Wow. I know enough to know that we're all different, but I go in to meet with the RE tomorrow about my septum. Thankfully, I already know it exists (after 1 miscarriage). I'll be asking for a lap/hyst, tyvm. I'm not interested in this craziness.

I went for my HSG yesterday and i was very nervous.
If im honest it was slightly worse than i expected and the first part is just like a smere.When they insert the long thing with the dye in its like a sharpe feeling right up inside.Then the bit were i did find quite painful was when the inserted the dye.This is NOTHING like perid pain... expect more like like sharp little pains,however...
I had a very light bleed yesterday and felt faint after.Today i have been fine with very slight cramping but nothing else.
I have to agree a bit part of this is the emotinal side as i guess you feel that youve been violated in some way but we have to remember that us woman that are trying dor babies...this is a vital part of the research and can only help us in the long run...good luck and dont worry to much
Liz

um yeah i should of never read all these comments yesterday because most women said the test was painful and i was very nervous going in.
i had an HSG test done today because i had a tubal ligation last month and because i have so much scar tissue my doc didnt know if he had the clamps on good enough.
anyways it was painless to me, i was waiting and waiting for the cramps to start and i never got any. the only thing thats uncomfortable is when they inserted the speculum. And my tubes are totally blocked. it was neat though watching it on the screen.
anyways my radiology tech said everyone is different and she said she finds that the majority of the women who say it hurts hasnt ever had children

I'm having my second HSG next Monday and had to go searching to see if my first HSG (last July) could have possibly been even half as bad as I remember. I've read through the comments here. Oh well. This is how this goes.

I had talk to two ladies prior to going in for my HSG who said oh its no big deal at all. One who even said she took the day off but it ended up being so simple she really didn't need to.

So I went in thinking no big deal. I have a high tolerance for pain. I did take 600mg of ibruprofen prior to going in just in case. I didn't research before I went in but I wish I would have.

I wasn't prepared for the pain!!!
The radiologist first tried to get the tube through my cervix and it was a sharp pain that was bearable. He couldn't get it through so he had to call an obgyn to come down to assist.

She ended up getting it through which was very painful. But the most painful part had to be when the ballon was inflated. It was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I was in so much pain and crying. Then the pain goes down just in time for the dye to be pushed through which hurt almost as bad as the ballon inflating.

My results aren't offical yet but it appears only one tube is open. And my cervix appears to be small. Just from my observations looking at the screen.

My advice: prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I'd much rather have went in thinking it was gonna hurt like it did and be surprised when it didn't, than what happend to me.

IT IS REALLY NOT THAT BAD!!! Since I had NO IDEA what an HSG was, but am a little nervous about the entire TTC process, I made the SMART decision not to read ANY blogs before having it done to keep my anxiety at a minimum. Thank God I did that because this blog would have probably made my hysterical! Apparently it can be quite painful and uncomfortable for some people, but I did take 800mg of Advil and felt just menstrual type cramps for 30 seconds. It's really not worth this much stress, especially since each person's body reacts to the procedure differently.

Hi everyone,
Maybe you all will think Im a big wuss. I went on Thursday for my first HSG (after not being able to conveive for a few months). It was the most painfull experience I have ever had (I have obviously not given birth yet).

My gyne kept thelling me to relax, but the more she said "Relax" the less I was able to "Relax"...in the end (after 40 minutes of trying and severe pain) she recommended I do it under general anesthetic.

I went today (Monday) for the "procedure". It was so much better and absolutely painless. I had a few needless stuck into my hand, but atleast they were bale to perform the test.

I would really suggest having the HSG done with general anesthetic, especially if you can't relax and they can therefor not conduct the test.

Good luck!

Wow, I'm actually glad I did not read this before I had mine done. The worst part for me was the young tec who preformed the procedure. I was a complete mess afraid of it hurting and I felt very mild discomfort mixed with some slight embarrassment. My nurse was AMAZING and aside from the cath slipping out twice before the bollooning part, it was a breeze.

I had my HSG done yesterday and all I can say is: Have male gynae's had one of these?! how can you say it's 'uncomfortable' - it's painful! I took 100mg of ibuprofen - i felt everything, it felt as though my tubes were being ripped out... on the upside my result is normal - no blockages or anything, but why can't i fall pregnant is the same age old question... well, alas my drama is not over, I have had nosebleeds, nausea, vomiting, increasing cramps and pain in my lower abdomen, muscle aches and pains, excessive tiredness and I feel lightheaded. Called my doctor 30 minutes ago and his receptionist only said - SEE HOW YOU FEEL LATER AND CALL US BACK. Women know their bodies - something is wrong and I do not want to wait like i did last timew to find out i had a ruptured ectopic after my doctor said - 'relax and see me in the morning - i would have died as i already lost 3 litres of blood by the time they rushed me to hospital. Now my question is - if this is such a delecate procedure and you stand the risk of infection after an HSG, why gamble with someone's internal reproductive organs when they're telling you they feel ill? wait and see how sick you get before they treat you?!

I had my HSG 2 days ago and it was the worst pain I have ever experienced, at like a 20 on a scale from 1-10. It hurt so bad and actually sent me into a state of slight shock during the procedure, with my blood pressure dropping to 60 over 40 for a while. 2 days later, I still have light bleeding. I took 600 mg of ibuprofen 30 minutes before the procedure, but it did not help. I had to get a shot of Toradol after the procedure for the pain. They ended up seeing that my left tube was blocked & that may have been what caused the extensive amount of pain. I was not put on antibiotics though which worries me if that is what they are supposed to be doing.

