thankfully but I was told if they were blocked I would have more pain. Good Luck!!

 

[Buster1]

I had my HSG done back in March. I also heard that some women had a hard time with the test. Mine went fine. I didn't feel much of anything. I did take an Advil and hour before the test and another after just in case, but to me it was no worse than a regular ob/gyn visit. Just try and stay relaxed and I'm sure everything will go ok. Hope this helps and that everything goes well for you. Good Luck!!

 

[tulip girl]

Mine was fine also. The worst part when they were pushing the dye through, but it was uncomfortable and made me feel very bloated rather than painful, and as previously said, it only lasted 30 secs or so. I didn't take any painkillers beforehand, as the doc forgot to tell me, so perhaps do that. Take a pad with you to wear afterwards, as I did have a bit of spotting. Hope you get the all clear! x x

PS The dye is clear....I was expecting fluorescent green or something!!!

 

[Ruth2307]

Sarah could be right. I have a blocked lefthand tube; maybe this is why it was so was painful. Do you know they asked if they could repeat the test there are then! I said NO WAY!!

The cycle the month of the HSG was 5 days longer and I put this down to the antibiotics. The one after, I got my first ever BFP! Unfortunately I miscarried last week, however I am holding onto the fact that I actually managed to get pregnant something I've never been able to do before so I'm hoping that one day soon when I'm ready I'll be able to do it again.

(PS - Don't get too hung up on the possibility of an infection, I must stress this is rare and my immunity is pretty low so I'd probably catch something from someone just looking at me!)

 

[mrshanna]

Although the doctor and technologist didnt say I had a block tubed, it did take a very long time for the dye to pass through my left tube, much longer than for the right, so I suspect I had some type of blockage that the dye pushed out, and i do think this was the reason for the pain.

 

[lucylou35]

I have just had my HSG done this morning.I did find it fairly painful to be honest but the doctor did apologise as he had put the tube in at an angle!
The pain didn't last very long though.One of my tubes took a lot longer than the other to get the dye through and I think this also caused a bit of pain.
I took Nurofen straight afterwards, had a bit of bleeding and have a dull ache still at the moment, a few hours after.

 

[hockey24]

The cycle the month of the HSG was 5 days longer and I put this down to the antibiotics. The one after, I got my first ever BFP! Unfortunately I miscarried last week, however I am holding onto the fact that I actually managed to get pregnant something I've never been able to do before so I'm hoping that one day soon when I'm ready I'll be able to do it again.

Ruth2307, I'm so sorry to hear that news but happy to hear you were able to get pregnant and that is definitely hopeful! Knowing that it can happen and is possible is a great feeling!

Thanks ladies for all the good advice! I think I'll take some advil beforehand just in case and hope for good results! And definitely a pad as I hadn't thought of that. I'll most likely spot since I do from normal paps.

 

[mrshanna]

Good luck on your test Monday hockey!!! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Miss_C]

I am having one on Thursday and am crapping meself. In some ways I hope they do find a little blockage that gets cleared cos a normal result means there is nothing wrong there and it really is just my crappy eggs.

Good luck Monday and let us know how you go.

 

[hockey24]

Thank you Mrshanna!!

And Miss C - I agree with you. One part of me hopes there is some blockage so there is a reason but the other part, wants everything to be perfect. Ugh!! Oh well, it is what it is.
Good luck on your test Thursday and let us know how it goes!!

 

[Penfold]

My doc prescribed an antibiotic to take 12 hrs before the test, and a painkiller to take an hour or two beforehand. The insertion of the dye was quite sore but it was all over in a couple of minutes. My tubes weren't blocked and the test didn't show any abnormalities, which was great, but didn't give us any answers either. They did say that doing the test can boost fertility as it flushes out any debris that might have been partially blocking the tube. We were told not to TTC the month we got the HSG done due to the dye and the X-Ray.

Best of luck tomorrow!!!

 

[lisap2008]

I only had some AF type cramps as the dye was being inserted , we saw the right tube spill right away and nothing from the left then she had me roll a little to my left and then we saw it spill too so my left side was slow , but this gave me such hope because I had a tubal reversal way back in 2007.

 

[readyformore]

I had one done several years ago.
It was pretty uncomfortable and I was glad when it was over. It was by far not the most uncomfortable thing that has ever happened to me though.
I was able to drive myself there and back. Motrin was a must afterwards as was a pantyliner.

I'm pretty sure I'll need another one as I'm going to see my RE in a few weeks. I've since had a tube removed and I'm now wondering if it will hurt more because that tube is missing? I'm not sure. . .

Good luck.

 

[Miss_C]

I am now really confused cos I looked up why my test was more expensive than others I know and it is cos of the Levovist and it is being done by ultrasound and not x ray which by what I can read is a HyCoSy or whatever the heck the acronym is. Is that the idfference HSG is xray and the other is ultrasound?

Anyone?