I see many of you have talked about your HSG experiences. Many ladies here have also recommended reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which I have started. In the book it states that a HSG should only be done when other issues, such as ovulatory dysfunction, are ruled out. My RE is pretty sure that is my issue, though I am supposed to be scheduling a HSG between CDs 6-10. It seems to be a very invasive and uncomfortable procedure and I'm not really sure it's necessary, at least not yet. Have any of you been in a similar situation and turned it down? I have also seen that some of you have been very relieved getting it done. I would greatly appreciate input from both sides.
Also, unrelated to HSG, I noticed that most of you do not have tickers. I just put mine up the other day. Nothing was mentioned about it in the guidelines for this board that I saw, but should I be hiding it for my posts?
Thanks for your time and I hope you all are having a good Monday
TTC #1 since January 2014
MMC@12 weeks 1/2015
"I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn
I wouldn't go forward with any treatment without having an HSG first. I had all my blood work and ultrasounds done, and everything came back great. My husbands SA came back great. I went in for my HSG and found out my tubes are blocked. My HSG was painless and lasted maybe 10 mins. I would also be surprised if your RE lets you go forward with treatment with declining it.
My RE did make it seem like something that needed to be done in order to move forward. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't just so he could bill for something else. I only questioned it from the book. Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I'm glad to hear it was painless
TTC #1 since January 2014
MMC@12 weeks 1/2015
"I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn
Before having mine is had no problems apart from very irregular periods. Discovered I actually have PCOS & the HSG was the only thing that could pick that up. Again, was a bit uncomfortable, but no more so than a period! x
I would definitely recommend you have it before moving forward with any treatments. Even if an ovulatory issue were diagnosed, that doesn't necessarily mean there aren't also corresponding tubal or uterine issues working against you. Fertility treatments are expensive (financially and emotionally) and you don't want to undergo doing them unless you are sure that all of the "equipment" is also functioning. Most good RE's are going to insist on one before they let you proceed with a treatment plan.
If it's any consolation, as you said, not all women have issues with them. I barely felt it happening and didn't find it any more invasive than a pap smear. So maybe you'll be in my lucky camp!
Me: 41, DH 38, Diagnosis DOR
Started TTC 12/2013
First Trip to RE: 11/2014
IVF Round 1: 2/2014 - BFP
DD Born 11/9/2014
TTC a Sibling Started 5/2015
First IVF Round 8/15 - BFN
Taking a break to go on vacation + enjoy the holidays before FET and/or another IVF round in 2016!
I 3rd or 4th the moving forward with HSG testing. It's not horribly invasive (as painful as my experience was....). It's supposed to be pretty pain free, except they couldn't get my cat all the way. Hindsight being 20/20, the issue was more in my head then the actual experience. But I was also relieved that I got it.
Hi, you should definitely get the HSG. The book was really speaking to the women who start demanding tests after two or three months of trying. If you are seeing an RE, you're already well past that stage.
Hi there, I was also a bit skeptical about getting the hsg because I knew I had ovulatory problems and I felt I had no risk factors for tubal blockage. But I would recommend doing it because many of the treatments you would try to manage ovulatory problems would not work if your tubes are not open, so you should rule that out before wasting time and money. Also, for me it was really a minor procedure with just very short term pain and I would not consider it extremely invasive. Good luck!
Thank you so much for all the input. I feel much more comfortable going forward with it.
TTC #1 since January 2014
MMC@12 weeks 1/2015
"I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn
@Gretchen1771 - I agree with everyone else, have the HSG done. It's really not that bad and doesn't last long at all. It's worth it to know that everything is as it should be. I think almost all REs order this as the initial workup for a patient.
My DH and I have been TTC since January of 2014 as well!
Me: 31
DH: 29, SA - Great
Married: June 12,2011
TTC #1: 1/2014
Diagnosis: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Treatment: Clomid: 50mg, 100mg, 150mg - not successful and not monitored
I had mine done in the round of tests when we first saw the RE. I have been diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism for years, but we all agreed (RE, me, and DH) that it was necessary to make sure there weren't other things wrong, too. Unfortunately--and please don't let this deter you--mine was pretty painful, but the pain only lasted a little while. I am still glad that I got it done, and I was super relieved that my doc told me the results right then. No stressing over it for days! Anyway, good luck in your decision; whichever way you go, I'm sure you're doing what you and your team feel is best, and that's what's important.
I had mine after 3 failed IUIs. My doctor didn't recommend it to start because the IUIs were my first-ever attempt to get pregnant (relying on donor sperm), but after the 3 IUIs, I wanted it.
I'm glad I got it. The dye got stuck partway down the left tube, but after I rolled to my side and more dye was pushed, it went on through. Maybe I just had a spasm, but maybe I had some gunk that needed to be cleared out. So, there's a chance that one of my IUIs (the one where I had follies on the left) failed because of a gunked up tube, and now I'm clear! (No way to know, but maybe).
But the HSG *might* have improved my chances moving forward, and that's important to me at this stage. Statistics suggest that it bumps up odds for a lot of women, by flushing the tubes and making it easier for the sperm to swim up, and egg to float down! It definitely helped in letting me know I didn't have an actual blockage.
That said, it was very painful for me. I hope I don't ever have to do it again. (The pain was over as soon as the test was over, just a couple minutes.) But I'm really glad I did it.
