What a morning. In preparation for my second ICSI cycle, I have been doing lots of investigative fertility tests including bloods, scan and an HSG (hysterosalpingogram).
I have never been in so much pain. They found the tubes quickly, so it only lasted a few minutes, but afterwards I couldn’t move.
I started vomiting over the nurse, convulsing and crying from a type of pain I didn’t think was possible. The doctor took me to the emergency ward and gave me morphine. He said my left tube has a blockage at the end, which is why it was painful but said no one has had this reaction before.
He said the next step is a laparoscopy in two weeks.
This really is a journey isn’t it? A brutal, painful road. After this agony is over, I am going to start campaigning for proper reproductive education in schools. No one should go through this. I went to four doctors about painful periods in my 20s and they all said it was hormones. Now, at 36, I finally find out otherwise because I pushed a private clinic to test me. It goes to show: we know our bodies best.
A friend of mine had similar - went to various doctors and even A&E once for painful periods (was so bad they thought she had appendicitis!). Over a four year period she was fobbed off there was nothing wrong with her, even had some scans and MRIs and told nothing, she had also had trouble conceiving... FOUR years later they finally did an HSG and found both tubes blocked and other tests found terrible endo but by that time she had missed the free ivf funding on NHS as age limit was 35!! It’s criminal x
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Please tell me she had her baby in the end? 🙂
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Yes! She has an absolutely gorgeous 12 week old boy 😍 it will all be worth it - hope you feel heaps better soon xx
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I needed to hear that. Thank you ❤️
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Oooo one other question. Did they remove both tubes? This is something the doctor said he might need to do - remove one tube. Sounds petrifying....I would have thought it would make pregnancy harder, with only one Fallopian tube...
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Hers were folded over and all stuck with everything else so they left them x
That does not sound nice at all. But it's good you are finally getting sorted and hopefully they can remove/sort what they need to, to help you. I hope that you are now feeling better.
I too have suffered for years with very painful periods, at the age of 12 had to have an emergency on call doctor come out with suspected appendicitis (but it was the excuriating pain of my periods), I was put on mefenamic acid when I was 13 until 19. More recently I've been prescribed high dose naproxen and I'm currently on codine. I have always suffered with pain, sometimes the pain making me feel sick and light headed. They found no blockages on my HSG and I've been told that my period symptoms don't match those of endometriosis.
I agree with you that there needs to be more done with girls and educating them about their bodies.
I hope that you are taking it easy today and have your feet up. Hoping you get some answers from your laparoscopy xx
So sorry to hear this. It sounds incredibly painful and surely there must be a reason. How very frustrating. Did they not offer you a laparoscopy to do a further investigation? At least you have no blockages - that is fantastic news ❤️
I found my HSG very painful. Took my breath away especially after. If it makes u feel any better I’ve only got one Ovary which I guess is the equivalent odds wise of having one tube, and we’ve got children. I agree there’s very little educational out there. Good for you for trying to make a difference. X
Thanks so much for the reply and sorry you also found it painful. Can I ask if you had children via IVF? The doctor seems to think that removing a tube will help, but it scares me as surely this means I have 50% less chance of conceiving naturally and what if the other one gets blocked?! Not sure if tubes block and unblock over time....
I have always had 1 ovary, I’ve got 3 kids now. 2 with no problems, 3rd under fertility treatment. Ours was secondary infertility and I was undiagnosed hypothyroidism with poor sperm morphology. We got there in the end xx
I didn’t have a nice experience with my HSG either but I have endometriosis which makes the most simple pelvic examination agony for me.
I have had 3 laparoscopys ( treated endometriosis which was the cause of our infertility) & if you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
It’s good you are having a laparoscopy as painful periods can be a sign of endometriosis. Which can only be diagnosed via a laparoscopy ( unless you have the chocolate endo cysts I didnt) When they do your laparoscopys get them to check for endometriosis & treat it at the same time ( providing it is not severe or complicated endometriosis which can only be treated by a BSGE endometriosis specialist; my last surgery was done by an endo surgeon)
It is a shame women’s concerns over periods are so grossly ignored. It is not part of being a woman & shouldn’t have to put up with it.
I have always suffered with really painful periods from day 1 & I was TTC for 5 year and 10 months & 3 years of unexplained period abnormalities which no dr could explain, until I was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis. I am now 20 weeks pregnant after TTC for 7 years & 1 month & after an early miscarriage last year. So it is very possible to fall pregnant with endometriosis once it is properly treated ( I fell twice naturally)
Good luck with your surgery xoxo
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Thank you so much for such a detailed reply. I am so grateful.
To be honest, I am still quite shocked. My partner has retrograde ejaculation so we always knew he had fertility issues...and now me!! 😭
I am living abroad and my doctor is a reproductive specialist but he is not part of BSGE. They don’t have that kind of accreditation where I am.
He has done laparoscopys before, but I am still worried. Should I let him do the laparoscopy to see the extent of the damage and then go back to the UK if it is severe? Would you recommend the person who did your laparoscopy?
The doctor did say that the HSG showed blockage at the end of the tube, but nothing else came up in the scan so he said if I had endometriosis it is probably mild, although that wouldn’t explain the insane pain I was in....I literally couldn’t breathe it was so painful!
I am so delighted to hear about your pregnancy! Congratulations xx ❤️
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Thank you!
Endometriosis is a very odd disease; you can endometriosis everywhere & have no pain or symptoms & you can very little endometriosis & have every symptom & lots of pain. I did.
I have had 3 surgeries within 13 months.
My first lap was by my fertility doctor & it was mild endometriosis ( it grew pouch of Douglas & had 2 spots left on my rectum) he removed the endo from my pouch of Douglas but left the endo on my rectum believing it wouldn’t cause any issues with TTC, I did fall but miscarried very early. I won’t say it was it was because it was left because I believe miscarriages are sadly one of those things that happen. 💔
Because my symptoms returned I was referred to another gynaecologist to have a laparoscopy; some endometriosis was on my uteroscaral ligaments ( uterus ligaments) & this time all over my rectum not just a spot or two. As it had regrow so rapidly ( within a few months) & spread all over my rectum my fertility doctor referred me to a endometriosis specialist.
You will only get referred to an endometriosis specialist if you have proven severe or complicated endometriosis. Most women can have theirs treated by a regular gynaecologist. Because mine was all over my rectum & no gynaecologist felt confident to tackle that endo I was sent to an endo surgeon who was able to remove endo from my rectum. If your endo is growing on a pelvic organ a gynaecologist is capable of treating it. You won’t know the extent/ location of endometriosis until you have the surgery, so I would have the laparoscopy & see where to go from then.
There is a online forum for endometriosis for help & support because it isn’t curable despite what some medics say it often grows back 🙄 it’s about managing the condition.
In terms of symptoms mine didn’t improve after any surgeries but did make it possible to conceive. ❤️
Ask me any questions on it ( I promise to be honest!) xoxo
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Thank you so much Jess. I really appreciate the detailed response xx
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