Question about HSG

Princess-DebbieC · Feb 24, 2010 3:39PM

Evening ladies.

Can I just ask anyone who has had an HSG test how difficult they found this to fit into their cycle. The hospital where I have to have it done says that you have to have it done beween days 1-10 of your cycle but they only do them on Tuesdays and you can't be bleeding or even spotting!! Sorry if TMI but my AF goes on for about 5-6 days to be safe from any spotting and then the chances of the remaining 4 days falling on a Tuesday is only just over half - along with them actually having an appointment......

What are your experiences? Has anyone else had problems with this. I don't have to wait months for the right combination of days to come up!!

Thanks v. much

xx

mrsj36 · Feb 23, 2010 6:30PM

Oh that sounds annoying - I just rang and got mine on day 12 I think - maybe it's a bigger hospital? I actually think you're ok doing it a bit later than day 10 - I certainly was fine on 12 and I think 14's quite normal - could be worth finding out?x

want2bmum · Feb 24, 2010 4:15AM

i was the same with the hosptital only doing the tests on tuesdays, i rung up on the day AF arrived an was then booked in for the next avilable slot that was allowing for me to have totally finished first the scan was then day 15 but they told me to make sure you dont have unprotected sex before you go to make sure you was deffo not pregnant (made DH laugh as he said isnt that why your having it done because you cant get prgnant lol)

I'd recommend you take painkillers an hour before th time of the scan, i found it hurt for a fw minutes while they were inflating it an then putting in the dye but it soon eased an was nowhere near as bad as i expected xx

KayeCee_And_Co · Feb 24, 2010 6:11AM

I think most hopsitals will make you a priority if you can't get an appt within 3 cycles. Having said that, that doesn't account for the only on a Tuesday thing! I actually had mine done privately in the end because this system seemed so difficult to use. I think it was 320 pounds and they booked me in straight away. Might be worth considering if you can justify the expense.

K x

smileycat · Feb 24, 2010 6:28AM

Hello Debbie,
The only on a Tuesday thing seems mad - if this is the case, surely they can be a bit more flexible and take you after day 10? Perhaps you could ask if you could go to another hospital? As far as I know the important thing is that you're not pregnant and you have to sign all sorts of form to confirm that you're not before they do the test. I rang to arrange mine on CD2 and was booked in for CD8. My AF is usually long and I still had slight spotting until the morning of the test. No one asked me how long my AF usually lasts - they just asked me when I started and automatically booked me for CD8.
Good luck with this and I hope you can sort it out.
xx

littlemonkey10 · Feb 24, 2010 6:32AM

My hospital were rubbish, they only offered one clinic per week and were always fully booked, i went for 2 months, not getting an appoitnment for HyCoSy and when i phoned to complain the snotty receptionist who obviously has no understanding of what it feels like to be on a bloody infertility rollercoaster told me " were very busy, some women have waited to up 6 months" there and then i enquired if i went privately (in the same hosptial with the same consultant when could i be seen? and she told me next week") so i told her to book me in. She was very happy to snottily tell me it would ??450, but i was so cross all i could say was " thats fine!". I had to then tell my hubby id splashed out! oops!

But annoyingly the doc was lovely on the day (of course i was paying) and afterwards i got a sent a lovely copy of the notes on posh gold headed paper, and i thought.. how the other half live! Imagine having the cash to pay privatlely for the whole thing. Funnily enough the following week i had a consult witht he same doc but under NSH and i got the same rushed crap service!

Like the others have said, its not that pleasant so i would take your paracetmol and book the rest of the day off if you can. I could have gone back to work, but i was leaking gloop and generally felt a bit sore and sorry for myself, a day on the sofa with crap tv and choc was a much better idea!

Good Luck

Gem x

babybarbarella · Feb 24, 2010 7:45AM

Sorry to g/c but I had pretty much the exact same experience. They were booked up or I had just missed the window if opportunity twice. Each time I had to take provera to have a period too as I had around two a year normally with my pcos! So by the third cycle if this I was v peed off. I did some research and realised it didn't have to be within ten days that was just my hospital policy do in order to get an appt on the one day of the week they did hsg ... I lied. I actually had mine on day 13. I made sure there was no chance of being pg by abstaining.

To give you some PMA - that was last April and they could only demonstrate patency in one tube. The hsg stimulated a period so I started on my prescribed clomid and amazingly 1 cycle worked and my liitle boy is asleep on my lap as I type. There is hope for everyone

x

KayeCee_And_Co · Feb 24, 2010 8:18AM

Just to echo babybarbarella - I had mine in July and although they didn't find any problems it 'cleaned me out' - we conceived 8 days later after 18 months of trying. Money well spent x

Ev3rlong · Feb 24, 2010 8:20AM

Hi Girls, Can i ask, what exactly happens when getting the HSG? I am due to get this soon and i am TERRIFIED! (Im such a big baby i know)

Angelfish_08 · Feb 24, 2010 1:56PM

Don't get me started on this subject! I had major problems trying to fit the HSG in with my cycles. For starters, my hospital said I could have the scan anytime up to CD25, which I thought was bizarre. So I duly booked myself in, turned up at the appointment only to be told that actually I couldn't have it as it was too late in my cycle. WTF?!!

So I tried to book in for the following cycle and all they could offer me was CD24, which I turned down because I didn't want to go through all that stress again.

Third cycle came around and I tried to book in yet again, but once again they could only offer me an appointment on CD21 (I think, can't remember now). I almost lost it with them, and again turned it down as I didn't want to risk going through that aggro again. Like you, my hospital only offers the HSG on a Tuesday morning or a Friday afternoon (ridiculous).

Eventually (on the lovely advice of Kayecee actually) I chose to have it done privately. I was seen on CD5 no problem at all, it cost ??370, quite a lot but well worth it for the peace of mind.

So, I feel your pain, and can only advise that, if you are having problems, try to investigate if you can have it done privately. I realise that it's a lot of money, however, but in my mind it was money well spent to get things moving along.

In terms of what happens (Tiny T this is for you), you basically have to lay on the bed in an x-ray room. They then will insert a small tube up through your cervix and then inject a dye down the tube whilst taking xray images. It's a little undignified but not painful. More of an uncomfortable sensation rather like mild period pain. A couple of paracetamol beforehand will ease this. It's all over in about 15 minutes.

This has turned into an essay, sorry! Hope it is of some help. x

KayeCee_And_Co · Feb 24, 2010 2:37PM

Tiny T - it is very much like a smear but just lasts a little longer. Mine was pretty uncomfortable due to having a tilted cervix but, all in all, it was okay. And, it's all in a good cause. Like the girls say, make sure you take some painkillers before x

mrsj36 · Feb 24, 2010 3:24PM

Tiny.T - I was really lucky with mine and it didn't hurt at all - less so than a smear. I didn't take painkillers either. I know others have had different experiences but try not to worry too much as hopefully it won't be that bad for you.x

Princess-DebbieC · Feb 24, 2010 3:39PM

Thanks for sharing all your stories, it all sounds like a bit of a nightmare! I guess I will try again for next cycle and see how I get on and then think about paying to go privately if not...not going to go down too well with HB as I have just gone part time to help with the quest!

Kayecee I also have a tilted cervix and they struggle to even do a smear so think I will be in for a rough ride like you but it will be worth it if it is as effective!!

xx

Question about HSG

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