Fainted during HSG. WTF?!

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

Is that normal?! I had of course heard it was uncomfortable, but fainting? I really thought it was so painful.

Also, I've been saying SHG, but realized today it was a HSG. Are they different?

MsAmandaPants · January 2014

:::sig warning:::

Oh, Rachael, I'm so sorry that it was so awful. Are you comfortable now?

SHG and HSG are two different tests. SHG is a saline sono where they put saline into your uterus and look via ultrasound to check for structural abnormalities. HSG is when they inject dye into your tubes and use xray to determine if there are any blockages. I've heard that HSGs can be very painful. SHGs can be relatively painless, but I've also had excruciating ones. I am so sorry yours was so painful!!! What did they find? I've heard that HSGs can be more painful if there is a blockage?

Big ((((hugs))))). I hope you are doing something to treat yourself tonight.

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

MsAmandaPants said:
:::sig warning:::

Oh, Rachael, I'm so sorry that it was so awful. Are you comfortable now?

SHG and HSG are two different tests. SHG is a saline sono where they put saline into your uterus and look via ultrasound to check for structural abnormalities. HSG is when they inject dye into your tubes and use xray to determine if there are any blockages. I've heard that HSGs can be very painful. SHGs can be relatively painless, but I've also had excruciating ones. I am so sorry yours was so painful!!! What did they find? I've heard that HSGs can be more painful if there is a blockage?

Big ((((hugs))))). I hope you are doing something to treat yourself tonight.

How is the SHG different from the SIS? I go for the SIS tomorrow. Last time I had it done it was pretty tame.

My HSG was clear apparently, no blockages. It was still so uncomfortable :-(

Thanks for the hugs!

MsAmandaPants · January 2014

::::sig warning::::::

rachaelhudson said:

How is the SHG different from the SIS? I go for the SIS tomorrow. Last time I had it done it was pretty tame. My HSG was clear apparently, no blockages. It was still so uncomfortable :-( Thanks for the hugs!

Great news on a clear HSG!

I think they are the same thing. SIS stands for saline infused sonohysterography and I believe that SHG is just shorthand for sonohysterogram. Good luck tomorrow. I hope it was as painless as possible.

KMW08 · January 2014

Saw this late. Sorry you had a painful experience with the HSG today. FX tomorrow's SHG is better.

MsAmandaPants is correct,
HSG= hysterosalpingogram it's done in xray with fluoroscopy where dye is injected and is mainly to look for tubal blockages. These are 1D pictures.

SHG/SIS is the same = sonohysterogram/saline-infused sonogram. It's done via ultrasound and saline is injected to view the uterine cavity in 2D and 3D depending on doctor & us machine preferences/capabilities.

luciddreamer106 · January 2014

I'm sorry that it was so awful for you.

But, I'm glad that your tubes are clear. yay!

jenn0021 · January 2014

I'm so sorry your HSG experience was bad. Sending you huge ((hugs)) and I hope you're feeling better now.

Hopefully your SHG today went better, let us know!

jbasore1123 · January 2014

I'm so sorry, that sounds like such a horrible experience!! (((Hugs)))

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

Thanks ladies. The SHG wasn't painful at all, like last time. That was all clear as well...so on we continue with unexplained IF

RedTwizzlers · January 2014

Ditto everyone else. And in Europe, they think HSGs are way outdated and do different stuff instead, lol.

Sorry to hear you passed out, I hope you're doing ok now!

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

RedTwizzlers said:
Ditto everyone else. And in Europe, they think HSGs are way outdated and do different stuff instead, lol.

Sorry to hear you passed out, I hope you're doing ok now!

Interesting you say that @redtwizzlers. I told my DH that I felt violated and that the procedure was barbaric (sp?) I do know that sounds dramatic btw, I just really did not tolerate it well

What do they do in Europe?

RedTwizzlers · January 2014

@rachaelhudson - Well in Sweden where I live, they do one procedure instead of a SHG/SIS + HSG. The procedure is a regular ultrasound, followed by insertion of a catheter. First they inject saline and look at the ultrasound, and then they inject dye and use the ultrasound to get pictures. No xrays. I specifically asked the doc who did mine about how in the US they do HSGs, and he said that this imaging technique is better and the x-ray method is outdated. It's probably not that black and white, but I wouldn't be surprised if this combo ultrasound replaces SHG+HSG in the US soon.

