Hsg on Friday - looking for practical and emotional tips!

[iloveberries]

Excuse the fact i am posting in infertility and conception.

Hi there, been ttc #2 for 20months.had an ectopic followed by male factors and haven't conceived since ectopic a yr ago.

Am having hsg on Friday to check remaining tube and am looking for some advice...

1. I have heard it is really painful. Any tips on pain management?
   
2. I have appt in may with consultant to talk about the results but will I be able to see the results before that? Ie. will they be on a screen? I can't bear the thought of waiting 3 months to find out whether I will have to go through IVF for another baby.
   
3. any other tips? Practical or emotional? I've heard things are sore for a while after... Dh will be with me so I won't have to worry about driving.
   

Thanks in advance

[EuroShaggleton]

Hi there,

I've had a HSG. I took a couple of Nurofen beforehand, expecting it to really hurt and basically didn't feel a thing from the liquid going through (I obviously felt the speculum, etc - that bit was just like a long smear test). From what I can make out, if there is some debris or a blockage there is more likely to be pain as they try to force the liquid through. Mine whooshed straight through and I really couldn't feel it. I thanked the woman who did it profusely afterwards! She told me that she had had one herself and tried to be as gentle as possible.

You should be able to see the screen while it is done. Officially I don't think they are supposed to tell you the results but the woman doing mine was lovely and I asked her to explain to me what I was looking at on the screen and she pointed out the dye spilling out of both tubes, so I knew it was ok. I also had a long wait for the follow up appt.

I took my husband with me because I was worried I would be in pain afterwards, but sent him off to work as soon as it was done, and walked the mile or two home by myself - it was absolutely no problem. I had no soreness afterwards and we were back to dtd within a day or two.

I found it pretty undignified. There were 3 people in the room (one woman, two men) and it was the first time I had been legs akimbo in such a "busy" room. Now I have been through IVF it seems like a walk in the park, but at the time it did make me uncomfortable. As you have been through childbirth, you might be less bothered than I was!

I think all fertility investigations are quite highly emotionally charged. The nurse who was at my head end said that he hated being on HSG duty because it's so hard for the women going through it (and i expect he has to spend a lot of time calming them down!).

There was one lighthearted moment in mine - the hospital fire alarm went off briefly. Fortunately it stopped, just as I was wondering if I was going to have to waddle outside in a hsopital gown "wearing" a speculum...

[akuabadoll]

hello berries I've changed my name since but we were both on the carpets thread around this time last year.
I think you may get may different answers to this one but here's my 10 cents. The procedure is not painful, uncomfortable I think is a better description. Some people experience period pain type discomfort afterwards from which you can take painkillers. I'm pretty sure I didn't have need of them. My procedure was a bit of a mess as the 12 year old boy young man doing it couldn't manage and I had to wait on the table for someone else who started again, so mine wasn't smooth but still not painful.
I told mine was 'fine' and I wasn't having enough sex while I was there - I wasn't in the UK though do I'm not sure if that ever happens in the UK.
You may know there is a slight increase in fertility following the procedure for around 3 months if you can. Good luck.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

HSG should not be painful provided the dye is injected both slowly and carefully. Its a useful test to have done as it can give information not usually accessible by other methods. Deformities INSIDE the tube can only be seen on such an x-ray.

They should give you a couple of painkillers beforehand. I would also take along some sanitary protection as the dye does come out afterwards. Am glad to read that your DH will be with you, that will help a lot.

I've had such a procedure done and in my case the fear of this was far worse than the reality. It did feel a bit weird lying there and they used a speculum (that felt cold) but it was not too awful overall because they took their time and did not rush it. They gave me the results of the test as it appeared on screen; they said that the tubes were patent (this is another term for open).

Good luck on Friday.

[EuroShaggleton]

Good point. I was also told to take a sanitary towel along to avoid the massive hospital issues ones. I did even though didn't get a single drip of dye come out though. I think it all shot straight through and into my abdominal cavity (lovely).

[akuabadoll]

x-post euro

[EuroShaggleton]

I do love reading about your adventures in fertility, doll. I'm not sure I would have liked the 12 year old having a go (although I still maintain that after my lap my belly button was sewn up by my surgeon's 3 year old niece...).

[akuabadoll]

He said that he liked his job 'cause it was like playing video games and then proceeded to mess it up.

[EuroShaggleton]

What kind of video games is that sick puppy playing???

[Happilymarried155]

Hi,

I didn't find it painful either, I took some ibuprofen before I left and didn't feel anything really, abit of a wierd sensation at one point but it wasn't painful.
You should be able to get the results at the time, we were taken into another room and he went through the results with us.
Good luck :)

[iloveberries]

What?? Playing video games? Is he kidding?!

Thanks for all the luck ladies - trying not to think about it as I will just worry...

[Soph80]

I was really worried as a friend of mine was sick whilst on the table due to the pain. MUST stress though that one of her tubes was blocked and this is very uncommon. I was actually fine. The nurse was lovely and very reassuring. I had some abdo cramping but only marginally more uncomfortable than period pains. Oh and about a week later had some strange paper mache type discharge (that no one mentioned but is actually quite common).

The cycle after another of my friend's, she conceived. She's convinced that it unclogged whatever mucus, etc was blocking her up. Sadly it didn't work for me but theres every chance it could for you.

[RedRobin1]

Hi ilove I had a HyCosY done in January (similar procedure different dye used)

I took two painkillers 30mins before the procedure. Was in a room with a nurse and another guy who did the procedure. Totally embarrassing as this was the first time I had my legs up in the air with a male gynae staring at my bits. He was really nice and made me feel at ease. They did an initial ultrasound to check my ovaries, womb etc. Then inserted the speculum thingy and I had strong period like cramps and it was over in 5mins. You get to see the results on the screen while they do it which was nice as it takes your mind off the cramping.

Not very painful afterwards. Bled a bit so good to have a sanitary towel with you.

I was walking and moving around fine afterwards no soreness. Had mild period like bleed and spotting for 3 days after so dtd on 4th day after the procedure.

[shallweshop]

Mine was not painful, just a bit uncomfortable, a bit like a smear test. I saw the dye going through on the screen so could see there were no blockages. I had a bit of period type pain for a few hours after but didn't need painkillers.

Good luck and don't worry. I have heard that your fertility can be increased just after an HSG so fingers crossed that's the case for you.

[iloveberries]

Hope so! Unfortunately we have male factor problems now too (oh the joys) but worth a try!

[quickdowntonson]

Hi Berries - I had an HSG a few weeks ago, with no problems. It is a little bit painful, but i took some painkillers 1/2 hour before so it wasn't too bad. i sat and had a cup of tea for a while afterwards, and drove home. Don't worry.xx

[twinklestar2]

Good luck for tomorrow. I have mine next week. Let us know how it goes.

[tillyann2013]

Hi berries, hope today goes well, it's not that bad at all, honest! Couple painkillers before you go and you'll be fine. Good luck xx

[Happilymarried155]

Good luck for today!! Let us know how you get on :) x

[iloveberries]

Thanks all, the one tube i have is clear and normal. I'm delighted. Burst into tears on the table.

2 Painkillers before and it was just uncomfortable rather than painful.

Thanks so much for all the tips.

[Soph80]

berries glad it all went well bud xxx

[twinklestar2]

I had mine and my tubes are clear too. Anyone know when I can dtd as I'm in my fertile time.

[Happilymarried155]

I dtd on the same day I had the hsg.

Really glad your tubes were clear!!! :)

[twinklestar2]

Thx happily! I'm going to wait till tomorrow just in case. It's given me a dodgy stomach, although that could be the antibiotics they gave me.