starting the journey of infertility

lowry352

my husban and I have been ttc for 18 months what a frustrating trip it has been. every month hopful then to be disapointed at the arrivly of AF. it's hard watching my family members and friend get pregnante and to be the only one struggling. I'm so sick of hearing it will happen in due time or stop trying and it will happen or it comes when u least expecting it to. uggg I hate hearing that.
so went to the doc today and we r starting the testing first step for me is HSG test and I'm a little freaked out. they have me the paper and it sounds horrible. I'm so dreading this. any advice? is it really as painful as it sounds?

tptbabe

Welcome, though I'm sorry you have to be here!

I had the SHG done (saline as opposed to dye) instead of the HSG, but it wasn't too bad at all. It hurt a little bit when they were trying to push it through the left tube, but it was over pretty quickly. The RE told me to take som ibuprofen beforehand if I wanted to, but I skipped it. I think if you go in expecting it to be bad, you can be pleasantly suprised? That's how I work anyways.

Good luck with it and the rest of your testing!

mama_cito95

Hi, sorry you are going through this, but you are not alone.

HSG may depend on your pain tolerance. I was not advised to take or given any ibuprofen prior. For me it felt like cramping when the dye was injected. I was uncomfortable, but it was tolerable. Then again I am also not used to getting cramps even during AF. The process was about 10 minutes or so for me. I was fine afterwards.

GL.

kflynn81

I had the HSG about 2 years ago and from what I remember it was a little crampy but not too bad. I've also just recently had the SIS done as well which still wasn't that bad but a little more crampy the rest of the day. Honestly everyone reacts different. Some people say it was the most awful thing while others (like me) say its no big deal....unfortunately its hard to say until you do it         Take some ibuprofen beforehand just in case ... Good luck!!

zazu13

Best of luck. I have had both the HSG and a saline sonogram and unfortunately both were horrible. I took valium before the HSG, but not the Saline Sono. During both I thought, "nevermind, I don't want to give birth if this is how painful it is." It was way more than just uncomfortable - like period cramps times ten. The pain after the saline sono lingered all night, but I don't remember that with the HSG.

I would take the ibuprofen if it's recommended and the valium, too. I'm not trying to scare you, but wanted to give an honest account of the other side of the spectrum so you can be prepared. I know some women have no problems at all and hopefully you will be one of them. I don't consider myself to have low pain tolerance, either but I have since had a difficult ET and been informed I have a tipped uterus so perhaps those are clues as to the pain I felt.

jadwedd

I think it depends on who administers the test.  My sis and friend had a great deal of pain but I had my dr. do it and it was painless.  See if your dr. does it.  Mine only did it on Thursdays in a different state, but it was worth it.

Juicy71

Personally, I don't think it matters *who* does the test, but really what matters is how much blockage you may or may not have.  I had little to no blockage but still had about 15 seconds of some pretty good pain as the dye pushed through my tubes. If you have blockage than it will probably hurt a lot worse and for a longer amount of time as the dye tries to push through the blockage.  Take the ibuprofen as a precaution and, as PP said, expect the worst and hopefuly you will be surprised and it won't be bad at all!!

jezebel57

i just had my second HSG yesterday (1st one in 2009).  no big deal.  little cramping afterwards but i was fine (both times).  right tube showed a little adhesions (RE is assuming due to pooling of fluid), other than that, all clear.   take some motrin/tylenol before the procedure (i threw in a xanax as well) and it's all good! 

 

good luck!