HSG Test Explained

From WebMD

Hysterosalpingogram

A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is an X-ray test that looks at the inside of the uterus and fallopian tubes and the area around them. It often is done for women who are having a hard time becoming pregnant (infertile).
During a hysterosalpingogram, a dye (contrast material) is put through a thin tube that is put through the vagina and into the uterus. Because the uterus and the fallopian tubes are hooked together, the dye will flow into the fallopian tubes. Pictures are taken using a steady beam of X-ray (fluoroscopy) as the dye passes through the uterus and fallopian tubes. The pictures can show problems such as an injury or abnormal structure of the uterus or fallopian tubes, or a blockage that would prevent an egg moving through a fallopian tube to the uterus. A blockage also could prevent sperm from moving into a fallopian tube and joining (fertilizing) an egg. A hysterosalpingogram also may find problems on the inside of the uterus that prevent a fertilized egg from attaching (implanting) to the uterine wall. See a picture of a hysterosalpingogram.

Why It Is Done

A hysterosalpingogram is done to:

• Find a blocked fallopian tube. The test often is done for a woman who is having a hard time becoming pregnant. An infection may cause severe scarring of the fallopian tubes and block the tubes, preventing pregnancy. Occasionally the dye used during a hysterosalpingogram will push through and open a blocked tube.
• Find problems in the uterus, such as an abnormal shape or structure, an injury, polyps, fibroids, adhesions, or a foreign object in the uterus. These types of problems may cause painful menstrual periods or repeated miscarriages.
• See whether surgery to reverse a tubal ligation has been successful.

How It Is Done

A hysterosalpingogram usually is done by a radiologist in the X-ray room of a hospital or clinic. A radiology technologist and a nurse may help the doctor. A gynecologist or a doctor who specializes in infertility (reproductive endocrinologist) also may help with the test.
Before the test begins, you may get a sedative or ibuprofen (such as Advil) to help you relax and to relax your uterus so it will not cramp during the test. You will need to take off your clothes below the waist and drape a gown around your waist. You will empty your bladder and then lie on your back on an examination table with your feet raised and supported by stirrups. This allows your doctor to look at your genital area.
An X-ray may be taken to make sure that there is nothing in the large intestine (colon) that could block the view of the uterus and fallopian tubes. Sometimes a laxative or enema is given a few hours before the test to empty the large intestine.
Your doctor will put a smooth, curved speculum into your vagina. The speculum gently spreads apart the vaginal walls, allowing him or her to see the inside of the vagina and the cervix. The cervix may be held in place with a clamp called a tenaculum. The cervix is washed with a special soap and a stiff tube (cannula) or a flexible tube (catheter) is put through the cervix into the uterus. The X-ray dye is put through the tube. If the fallopian tubes are open, the dye will flow through them and spill into the belly where it will be absorbed naturally by the body. If a fallopian tube is blocked, the dye will not pass through. The X-ray pictures are shown on a TV monitor during the test. If another view is needed, the examination table may be tilted or you may be asked to change position.
After the test, the cannula or catheter and speculum are removed. This test usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.

How It Feels

You probably will feel some cramping like menstrual cramps during the test. The amount of pain you have depends on what problems the doctor finds and treats during the test.

Shanon's HSG Test Experience

The doctor started me on Provera to start my period and then scheduled an HSG test for October. Short description: the HSG test is done after the menstrual cycle finishes. You get a special tube with a balloon on the end inserted into the cervix. Then they inflate the balloon and inject a dye into your uterus that works through the fallopian tubes. They use a special x-ray machine that doesn't take photos but video to determine if there are any clogs. They say it usually takes 20 minutes.


October 17th came and the Hubs went with me to take the HSG tets. As we were being checked in the nurse commented that I was too young to be tested for infertility... I had turned 22 that August. They wouldn't let Hubs go with me so he waited in the waiting room (and went and got me a book and a stuffed animal because he couldn't sit still). I went in and.... started spotting again. Had to postpone the test for the next cycle.


November 7th was round 2. This time was interesting.... Hubs couldn't come. Great...


They called me back and had me get into a hospital robe. No jewelry, nothing. I recommend wearing socks. Why? The room felt about 50 degrees and while laying on the table I had to hold my breath to get my legs to stop shaking long enough for the doctor to do what he needed to do... Anyway.


They had me sit/lay on the edge like any OB exam. Feet in stir-ups. Then they used the metal speculum (which I'd never had, only plastic) and then inserted the tube/balloon and the dye. Told me I should feel a pinch when it went in the cervix. I didn't feel anything and the doctor said it was barely in. Then the nurse had to pull me BACK along the table to be positioned under the x-ray machine. This is when they actually inject the dye. Didn't work so they had to scoot me BACK down to the edge again. They got the plastic speculum and redid the procedure. I felt a pinch that time on my right side (cervix is to the right). They pulled me BACK along the table and redid the test.


It was like heaven hearing the doctor say "Left side open.... Right side open". It gave me such high hopes. Like something was FINALLY going right in this process. The nurse even let me watch the video of the injection. It was really cool to watch it! She even told me to try and lay on my right side after sex since my cervix was more that way!

