[JNealP]

My wife and I are back on the journey! We are getting ready for our first IUI. She went to her GYN yesterday who wants to do a HSG (checking to see if her tubes are blocked). He warned her that it was quite painful. This has made her EXTREMELY nervous.

Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of this test? Any words of wisdom for us?

Thanks!!!

[lovingwife]

Some ladies say it's painful, some say not so much. For me it was pretty painful. They tell you to take advil, but I don't think it helped at ALL! Maybe she could ask her doctor for valium or something to help her relax. I think I was very nervous and tense and it made the test much worse. If I had to do it again, I would find some better drugs. Good luck!

[jencat215]

I agree with lovingwife. I took 800mg ibuprofen before and it was useless. I would try and get something stronger. Have her tell her Dr. that she has a very low tolearance for pain and would like something to help her calm down.
It did hurt, but really only for a short period of time-maybe a minute?

Good luck to you both!

[melarooni17]

I had this done on a monday and then I had a hysterscopy done the next day. I had a little cramping during the HSG. It wasn't that bad though. They tell you that you will have mild cramping. I'm sure it varies with everyone. Tell her to just try to relax as much as possible when it is going on. She will be fine. They did give me IB profuen, but I didn't really think it did much. They just do it as a preventative. Tell her Good Luck!!! She will be just fine!

[elizwhite]

I wish I could give your wife some good news, but I have to say that the HSG was the most painful of all the procedures I have gone through to date (I've been through a lot!). I agree, the ibuprofen was worthless. Please get her PCP to prescribe a valium or 2. That said, the HSG is VERY IMPORTANT. We wasted money on IUI's because I didn't know my tubes were blocked, no symptoms! My poor husband spent months blaming himself when there was no way we could become pregnant w/o IVF.

[ScootiesGirl]

I found the procedure to be uncomfortable but not extremely painful. I took a valium afterward and rested for the day and back to work the next day. Best of luck to you!

[BabySteps]

I have had that test 3 times. Once was 3 years ago and I did not feel a thing. Then I had to get an updated one when I got new RE. I was sent to a different doctor than my RE for insurance purposes and it hurt like heck. I am actually pretty tough but it had me shaking afterwards and I did take a few Advil. It turns out that Dr did not do it right and the pictures did not show my uterus properly according to my RE. So then I had to have it redone and it really did not hurt. I felt a bit of pressure but it was over quickly. Good luck to your wife Tell her to take something before hand for the pain. The last time the doctor prescribed vicodin and that seemed to help.

[rdchevygirl]

ive done this test and it was not that painful at all. it was a little uncomfortable but not that bad and i didnt even take any medicine at all. it just felt like lots of pressure kind of like period cramps. i guess it depends on how gentle the doc is! good luck!

[daisy2006]

I was extremely scared of the procedure when I found out that I had to have it done. I expected the worst and it was not that bad. I took 800mg of ibuprofen one hour prior to the procedure. The most uncomfortable thing for me was the insertion of the catheter which only lasts for a few seconds. I did not even feel the dye going in. I really doesn't take that long. I had some mild cramping and spotting the next day.

[skatingva]

I have heard that the more your tubes are blocked, the more painful it is. I had it done and it was terribly painful!!! But a friend had it done and it didn't hurt at all. I would absolutely ask for drugs! My doctor had to stop the test early and said if we had to do it again, he would sedate me!

[beachbum13]

I had my HSG done last Friday. I was told by several people that it would be mild to moderate cramping. I was asked when I made the appointment if I wanted a valium but I opted to just take advil. BIG MISTAKE. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain (been through several bouts of Kidney stones, etc) and this was the worst pain I've felt in an exam.

I haven't gotten the official results yet b/c the radiologist did it and wouldn't give much detail and my doc is on vacation. He said that he did not see the dye "spill" out of one of my tubes, meaning that it is probably blocked. I am beginning to get the feeling that he had no idea what he was doing as it took him 4 tries to even get the dye to not spill back out!

[beachbum13]

To babysteps:

I read that your doctor did the HSG wrong one of the times. I believe that the radiologist that performed mine did it wrong too. Was there anything that tipped you off that your doc did it wrong? Thanks!

[CryingInside]

From most of the experiences I have heard about it really varies. If there are problems then it is painful. Mostly it just feels like intense cramping. What they did for me was have me lie down with just a sheet on an X-ray table. It was just me and RE in the room, with an X-ray tech in another booth (where he couldn't see any of the details thank goodness!). RE put a speculum in, then the catheter and the dye. Then he checked the screen and told the tech to take some pictures. He said I might need to move from side to side, but I didn't have to. It was pretty quick. I did have some pretty bad pain, but I also took nothing beforehand and I'm a weanie. It went quick and the pain did too. I was up and moving in about 5 minutes.

Tell her not to be too nervous, that will just make it more painful.