I just got back from my HSG at Nassau Radiology. As a result of reading the comments many posted here, I was prepared for the worst and on the verge of tears when I sat down on the table. I was relieved and pleasantly surprised. My experience was one of slight discomfort ... I would say it was a bit worse than a pap smear coupled with light pressure/cramping. From what I understand if they have trouble getting the tube in there is a more painful procedure which follows. I also understand if you have a blockage it can be more painful. I took 4 motrin 1 hour before the procedure - so this may have helped as well. The nurse and doctor who perform the HSGs at Nassau Radiology (Hilton Ave.) were very nice and talk you through everything. Good luck ladies and don't be afraid!

Hi girls.. I did my first HSG test 5 days ago.. To me it was painful and I spotted. I had an etopic pregnancy 7 years ago. I found out when I did the test that my left tube is partically blocked, they could not unblock it, my right tube is perfect. I was wondering if any of you have gone through this and have gotten pregnant since then.. Let me know..Thanks

Hi all,
I had read this blog just before I was to do my HSG (which happened on Oct 7, 2008) after about 8-10 months of TTC. (Thank you for all the information and comments!) I read most of the comments and figured that I'd be somewhere in the middle on the pain scale...I was in for a surprise, though. It was one of the most painful things I have experienced. I am not trying to scare anyone…..everyone's experience is different, I believe.

I don’t know if it was more emotional, since we had been trying to schedule an HSG for months and my regular clinic (having been renovated) didn’t have that facility anymore. Finally, I met my OB at another clinic where she didn’t have her regular nurse or equipment. When they inserted the catheter, it was very uncomfortable and I experienced cramping...but it wasn’t bad...bearable. But the clincher was the dye…it was the worst cramping I have ever felt…menstrual pain in comparison is a cakewalk. It was like a giant hand squeezing the life out of my uterus. I was yelping and about 5 mins later, almost begging them to stop. I am quite sure I would’ve thrown up, had they not finished soon.

The cramping eased up as soon as the equipment was out of me, but I had soreness in my abdomen for a couple of hours and minor bleeding after that. They found that I had some scarring in my left tube. (And on top of that there was a foolish nurse who freaked me out by saying that since one tube was scarred, my chances were halved by 50%....which I confirmed later with my OB that it was so not the case!)

But the good news is that I got pregnant in November 2008 (missed the Oct cycle due to the HSG, so technically conceived in the first cycle after the test) and the baby is due in August 2009! :-)

My OB mentioned that sometimes the tubes get blocked by residual endometrial tissue...nothing to cause any harm, but that tissue doesn’t let the sperm go through. Inserting a dye is a way of ‘flushing the pipes’. Well, I guess it worked! Hang in there...and wish you all good luck!
--AB

Had my first HSG today and I hate that I only now found this blog. I was totally unprepared for what to expect. My Repro Endocrinologist is a male and I really think he underestimates the level of discomfort experienced. He described it as a "simple procedure." Not once did me mention pain or discomfort.

First I guess my situation was not normal. Both tubes were blocked and the catheter slipped out during the procedure. He was also trying to force my tubes to open to created a lot of pressure using the dye. Needless to say I nearly jumped off the table. I think had my situation been normal, it may not have been so bad. The worst by far was insertion of the catheter. The insertion of the dye was more like constant severe menstrual cramps.

I wish I had taken Motrin prior to because taking it afterward really helped. It is now 10 hours afterward and I am not having any cramping.

I started my own blog to keep my sanity. Feel free to follow.

Good luck to you all.

I had my first HSG last week. It was reccomeded by our fertility dr after two failed IUIs. I had a similar test over the summer but instead of dye they used air. That one was rec. by my gyn but my fertility dr said the HSG is much more accurate especially considering my history of having my appendix removed as a child. The air test this summer showed no problems and we thought the fertility issue was with just my husband. Well, after the HSG lo and behold, my right tube is completly blocked with from scar tissue likely from the appendectomy. All this time and money on other tests and proecdues to find this out! I'm angry about that, but at least now I know where the main part of our fertility problem lies. As far as how the actual HSG went, it was far less painful than the similar test I had done this summer with the air. I took three 220mg Aleve and half of a 7.5mg Vikiden before hand and I think this was the key to success. It wasn't a picnic, just cramping. My fertility dr. has reccomended that I have my right tube removed. Has anyone else ever had this situation? I am going for a second opinion this week.

Hi Everyone,

I just had my HSG a couple of hours ago. I had spent so much time "researching" this and the pain associated with it online for weeks. I was freaked out, like most of you were/are. Well, turned out that for me, it was not that bad. Totally uncomfortable though. I took 3 ibuprofen about an hour before. There were like 5 dudes in the room and one lady, so that was a bit strange, but they all did a fantastic and gentle job. They didn't use stirrups, which I was quite pleased about. I just had to "spread 'em" so to speak. After they got the catheter in, they took out the speculum (yay! that's the worst part) and let me lay my legs down flat, which was much more comfortable. I didn't really feel any cramping until they injected the dye, and that just felt like a warm deep cramp, but didn't last long (to my relief). I don't think I had any blockage, so that is likely why the pain was not bad. My tips would be to take IB first, then remember to BREATHE deeply and *try* to relax during the procedure. Tensing up will only make it worse. You'll get through it.

