Positively horrible HSG today

[Cui]

Today I went for my first Hysterosalpingogram (HSG). I am 38 and have been seeing a RE since April this year and TTC on our own since 2005.

I had read up on the procedure. I knew what to expect. I read comments that said it was no big deal and painless, I read comments that said it was excruciating.
I would consider myself to have a high pain tolerance. I have had medical procedures done before and I can usually just slow breathe my way through them.
I figured I may be in the middle somewhere as to how painful it was. I took Motrin as the Dr. had suggested. I even took a Vicodin I had left over from getting my wisdom teeth out last month. I figured I was covered and it would be all good.

The Dr. inserts the speculum which sucked but no worse than a PAP. Then he starts to insert the catheter, it was painful and there was cramping. I expected that although I was surprised that I felt it as bad through the painkillers I had taken. I believe I said "Yikes" at one point and he said that if it hurt he knew he was in the right spot. I could deal with the cramping etc.
Then I guess he starts putting in the dye (Didn't mention this to me).

It starts off with an intense pressure that soon became unbearable, I have never felt such a white hot agony as that. Meanwhile the Dr. gets up and taps on a plexiglass partition to another room and makes some crazy hand gestures to another Dr. in there (WTF?)
So he comes back and says something like he will explain what is going on and asks me to look at the screen to see where the dye is, and the dye is basically nowhere and I am in agony. No one says anything about the test or explains anything to me.

It was so awful that I made them stop the test . If someone had talked me through it, I would have tried to hold on for another minute or two but it literally felt like something in my body was going to burst and I could only imagine it would be even more agonizing. I have had painful tests done before and the doctors would always say 30 seconds, a little longer, almost done or something like that to reassure me that it was close to being over.

They stop the test and literally no one tells me anything beyond no sex, no tampons, don't douche, call your Dr. if you get a fever, have a nice day. I ask the Dr. is it bad that it was so painful? Does it mean the tubes are blocked? He would only say - I don't know. I know he doesn't know much from the test, but can he tell me if this sometimes happens or is this really bad?

I never cry in public, for me to cry in public I have to be completely shattered. I went to the bathroom to change and started crying my eyes out and couldn't stop until my husband was driving us home. When I was told I had cancer I didn't even cry until I got to my car.
I am so grateful my husband was with me, I was so upset and felt like such a failure. This was the last test we needed to figure out if something was wrong. All our other tests have come back normal. My husband even said to me that If I couldn't stand the pain then it was unendurable.
I just cannot believe that no one talked to me after the test about anything they saw. I don't even know how far into the test I got. Not far I imagine but still, they can't tell me anything? I'm calling tomorrow to see if I can get any details.

I feel like such as failure because even the comments I read that say the test was excruciating, everyone finished the test.

 

[Whitbit22]

Hi, I saw your post from the main page. Hope you don't mind my input. But I can't believe your doc wasn't more supportive about the whole thing, how awful! When I had mine done in June I had a tech right there with me trying to make me feel better and kind of coaching me through it. It was painful but not like you'd described. (worse than any af pains though, for sure) They gave me the results right then and there, so I can't believe they didn't at least say something.

So sorry you had to have such a bad experience.

 

[HappyDaze]

Sorry you had such a bad experience - I had a horrible experience too, but not quite as bad as yours by the sounds of things. I was yelling in pain, and had tears streaming down my face. I was so shook up afterwards, I felt quite traumatised for a couple of hours afterwards. The doc was a bit abrupt but at least he did apologise that it was so painful. The nurses were lovely, stroking my hair, holding my hand, coaching me through it and one of them came and sat with me afterwards cos I was on my own. I hope you get some answers soon x

 

[skye2010]

Sorry to hear what you went trough. I had a very painful test too. One of my tubes didn't open up straight away so they had to prolong the test. I had a tech holding my hand but the nurses and drs wasn't necessarily too warm. Although she kept apologising and telling me it's going to be over soon. I also felt extremely shook up and traumatised for a couple of days. Also cried cause I felt so mistreated, doesn't make sense but people I don't even know hurts me with my own will. I suppose my mind switched off with pain.
It is really weird that they should show you the screen without explaining when you wouldn't know what to expect. Have they tried both the tubes? My therapist told me those tubes are very small and can get closed when you are stressed under lab conditions.
Hope you get your answer soon x

 

[twinkle]

hi there, i had it done, it was soooo painful i was screaming...the doctor was asking the nurse how to use the equipment and i had 2 nurses holding me down...then she said oh both your tubes are totally blocked...and walked away leaving me with my legs in the stirrups!!! Anyway to cut a long story short i went for my follow up appt and it was with a different consultant...she urged me to have it done again and to have a laparoscopy at the same time....so i would be under anasthetic...i really didnt want too...but i did...and you know what...my tubes werent blocked at all!!! They had just gone into spasm as i found it so painful!!! i am glad i had it done again..but with being put out...sadly no baby yet. But that other doctor put me through hell..she should have been struck off!!!

