Does laparoscopy alone check fallopian tubes

[Malahide36]

Hi.

I have fertility problems.

I had laparoscopy 3 months ago and was found to have severe endometriosis.

The surgeon said my fallopian tubes "looked normal". . He did not pass a dye to check them.

He said if they look normal they are usually patent.

I am still having fertility issues.

Does anyone know if you need dye test ? Or is the surgeon able to assess from laparoscopy alone?

Thank you

[Rach82]

You need an HSG (hysterosalpingogram) to check tubes for blockages, I had one last year. It's pretty uncomfortable but over quickly. Basically they take an x-ray of your pelvis and put dye through the womb and tubes.

[Malahide36 in reply to Rach82]

Hi thankyou for reply.

I know about this test and to be honest, I assumed the surgeon had done a dye test during my surgery. He told me afterwards my tubes were fine, so I assumed he had done the test.

I got a copy of his letter from my Gp. The letter stated the tubes looked ok.

I therefore asked the surgeon to clarify what this meant and if they were patent and if he had done the dye test.

He said the tubes looked ok so dye test wasn't needed.

He is a good surgeon and doctor so I am trying to trust his judgement.

I wanted to know if the dye test is needed when the surgeon tells you your tubes look ok? ?

[Rach82 in reply to Malahide36]

Hmm sorry can't be of much help, I assume the surgeon would know what to look for though. There's no harm in pressing for a HSG but it could be a long and unnecessary delay if you're planning fertility treatments, it has to be done around day 11 of cycle so there is no risk of pregnancy. If you're prescribed clomid you definitely need patent tubes; for ivf it doesn't matter.

[Malahide36 in reply to Rach82]

Thank you so much for reply.

I am not going to go for fertility treatments.

I said to the surgeon I just wanted to give myself the best natural chance of conception.

I'll live with fate after that I suppose.

I might push for the HSG test.

Thank you

[Rach82 in reply to Malahide36]

No problem wishing you all the best for your journey xxx

[Fingerscrossed38]

Hi, I had a hycosy with saline not dye but I paid privately for that as nhs is dye which is ever so slightly radioactive and turned me off.

Can I ask more about your lap surgery though please?

Were you knocked out? Painful? Does it matter when in the cycle you do it? Is it only to check for endometriosis? How long for results to come back? Does it check whole womb like a Hysteroscopy?Do you have to have a break from conceiving after it, if so, how long?

Did you have symptoms of endometriosis or was it silent endometriosis? Once you found out you had severe endometriosis what did they do? Are you on any special medication? Does it keep coming back? Will you have to keep repeating the lap?

So sorry about all the questions I'm trying to understand it all for myself.

Have you tried getting an ERA/Alice/Emma biopsy to check timing window and uterine good and bad bacteria levels? It can often be as simple as probiotics for a few months or antibiotics... Best of luck xx

[Malahide36 in reply to Fingerscrossed38]

Hi .

I had my surgery privately.

I guess I just trusted everything, but now have doubts about patency of fallopian tubes.

I'll try and answer your questions.

I had pain for many years. Mostly what I thought was irritable bowel. I would sometimes be rolling on the ground for hours unable to walk with what felt like bowel spasm. I attended emergency departments 5 times in my life and was given laxatives.

I had pmt mood disturbance. My menstrual cycle was regular and I had pre menstrual pain, which was manageable as long as I got pain killers in early.

Over one year before surgery, I was getting increasing pain and new random pelvic pains which seemed to be spreading over my pelvis.

I was also anaemic. I had a chronic cough, chest pain off and on and breathlessness. I started to miss period cycles.

Prior to all this, I was very athletic, surfing, running , triathlon etc.

The gp seemed to think my problem was anxiety related and onset of peri menopause.

Anyway, I had an ultra sound and an mri

. The mri showed endometrioma and a possible hydro Salpinx.also endometriosis on my bowel.

I had surgery and they said I didn't actually have any issues with my tubes. .but had severe deep endometriosis.

He removed what he could but further surgery was high risk so some of the disease remains.

I had a general anaesthetic for surgery( knocked out). The surgery wasn't painful. However I had been very sore for months after the surgery, worse than any pain I had before the surgery and remain unfit to work.

As far as I know, the surgeon also checks the womb.

The results from his visual inspection were immediate, that is that I have severe endometriosis. The biopsy to confirm took about a week.

I was told you can try to conceive again after the first period after surgery.

Medication options are the pill or something to put me into temporary menopause, neither of which I chose to take .

I hope never to need repeat surgery, though I do hear a lot of people seem to get into a surgery cycle.