Right now, I'm a bit crampy, and wondering what I'll feel like when the ibuprofen wears off.

Good luck to everyone!!!

I just had my HSG done and I read many blogs and medical descriptions of what was being done but nothing prepared me. It HURT. Those of you who didn't hurt, be thankful. I have passes a kidney stone without any pain medicine and I thought that was bad. Although, I was lucky enough to have great nurses and techs in the room with me and a husband who was ready with drugs when I got done.
However, to all you ladies who are going to have it done. It is all relative. It may hurt you and it may not, but it is still worth it. The pain is over within minutes and lets face it, we are women, we can do anything!

If you are going to have an HSG...stop reading the posts on this site; they will terrify you. I just had mine today and was nearly crying in the waiting area because of all the horror stories I read on this site. I took 600 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg of tylenol 1 hour before the test.

When the catheter was placed in my cervix, I felt pressure like I had to urinate but NO PAIN. When the dye was injected, I felt NO PAIN. I was embarassed about how scared I was before the test...it was not a big deal at all.

I think it helped that I took the medications before and I also had it done by a reproductive endocrinologist and not a radiologist. Bottom line...don't let this site terrify you. It's NOT that bad!

I'm curious about whether you can have multiple HSG's. i was told you can only have one.. Any comments please.

I took 1000mg of Tylenol before the procedure. While I'm sure it helped, I still experienced cramps, especially when the dye was injected. Definitely an uncomfortable experience. I felt immediate relief when the radiologist removed the catheter.

I had my first HSG yesterday...I think the bottom line is, it effects everyone differently, and there is really no way to know how painful it's going to be for you until you actually have it.

The part for me that was the worst was having the catheter inserted into the cervix. It took the doctor a good 10 mins to get it in. The nurse told me it's usually harder to get it in in women who have never given birth b/c the cervix is tighter. The pain was a pretty sudden sharp burning/cramping sensation. Once it was in it wasn't bad, the dye started to go in and I just felt really full and slightly crampy. Once it was in it only took a few minutes, and soon as he took it out it felt better.

It was definitely emotional, which I didn't really expect. I had to choke back tears from the pain during the procedure and then had a good little cry in the car afterwards. Having had a miscarriage a year ago and trying to conceive ever since, I'm sure it was just a lot of built up emotion. Looking back, it probably would have been a good idea to bring my husband with me, and I would recommend to anyone who's going to have an HSG to do the same (husband, partner, bff, etc.)

I've had a slightly crampy/sore feeling ever since the procedure (about 20 hrs ago) and some bleeding that has seemed to subside.

The doctor who did the hsg (not my regular obgyn) was kind of a stiff, and by the way the nurse was talking him through it, it may very well have been his first HSG. Although I could see the xray screen while they did the procedure, he didn't tell me anything about the findings, and just said he'd review the films and give them to my doctor. The nurse was cool though - once he left she took me to the computer and showed me the films. The right tube did what it was supposed to and filled with dye right away. The left, although it eventually filled, did so much more slowly. Anyone experience this?? I have to wait til Monday to hear what the doctor says about it.

My best advice is don't get worked up about the procedure, as it's totally different for everyone. I took ibuprofen before hand, and looking back it probably would have been better to prep with something stronger, just in case.

I might end up sounding like a pansy after this, but I had my HSG 4 days ago, and I am still traumatized! I pride myself in being someone who can handle pain, and I NEVER cry in public, but WOW. I've never experienced anything to that caliber before, and I've had heart surgery that I had to be awake for! I was praying that I was going to be someone that didn't experience a lot of pain but unfortunatly I was. I think it all depends on the person. I took 800mg of ibp and not so much. I tend to be someone who uses humor to push through things but I wasn't joking when I told the doctor, that I have the option for anestesia at the dentist when I need a filling! I hope this was all worth it and I at least get to be one of the lucky ones who get pregnant after the procedure, but walking out of there I was vowing never to even use a tampon again! Might be a little bit longer before we can start trying to get pregnant again!

hello all. I had my HSG test this morning and felt nothing! Sure the speculum is annoying, but the procedure lasted only a few minutes and I didn't even feel the dye.
Reading the earlier posts had me freaked out beyond belief - but trust me, it really wasnt bad at all.
i took 800 mg of advil this morning and am spending some time on the sofa today, i could have totally gone back to work.
deep breaths - it will be over before you know it. Fear not fellow if'ers!!

I just went and had my first HSG today. I prepared with 800mg of Advil an hour ahead of the procedure. I was REALLY nervous as I had a hysteroscopy years before which was the most pain ever. The dr is wonderful and explained everything to me. I layed back and closed my eyes. I kept waiting for pain and soon enough the whole procedure was over. The dr did have a hard time with placement of the cath- I guess my uterus is very tilted- but i felt just a small twing. I got the results right then and everything was perfect! I commented on the lack of pain, and he said I must have a high pain threshold. I think the key is to stay calm and let all your muscles relax. Good luck ladies, you never know!!

Hey all! I had my HSG several days ago and just wanted to let you know that I would give it a 2/10 pain scale rating (not that I've ever experienced a 10.

I took 600mg of ibuprofen about an hour or so before. I also didn't have any blockages.

It was a tad embarrassing and the doctor dropped the first catheter so we had to wait and talk awkardly for about 10 min as the nurse went and found another one.

Just breathe deep and talk some ibuprofen.

