HSG Experience

Ok so here's the recounting of my Hysterosalpingogram. Can we first say that I experienced much more pain than I expected - but mostly afterward!

Mostly, it was a good experience. The radiologist/doctor originally started using a large looking speculum, but once she saw my cervix, she decided to used a speculum she wasn't as used to. So I was scooted up to the end of the table, and she told me to scoot back, with my legs eventually being straight. I was going slow and the tech apparently didn't think it was fast enough, so she pulled me more up and OW! The speculum had gotten caught on the table and pulled off! It was just a pinch, but to be told that the last 4 minutes of pain/discomfort was for nothing and we were starting over... Arg! She said I had a small laceration on my cervix. :/ Yeah I bet!

After that, she got it on right and I moved back slowly. I did feel discomfort and I could feel the dye go in, but it really wasn't bad at all. Kind-of like cramps inside, it helped to press my lower abdomen... Anyway, I saw my x-rays and the tubes were great. My uterus had a small discolored (light-colored) area that she thought was air, but confirmed (with more dye) it wasn't, since it didn't move. She said they'd look at it further and tell me if it was something. She said everything looked good.

However, when I did get dressed and started walking out, I thought I would pass out! I felt like I couldn't walk, I was in so much pain! In about 5 minutes it wore off, thankfully. But that was it. I took 800 mg of Ibuprofen before and none after. I'm a bit sore inside now, but real good! P.S. I had no drainage, they let me sit on the table for a while. That's probably when it leaked out but I didn't feel it. Some spotting for a few days, probably from the cervical laceration.

What surprised me was the pain afterward.... I was fine for 4-5 hours after the procedure, spent that time at the mall with my sister. And I then had horrible cramps and uterine pain that persisted until the next day. I could not be touched and layed down from that evening until noon the next day (about 23 hours after the procedure.) Apparently it was just the dye getting out of my system.

I was nervous from reading other's experiences, but I was so glad to know what to expect. The procedure wasn't as painful as I anticipated, but definitely I'll always remember it as very uncomfortable. I certainly never want to repeat it!