My HSG experience today

Hubby and I got to St. Luke's Medical Center - Global City at around 10 A.M. We went to Dr. Jing's office to inform her assistant of my HSG. Dr. Fernandez was in the OR at that time and there were three other patients waiting. We paid for the doctor's fee (because Dr. Fernandez will do the test herself) and headed to the X-ray room for the procedure. 

When we got there, we had to pay for the fee before the actual procedure. The amount due was P3,570 but I got a discount of P571.20. I'm not sure why, but maybe because of the referral from Dr. Fernandez, so we just paid P2,998. An additional fee of P1,000 was also paid for the radiologist.

While waiting for Dr. Fernandez inside the X-ray room, the radiologist took an x-ray of my pelvic area. 

The way the test is done is the following:

(Source: http://www.advancedfertility.com/hsg.htm)

• The woman lies on the table on her back and brings her feet up into a "frog leg" position.

• The doctor places a speculum in the vagina and visualizes the cervix.

• Either a soft, thin catheter is placed through the cervical opening into the uterine cavity or an instrument called a tenaculum is placed on the cervix and then a narrow metal cannula is inserted through the cervical opening.

• Contrast is slowly injected through the cannula or catheter into the uterine cavity. An x-ray picture is taken as the uterine cavity is filling and then additional contrast is injected so that the tubes should fill and begin to spill into the abdominal cavity. More x-ray pictures are taken as this "fill and spill" occurs.

• When both tubes spill dye, the woman is often asked to roll to one side or the other slightly to give a slightly oblique x-ray image which can further delineate the anatomy.

• The procedure is now complete. The instruments are removed from the cervix and vagina.

• The woman usually remains on the table for a few minutes to recover from the cramping caused by injection of the contrast.

• The results of the test can be immediately available. The x-ray pictures can usually be reviewed with the woman several minutes after the procedure is done.

I did not feel any pain or cramping during and after the procedure. It felt like a normal pap smear. Thanks to Dr. Fernandez, she was very careful and caring! 

A piece of advice, bring sanitary pad for any bleeding or dye coming out after the procedure. 

Dr. Fernandez patiently explained to us the result of the test. She said that my uterus was healthy -- there were no cysts, polyps, or any abnormality found so far and both my tubes are patent. So far so good at this point of my cycle.

This is an image (not mine) of HSG with normal/good result. 
(Image source: http://ucfertility.com/about-infertility)

It shows that the dye flows freely through the Fallopian tubes. The white triangular image is the uterus. Any grayish spot within the uterus area may mean there is an abnormality.

This is an image of a blocked Fallopian tube.
(Image source: http://dephiefilofax.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/my-1st-hsg)

The dye in the right tube seems to stop flowing, compared to the dye in the left tube.

Dr. Fernandez prescribed me antibiotics to avoid any infection or allergic reaction from the procedure. I should take it for 7 days, 1 tab every 12 hours. It costs P74.25/tab x 14 tabs = P1039.50 from Mercury Drug store.

I'm on my last day of Clomid today. Our next schedule with Dr. Fernandez is on Saturday, which I will be having my first transvaginal ultrasound for follicle monitoring. I just hope that my body is responding well to Clomid.