Anyone else ever had an HSG dye test?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2004
Anyone else ever had an HSG dye test?
12
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 9:15am
I am going in for my HSG dye test on Wednesday and I'm just wondering what to expect. Is it painful? How long does the procedure take? Is there alot of bleeding or leakage of the dye afterward? Thanks so much for your help!
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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 9:40am

Hi!

Siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-07-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 10:21am
I had the hsg test earlier this cycle.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 10:57am

Thank you for telling us your experience.

Siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 11:10am

Hello!


I am also having an HSG this week on Thursday.

We're Gonna Win Twins!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 11:14am

Here's a question for all of you ... what have been your experiences with insurance coverage?

Siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-07-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 11:31am
I did take some motrin about an hour before the test. That's what my doc recommended too.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2004
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 12:42pm

Hi Lainy,


We've been TTC for

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2008
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 3:33pm

Hi girls,

Just wanted to add my two cents. I had an HSG to check my left tube after and ectopic in the right tube earlier this year - the right tube was removed in surgery. Regarding the insurance questions: I have weird insurance and the way I made sure it was covered before hand was to call the place that was doing the procedure and get their billing codes. Then I called my insurance (several time with several different reps) and asked if those specific billing codes were covered. That way I didn't have the additional stress of cost worrying me since I had already shelled out so much for my surgery and whatnot.

My hsg was pretty much painless. Apparently for some it's excruciating. I would definitely take 800 of motrin just in case because you never know how it will be for you. It also depends who is doing the procedure and how hard they have to push the dye. They may try to push a little harder if it's not going through right away. In my case it went right through the left tube, I pretty much blinked and missed it.

The other thing I would caution about: ask your doc about taking antibiotics as a precaution. I had read about this but my doc didn't say anything so I never asked. I ended up with an infection (which you can get if the balance of bacteria gets messed up because of the dye and whatnot). I would have much preferred to take the antibiotics as a precautionary measure instead of figuring out I had and infection a month later.

All in all, it was very easy. There is some drainage that I found was quite sticky but it was only for a day or two - nothing too traumatic compared to other stuff I've been through. Hope that helps.

Avatar for mrscarta914
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2003
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 3:55pm

Hello it sounds like you got all your answers already but I just wanted to give you my experience(s). The first HSG I had done I was under anesthesia so I wasn't able to feel anything. I had a Laporoscapy to remove Endometiosis. The OB just put in the same bill the HSG and my insurance covered it. That was over 2 years ago.

My second time I had it done, I was awake, and SO scared. I even asked them if they could put me under because I didn't know what to expect. They laughed at me, the Radiologist was really nice and very helpful, he told me what he was doing before he would do it and then talk to me through it. The process, there are a lot of steps, but I was on the table and set, and done and off within 5 minutes. I leaked a little blood and dye back out, but it's all normal. There was no pain except for when the catheter was being put in my cervix, it's just a little pressure though, it kinda makes you feel like you should "push" LOL

The DR. are really good at putting HSG's down as diagnostics of infertility, unless your DR know's that you get blocked easy and fast and you have to get it to clear it out, but look, when you get an HSG done, if your tube are blocked the dye they push through will clear it out. My first time I guess my left tube was so blocked that they had to clamp off the right tube so all the dye would go out the left. The second time they were both cleared. We have really good insurance, so everything from my infertility diagnostics have been covered, my insurance even covers my clomid, (I pay about $30 for 200mgs) But like someone mentioned everyone is different so your experience will be your own, and everyone's insurances are different, so if they said they will cover it if it's a diagnostic just let the DR know that's what you want them to put down, my OB is good about listening to me :)

Well there you have it, from someone who has been trying for over 4 years and actually on her last try. We're going to start the adoption process next year. There's nothing more anyone can do for us, and our next options are IVF or Adoption. We'll get a baby here some how, sooner then later we hope :)

Good luck, let us know how it goes. Don't stress too much about it! Oh and about the pain meds, just take whatever you would take for cramps. The second time I had it done I didn't take anything and the pain from the catheter in the cervix was gone within a few seconds, once it's out everything goes back to normal :) OH and wear a liner, because if you do leak out the dye (it will be a blueish green color) it stains your undies.

Loves

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-18-2007
Sat, 11-15-2008 - 10:30pm

Oh yeah, BTDT. It is painful for some, not bad at all for others. Mine was certainly not the most fun thing I've ever done by any stretch, but it wasn't horrible pain either. I would say it was highly uncomfortable, but mercifully short, and I was lucky that my results were good. A friend of mine said hers was even more of a non-event, and she also got good results.

Whatever you do, don't assume you can go back to work afterward. Even if it's not that bad as mine was, you may well be very tired and/or a bit sore afterward, and need to relax for the rest of the afternoon and evening afterward. I was really tired the rest of the week, in fact.

Good luck, I hope the test isn't too painful and you get good results!

--KJ

KJ (32) & DH (39) PCOS Dx 3/04, confirmed 6/08 Off BCP since 12/07; irregular cycles (42-96 days long) Ovulated right off pill 1/08, but likely no O since (possible unsuitable O?)


(8/08): Clomid 100mg round; NO O; Cannot take Clomid again due to visual s/e


(10/08): Follistim 75; MANY follicles developing all at once after a week; RE suggests converting cycle to IVF.

Mom to Silas Walker, born July 2009, thanks to IVF. :)

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