When you start your fertility journey, your first test becomes the Hysterosalpingogram, or HSG procedure. During this test, the doctor fills the uterine cavity with dye to determine if the fallopian tubes are open or blocked (in other words, the evil doctor shoves a speculum into your lady part, pokes at your cervix and then pours dye down your tubes while you cringe and spasm with cramps. And it’s not some type of cool rainbow colored tie dye or a nice alcoholic liquid either. It’s a radioactive, vagina unfriendly drink).
Do NOT google this procedure. The Hysterosalpingogram is not internet friendly. You will read horror stories about women who had painful experiences from extreme cramping to fainting, and these stories will scare to your very core. “Mindy-Sue from fertilityhorrorstories.com says: “My HSG test was the worst pain of my life. It was like having my bikini waxed, one hair at a time” and Fallopia-Anne from fertilityscares.com says: “My fallopian tube actually fell out of my body during the procedure.” But no offense, infertile friend, if you google “hysterosalpingogram, is it painful” do you expect to find a good answer? The internet will never tell you, ‘oh no, it was a gentle and fun procedure’ when you ask a question like that. Stop asking google already. Google probably secretly pays their employees to scare other fertility patients.
Just relax already. You know, so it will just… happen.
(note: the author of this blog had her HSG test done and it felt like a mild cramp that disappeared in 5 minutes).
I WISH I had done more research and at least taken a pain med before my procedure today. The doc told me it would only be a little like a period cramp and I was completely taken aback with how much more painful it was than a period cramp (and I have a high pain threshold as I get severe cramps each month). Once we were finished and I went to the restroom to pee and clean up I soon realized that although I was doing extremely deep breathing during the procedure, and kept my mind fixed on remaining calm… It was clear that my body was in freak out mode from the shock of this procedure and without a doubt I was going to faint. The team quickly layed me back on the table as the doc later told me I was “white as a ghost” once I’d gotten my color back about 45 minutes later. 15 minutes post procedure my extremely angry body reacted by expelling everything that it contained as if I’d just done a high colonic. I had to have my husband come and pick me up as I was in no shape to drive still an hour and a half later. Now clearly I had a bad reaction but keep in mind that although hopefully it is a walk in the park for most- this was gnarly and really caught me off guard, so heads up!
Okay, I’m having my HSG in a week. I’m trying not to freak out, but when my doctor’s assistant hands me a bottle with some muscle relaxants… It doesn’t fill me with confidence! My bff almost passed out after hers, and I was going to go alone. Maybe I should make DH come with me. Opinions? Wiser heads have any advice?