I'm Down with HSG- Yeah You Know Me

Yesterday was the big day I have been building to for 1.5 months - the HSG.

I worked from home in the morning and then when I went to leave to pick my husband up, I couldn't find my keys. I looked around like a crazy person, called my husband accusing him of taking my keys, and then looked through the garbage. Turns out they were under a magazine on the kitchen counter. Point being, I was so nervous after what I had heard and read.

I might have mentioned it in a previous post but my friend at work told me to "bring a towel or stuffed animal to bite into (for the pain)" and that she screamed "get it out" during the procedure. And she is not a girly girl. She likes hiking and things don't seem to phase her much.

Okay, so we get to the hospital and my husband seems more concerned with getting something to eat than my apprehension. I told him to grab food and meet be back in the waiting room.

So the test is in the radiology department, not the OB department. They give you a pager, like you are at the Cheesecake Factory. Greg came back carrying a tray with tortellini and was lamenting that they advertised a taco salad but they ran out (his biggest concern of the day) and before I could get pissy, my pager went off.

Next I am escorted into a dingy locker room. They gave me a hospital gown to put on and sock booties. It was weird, because you put this stuff on and instantly feel like there is something wrong with you. After changing, you are ushered into the ladies locker room waiting area. I was there for about twenty minutes and they called me. BTW, at no point did I have the option of bringing in my husband- maybe because of the radiation.

As the escorting nurse led me through the hall, I looked like a scared sheep. She said, "you look nervous". I said, "I heard this is excruciating". She said, "I am not going to lie, it hurts, but you'll be okay." Unconvinced, I shuffled on in my hospital booties.

Once inside the room, my regular Ob was there, clad in a radiation vest you wear at the dentist.

You climb up on a stool and onto an x-ray table. They essentially put your butt on what looks like a puppy pad. The doctor told me the results would need to be discussed with a radiologist.

Getting back to the pain, the doctor said this will give me a glimpse into childbirth without an epidural and the nurse said if I have to practice my opera singing (meaning screaming), go ahead.

I asked the doctor if it would hurt the whole time or just when the fluid went in and she said the whole time but different types of pain.

That was then I started practicing the Lamaze breathing you see on TV. I had flashbacks to the Cosby Show episode when Alvin, Theo and Cliff were pregnant. You might recall one gave birth to a boat and one a sub-sandwich.

I have to say, given how this was built up, it wasn't that bad. It hurt but I kept breathing deeply. And before I knew it, it was over. I think it took 8 minutes.

Results: My fibroid is huge and covering a tube and part of my uterus. Since it is impinging on my uterus it has to come out via surgery.

Next steps: My doctor is going to consult with a fertility doctor (I haven't met with a fertility doctor yet, but my doctor will make the contact)this week and get back to me by end of week to tell me what their consensus is (type of surgery).

Afterwards, I felt crampy. But not horrible at all.

Bottom line was, it really isn't that bad. Take 2 Advil before you go in and try to relax during the procedure. I wouldn't rush to do it again, but if a friend had to have it, I would say, it isn't so bad, it will hurt for a couple minutes, but nothing you can't handle.

If you have questions I didn't address, drop a comment and I will get back to you.