Why are we in line for this ride?

Monday, January 14, 2013

HSG here I come...AGAIN

That is right, the worst procedure I have had in a long time, I am voluntarily doing it again. Why you may ask? Well, laparoscopic surgery doesn't seem scary, just seems unnecessary right now. Why you may ask again?

It was found in my first HSG that I had a blocked left tube and my follow up saline sonogram showed hydrosalpinx in that tube. However, in my first IVF cycle, not once did a physician see this again and during retrieval, they said it spontaneously drained. I went for a second opinion and same thing, could not find it.

I don't fit any of the hydro criteria for why I would have it, so could it have been a misdiagnosis? Sure! So before jumping on the table to have them search through my reproductive system with a scalpel and possibly mess something up for good, I am choosing to repeat the HSG.

Let me tell you about my first HSG experience. The day started off great, blue sky, I got there early to get my name first on the list (military healthcare at its best, first come, first serve) and sat back waiting for the easy test, assuming I would be walking out with one thing scratched of my list on why it can’t be me who has a problem. I was one of the few without my husband there, which funny as it may seem now, made me feel stronger to do it on my own, but also at the same time lonely that what if I needed someone to drive me home.

My name was called and off I go to an x-ray room that they turned the traditional cold, flat metal exam table to a GYN table, except they forgot the comfort factor. I can’t even remember if there were any stirrups on the bed.

They prep me and here comes the worst part, they prep me all the way, that is right, all the way to opening my cervix. One problem, the attending physician was nowhere to be found in the room.  When the other fellow went to get her, she was busy doing paperwork. HELLO!! My cervix is open, can we hurry this up. Of course I did not scream that since I am polite but talk about cramping, my leg muscles wavering due to the weird table I was on (just remembered there were no stirrups, so I was flexing my muscles to keep my legs in position on the edge of the table, lovely).

After at least 10 minutes (no joke) the physician walks in without even a “I am so sorry” statement and got to work. And the pain started. I expected a little bit of cramping but man, I was like a woman in the peak of labor (definitely not my finest moment). And of course, this doctor wanted me to twist and turn on the table in hopes that my left tube would open up. Really? Twist while in pain!

As soon as the catheter was removed, I was back to my cheery, friendly self. Definitely a Jekyll and Hyde moment for me.

You still ask, why am I doing this again? Answer is, before I go ahead to have surgery for something I just am not 100% is there, I want to confirm my left tube is actually blocked. After the first HSG, I was told that many times your uterus can contract, causing the tube opening to close. Well, that is my hope since I was in so much pain before it even began, I am hopeful that this time I will not have to wait as long and my uterus won’t have time to react.

Next step is to wait for AF to arrive before I schedule it (and fingers crossed there are openings).

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