I plan to keep well by exercise, diet control, supplements, yoga, etc

I think the endometriosis can come back and of course some of mine still remains. However I remind myself, I likely had it for years anyway and managed to live a full live, so I hope I can continue to manage it myself with healthy life.

From my experience, I wouldn't recommend a laparoscopy unless it's needed and doctors recommend it.

I found recovery very slow.

A bonus for me would be fertility, but I am prepared to accept my fate if this doesn't happen.

Thank you for tip on pro biotics. It's funny. I already started them and they were the first thing that helped my pain!

[Fingerscrossed38 in reply to Malahide36]

Wow I'm so sorry to hear you've had such awful pain for so many years. I really hope the lap has helped ease the pain somewhat.

I don't think I suffer from endo I'm just worried if got silent endometriosis and didn't know it. I'm trying to figure out the cause of my recurrent early miscarriages. It's such a long and difficult road.

I'm glad the probiotics are helping you. Thanks again for replying in such detail xx

[Telford1 in reply to Fingerscrossed38]

I just had my laperoscopy and they did a dye test at the same time to check tubes. It is a general so knocked out, not too sore for me, but need to be kind to yourself.

I had endo on the outside of my uterus which was removed.

I would say mine was silent- however I have had back pain for quite a while but i put that down to my hip which has a bit of arthritis.

The surgeon told me you get a fertility push for 6 months after surgery- o fingers crossed.

A friend of mine who recommended the laperoscopy to me (not the doctors ironically!) struggled to conceive, miscarriage, and then found endo through laperoscopy, after the doctors telling her she didn’t. She fell pregnant 6 months later.

I think it is always worth checking. In my experience the clinics and doctors both didn’t recommend it, perhaps because it costs. Personally, I would push for it. I have had two rounds of failed ivf and it is gruelling. I find it dissapointing it may have failed due to endo. . In my view laperoscopy should have been done first.

[Fingerscrossed38 in reply to Telford1]

Thanks for replying. I'm sorry your first ivfs failed. Hopefully the lap has cleared the way and that you get your bfp soon!

I'm going in for a harrowing and ERA tomorrow morning under GA part of me wants to find something so I can have an answer to my early losses. I'm so over this journey and being poked and prodded.

Was the recovery time after your lap difficult/long? Did they manage to get all of the endometriosis during surgery? Can you try again right away?

Best of luck and thanks for the detailed reply xx

[Telford1 in reply to Fingerscrossed38]

Hi, good luck tomorrow. Yeah it gets really tiring being poked and prodded.

I found the general and the lap itself no problem at all. The thought was worse than anything.

The anethiatist and nurses and consultant were all absolutely lovely so I have been lucky. I am only a couple of days post op so don’t know about long term pain but so far so good and it feels really good having a possible barrier to pregnancy removed. They did get all of it, but mine wasn’t widespread like some others can be.

I can start right away:). Or at least once my stitches heal.

The nurses were recommending to take ibuprofen to help with pain, but the same consultant who tested me told me ibuprofen is a real fertility no. Even taking one can impact ovulation. So I am on cocodomal instead as want want to start straight away.

Good luck tomorrow!! Take a good book:).

[Fingerscrossed38 in reply to Telford1]

Oh wow I didn't know that about ibuprofen! Scary. I hate it when nurses give incorrect advice. They do it all the time and when I double check with the Dr is usually wrong.

My Dr was not keen on letting me do a lap. Said I didn't need to rush doing a risky procedure unnecessarily. Said it risks damaging surrounding organs.

But after hearing your story I'm going to enquire again.

Rest up well and best of luck xx

[Telford1 in reply to Fingerscrossed38]

Yeah, there are risks which they talk through. I am sure there will be women out here who have stories to tell that are not as straight forward as mine. The balances just need weighed up. I had two failed rounds, and so the risks (which are low but there) were worth taking if it improved things and allowed a route to natural conception.

I went to a consultant who had a very good reputation and felt good about which maybe helped my confidence.

Good luck. X

[Fingerscrossed38 in reply to Telford1]

Definitely will be doing one too if I don't have any luck soon xx

[a1234567]

Hi, when I had laparoscopy to check for endometriosis, they also did the dye test and a hysteroscopy to check the uterus from the inside. After the laparoscopy we were advised to try for a baby for 4 months and if this doesn’t happen naturally then to go for ivf.

[Malahide36 in reply to a1234567]

Hi .thanks for reply. Sounds like you had a thorough assessment.

I might ask to have my tube tested.

Yes, I was advised to go for ivf even before my surgery! !

I just don't want ivf personally.

It's unlikely to work for me anyway, I probably have as much chance at natural conception( which is also low!!)

I'm trying just to accept things, but really wanted to make sure there was no structural blockage to pregnancy.