Thanks, that was fun...

Yeah, not so much.

I had my HSG today. It started with me having to leave home at 6 am to get there on time. I got to the hospital at about 7:45 and checked in. They couldn't find me. Apparently the woman who works admitting hasn't seen enough health cards to know that the last name comes first and was looking for my booking under my first name (thinking that the cards went first, last). Yes, have the joy of two first names...and yes, it can be confusing, but when names are listed on cards with a comma in the middle, it's pretty clear that the last name comes first. So that was fun.

Then I got to radiology and was given the gowns to change into. Well, I'm not short. And I'm not talking about being slightly taller than average... I'm 6'1". Well, those damned gowns are not made for tall people. So there I am, walking around the radiology department, sitting in the chair waiting, and the damned gown was mid thigh on me. I never wear skirts that short for a couple of reasons: (1) I'm in my mid thirties and it's inappropriate in my opinion; and (2) I don't have the legs for it. So that was fun.

Then my doctor didn't show up until 8:30, so I waited, alone, in radiology until she showed up. That was fun! I couldn't concentrate on reading and I was cold in my short gown and robe :(

The tech came and got me and explained the whole procedure and my doctor showed up shortly afterward.

The actual procedure only took about 5 minutes in total.

It started with me getting a cramp in the back of my leg - which always happens when I'm in stirrups or get a pelvic (with or without the stirrups)... bending my leg like that just causes cramping. So that was fun!

When I laid on the table and closed my eyes, everything started spinning - I had to hold onto the table and pick a point on the ceiling to look at... again, that was fun!

The test itself wasn't horrifically painful as I feared, but it wasn't a walk in the park either. I cramped when the catheter went in and then when the dye went in it was pretty bad. Like REALLY bad menstrual cramps, but you can't move or do anything about it. The doctor told me that I might cramp when she inflated the balloon that holds the catheter in place, but I didn't, so that was good.

One thing that was kinda neat was that they turned the monitor so that I could watch the dye going in. It was cool to watch it flow through the uterus (which looked perfect according to the doctor... I disagree, it would look perfect if there was a baby in there). And then it moved to the tubes - quite quickly actually. The left tube filled up and spilled out immediately, then it started moving to the right tube but neither the doctor or the radiologist could see it move completely through the tube. It looked like it was showing up right up to where the tube meets the uterus. It would mean that there would be a blockage right at the uterus, or else a muscle spasm there. The dye just wouldn't go anywhere into it. Usually with blockages, it goes a little way in and stops. The radiologist said to remove the catheter, etc and that it would just have to be inconclusive (he said it nicer than that), because they really couldn't get it to show, regardless of more dye. So yeah, that was fun.

The doctor thinks that it was likely a spasm going on in the tube while she was doing the test, either a reaction to the dye, or stress, or angle. She figured it wasn't a true scar tissue blockage (not permanent) because I had never had so much as a Pelvic Infection or UTI. Regardless, she said that the left tube was completely clear so we should go ahead with the Clomid next cycle and if I don't conceive in three months to come back to her and we'll redo the test and possibly try to open it.

For about five or six hours after the test I was quite sore and cramping badly - particularly on the right side, which makes me wonder if there wasn't a blockage that was being pushed out. I had one major cramp about five hours after the test (really bad) and then the cramps kinda started to subside. I'm hoping that's it. The doctor did tell me that even if I ovulated on the right side and the right tube is blocked, the left tube could pick it up because "the tubes are bendy like that". I really do love my doctor! LOL. She's so funny sometimes.

So I told her that I hoped that I would be sending her flowers in a month or two. She laughed. The tech helped me to the bathroom so that I could clean up (sorry for the visual, but it's not fun to get off a table and have blood and dye running down your legs and dripping all the way to the bathroom. When I was done, they made me sit and wait for my husband to actually come in and get me, because they were worried I was going to pass out. I was REALLY shaky and super pale. I'm usually pale, but apparently I was ghost-like, and I was in a cold sweat and dizzy. So that was fun.

So, yes, not completely successful, but not as painful as I hoped and at least one of my tubes is open. So next cycle we begin Clomid, follicle tracking, and HGC shots. FUN!

And in honour of all of this, I give you... BNL.