Me- 39 (turning 40 in April), TTC for the first time ever (since Jan 2015), low ovarian reserve
Married 3/14/14 to my wonderful wife, but her sperm count is rather low
TTC with frozen donor sperm and science
7 IUIs, 7 BFNs. 2 IVF attempts, both cancelled and converted to IUI, both BFNs. Decided that my tired old ovaries are ready to retire. Next step- reciprocal IVF, using my wife's eggs, my uterus! fresh 5 day transfer (2 embryos) 4/17/17- BFP! Identical twins "due" 1/2/17 (but anticipated arrival sometime December)
I had mine after 3 failed IUIs. My doctor didn't recommend it to start because the IUIs were my first-ever attempt to get pregnant (relying on donor sperm), but after the 3 IUIs, I wanted it.
I'm glad I got it. The dye got stuck partway down the left tube, but after I rolled to my side and more dye was pushed, it went on through. Maybe I just had a spasm, but maybe I had some gunk that needed to be cleared out. So, there's a chance that one of my IUIs (the one where I had follies on the left) failed because of a gunked up tube, and now I'm clear! (No way to know, but maybe).
But the HSG *might* have improved my chances moving forward, and that's important to me at this stage. Statistics suggest that it bumps up odds for a lot of women, by flushing the tubes and making it easier for the sperm to swim up, and egg to float down! It definitely helped in letting me know I didn't have an actual blockage.
That said, it was very painful for me. I hope I don't ever have to do it again. (The pain was over as soon as the test was over, just a couple minutes.) But I'm really glad I did it.
This is great advice & a great story as to why every woman should have one before starting treatment. Yes, it hurts but it is over with very quickly & could potential prevent months of emotional turmoil.
DH & I married 12/17/2012
Me (31)-dx w/PCOS 2007, when married to ex-husband after MC
10/2014-benched due to RE out of town, tying naturally!
11/2014-benched due to cyst
12/2014-Femara 5mg + stair step with additional 5 days Femara 5mg + trigger + IUI=BFN
01/2015-Femara 5mg + Gonal F 25 units + trigger (plus additional Gonal F 100 units on trigger night) + IUI= BFP!!! Twins due 10/2015 09/28/2015- Surprise! Conrad and Hudson born at 35w6d!
While I was seeing my OB for my fertility issues, she actually tried prescribing clomid before scheduling me for an HSG. I refused and insisted on having an HSG prior, what is the point in wasting valuable TTC time if your tubes are blocked. My HSG was not painful, but I took some Advil prior and afterwards as a precaution. Apparently they were really surprised I had tolerated it so well. And they weren't gonna let me leave without someone to drive me home (we had to drive over an hour to the clinic), I honestly felt fine and had my mom with me who drove us home. I too would not be willing to do any sort of fertility regimen without having the procedure done first - waste of time and money if you're tubes are blocked. Doesn't hurt to cover all your bases.
Me:28 (PCOS, DOR), DH: 32 (low morphology) TTC since March 2012 2013-2014 - 6 rounds of Clomid - BFNs 3 failed IUIs in 2015 October 2015 - wait listed for IVF #1 IVF #1 March 2016 - bfn, zero frosties! Femara cycle 1 May 2016 - POAS starting May 21st / beta testing May 25th....
Re: To HSG or to not?
Again, was a bit uncomfortable, but no more so than a period!
x
Married for 7 years, TTC for 4 years
dx: Diminished Ovarian Reserve
2 Clomid IUI's + 4 injectable IUI's= 5 BFNs and 1 mc
Also, for me it was really a minor procedure with just very short term pain and I would not consider it extremely invasive. Good luck!
My DH and I have been TTC since January of 2014 as well!
Me: 31
DH: 29, SA - Great
Married: June 12,2011
TTC #1: 1/2014
Diagnosis: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Treatment: Clomid: 50mg, 100mg, 150mg - not successful and not monitored
Menopur 75ml (upped to 112.5ml), Ovidrel, & IUI IUI #1 8/31/2015
9/15/2015: BFP HCG - 400, 9/17/2015: HCG - 827, 9/21/2015 - HCG 3,327!I'm glad I got it. The dye got stuck partway down the left tube, but after I rolled to my side and more dye was pushed, it went on through. Maybe I just had a spasm, but maybe I had some gunk that needed to be cleared out. So, there's a chance that one of my IUIs (the one where I had follies on the left) failed because of a gunked up tube, and now I'm clear! (No way to know, but maybe).
But the HSG *might* have improved my chances moving forward, and that's important to me at this stage. Statistics suggest that it bumps up odds for a lot of women, by flushing the tubes and making it easier for the sperm to swim up, and egg to float down! It definitely helped in letting me know I didn't have an actual blockage.
That said, it was very painful for me. I hope I don't ever have to do it again. (The pain was over as soon as the test was over, just a couple minutes.) But I'm really glad I did it.
7 IUIs, 7 BFNs.
2 IVF attempts, both cancelled and converted to IUI, both BFNs.
Decided that my tired old ovaries are ready to retire.
Next step- reciprocal IVF, using my wife's eggs, my uterus!
fresh 5 day transfer (2 embryos) 4/17/17- BFP!
Identical twins "due" 1/2/17 (but anticipated arrival sometime December)
09/28/2015- Surprise! Conrad and Hudson born at 35w6d!
TTC since March 2012
2013-2014 - 6 rounds of Clomid - BFNs
3 failed IUIs in 2015
October 2015 - wait listed for IVF #1
IVF #1 March 2016 - bfn, zero frosties!
Femara cycle 1 May 2016 - POAS starting May 21st / beta testing May 25th....