HSG at GCM radiology

[Anonymous]

I searched this forum for a review before my procedure, and couldn't find anything, so I thought I would write one just in case someone else would find this information useful. I had to schedule an HSG with Drs. Groover, Christie and Merritt (DC office) when I found that Washington Radiology Associates are temporarily not performing any HSG procedures, until mid-June, which meant waiting for my next cycle.

Overall, it was a very positive experience. First, they were able to give me an appointment on CD10 even though I could only call to schedule on CD4 thanks to the long weekend. When I got to my appointment, the registration process was quick and I did not have to wait more than 10 minutes before being called in for the procedure. At first the interiors of the clinic seemed a little old-fashioned, so I wondered if that was a bad sign. However, I need not have worried. The X-Ray chamber itself, as well as the gowns, equipment etc, were very clean. I had a male doctor and a male technician, along with a female observer. Both the doctor and the technician were very kind, and constantly checked in with me at each step of the procedure to see if I was doing okay.

The procedure itself is not very painful, although an Internet search seems to indicate that women's experiences with this vary widely. For my part, I found it to be like having a pap smear. They insert a speculum in the vagina and swab it down. Next goes in a flexible catheter, which is inflated slightly. They then inject the contrast dye through the catheter, while taking X-ray pictures and viewing them on a monitor. They asked me to roll to one side and then the next a few times to get a better view. I felt some pressure in the abdominal area as the uterus filled with the dye. In the end, the doctor told me that my tubes were normal and open, and showed me the picture on the monitor. I have heard it can be more painful if you do in fact have a block somewhere. The whole procedure itself was over in 15 minutes.

I'm taking Doxycycline for 3 days to prevent infection, and also took 2 Advil 45 minutes before the procedure as prescribed by my RE. Later on in the day, I experienced some cramping and light spotting, which I was told is normal within a 24-hour period. Also slight soreness in the cervical area.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the thorough review. I will be taking the test soon so this was very helpful.