HSG Test

Well, I have been quite emotional lately (Thank you clomid....), but I will talk more on that later.

Today, I had my HSG test. My RE told me that it should only take about 10 minutes, and it should have. For those who are not familiar, an HSG test, it is a test designed to determine whether or not your fallopian tubes are open. The procedure is fairly simple. A speculum was inserted, well you know where, and then a catheter with a balloon is inserted through the cervix. An iodine based dye is then inserted while a live x-ray is projected on a screen. The Dr. and tech then take about 6 x-ray picts while the dye is going through everywhere. They did have me turn on each side and took x-rays like that as well.

I took one tylenol about and hour before the procedure. For me, however, it was the worst medical procedure I have ever had. For me, I was on the table for almost 45 minutes. Apparently, the Dr. had trouble finding my cervix. I have never had anyone have trouble finding my cervix before! Holy cow! Do the math - the procedure should take about 10 minutes, mine took about 45. That is how long they were routing around in there with a speculum trying to locate my cervix. They said that they could see it, but not the opening and that my vaginal walls kept collapsing. Now, I am not skinny by any means, but I am not hugely overweight either! The speculum was cold, and had no KY jelly. I was holding back the tears on the table, and my legs were shaking uncontrollably. This was supposed to be the easiest part. I have had 2 IUIs, and many pap smears before. This should have been the SAME procedure as for them. I felt that having sex with a tree branch would have been more comfortable. As well as taking about half the time.

Please, if you are about to have this procedure done, don't let this scare you. the part of the procedure I descrived about should NORMALLY should feel like a pap smear, which is no biggie. The Dr. that did this told me that he has performed 10,000 of these, and that he has only had 1 patient who he was not able to complete the procedure on. I was seconds away from being #2.

Once the catheter was in, the dye was injected. I was expecting mega pain on this. I had lots of cramps from each IUI that lasted most of the day. I could feel my uterus for a week afterwards. Everything that I have heard about the HSG, is that you get cramping that isn't bad, but worse than an IUI. Since I was one of the ones that was affected by the IUI's more than most, I was expecting bad things from the HSG. The cramping due to the dye turned out to be no worse than an IUI, except I didn't have the bloating, so overall, that wasn't as bad. The pain was well manageable with tylenol.

I did end up taking the rest of the day off of work, mostly because the experience was very traumatic. I am sooo glad it is over. I so wanted to end it during the whole routing around thing, but I new that I would have to come back and just start the whole thing over again, and I am not sure that I could have done that. So so so so so glad it is over. I hope that I never have to do that again!