HSG
Well, I had my first big test today. It was one to remember!
I was so nervous!! I had heard both good and bad things about this test so even before entering the room I was apprehensive. Much to my surprise it was a big room filled with a lot of neat looking technology, and already dark. My doctor was there already 'suited up' and Michael was given a wonderful leopard print apron to put on (lead of course... to prevent x-ray damage to him). I stood there talking to my doctor and he said there were 3 things that could go wrong. 1. Reaction to the dye 2. Infection and 3. he could poke a hole in my uterus with the catheter. He said #3 was extremely rare, but it did not help my nerves. I was near tears as he described what he had to do and how much it would hurt.
I hopped on the table and assumed the 'hello world' position. He cleaned my cervix and then it was off to the races. The machine was pulled over me and he inflated a little balloon and started to insert the dye. It was painless. No pain whatsoever. I couldn't believe how nervous and worked up I had become over it. Towards the end I started to cramp, but nothing serious.
Good news, tubes and uterus look just fine. Left took a little while to fill, but when I turned it filled and spilled immediately.
I got up and went to the bathroom to clean up a bit before walking to the woman's dressing area. My cramps started to pick up a bit, but still nothing serious.
Well, in the women's dressing area I went to the bathroom yet again and while I was in there I felt the need to throw up. I pulled the trashcan over then I felt sweaty and cold all at once. The room started to spin and I knew I was in serious trouble. I pulled the nurse's cord in the bathroom just in time. At that moment the technician knocked on the door. She saw michael still in the waiting room and thought I was taking a long time and came to check on me. She saw the light go on and broke in. She called for a nurse and a stretcher and the next thing I knew I was asked to move my arms and I couldn't do it. I had monitors hooked up to me and 4 women were moving me from the toilet to the stretcher. They moved me into the nurse's bay, called my doctor (who was already home) and wrapped me in warm blankets and fed me juice and crackers. When my doctor came, he wanted to move me into the E.R. Luckily it took them a while to prepare a room for me and by the time it was ready I was back to normal, cramp free and all.
Supposedly my body reacted in some really rare way (the technician told me she hadn't seen this kind of reaction before, except in women who had their tubes tied, and then reversed and then had an HSG to see if the un-tied tubes were working). Apparently my body just didn't like the dye in me and wanted to make it clear. I think it was that in combination of my nerves. Even with all my crazy events it only took an hour and a half to be completely cramp free and feeling normal again.
Even with my strange experience, the day was just fine. The cramps never got worse than anything I couldn't handle (although they were reminiscent of when I was dilated to a 4 when I had Margaret) and it was worth being able to know that everything is well with my organs. So if anyone else is considering having one, don't let the doctor's warnings scare you (nor let my story scare you either... it's not an everyday occurrence!)
I was so nervous!! I had heard both good and bad things about this test so even before entering the room I was apprehensive. Much to my surprise it was a big room filled with a lot of neat looking technology, and already dark. My doctor was there already 'suited up' and Michael was given a wonderful leopard print apron to put on (lead of course... to prevent x-ray damage to him). I stood there talking to my doctor and he said there were 3 things that could go wrong. 1. Reaction to the dye 2. Infection and 3. he could poke a hole in my uterus with the catheter. He said #3 was extremely rare, but it did not help my nerves. I was near tears as he described what he had to do and how much it would hurt.
I hopped on the table and assumed the 'hello world' position. He cleaned my cervix and then it was off to the races. The machine was pulled over me and he inflated a little balloon and started to insert the dye. It was painless. No pain whatsoever. I couldn't believe how nervous and worked up I had become over it. Towards the end I started to cramp, but nothing serious.
Good news, tubes and uterus look just fine. Left took a little while to fill, but when I turned it filled and spilled immediately.
I got up and went to the bathroom to clean up a bit before walking to the woman's dressing area. My cramps started to pick up a bit, but still nothing serious.
Well, in the women's dressing area I went to the bathroom yet again and while I was in there I felt the need to throw up. I pulled the trashcan over then I felt sweaty and cold all at once. The room started to spin and I knew I was in serious trouble. I pulled the nurse's cord in the bathroom just in time. At that moment the technician knocked on the door. She saw michael still in the waiting room and thought I was taking a long time and came to check on me. She saw the light go on and broke in. She called for a nurse and a stretcher and the next thing I knew I was asked to move my arms and I couldn't do it. I had monitors hooked up to me and 4 women were moving me from the toilet to the stretcher. They moved me into the nurse's bay, called my doctor (who was already home) and wrapped me in warm blankets and fed me juice and crackers. When my doctor came, he wanted to move me into the E.R. Luckily it took them a while to prepare a room for me and by the time it was ready I was back to normal, cramp free and all.
Supposedly my body reacted in some really rare way (the technician told me she hadn't seen this kind of reaction before, except in women who had their tubes tied, and then reversed and then had an HSG to see if the un-tied tubes were working). Apparently my body just didn't like the dye in me and wanted to make it clear. I think it was that in combination of my nerves. Even with all my crazy events it only took an hour and a half to be completely cramp free and feeling normal again.
Even with my strange experience, the day was just fine. The cramps never got worse than anything I couldn't handle (although they were reminiscent of when I was dilated to a 4 when I had Margaret) and it was worth being able to know that everything is well with my organs. So if anyone else is considering having one, don't let the doctor's warnings scare you (nor let my story scare you either... it's not an everyday occurrence!)
Comments
How did Michael do with everything? It must have been pretty scary to see them load you onto a stretcher and everything.
Michael said he thought the test was painless because of how I was handling it. Luckily the technician ran to the waiting room before he saw me wheeled passed. He knew it couldn't have been any of the 3 risks the doctor mentioned, so he wasn't too worried. He said "it's never good to see the one you love white as a ghost and wheeled passed with monitors" but he knew everything would be ok.