 

[Nise]

My goodness, your experience sounds absolutely horrendous and I think the behavior and attitude of the doctor carrying out the procedure was awful. I hope you are feeling a little better today. If I were you I would write a strongly worded letter to the FS that recommended you for the hsg, outlining your feelings and concerns. Be frank and don't hold back but keep it politely business like. If nothing else you might get a follow up appointment a little earlier. Good luck, hun. I hope you can take some comfort from Twinkle's post - tubes going into spasm through pain sounds plausible to me - but how dare everybody just go silent and cover it up. It might be an every day occurrence to them but it's not to the ladies going through it

 

[Cui]

Thank you to everyone for your replies, they really made me feel better.

So my husband had to wait until yesterday for the Dr. who did the test to be back in. Keep in mind my husband is the picture of calm, level headed, doesn't get riled up easily. (the total opposite of me in other words)

My husband came in after the phone call and couldn't believe what a jerk the Dr. was. The Dr. blamed everything on me saying I was overly sensitive to the pain or some crap like that and my husband was like umm no my wife actually has a really high pain tolerance so try another explanation. Then the Dr. said that he explained everything to me and that it was all my fault and was a condescending asshat.

So there are no results, nothing useful that he could tell us from the test. Which sucks but is pretty much what I expected.

 

[serendippy]

Blimey thats awful that, cant believe the way theyve treated u.

Mine wasnt pleasant but it was doable and the technician and nurse were loverly.

Really sorry thats happened to u, u must feel really let down xxxx

 

[CHILLbilly]

I am sooo sorry your dr. was such an ass!!!!!!!!!!!

With all the pain relief you had in your system, thats alot of pain to go through.....
I was told to take my pills 45 mins before procedure.........maybe load up on pills earlier??
My dr. was fantastic...asked me every minute if i was OK...told me EVERYTHING she was doing before she did it......
I was actually cracking jokes as they did it....so maybe switch to another Dr and tell them about this past experience. Let them know you need a dr. that can talk you through it......
Hopefully this last HSG has cleaned out your tubes and a BFP is on ts way!!!!!!!

 

[Cui]

I am sooo sorry your dr. was such an ass!!!!!!!!!!!
With all the pain relief you had in your system, thats alot of pain to go through.....
Hopefully this last HSG has cleaned out your tubes and a BFP is on ts way!!!!!!!

I know, that's what I thought about the pain meds. I never take anything which is why I had leftover Vicodin from my wisdom teeth being removed so I take one and I'm all good.

I'm hoping that if anything was blocked it got cleared out at least a little.
We're close in days I'm on CD16 today.

 

[CHILLbilly]

I think this is my 3rd cycle after HSG......they claim it can help cleanout your pipes for up to 3 months after ..LOL
It turns out my right tube is blocked.....dye wouldn't go through. So now at least when I get Ovulation pains on right side I already know that cycle won't work.....No wasted 2 week wait....which by the way looks like we are half way through it........

 

[keyahopes]

Hi there, do go through this blog when you get a chance:

https://infertilityblog.blogspot.com/

It talks about why HSGs fail. Its mainly due to the technique, so pls don't blame yourself

 

[babyanise]

im so sorry hun,sounds like something from a horror movie,nurses holding you down,scream's,not at all what you would expect .thats just awful treatment .

 

[fairydreams]

Im WTT no3 but just wanted to pop on and give the OP a great big ......I would consider complaining of the docs attitude, he sounds very unprofessional, and I agree with what the other ladies have said push for a different doc and have it done again if you feel ready to.

fairydreams

 

[loopylollipop]

OMG i am reading this and am HORRIFIED!!! in my experience (which is v reliable i promise) the doctors that behave like this are the ones who are s*%$ practitioners , they blame patients for the problems because they are too arrogant to admit they may be at fault. even if it was a difficult procedure he should have admitted it and accepted your pain, apologised, made you more comfortable and rescheduled the procedure - possibly under general anaesthetic. this guy should not be on the medical register (and trust me rarely say this). it infuriates me that they can get away with this kind of treatment with is basically abuse - mentally and physically.

i went through something similiar with a injection in my spine, waited months for it thinking would get me back to work and was in soooo much pain had to have procedure stopped. the difference was that the doctor accepted it was a difficult procedure, and showed me xrays of my collapsed lumbar spine and explained why to reassure me it wasnt me being a complete wuss - i was sobbing feeling like i had let myself down and committed myself to being off sick even longer just because i couldnt take the pain. he made me feel so much better just by a simple explanation.

please make a complaint and get this **&^%& investigated. NO DOCTOR should blame A PATIENT arrrghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FutureMommie]

Im so sorry your HSG was so horrible, I had a painful HSG and found out that one of my tubes was blocked, which my RE promptly told me before I left. I hope you find somone has better bed side manner.