Next: Clomid!
~Shannon

Mrs Red's story

Well my first visit from the angry aunt was when I was about 11, I didn't know it was it because it wasn't much but I was sooooooo sick and cramping like crazy for a whole 2 months after. It was in the summer time so I didn't complain too much then I got a crazy visit... Then I had semi regular cycles but everytime it would come I'd have to miss school because it was so heavy and I was so sick. Then one day around 14 it stopped coming regularly... My mom took me to the doctor and they gave me birth control to regulate it. I took it for 3 months at a time until I was about 16, then they recommended I just keep taking it since they weren't regulating with the 3 month tries. Right before I turned 18 I didn't have a cycle for months. My mom took me to the doctor because she thought I was pregnant... I had a boyfriend, who I ended up marrying 4 years later but no I wasn't pregnant. They told me in march of 2002 I possibly had endometriosis and maybe PCOS. This was the base doctors so they did a half butt job diagnosing me. Thy recommended I go back on BC and I told my mom what's the point? I didn't need it and if I wasn't going to have a cycle why stress about a little pill? So I went off.

I met my husband February 2002 while we were working together at the grocery store. I had a HUGE crush on him the minute I saw him. Apparently we had been working together since September but I never noticed... He was a good Christian boy and just a few weeks before I had just accepted Jesus into my life. We talked when we worked together and I old my friends at school how cute he was. Then in march I saw him on my way to work at the end of my street unloading chairs off a truck. later that day he walked into the store with his dad and uncle and I asked him who's house that was and he said it was his parents! So we talked and at the end of April we were bf/gf. We dated until February 2006 when we got engaged. We never lived together the whole time we were dating and decided to keep it that way til we for married. In march we started building our first house. In September I moved into his house because his family believes you live with your parents until you are married and mine were more... You are driving us nuts move out! Lol I actually have a better relationship with my parents not living with them. Anyway we had a short engagement and got married in November. No, not because I was pregnant, but because we were both ready to start a family.

As soon as we got married we were trying to start a family. I went to a doctor in may and there started alllllllll my lovely fertility treatments. I'll go into those on separate posts but it has been a long bumpy emotional rollercoaster and I do not wish it on ANYONE! Anyone suffering with it that wishes it on someone else has some serious issues to work on. I am however semi thankful that I am not alone in this and that there are others going through it. Support is the best key to get through this. So is humor.so I laugh I cry and I go about it day by day hoping one day I will have my own little snot nosed little squirmy bundle of joy :-)

Shannon's Background & Diagnosis

Let's start from puberty. I didn't get my period til I was 14/15 (I can't remember the exact time... just the instance). My dad was a truck driver and I was with him on the road. I had had supplies for a while now, "just-in-case". Luckily I did. There was no warning of cramps. Just a "waterfall" as I call it. I know that sounds gross but it was very heavy, especially when I stood up. Good thing that whenever that occurred is when we were getting out at truck stops!

My next period didn't come for a LONG time. I can't even remember how long. I didn't think to track it at the time. I didn't think it was necessary, I thought that most girls cycles were like that. I made sure to always keep stuff handy because it would pick the most wonderful times to visit *rolls eyes*. I never really had cramps. Or I might get one and that was it. My senior year of high school my mom took me to the doctor who put me on birth control for 3 months and said that should regulate it.

Didn't work.

The weekend I moved into my dorm, Aunt Flo came to visit. Yay. Few months later with no visits, I went on birth control.

I met my husband that year and we officially got together in March 2005. After the spring semester ended we moved in together. I didn't meet the qualifications for student loans so ended up taking a few years off. Biggest mistake. We got engaged in October 2005 and married in March 2006!

On April 27, 2008 we decided to try and start building our family. I had already been off of birth control for about 3 months and hadn't had a period. I had a gut feeling it would be a problem. Because of this my doctor didn't wait the standard year before getting fertility tests done.

September 2008 I had a sonogram done to check my ovaries. They had to do a vaginal sonogram which was awkward... At the time! The sonogram tech couldn't tell me anything and didn't look pleased. A week later the doctor confirmed: I have PCOS.

Next: HSG test.
~Shannon

Addition to background

Nicely worded Shannon :-) I want to just add that a lot of posts may reach back into a painful memories but we are posting our experiences to hopefully help someone else going through our similar experiences not feel alone and to know their are others out there struggling with the same situations. I hope this blog can be productive and *hopefully* inspiring to others. You can laugh, cry, and be angry with us as we go through some of the difficulties of our journeys.
-Mrs Red :-)

Background on Blog

This blog was created to give other people (fertility struggling people or people wanting to understand) an inside look into the lives of several different people struggling with fertility issues themselves.

It will cover backgrounds, procedures, tests, events, emotions, etc. that are endured throughout the process of trying to conceive. These posts are a telling of our journeys to make all our dreams and wishes come true. In most cases, this doesn't come easy. We have to work for it.

There is no guarantee that this blog will be a cheerful one. "Infertility", as it tends to be called, is not something that many people want and can take a physical and emotional toll on the individual, their relationships, and their families.

We appreciate your understanding and empathy as you read our stories and experiences. You may recognize a story as you may have been involved, however we will leave all names out of it and just hope you understand.

Please feel free to ask questions. We want to bring awareness to others and be as helpful as we can. We know there are a lot of books out there on the subject but sometimes it is so nice to be able to talk to a real person about the issues and not read it in a book. If you have any suggestions or websites you recommend, please let us know!

~Shannon