I am having an HSG in 1 week. We have been ttc for 14 months and decided to finally go for it. I have low tolerance for pain (I admit, I am a sissy). I hear such conflicting stories. Some say it is no big deal and others say it is the worst thing they have ever gone through. So, what's the story with this procedure? I am considering taking the xanax that I have here at home (I'm not a junkie, but it was prescribed for me last year when my mom was killed and I have a few left). Do you think the relaxing effects of the xanax will make it easier to tolerate or do you think this is a terrible idea?? I am open to and all suggestions and personal stories. Thanks!

I know how it is to be stressing over something such as that. I had a HSG about 3 or 4 months ago. I thought it was going to be really bad, however it really wasn't I think my nerves made me more upset than anything. When they put the dye in you it just feels like a warm feeling with a little bit of cramping (kinda of like normal cramps).

I know when I had to get one I looked up a lot of stuff online and that just made me scared so please dont worry about the stuff online. It really is not a big deal, just a little cramping is all.

Any questions you may email me @ miskitty27@yahoo.com

Vicki

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BFP on cd 28
1st Beta 77
2nd Beta 2501
1st U/S 3/25/08 Heartbeat 135 Just one baby YEAH!
2nd U/S 04/01/08 Heartbeat 153
Nurses Visit 04/14/08
First OB Visit 04/24/08 U/S Baby looks good!
Second OB appt 05/14/08 HB 153
Third OB Appt 06/04/08 HB 150 Lots of movement
Big U/S 06/12/08 IT'S A GIRL

Hi Mollyjp,
Oddly enough, I have one scheduled for today, so I will let you know exactly how it went. I am not a high pain tolerance person either, so I will let you know how it goes!
jessica

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Me - Jessica 28
DH - Bryan 31
TTC#1

okay - so i just got back. Let me tell you, don't have unprotected sex between the time you start AF and the time you have the HSG test - they made me wait for a pregnancy test before they would do it (better safe than sorry, even though I have never ovulated before day 18). So I was at the hospital for 4 hours waiting for that!! Anyways, here's the scoop as far as I am concerned. At first it feels like a regular pap smear, not bad. I'm not going to sugar coat it, when they inject the dye, it gave me really bad cramps - now I do get bad cramps for my AF, and these were just as bad or worse. So maybe if you don't get bad AF cramps you will have less cramps for this. They subsided a bit between the different steps, and were only really bad when they were actually injecting things in there, but it was painful. Then, as soon as they were done and removed the tube, I was fine. I have very minor cramps right now, much like really light AF ones - not even bad enough to take any pain meds for. But, if you think it would help, I would load up on the pain meds before (I forgot to, so my experience is with nothing taken to help deaden the pain). I don't know about Xanax, is there any way you can ask a DR. you trust? I don't think it'd matter, but you might want to ask one if it would. I'm not sure what Xanax does, but if it is a tranquilizer, I don't know if that would help - I think it's mostly physical and I'm not sure if relaxing the body will really help relax the cervix, but it might!! Anyways, probably nothing like labor really, but that's what I thought of it as like - a very short experience of labor pains, and it is VERY short, that's the best I can say about it. If you want more details, let me know!

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Me - Jessica 28
DH - Bryan 31
TTC#1

Thanks for the info! When you say it was a short experience, how short do you mean? I have heard a range of anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes and am hoping that it is closer to the 5 minutes!! Were you able to get the results immediately and if so, how did they turn out for you? I have also heard that you can watch the dye progress on a screen. Was this the case for you? I would imagine it depends on the level of sophistication of the equipment being used. Thanks for the info and I am glad it is over for you! Oh, one more thing: based on your results, what are they saying is your next step?

