HSG is over!

I had my HSG today. In some ways it was worse than I thought. In other ways it wasn't as bad.

I left work at 1:30 and needed to be at the hospital by 2:15. I arrived shortly before 2:00 but it was a long walk from the parking garage to the hospital and I had no clue where I was going. When I got there I went to registration and the woman couldn't find my information. I almost went into a panic because at this point it was almost 2:15 and I wasn't going to be done in time. I had to wait and then I went back and some woman had to register me. They couldn't find me anywhere. Well, I think what happened is that I booked the appointment with my doctor but I was supposed to call the hospital too. When I called the hospital I told them I needed an HSG and my husband needed an SA and I guess they just transferred me right to the department for SAs. So I never actually registered with the hospital. I could feel my blood pressure rising. I was so nervous. I thought, "Oh, no, I even scheduled time off from work and now it's going to be canceled and I'm going to have to wait another 6 weeks or more until I can come again." But it all worked out. I played dumb and batted my eyelashes and was able to be seen by the doctor. Whew. Oh, yeah, I'm joking about the batting eyelashes part but very serious about playing dumb. Thank God it worked out. I was stressing big-time and feeling very stupid!

Two other women and I were in the waiting room and all got called back together. We all were taken into three changing rooms in a row and I was #3 - third to get taken into a room, third to have my HSG done. They each changed into wrap-around gowns but they didn't have any for me so I wore two gowns, one like a robe with the opening in the front, and the other on top of it with the opening in the back. It was awkward and warm but at least I didn't feel (too) exposed. We could leave all our clothes on including shoes except for underwear and pants or a skirt, whatever you were wearing.

Each woman that came out of the X-ray room looked OK so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. It was nerve-wracking though, sitting there waiting for them to be done and trying to hear what was going on and read their expressions as they came out. They didn't look traumatized though so that was a calming thing.

So basically I laid on a table covered in pads (sort of in Pap smear position but not as bad) and they inserted the cold speculum and then the doctor told me they were inserting a catheter which caused some cramping. Then there were some bad burning cramps and I could feel myself making little moans because of the pain and then it was not so bad. They asked me to scoot up the table and the radiologist came in and lowered the X-ray over me and the doctor told me I could watch if I wanted. He said that I'd see my uterus as a triangle and then some squiggly things that would be my Fallopian tubes. He said he'd have a report in a few days and I could call for results.

As soon as the radiologist lowered the X-ray machine, I saw my uterus light up on the screen and then I saw my tubes. My doctor said, "Everything looks normal. You're perfect." And that was it! I got up, went back into the other room to get changed and felt some strange feeling between my legs. When I got into the changing room I pulled this tube out that looked like a somewhat bloody straw. I am not quite sure what that was. Then I had to put in a pad and when I started walking I could feel I guess what was the remains of the dye squirting out. It was a very strange sensation, similar to but different from menstruation.

I stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home. I thought a Blizzard would make me feel better. I guess temporarily it served its purpose. ;) Now I'm just feeling full and tired and lazy.

I guess everything is OK then. I'm not sure what the report will show - maybe just more detail? I guess I'm glad I had it done. I'm $180 poorer but this is just the beginning!