I'm sorry you felt it was barbaric. What you go through as a patient is, I think, pretty much the same so I don't think that's any better here. Sorry. :-/

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

I think it was my damn left tube that did it. It was hiding I guess. The last thing I remember was the DR telling me to try and turn to my left so that they dye would move in that direction. Apparently that hurt really bad bc that's when I passed out. Oh well, its done!

KMW08 · January 2014

RedTwizzlers said:
@rachaelhudson - Well in Sweden where I live, they do one procedure instead of a SHG/SIS + HSG. The procedure is a regular ultrasound, followed by insertion of a catheter. First they inject saline and look at the ultrasound, and then they inject dye and use the ultrasound to get pictures. No xrays. I specifically asked the doc who did mine about how in the US they do HSGs, and he said that this imaging technique is better and the x-ray method is outdated. It's probably not that black and white, but I wouldn't be surprised if this combo ultrasound replaces SHG+HSG in the US soon.

I'm sorry you felt it was barbaric. What you go through as a patient is, I think, pretty much the same so I don't think that's any better here. Sorry. :-/

That's really interesting RT! I'm not sure why, but my RE has never mentioned doing a hsg, so maybe he too thinks it's outdated?

The only real problems IMO that I think/associate with the hsg is that

1. The pics are 1D. Meaning it's just a flat pic, exactly like one you'd take with your camera. They have you move at angles to get different views, but they're all 1D. And you're exposed to radiation. Minimal, but still exposed.

2. Typically a radiologist performs this test, not a RE or other gyn. I seriously think that's part of the reason why it's soooo painful for a lot of you. Most radiologists aren't very people-friendly to begin with, they aren't generally starting iv's or catheters and they sure as hell don't do a lot of hands on vaginal work like these tests.

3. Radiologists are more efficient at joint arthroscopy and spinal steroid injections. This is all done via needle & a controlled amount of dye/steroid meds is used.

Where as there's really no limit (2 bags max probably) of how much dye is squeezed in during the hsg. But 40mL max of iodine is very different than a prefilled 10mL of gadolinium or 40mg kenalog, kwim?

I guess what I mean is there's a standard amt of fluid/meds that are always used in every other radiologic procedure EXCEPT the hsg. There's a probable estimated amt of dye to be used, but there's a huge variant in how much is used in each person.

sammer818 · January 2014

My HSG was WAY worse than my SHG. They both sucked and those who told me it was "mildly uncomfortable" were definitely under-reporting the pain in my opinion! It was a short test both times, but wildly not fun. Sorry you fainted. At least it's done now though, right? When do you expect your results?

buggirl72 · January 2014

I'm so sorry you had such a terrible experience with the HSG. I think uneek had an awful experience with her HSG too.

Rachaeleigh · January 2014

sammer818 said:
My HSG was WAY worse than my SHG. They both sucked and those who told me it was "mildly uncomfortable" were definitely under-reporting the pain in my opinion! It was a short test both times, but wildly not fun. Sorry you fainted. At least it's done now though, right? When do you expect your results?

Results for both were clear. She referred to the HSG as "normal" and the SHG as "perfect." I have a perfect, useless uterus

jap618 · January 2014

((hugs)) I'm sorry you had such a rough procedure yesterday!! I'm glad you got good results from both procedures though!

jenkellen · January 2014

So sorry you had such a terrible experience. (((Hugs)))

EKGibs · February 2014

Yep, the hsg was sooo much more painful than the sgh. The last one I had, I was still in X-Ray school and the radiologist that walked in was the super hot one that I knew from doing clinical. Of all the radiologists in that hospital, it had to be the cute one. $:\$ "> It was super awkward on top of being super painful. He couldn't get the catheter past my cervix so they had to call some random obgyn to do it. She even had trouble and had to use a dialater which was excruciating. I almost threw up. Anyway, I'm sorry you passed out but I'm glad everything is clear!

Ihope · February 2014

Was definitely not prepared for my hsg and the Advil I took beforehand was seriously insufficient. Pain so bad I cried as I prayed for the procedure to end, it seemed like an eternity and Like a torture treatment. I don't think I can ever repeat that.

uneek1323 · February 2014

I'm so sorry you had that experience. I almost fainted. Color rushed out of my face, feet and hands were tingling, and sweating like I was in a sauna. I thought I was going to faint. It was the most painful thing I've ever gone through and I have been through some painful shit.

LuvMyYorkieCarney · March 2014

OMG ! I thought i was the only one that passed out while doing this! I had mine last month and fainted too! I woke up crying because I didn't know where I was! I had the SIS two days later and it was a breeze! But i did request a valium before it and it was heavenly!

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