Hi Mollyjp,
The pain was probably 5-10mins - but it felt like forever. Actually, it was more like 15min for me but they had some equipment malfunction while I was there (they couldn't get the TV screen to work right) and so I was stuck for a while while they fiddled with it (and finally gave up). So, that was my main problem - stupid equipment was down. And, of course, that equipment malfunction meant that the doctor couldn't give me my results right away - I didn't even get to see my tubes or anything. Arrgh. So, in a normal case I would have seen everything on the TV and they could have told me right away what was going on, now I have to wait 1-2 weeks for the results to come back(my version of the 2 week wait I guess ). Depending on what those results are here's what my DR has said. If the results are no problems with my tubes, then we will start Clomid in the next couple of months (depending if they are going to wait until it's really been a year or not). If there are problems with my tubes, then we will discuss other options - I've looked online and they are mainly IVF or tubal surgeries - depending on what's wrong. I'm going to find out what my insurance will support so that I know what my options are (just in case). We've done a sperm analysis with my DH and that came back perfectly fine, so we know that it's not him! Meanwhile, I've heard a rumor that HSG helps clear out the tubes and I may have more of a chance to be fertile. So we'll keep trying, but I think my problem is hormonal - so I'm not sure if this will help at all. So, I am keeping my fingers crossed about the results. Let me know how yours went, I went and read online and found lots of people didn't have any problems with theirs, so I really hope that's the case for you!
Take care,
Jessica

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Me - Jessica 28
DH - Bryan 31
TTC#1

Just returned from the HSG and it was not so bad! It was not the most pleasant experience, but not nearly as bad as I had aniticipated. I could feel a tiny bit of cramping as the catheter was inserted into the cervix. Then they arranged the x-ray machine over the abdominal area and then the injections of dye began. That is when I felt some pretty serious cramping but it seemed to subside until he injected more dye. I can't even remember how many times he injected the dye, but I thought he told me 5 times. The cramping was definitely not pleasant, but as soon as it was over I felt fine. The whole thing took 10 minutes or less! Then they brought my husband in and we looked at the x-ray pictures and he said everything is normal!! That is a definite relief. I talked to him about what the next step is and he recommneded waiting 3 months since this test has a tendency to boost your fertility for the first three months. He said this is because it tends to flush out any old mucus, blood, etc... If after three cycles I am not pregnant then I am to call his office and we will meet to discuss the next step, which he recommends being a laparascopy. He said that this test only tells us that my tubes are open, but it does not tell us if I have endometriosis or anything of that nature. He says that he feels confident that this will all work out in the end since I have regular cycles and I use the fertility monitor and know when I ovulate and get my period 2 weeks after it indicates ovulation. I have also had blood tests following ovulation and those tests indicated that I had ovulated. Now I get a nice three month wait and hopefully in that time pregnancy will occur!

Hey, that's great!! I'm glad to hear it went so well. I'm still waiting on my results (another week or so), I sure wish the TV monitor had been working well. Well, then good luck to you, I will keep my fingers crossed that you will have good luck in the next 3 months!!
jessica

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Me - Jessica 28
DH - Bryan 31
TTC#1

Jessica-
Please let me know the results when you get them back. I will be keeping my fingers crossed that you get good news!

My dr. has asked me to go in for one as well soon so this thread certainly has great info! I made the mistake of reading online too! lol
Good luck with the results - let us know what you find out!

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Hi I had my HSG on the 27th and I had to stop it! I have come online to try and find out what the hell happened, with no success. Everything was fine at the beginning, the pain of the speculum catherta etc.. I'm no baby, I knew it was going to hurt. But, suddenly I had this excruciating pain like never before, it was so bad I screamed for them to stop. I screamed and screamed until the nurse told the doctor to stop. The doctor muttered, 'you won't get your answers' , I cried I don't care, I don't want a baby this bad! I thought it was the die going in that hurt but they hadn't even got that far! The nurse told me they had inflated a balloon! First I heard of a balloon, none of my literature mentioned this. I took ibuprofen and a valium beforehand. Nobody here seems to have gone through this, so I am wondering what happened. I bled a lot afterwards, and some the next day. She also cut my uterus I think and had to reapply the clip. I know I can take pain, but this was just not right. Does anyone have an opinion, or idea what happened? I can't believe I was expected to cope with such pain. Afterwards the nurse told me another lady had found it too painful and said I could have some kind of pain relief (they give to woman giving birth) would I like to go back in and try again or leave it? They wouldn't get me back in there!!! I was so upset, and already had the 'period pain' by now. Nobody seems to have had such excruciating pain when blowing the balloon. I found a post that said it hurt for a few seconds, but this was like minutes! I will never go back!