After reading everyone's comments before I went in this morning I was #*&$ scared! I just came back from the hospital where I had my HSG and I have to say it was much better than my first time which was traumatic. Here's what I think helped.

1) Tell your doctor about your pain threshold - I explained to the doctor AND nurse how my first time was awful and they promised to go easy.

2) Take a painkiller - I took 800 mg of ibuprofen about an hour before. I still felt cramping but it may have helped some (even if just psychological)

3) Deep breath and visualize - When they were putting the speculum in (always the wort part for me) and then locate my cervix, I took deep breaths and held both my hands tight.

4) Remove the speculum - the doctor removed the speculum once the catheter was in so I would be less uncomfortable.

5) TELL THEM NOT TO USE THE CLAMPS ON YOUR CERVIX - the doctor told me that some doctors use clamps once they locate the cervix to pull it so they can insert the catheter in. He said it's rather barbaric and that's what can be quite painful. The new catheters are thin apparently so the insertion of them should not hurt at all. The nurse who was with me confessed that she knew some doctors who still used the clamp (they are like tweezers apparently that they use to pull the cervix up). SO...make sure you check with the doctor who's doing your procedure that he does NOT use clamps / tweezers. The doctor who did the HSG on me took some time to locate my cervix by pushing hard on my abdomen in different areas but I'd rather he take the time and do that than use the tweezers.

6) My obgyn asked me to take an antibiotic half hour before the procedure. I forgot but I took it after.

7) I took the rest of the day off so I can rest and not feel pressured that I have to rush back to a hectic day of work.

So that's it. I hope this helps and oh one more thing...don't read too many negative comments before you go in :)

I am very glad I didn't see this site before I had my HSG yesterday or I would've been terrified.

I did find a lot of these comments hilarious, though (now that I've already done it).

I can't believe the books etc that describe the pain as "mild cramping." I thought it was near-excruciating.
The good news is that the whole procedure was probably 5 minutes long, and after that, no pain at all.

I suggest scheduling something fun afterward the procedure, or while you wait for your report. I went out for cupcakes and then came back for my x-rays. Lying on that cold metal table while someone messes with your privates is slightly more tolerable when you know soon you will be stuffing tiny frosted cakes into your mouth.

I had my HSG test today. A few days ago, I had read many of these comments and realized I was blissfully unaware of how much this could hurt!!!

I was advised to take 800mg ibuprofen an hour before hand, which I did do and I think it was a life saver.

The worst part of this procedure for me was the speculum and the MDs trying to use the speculum to visualize my cervix. It was very painful. It felt like they were digging and scraping in there. They could not have gotten that thing placed correctly fast enough!! They attached the catheter with suction, which was uncomfortable, caused a pinching sensation and also some cramping. Once they started to inject the dye, the test went really fast.

Most of the afternoon following the test, I have felt fine, but I can tell the ibuprofen is beginning wearing off. I feel some cramping/aching and soreness in my pelvic region. I have been spotting lightly and leaking dye, as I was warned would probably happen. I would characterize the pain as a 5 on the a scale of 0-10.

By no means was this the worst pain I have ever felt, definitely uncomfortable. My tubes are clear too, so that makes the aching a little more bearable.

Good luck to all out there who have to have this test done, remember the ibuprofen and deep breaths!

After reading several people's HSG stories on this blog, then experiencing my own HSG just hours ago, I wanted to respond to some of the comments:

1) "HSG's are only painful if your tubes are blocked"
Response: Mine tubes were completely open and it was very painful, particularly when they pushed in the dye.

2) "The reason some people have pain is because their doctor is no good and didn't know what they were doing."
Response: My doctor was trained at Stanford and Northwestern, and works for one of the top rated OB/GYN offices in the country. Alas, it hurt like a mo fo.

3) "It only hurts for people who haven't had children"
Response: Take the time to read through the posts. Many women with children reported feeling severe pain.

4) "The women who felt pain must have a really low pain threshold."
Response: People, I run marathons--for FUN. Trust me, you run for 4 1/2 hours in a row, you're going to feel pain. I am far from being a pain wimp, and I experienced severe pain in the HSG.

All that said, I want to offer some encouragement:

1) Not ALL women have pain when they have this procedure. There seems to be a whole range of experiences on this blog, from "worst pain in my life" to "I felt nothing." Though I'm sure there are a few people who've posted on here that may have exaggerated the degree of pain they felt or didn't feel, I'm willing to guess that most people are honestly reporting their experiences.

2) For those of you who say you've put off having the HSG because of the "scary" things you've read on this and other blogs, I feel for you. But despite the severe pain I felt during the HSG (I'd say mine was a 9, on a scale of 10), I'd HAPPILY do it again if that's what it's going to take to get pregnant. And on top of that, I think it made me feel even stronger and more resolved in our efforts to get pregnant.

So for all of you ladies out there reading this trying to decide if and when to have your HSG, I say go for it! There's a very good chance that you won't have a painful experience. But even if you do, just do it as soon as possible and get it over with. Hopefully it gets you one step closer to having a child.

Good luck, everyone!

