Geting a hysterosalpingogram - any advice?

samsooni · September 2011

I'm getting a hysterosalpingogram next week. My ob/gyn said the purpose was to check my uterus and tubes. I've read general information about the procedure, but for those who've done this before, I have a few questions:

- Did the procedure hurt?

- How long did it take?

- It's supposed to be done before ovulation, but does the procedure affect chances of conceiving? Like, could the dye have any affect on the egg or sperm?

- any other advice?

Thanks!

brooklynesque · September 2011

I had one of these last year. For me there was a moment or two of discomfort but it didn't hurt. The procedure itself didn't take long at all -- a couple of minutes, maybe.

There's evidence the procedure actually HELPS you conceive that month and for a couple months after.

So don't worry; maybe take a tylenol in advance if your gyno has advised you to do that.

UOduckBride2be · September 2011

First I hope you don't mind if I respond. I had mine on CD5. It didn't hurt, but was uncomfortable, sort of like a long PAP with an inexperienced Gyno. Mine took 3-5 minutes. Bring your own pads. I didn't like the kind they had and I wasn't really prepared for how much blue dye would continue to leak out for the rest of the day. I had mine on a cycle that we also did a IUI and I got pregnant. My belief is that I lost the pregnancy due to a thin lining from Clomid, not because of the HSG. I believe the HSG helped! Good Luck!

maddie7 · September 2011

I had mine this week and it was awful! I took 3 Motrin and it was not enough to avoid the pain. It seems I have a blocked tube so he tried 3 times. Then he went to stage 2 and tried with a catheder. It was so painful I yelled out! Mine took 20 minutes because he had me turning and he kept trying. Now I'm on antibiotics for 10 days instead of 3. Others on here were issued a Valium and i wish I had that and they knocked me out. I will never do this again! No, it doesn't affect your eggs, I had my IUI 2 days later and that was a piece of cake! I'm awaiting results.

lhcooper · September 2011

I'm having one on Monday and I've heard varying things (as here) about it. Whether it's painful or not clearly depends on if there's any blockage, and of course they're doing it to discover if you have any, so you can't know in advance. I'm terrified because I had an ectopic pregnancy earlier this year, so my plan--on the nurse's advice--is to take 800 mg of ibuprofen about an hour before. They were also willing to give me a valium prescription, but I have another anti-anxiety drug left over from another procedure so I'm going to take that instead.

Re: chances of conceiving, on the one hand I've heard it can help, and on the other hand the nurse at the clinic said that the dye could affect chances of implantation. So I really don't know!

Fingers crossed for both of us!

DawnHope · September 2011

On the advice of my doc, I took 3 advil an hour before (maybe 4? I can't remember). It mostly just felt uncomfortable - like cramps. It wasn't that bad though, and I did have a blockage - at least, they think so. Sometimes it can spasm during the procedure, which mimics a blockage. And, I heard the rumors it can help pregnancy too...and got pregnant the next month. Unfortunately, it ended in a m/c but I do wonder if it helped me get pregnant. Good luck!

shyntrue · September 2011

Mine felt like moderate/bad AF cramps, but it lasted only about 1/2 a minute. Took 800 Ibuprophen 1 hr before. Bring your own pad unless you want to use theirs that are super thick and feels like you have apillow in your underwear LOL.

Good Luck!

CheezeFace · September 2011

I know that I was very lucky but mine didn't hurt one little bit. In fact, I went to Costco and then back to work. I was bloated for 2-3 days, though, b/c I didn't release any fluid. It was all absorbed back into my system so that got uncomfortable/weird but, really, it was no big deal for me.

Other ladies, though, have drastly different experiences.

Good luck!

Rorr2 · September 2011

I had the procedure last December. Took the Advil about an hour before and it did not hurt at all. He had to push a little hard on one side to get through, but it was over in about a minute. I went shopping afterwards. Then about three hours after the procedure I had cramping like you could not believe. It lasted for a few hours. I was not expecting that after the actual procedure was nothing. My advice would be not to plan too much for the rest of the day.

samsooni · September 2011

Thank you so much for all the advice everyone!! And it's just now that I realized that a hysterosalpingogram is the HSG! I didn't make the connection until now - heheh

Country Girl in the City · September 2011

My RE wants me to have it on CD-10. Both my RE and my OBGYN said that it could increase my chances on that cycle. I have a seafood allergy so they are giving me prednisone (I know that is not spelled correctly but I am too lazy to look it up) and benadryl after. So make sure that you tell them if you have any allergies to food or to medicine. I have had it before but I was never awake during the proceedure since it was always rolled into other surgeries.

Good luck. Let us know how you do with it.

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