Hello - I had my HSG last week - and it truly was not that bad at all. It lasted only 5 minutes and I got to review the results immediately.

My regular ob/gyn was not at the appointment, only the radiologist. My ob/gyn advised to have only protected intercourse for the next few weeks after the procedure, so as not to concieve. I have tried to research why exactly it is not healthy to concieve immediately following the procedure, especially since many people have said the got pregnant soon afterwards.

Does anyone know medically why it's not ok to try the month of the procedure?

Thanks,
Jessica

Hi Jessica,
I'm not sure why it's wouldn't be safe to ttc right away. My nurse told me that right after and for the next couple months is the best time...
Good luck!

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Hi, I had an HSG done last month. I was fortunate to find a lot of information on it as well as know two people who had it done before me. My doctor suggested that I take two ibuprofen before hand which I did, and I also took two as soon as I got home. Also make sure that you take a pad with you because you will have some of the iodine leaking and you don't want to get all over you.
The Hsg for me was extremely painful. It lasted about 20 minutes, and the cramping for me was bad at the end, and when I got home. Also my cramps last until the following day. However, my right tube was blocked, and they weren't able to unblock it, and that is why it was so painful for me.
One of my girlfriends had blocked tubes and her experience was similar to mine, and my other girlfriend didn't have blocked tubes and her experience was very different. She said "It wasn't pleasant but not horrible" Again her tubes were not blocked. Anyway I have found if you have blocked tubes it's much more painful than if you do not have blocked tubes.
After an Hsg women do tend to get pregnant because it cleans out anything that might be blocking your tubes (mucus, etc...) and therefore your egg can get through. Also the doctor tends to want you to wait a couple days to have intercourse just to give you a chance to recover, but it isn't at all harmful to get pregnant after it's done.
If you have an other questions please let me know, and I will help you if I can.
Best of luck to you.
Malissa

I just had my HSG a few days ago. It was the more than any pain I had ever felt - more than cramps and I have had severe cramps! I am still spotting and it has been 3 days. Now we are just waiting for ovulation. Up until last night (see below) I was feeling great about our chances this month. I started cleaning and organizing the house and felt very "motherly". I had never really felt that way before. It scares me a bit because if it doesn't happen this month, I will be really crushed.

BTW, this is my VERY FIRST post EVER! The reason I decided to join up is because last night DH's younger sister called to tell us that they are pregnant. They just started trying 2 mo ago! I was happy for them, but I couldn't stop feeling insainly jealous!!! Everything goes so perfectly for them!! We have been trying for over 2 years and they get preggo after just 2 months! It was just sooo hard to handle. DH tried to cheer me up but didn't understand how I was feeling. I just don't know how to handle this! My SIL talks in detail about everything going on in her life, and I know that being pregnant will only give her more to talk about. It just feels like this will never happen for us... and I hate to say it, but I feel like because I want it so bad, I will be deprived of it.

Anyway, I just need support from people going through similar situations right now...


SJA - 30
DH - 31
TTC#1 - 2yrs

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SJA
me - 30
DH - 31
TTC #1 since 8/03

sja,
I know how you feel. Everyone in my family seem to get pregnant if they just sit nest to their husbands. I know that it's hard to see other get pregnant so easily, and I know for me the initial hearing of the news hasn't gotten any easier, but in the end I am always happy for my family and friends. Have you been in to see a RE about why you aren't getting preg? And I honestly don't think that because you want it so bad it's being withheld. When you do get pregnant it will be that much more of a blessing for you.

Mine wasn't so bad. The worst part was the anticipation before the HSG. I freaked myself out by researching a ton on the internet and I think it worked against me b/c I was so nervous. I was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I was preparing for. It felt like a pap with extra pressure and mild cramping. I spotted for like 4 days after so that wan't fun. I just took 2 tylonol before the procedure, but a friend of mine did take some xnanx and I think t helped her. I would just ask your dr. before you take it to make sure it is okay. . . Good luck!!