Good advice. The HSG was much more painful than I anticipated... I only heard that I'd have some cramps, but the pressure when they enter your cervix is pretty uncomfortable. When they inserted the dye, I was told my blood vessels quickly sucked up the dye so they couldn't see if my tubes were open so they added more dye, but everything was fine. They asked me to move my hips to each side to "swish" the dye to see if it was actually going through the tubes. While it was pretty uncomfortable, I only took 2 advil before the procedure, but advise an 800 mg ibuprofen, it was worth it to have peace of mind, and to know that if there's something there that needs to be corrected, you're being proactive, and well on your way to becoming pregnant. Also, I don't know if this is accurate, but after I explained this procedure to my mom, she thought it sounded kind of like the way contractions feel. ANyone else who has had a baby agree? Anyway, good luck, and don't be scared. It's worth the unpleasant trip no matter what!

If you have not given birth before, I would highly recommend that you have your regular doc test your cervix or dilate it, and schedule the procedure for the earliest possible day in case it doesn't work. I tried to have an HSG on a Friday and I was not expecting it to be a lengthy procedure. Unfortunately, the balloon kept popping out of my (apparently tight) cervix for some reason, so they must have tried poking it into me at least 10 times and moving the speculum around to try to get another angle for about 45 minutes. That's 45 minutes with the giant speculum in and open, ladies. I have a high pain tolerance, but it wasn't even pain at that point -- just severe discomfort, plus my legs were not in stirrups so they started shaking from the strain of having to sort of hold them half-up so they wouldn't get in the way of the x-ray machine. Eventually, the radiologist had to stop trying because my cervix was so swollen from all the poking. I have to go back and get dilated and try it again on Monday. This is all bad timing because Monday is the 10th day of my cycle (when you should start having intercourse w/Clomid) and you are not supposed to have intercourse for two days. So in short, my advice is, to be safe, get dilated first and do it during the week so that if they need to do it again, you don't have to wait three days. Now I'm nervous for the next time!

I just had my HSG and I have to say I wish I had not read the comments here as I was extremely nervous before the procedure. Of course, everyone is different, but I had no pain whatsoever. I did take 800mg of Motrin one hour prior to the procedure.

I know some people have a lot of pain, but please, if you have this scheduled, don't worry until there is something to worry about. It might be completely painless.

BTW, tubes are happily completely open and a large uterine polyp (easily removed) is probably our infertility issue.

Hi, all!

After putting this test off since 10/08, I finally bit the bullet today and had my HSG - I'd been in a low state of panic for days over this (and actually canceled once before, back in April). HOWEVER, I am THRILLED to report I had not one iota of discomfort! - I took 400 mgs of Advil <12 hours prior to the test and an additional 800 mgs +/- one hour before. I supplemented with 7.5 mgs of Valium and felt great before, during (speculum placement, catheter insertion and dye infusion) and after - I've had FAR worse periods/PAP smears! No residual cramping afterward, a minimal amount of spotting (which now appears to have ended, 12 hours later).

My left tube was open and flowing freely, uterus A1, right tube 'sluggish', 'weak', '50/50'. No blockage per se as the dye did flow and there was no dilation but the left tube is very dominant. Test over in 3 minutes. I am in the NYC area and had heard from my RE that the radiologist who performed the test is known to have a light touch. He was lovely.

Good luck to all in their ttc journey - I'm 39 years old and my husband (37) and I have been ttc for one year with no luck thus far... :(

Onward!

Had mine yesterday. I was extremely nervous because my friend had just hand one a month ago and she said it was extremely painful. I called 2 hours ahead to have them Rx vallium, but they didn't get it to the pharmacy in time and dilly dallied (dropped the ball) in taking 2 hours to get back to me (only 1/2 left b4 my appt) THEREFORE, I took 800 mg of ibuprophen like the nurse said AND 750 mg of Hydrocodone that I had from getting my tooth pulled the day before. I've had a couple of bad experiences with drs/dentists so I wasn't going to take ANY chances. Well I believe the medicine worked like a charm because I litterally felt NOTHING. NOT ONE THING. I felt the speculum like a pap smear but that was it. I got it done by my RE and not by any techs. If I was u I'd demand getting it done by your RE and not any techs or other flunkies and please ladies STOP GOING TO MALE DOCTORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they don't have a fucking clue. sorry but you couldn't pay me enough to go to a male dr. I feel so bad for some of the people on here who have had the cold treatment by them. DO NOT TOLERATE THAT BEHAVIOR FOR ONE MINUTE. YOU ARE PAYING THESE F'ers TONS OF MONEY THEY SHOULD BE KISSING YOUR FEET. Find yourself a sympathetic and wonderful female doc and you will thank the stars above. Females KNOW the anatomy and they KNOW what a crap/etc FEELS LIKE!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so thankful I have my doc. (Klein at SRM) I'm glad I red this AFTER I got my HSG tho. I learned something new: I didn't know about the "easier to get preggo after an HSG) so we're going to try in a day or two. My tubes did release dye but were somewhat slow to so I had to go back today and get another picture to see if they had released all the way. (no "procedures" just a picture) I get my results tomorrow. Good luck everyone.

My HSG was horrible. It was a deffinent 10 on the pain scale.
I was told to take 3 Ibuprofin prior to the procedure, It did nothing for the pain.
The radiologist could'nt get the dye through my tubes. After about tem minuted he said "both are blocked" and walked out of the room. I was left on the table sobbing because of the pain and the news of my tubes being blocked, thankfully the nurse had enouph compation to hold my hand and try to comfort me. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life.
P.S. My gyn decided that I should have a laperoscopy and tubal dye study to see why my tubes were blocked. Well, It turned out that both my tubes were open and the dye flowed right through. I was told by my gyn that sometimes when the HSG is painful it can cause tubal spasms that block the flow of dye.

