Anonymous wrote:I actually fainted during the exam, it was that painful! Way more painful that I could imagine. I could not walk for good half an hour and I felt sick to my stomach few hours after the procedure, I did not bleed after it though. The results said that everything is fine, and that was a great news, but I am really hoping that that pain I felt was unusual and abnormal. I don't wish that to my worst enemy. Before I fainted I remember screaming, crying and then being really embarrassed after I woke up . I am 30 years old and quite a strong woman.... I don't mean to scare anyone, but please take some pain medication and hope for the best while be ready for the worst. Good luck ladies!

You may have had a vasovagall response. That happened to me too after an HSG (and also tends to happen other times with various other triggers). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response The test itself was fine, but afterwards, I was feeling faint, dizzy, alternating hot and cold, everything went black and/or I saw stars, I had to sit down and put my head between my knees, had bouts of sudden and SEVERE diarrhea. All parts of vasovagal. It is a trigger of the nervous system that affects heart rate and blood pressure. I hate them. I now know when I feel one coming on to get myself to a safe place and to just ride through them, and that they'll pass, but before that, it used to massively freak me out!

I took Advil beforehand as recommended by SG. I had mild cramping during the procedure, but was fine to drive myself home from the appointment 15 min later.

I also had a very bad experience with that exam. Extreme pain, traumatizing experience.. I heard that some women don't feel anything. In my case I screamed, cried, then fainted and could not walk for two days after that. When I reported it to the doctor she just shrugged her arms and said she does not know why this happened. Please be ready, it may go either way...

Good luck ladies!

I had a hysterosonogram done the other day and it hurt so bad. I also became nauseous and fainted afterwards. Took about 20 mins for pain to die but have had cramping since

I just had a hysterosonogram and wish that I had read this string first. First of all, instead of it being performed by my normal doctor, it was done by a male doctor. I'm not comfortable with that. I knew it wouldn't be my doctor but I had no warning that it would be a male doctor. Second, when he inflated the balloon, it was so painful that I broke out into a sweat. I thought is would be uncomfortable but I had no idea it would be that painful. Third, the area they were trying to focus on was right by my cervix, so the doctor tried to move the balloon and pulled it out. He had to perform the procedure three times. Luckily, it was less painful the second and third time. I did have cramping for a couple of hours after the procedure. I wish I had known to take Ibuprofen before my appointment.

I agree to be prepared for anything. My HSG was terribly painful and radiologist shared a wrong/upsetting diagnosis while doing it. Really wish my husband had been with me.

I am actually the OP, and I wanted to say, first, that I got pregnant a week after that hysterosonogram! The polyp that was causing the abnormal bleeding passed on its own, and then I had a wonderful pregnancy. So I wish everyone the very best!

Second, I must emphasize that my particular experience really was extraordinarily painful, far worse than anything in childbirth, even with a narcotic. But it passed after about 10 minutes, and it was worth it to learn that everything was ok.

Hope you all are well!

I have had both an HSG sand a hystersonogram. Both were very painful for me. For the HSG, it was the dye going in that caused intense cramping. For the hysterosonogram, they used a balloon that really hurt, then also bad cramping when the saline went in, but this one didn't last as long as the HSG.

First time it was fine.
second time was the most pain I have ever had in my life. Shocked!

Anonymous wrote:I had a hysterosonogram done today and it was horrific pain in the beginning then it was fine and afterward I was good til I got home then I was curled up in a ball on the couch hurting so bad. I took some ibupropen and i am feeling better but that was not a good experience and I found out I have 2 polyps one in my uterus and one on my cervix so I have to have surgery.

New OP (since I am sure the first OP has moved on), I had the polyp surgery about two years ago. It is an out-patient procedure and you can go back to work the next day. Basically, they take a little vacuum and suction off the outer layer of your uterine lining and any abnormalities. Sorry you have to get this done, but it is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure.

I had a hysterosonogram done today and it was horrific pain in the beginning then it was fine and afterward I was good til I got home then I was curled up in a ball on the couch hurting so bad. I took some ibupropen and i am feeling better but that was not a good experience and I found out I have 2 polyps one in my uterus and one on my cervix so I have to have surgery.

I actually fainted during the exam, it was that painful! Way more painful that I could imagine. I could not walk for good half an hour and I felt sick to my stomach few hours after the procedure, I did not bleed after it though. The results said that everything is fine, and that was a great news, but I am really hoping that that pain I felt was unusual and abnormal. I don't wish that to my worst enemy. Before I fainted I remember screaming, crying and then being really embarrassed after I woke up . I am 30 years old and quite a strong woman.... I don't mean to scare anyone, but please take some pain medication and hope for the best while be ready for the worst. Good luck ladies!

had it done last month, honestly it's comparable to the pressure experienced in a pap. NOT PAINFUL, but maybe uncomfortable. Don't worry. It's really not a big deal. Good luck!

OP here. After all my questions, I thought I owed everyone a follow up:

I had the hysterosonogram this morning. It was incredibly painful at first, when the radiologist was trying to get the catheter in. But I have a strangely tipped cervix, so that might have been why. I took a narcotic left over from my knee surgery beforehand, and if I had not, I would have hit the ceiling. As it was, my legs were shaking involuntarily and the doctor was apologizing profusely. By the clock, it took about 10 minutes of trying before it worked.

Once it was in, however, it was not bad at all.

And there was nothing wrong with my uterus. So on the positive side, I don't need surgery. On the negative side, I still don't know why I am always bleeding.

Thank you again for all your input!

Everyone is confusing procedures here.

A hysterosonogram is another term for saline sonogram. It's done in an exam room and the doctor fills the uterine cavity with saline and examines using sonography. This procedure is not painful in the least. The only uncomfortable part is the speculum.

The HSG or hysterosalpingogram is the x-ray procedure where they insert dye into your uterus and examine your uterus and fallopian tubes. This is done by a radiologist and it's a big machine and they raise you up and you can see the computer screen with the dye being injected. This can range from discomfort to painful.

OP is getting the former and it's not painful. You'll be in the regular examine room and it takes like 45 seconds and it's done.