Well, here I am safe and sound!!! I made it through the HSG! Well, I must say that my experience was not as bad as I anticipated. First off, I'd like to say that I tend to be one of those people that must research all that I can about a situation before I get into it. It comes from the anxiety related to uncertainty. Knowledge for me helps me to prepare and to gain some control over my outcome. Unfortunately, this can also lead to increased anxiety and stress when the information is unfavorable. This is what occurred with the HSG. It didn't help that my doctor emphasized that it was a painful test. It would have been easier had he said it varies from woman to woman. So, there I was researching every website and blog I could find on this test and people's responses. The main themes that stuck out were that the test was painful and to be prepared by taking a pain reliever. There was some information that indicated it wasn't a particularly painful test, but nevertheless, I focused in on the "pain" theme. So as the days went by and today got closer, I became more nervous, having stress dreams and not being able to "just relax." I also wasn't thrilled that I had to take a heavy dose of antibiotic in the morning, which meant I had to eat!!
So, this morning I was up at 7am although I was awake since 5am. I ate what I could and then decided to just take half of the antiobiotic (it was in a powder form). I figured I could take the other half when I got home. I managed to get it down and then I took a shower, got ready, and tried to get my mind off by reading the newspaper and practicing deep breathing. Howevever, I found that the best thing for me was to pace and play with my cats. Since my appointment was at 10:15, I took 600 mg of Advil an hour before the appointment and arrived about 20 minutes early. You should have seen me as I walked to the radiology department. I was walking like I had already had some procedure done and my face must have had a pathetic look to it as people just stared at me. Luckily my husband was able to take me to the appointment and his humor was well appreciated.
They called me in on time but I ended up having to wait an hour before the actual procedure. And my husband was not allowed to go with me. So there I was waiting with other patients in a hospital gown nude from my waist down underneath. I sat for awhile and then decided to stand up as there was a friendly woman who was waiting with her husband. I made small talk which took my mind off of the nerves. Then, the radiology tech came to get me and walked me to the room. She was rather nice and friendly, seeming like she could be part of the hospitality personnel. I thought to myself that given most women are nervous about this test, they were smart to have a friendly person to assist the doctor. She asked if I had this procedure before and if I knew much about it. She then proceeded to explain what was involved. She was very reassurring that it was a quick test and that the discomfort varied from woman to woman. I was surprised to find out that there were no stirrups involved which made it seem a bit less intimidating.
When the radiologist entered the room, he was polite and introduced himself. He was about my age and had a pleasant, comforting demeanor about him. He explained to me what he was going to do and that he would be explaining each step along the way. He was honest about what parts of the test would produce discomfort and the length of the procedure. At this point, I was nervous but not as much as I had been. This speaks to the impact the medical staff has on a patient. I think I would have been very nervous if I had encountered cold, insensitive people. Well, it was now or never and I was as ready as I could be.
So, the tech had me lie on the hard table. I did have a pillow for my head which was nice. The tech took an xray of the area prior to the procedure. I thought one down a few more steps to go. So far so good! Then, the doctor stepped in and stated he was going to insert the speculum. He actually did a better job than some OBGYNS I've had in the past!!! The only downer was that the speculum was a bit cold, but that was no big deal. Step two down and I was still doing well!!!! He then explained that he was about to clean the cervix. As he did this, I tried to relax with some deep breaths. I could feel the poking going on but it wasn't painful. The cleansing was complete and step three was done. Next he told me was going to insert the cannula/catheter through the cervix. He stated I would feel the pressure and some cramping when the balloon would inflate. He explained that the balloon was there to prevent the cannula from coming out. The catheter went in without a problem and without any pain. When the balloon inflated, I felt some pressure. Then, the cramping came. I would liken it to mild menstrual cramps. It was a constant feeling and quite tolerable to tell you the truth. Step 4 was done. At this point, the doctor stated that the longest part was done. He told me that the actual injection of the dye would be about 10-15 seconds. That doesn't sound so bad. He then stated that when the dye would be injected, I would feel an increase in cramping but that it would not last long. So, I took a deep breath and started humming to myself. As the dye went in, I initially did not feel anything. He began to state that the right fallopian tube was clear and open. Right after, I felt an increase in the cramping. Boy did it hurt! I would compare it to the pain associated with my two miscarriages. I started taking deep breaths and was griping the ends of the table. At this point, the doctor was done and stated that the pain would subside briefly. He took the catheter out and sure enough the pain began to subside. Overall, I experienced about 30 seconds of the intense cramping. As the pain subsided, I thought to myself, wow I made it through and it wasn't the worst thing I could have experienced. Sure, I had some intense pain but it was tolerable given the short duration. As I took a sigh of relief, the doctor had me look at the monitor and explained the picture. He stated that I was "anatomically normal" and proceeded to discuss how my tubes were clear and open, and how I did not appear to have any polyps or fibriods. So there was actually a really cool part to all this: I got my results immediately and I found out I did not have any structural issues. I thanked the doctor and really felt a sense of accomplishment for going through with this test and not whimping out.
The radiology tech spoke to me as I lied there for about a minute more and discussed how a cool side effect may be the increased chance for pregnancy. She told me not to have intercourse for about two days. After I got up, got my clothes, went to the bathroom and changed. She led me to the main waiting room and I felt pretty good. My husband's initial response was "Well, by your smiles I can assume it wasn't as bad as you thought."
It's true, it really wasn't as bad I had imagined. It's definitely a story to tell! Overall, I can say that it isn't the most pleasant of experiences but not the worst one either. The flu, a miscarriage, a broken heart, food poisening are all worse experiences in my opinion. This experience just goes to show that our anxiety can be our worst enemy
So, where to go from here? Well, I now have to wait for my doctor connect with me to determine the next step. I believe he will probably try for the IUI again. At least I have hope restored full strength again!!! Let's see if the third time is indeed a charm. Take care for now!!!!!!! CaptinsRio
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