I just had my hsg done and I was scared to death because of all that I read about the procedure. I took 800 mg if ibuprofin an hour before. The only discomfort I felt was when the doctor was trying to locate my cervix. Other than that it wasn't that bad.

hey everyone - read this blog before my hsg and it scared the crap out of me.

for nothing.

had the test yesterday, and the most uncomfortable part was the insertion of the speculum.

the actual procedure took about 5 minutes, and was no more painful than period cramps. i'm a little bloated and crampy today, but it's nothing severe.

I had my HSG last week and I read almost every blog on here. Sometimes there is a thing as too much information, as I was scared out of my mind and so worked up over it. The nurses could tell too that I was nervous. In all honesty it was painful after they get you all "situated" just as they do when getting a pap. When they insert the balloon thing to shoot the die was probably the worst. It was a shooting pain and severe cramping, but it doesn't last long. Only a few minutes. You can do it!!!! I am the person that has a hard time getting blood taken and I am deathly afraid of needles and I did it. Make sure to talk to your doctor and let them know your concerns and just ask a lot of questions. I think that for some people it is the worst pain because this was the only thing they have ever really experienced. I had never had a procedure done before or given birth or had to go under the knife, etc. So naturally it is painful and uncomfortable and nerve-rackingly scary for those people. I just kept telling myself that if I want a baby, this is probably nothing compared to that!! Its a few minutes (if even) of pain but have someone you love waiting for you in the waiting room that will take you home, buy you a good lunch and watch movies and make you feel wonderful all day. Good LUCK!!!

I had an HSG last September - and after reading the comments on the blog, I was prepared for the worst.

But I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, there was a shooting pain when the die is injected into your uterus, but it lasted about 5 seconds for me. In fact, the nurse and my doctor looked at me and said, "Wow good job, sweetie!" There's definitely that moment of pain, but it is NOT bad at all. My periods are worse! I didn't have cramps or anything the rest of the day; and I even went back to work!

Just wanted to cheer up someone's day!

Wanted to say thanks for all of the information and comments here, as usual it was all a lot more helpful than everything I'd gleaned from my consultant prior to the procedure. As it turned out I was lucky, it was fine. I'm giving most of the credit to the radiologist who performed the procedure and made me feel happy throughout (I'm not tough but it really didn't hurt).

I realised on arrival in the waiting room that I had forgotten to take my painkillers, at which point I turned white and started to brace myself, but it wasn't painful. It was like a 20 minute cervical smear with an addedd twiddling around feeling, as they twiddled. I found the pictures interesting and I think looking at them crystalised my partner's understanding of my IF problem (he couldn't really miss it up there).

Afterwards I skipped happily to the car, thinking I had got away with a relatively easy time only for 15 minutes of period-pain-type agony to kick in. Grr. Fifteen minutes was it though and then back to normal. Onwards to the next hurdle!

Had mine today - did not read this blog before and I did not take painkillers. I actually Googled HSG and "severe pain" to find this blog, because I couldn't believe how painful this was and that it couldn't be just me. I actually almost threw myself off the table. This was after over 45 mintues of trying to insert the catheter past my cervix -- once they finally got that far, it was like a shooting pain, and more discomfort with the balloon. What really killed me was the dye going in - it was hot. I wasn't sure when it was going to stop. They kind of paused when I lurched off the side, and I just yelled keep going and they pulled the camera thing over my uterus to take the pictures. I broked out in a sweat and felt like I was going to throw up. They lowered the head on the contraption when it was over to make sure I wasn't too dizzy. No serious cramping afterwards, just a little soreness. I wonder if a muscle relaxant might help during the part with the dye. I think the key may be to take some pain meds and maybe even a muscle relaxant. This makes me wonder if I could stand natural childbirth.

ausbeI just had my HSG yesterday. I was not nervous in the least bit. I was told it would be a simple procedure and that I should be able to go back to work immediately afterwards.

What a crock! It was THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!!! And I'm no stranger to pain having a history of recurring softball size ovarian cycts on my right ovary when I was 13, 5'5" and 100lbs (from which mutiple ER docs sent my parents and I home with the assurance taht I was just getting ready to "experience the miracle of nature" and "become a woman" before my pediatrician diagnosed the problem).

My doctor was the one inserting the catheter and administering the dye. There was a radiology tech in the room at the beginning and- supposedly- a radiologist in the next room over about to come in. I was told the procedure would only take about 1-2 minutes. My doctor did express that she was not happy to hear that her nursing staff had not instructed me to take any ibuprofen ahead of time. She talked me throught procedure and what to expect. With the word of the tech that the radiologist would be in instantaneously, my doctor proceded with the catheter. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable while she trie to weave her way through my cervix... then BAM! An unimmaginable electric shock. Like an explosion in my abdomen. The doctor said she was in the right place and to just hold on a bit longer for radiologist to come in and take the pics.

10 minutes- I'm not kidding you - 10 minutes I lay still with that pulsating pain writhing through my body waiting for that radiologist to show. I kept trying to breath and stay calm. My doctor kept trying to talk me down. I began just weeping. I was nauseous and fought vomiting with all my might because I didn't want any more abdomenal cramping. I seriously considered ordering my doc to stop the testing and just say forget- a baby is not worth this- but I figured if I had come this far...

Finally the tech tracked down another radioligist to come in and finish the procedure and put me out of my misery. He came in, my doctor injected the dye and BAM!! Again!!! IT GOT WORSE!!!!!

And about 45 seconds later it was done. I was so sick though, I had to lay still for about another 10 minutes. Crying the entire time. Cramping. Room spinning.

I didn't stop cramping until late last night. It still hurts to move and laugh, but it's a different kind of hurt now.

And the result... guess what. My right tube is blocked. Probably due to scarring from those cysts when I was 13. The other half may still be working though.

I don't know if it was worth it though. I do know, I will not go through anymore tests of this nature if I have a say in anything ever again.

I had my first HSG test today (Actually after three years of trying to get have a second child, this is the first fertility testing that i have had done) so I was very nervous, especially after reading some of the comments on this blog. I am happy to report that I was only mildy uncomfortable, I didn't experience any pain. I did start having cramping almost immediately afterwards, however it is not worse than my monthly menstrual cramps. I also feel tired, but i think that was from not sleeping well due to nervousness. My only real complaint is that I could not watch the screen as they did the procedure. I will have to wait until my doctor gets back to me next week for the results. I really hope that this test alone is enough to help boost my fertility.

I had my HSG procedure this morning. After reading all of your reviews on here I was both expecting the worse as well as thinking it may not be so bad- so thanks to all of you that have presented the spectrum of what HSG may feel like.

Based on the comments, I took 1000 mg of Tylenol the night before and 1000 2 hrs before my test. Once I got to the clinic the doctor sat with my husband and I and explained the procedure. I had a pregnancy test done and the nurse escorted me to get changed. Both the nurse and the doctor were very empathetic and nice throughout the process.

Once in the radiology room, I lied on the bed, with my feet in high up stirrups- for me this was the most uncomfortable part of the procedure. the humiliation you feel subjected to..

The rest of the procedure was fine- some mild discomfort at being poked and probed, but I didn't even feel the dye going in. All my tubes were clear and this may be why it was a fairly painfree process for me. Probably just a tad more uncomfortable than the typical pap smear.

Afterwards I was planning on taking a taxi back but felt fine enough that after stopping for some coffee, I took the subway back home and 3 hours later, feel just fine :)

Hi everyone, relax! The procedure is NOT as painful as you thought it will be. I had my 1st HSG yesterday @ 3 PM. It was uncomfortable rather than painful. I took 4 Advil one hour before the procedure, and everything went fine. If you don't want this to be a painful experience, please take some pain killer…Advil or Motrin…which are ibuprofen. Good luck to everyone and everything is going to be fine.

I had my HSG two days ago and it was the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced. It was so bad that my brain couldn't even form thoughts--just bright lights and splotches of color that somehow represented incredible pain. It seemed like the test lasted forever and the worst part was when my RE made me roll from side to side to get x-rays from different angles. I already didn't think the pain could be worse, but moving made it so much worse. When it was over, I was trembling, sweating, and panting from being in such terrible pain.

I had very little pain after the procedure, just mild cramping. But I have had panic attacks and trouble sleeping since then because it was such a traumatic experience.

What makes me mad is that my RE acted like it was no big deal. In fact, he told me, "You look nervous. This won't be bad." Afterward, he said that the spasm or blockage that closed off the my left tube may have made the pain worse because he had to insert more dye. I just can't believe that he put me through that with nothing for the pain.

What makes me extremely angry is that I called his nurse the week before and asked if they could give me something before the procedure. She very condescendingly said, "What do you think you need that for?" She acted like I was being ridiculous for thinking it might be painful and she told me to take some ibuprofen. That stupid bitch should die a slow and painful death.

If I'd had any idea that it could be so painful, I would have made them sedate me or refused to do the test. Even if it lasted only 5 minutes, it was a totally unacceptable level of pain. No dentist would give you a root canal without novacaine, so I'm not sure why doctors think it's okay to put women through something like this without anesthesia.

I had an HSG today (Monday) and had myself so stressed out after reading all of the comments on Friday...great way to start the weekend, huh?? My Dr. prescribed me an antibiotic and some Ibuprofen to start taking on Sunday (600 mg 3xday). I was so nervous going in I felt like I was going to pass out. It felt nothing more than a pap to me...even when he was injecting the dye. I cannot stress enough - ALL of us experience pain different, but please DO NOT freak out by reading some of the horror stories on here. I wouldn't even call the pain "mild cramping". It was nothing compared to my regular menstrual cramps!! Good luck to everyone needing this procedure. Now I'll *patiently* wait for my follow-up with the specialist to see what's going on.

I was SOOOOO scared after reading these posts. I worked myself up BIG time. When I got in there and had to undress I started to cry. My mom was with me.
It was an x-ray room with no stirrups. That was the uncomfortable part. My Dr had me scoot to the bottom, she inserted the speculum and put the catheter in. She then had me scoot back and the radiologist came in. WELL the catheter came out. Not my lucky day. The 2nd time inserting wasn't as bad as the first. I had a nice nurse who was holding my hand the entire time. It was not painful, I didn't have a balloon I don't think. Then the radiologist came back in and then walked out..I was like what the heck...it was over. That fast! I had no blockages everything was perfect, it only took like 2 sec for the dye to flow in. Maybe that's why I never had a cramp or anything. SIMPLE. I got myself SOOOOOO worked up. When she told me everything was fine, I was crying non stop because of joy. My day 3 blood test came back good too! Not a bad experience...don't worry. I will say I did take motrin and xanex (which is prescribed to me for stress). It really is fast once they get the catheter in.

Hi Ladies,

I had an HSG done a while ago, and I can say I didn't feel much pain. I took 600mg of ibuprofen beforehand. I didn't even know they were done, and I got up from the table right afterwards.

Of course, my tubes weren't blocked, and I imagine that would add to the pain. However, I read somewhere (not sure if its true) that women have an increased fertility for the first 3 months after an HSG, due to the tubes being cleaned out. Maybe concentrate on the benefits instead of the pain?

I think if you go in thinking it will be painful, it will be!

I'm going in for my HSG in just under 2 hours. I hope everything goes well I'm a bit nervous but think I will do fine I'll update this after i have it done and let you know how it goes.

Hi everyone, well I went in for my HSG On August 24th and I'm very happy to be able to say that I didn't have any pain. I was quite scared going in after reading these posts about how many of you have had a really bad experiences. Everyone is different and I hope that those of you that are still to have the procedure dont get detered or scared from having it because of the posts on this site. I do want to thank you all for taking the time to post them though, at least I knew what I could expect as far as the the good and bad go. I am also happy to announce that I had not blockages and everything is fine, with the exception of PCOS(that was not diagnosed through the HSG).

I had the HSG last April. My DH and I were both so nervous about the results. Before I went in I joked with my DH and told him that should he hear me scream to come get me! It was a joke that I shouldn’t have made. It was the most painful procedure I have ever endured. It was just so painful. At first it felt like severe pms but then when she inserted the dye I started to feel this sharp pain and the screaming began. I could not stay still and was grabbing on to the pillow behind my head to bite on to it. It was so bad I was begging her to stop. She completed the procedure, thank God, I did not want to go through this again. By the end I knew that something must be wrong for it to hurt this much and I was unfortunately correct. The doctor pointed to the scream and showed me that whist one side was damaged the other was completely blocked off. The left was blocked off and the right was damaged. I started to ache even more, but not the same kind of pain. It was a more severe kind of pain deep inside my heart. I could hardly walk I was in so much pain. My DH was in front of the door and looked pale. He heard the screams and thought something was definitely going wrong and he could not do anything. I don't wish this kind of pain on anyone.

Like so many others, I was freaked out about the HSG. When I was told I needed one by the Dr. and that it was the most painful of the tests (and she gave me two painkillers to take prior), it sent me on a tailspin. Particularly since I'm in Holland, where the strongest thing they will give you for massive pain is Tylenol. No joke. So her telling me it hurts and giving me painkillers had me quivering for 1.5 weeks while waiting for the appointment.

This blog didn't help.

The reality: at most uncomfortable. I can't say it was totally nothing but close to it, the worst part was having the catheter inserted. After that, it was ok. On a scale from 1-10, it was about a 4 - if ever so momentarily.

Don't get freaked out.

I did...and I regret it. Actually, I was so freaked out I also popped a valium prior to the procedure. Maybe that is why it didn't hurt - I was totally relaxed.

Had my HSG yesterday and did not find it difficult at all. I took 800 mg advil and 1 mg ativan (anti-anxiety drug) one hour before the procedure. I think that helped a lot.

I also asked the tech. to distract me with conversation and we chatted about our love for Indian food.

To me - it was no worse than a pap.

I've been reading the posts for the past few weeks- I had to wait 2 cycles to get my HSG because they were all booked last month. I really worked myself up prior to the appt based on what I had read. When they asked me to sign the consent, the resident told me it shouldn't be any worse than a pap smear. I really wanted to believe her so I tried to convince myself that all the blogs were wrong. Unfortunately, she was wrong. It was definitely more uncomfortable than a pap smear. There was cramping when she inserted the catheter and worse cramping when the dye was inserted. I wouldn't want to do it again, but it was definitely bearable. It only lasted a few minutes and I didn't have any cramping or discomfort afterward. They gave me the results right away and told me everything looks normal. In a weird way I wasn't very relieved because this was our last test in the initial work-up and nothing else has come back abnormal. My biggest fear starting the testing was that we wouldn't be able to identify the problem, and that would decrease our chances of finding a successful treatment. it's so frustrating. we have our consult next week, so I guess we'll wait to see what the RE has to say. Good luck to everyone out there!

Hey All, after reading all these stories I was very nervous about my hsg today. I don't want to discount anyone's experience, I'm sure for some people it was very painful. Mine really was not that bad. I felt a little cramping when the catheter was inserted, as well as when the dye was pushed in and the balloon inflated. That was it. The cramping reminded me of light period cramping.

I have had some more intense cramping since I got home. It's not unbearable, but its not exactly great either.

The radiologist who preformed my test was really nice and let me know right up front that I was the one in charge and that I could call it quits at any time if it got too painful. She did tell me the test does tend to be more painful if your tubes are closed. Mine were open, but that could be why some people have much more pain with this test than others.

I was also told that the test could be performed during a laproscopy. If you know that there are other problems that need to be dealt with through a lap, you may want to have the hsg done then. At least you could eliminate some pain and discomfort that way.

Anyways, like I said I don't want to discount anyone's pain or brag that my procedure wasn't that bad, but I just wanted to bring a little balance to the discussion and let people who are going to be having an hsg know that you won't necessarily have a bad experience. I don't know if you really can know how it's going to go before you go in, but there is no sense fearing something you don't have any control over. Just remember, you're in control - if it gets painful tell them to stop.