Hy Cosy scan, did you do it and what to expect?

[FrancyItaly]

The NHS offered me this scan and since I will have a break of 2 months from the private clinic (due to Rubella vaccinations) I thought it might be worth doing it. Did anyone do it and what shall I expect? I wonder why the private clinic don’t do it?

[User20]

Hi FrancyItaly, when I went to see the specialist at the very beginning of our journey it was a test we discussed, but he basically told us whilst it has some value it is pretty much unimportant for IVF as you are going to bypass the fallopian tubes anyways. It would be more important to know if we were considering IUI. I think that's probably why a lot of private clinics don't do it, as it isn't that relevant (at least from what I understood)

Also I didn't do it as it would have meant a delay of a couple of months before starting the IVF journey. I guess if you have to wait anyways due to rubella immunity and get it through NHS. Why not as it will certainly give you maybe more of an understanding what's going on in your body xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to User20]

No, in 2 months I will start Clomid for a few cycles and try to conceive naturally. Of course if I don’t conceive then I might have to do IVF. Thank you for your message! x

[User20 in reply to FrancyItaly]

Then I would definitely do the hy cosy test if you can. At least that way you'll know if there is a problem with conceiving naturally! Good luck 🤞

[KiboXX]

If you have the time to do, I definitely think it’s worth while doing. I’ve never had it and I’ve always wondered if that’s why we’ve never fallen pregnant naturally so I’d say it’s worth doing just to know whether there is an issue there or not. It’s definitely something that still plays on my mind now xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to KiboXX]

I think I’ll do it next week, I have this nice break and it might be worth it, you never know! Thank you for your message, I hope your little one is doing well x

[KiboXX in reply to FrancyItaly]

Exactly! You’ve got nothing to lose 😊 good luck!x

[Kitty230515]

I’ve never had it done, but I think if you’re offered it on the NHS and you’re having to take a break then to do it. I’ve heard positive stories about couples becoming pregnant naturally after having it done xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Kitty230515]

Oh really? I wonder why it would make a difference? Thank you for your message x

[KiboXX in reply to FrancyItaly]

I had a friend fall pregnant naturally after having it done. Might be a coincidence but I’ve heard it can help as it flushes your tubes when they put the dye through x

[Kitty230515 in reply to KiboXX]

That’s what I heard too. That it can flush your tubes out. Xx

[Raluca88]

I had this done to check the fallopian tubes and it was found that both my tubes are blocked by hydrosalpinx, a liquid which can affect falling pregnant naturally and that is very risky to try and remove. It is also true that for some this dye test actually helped unblocking the tubes. However, i had to have laparoscopy to clip both tubes and after 2 months we were getting ready for IVF.

It is worth doing it for sure as you want to have the best chances.

Good luck xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Raluca88]

Oh that’s very interesting, I’ll definitely do it, since I have the time anyway! Thank you for your message x

[Ranchu90]

I had hycosy done in between of my cycles with Letrozole. I stopped my medications for a month to have it done. It is a bit painful but you can ask the doctor to stop when you feel that you cannot bear anymore the pressure. I was sooooo dizzy right after procedure I thought I would faint 🤪 Also what was strange is that I had 2 periods that month (never happened to me ever). Hope I didn’t scare you too much, that wasn’t my intention. Anyway is worth to do it, don’t lose the opportunity ❤️

[FrancyItaly in reply to Ranchu90]

Thank you for your message. They told me some bleeding is normal, so maybe yours was bleeding due to this, not a second period? x

[Ranchu90 in reply to FrancyItaly]

Oh I wish it was the case but not. It was a full normal bleeding. Next day after procedure I started spotting and 3-4 days later AF arrived. I had my normal period and 19 days later another period. You are not allowed to have any kind of spotting when the procedure is done as is can obscure visibility.

You might not experience the same side effects, good luck 🤞🤗

[FrancyItaly in reply to Ranchu90]

Oh wow, it’s good then that I do it well in advance before my Clomid treatment starts! Thank you for the heads up! x

[Chel91]

Hi, I had the HSG instead, which is similar. I definitely wanted to rule out tube blockage as being an issue. Thankfully, they were both clear. However, being 100% honest it was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life... not to scare you, but wish someone had told me that so I could have taken lots of strong painkillers before hand. Definitely something to consider xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Chel91]

Not sure what the HSG is, I will look it up. Thank you for the advice, I will take painkillers before hand! x

[London_Lady1 in reply to FrancyItaly]

HyCoSy is basically the same as HSG, but they now prefer to do HyCoSy as you can avoid unnecessary xrays.

I had one done at the end of Jan this year. I was pretty sure my tubes were fine, but wanted to flush them out. It turns out they were fine. I've heard it painful if you have any blockages but mine wasn't too bad. It was like getting period cramps on demand.

So they scan you and check womb, tubes and ovaries (this is how I found out my follicle count is low as well as my AMH). They will then offer to run the dye through to flush things out, even if you have no blockages we all have debris (I didn't appreciate being told I had debris, but that's the word they use!) I would 100% recommend. It's uncomfortable and gross (but I think that sums up all fertility related treatment, but us women are tough we can take it!)

There is some research that it can increase your fertility for the 3 months following, as you're clearing everything out. Making the path up and down easier for every thing to navigate. I'm no expert so I'll leave up you to make up your mind on that. But my friend fell pregnant 2 months after her HSG and has a little girl who is now 3 (she had been trying for a year). I fell pregnant a month afterwards. I unfortunately had a miscarriage a few weeks later but it was totally unrelated to this.

Basically defo go for it, and the fact it's on the NHS makes it even better!

My clinic (private) gave me 5 days antibiotics to take afterwards. I hate taking them, but as you can fall pregnant straight away (as you have the scan just before you ovulate) they said it's best not to risk an infection in case you do become pregnant.

Good luck with this and the following months. xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to London_Lady1]

Thank you for your message, it’s very helpful. I am very sorry for your loss, I had a miscarriage too and it’s heartbreaking. I hate taking medicines too but it is what it is! All the best to you too x

[PurplePiggie]

I've also had a HSG done which is basically the same as a hycosy but the HSG is x-ray and the hycosy is ultrasound from my understanding. I would definitely recommend having it as mine uncovered a left hydrosalpinx that needed to be treated before we could move forward with IVF (unfortunately we have male factor probs too) due to the fluid leaking back into the womb that can stop natural pregnancy. I had to pay privately for the HSG so if you've been offered on the NHS I'd definitely go for it! Xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to PurplePiggie]

Yes, my private clinic didn’t even mention it but the nhs fertility unit offered it as part of the investigations, so I’ll definitely go for it. Thank you for your message x

[PurplePiggie in reply to FrancyItaly]

No problem 😊 xx

[Mara84]

Hey lovely, as I told you, I’ve done it last year, it’s something that definitely worth doing. I had my husband with me, as I was worried.... if your husband could join you, I think it’s good to have him by your side.

❤️

[FrancyItaly in reply to Mara84]

Awww unfortunately my husband will not join me but he offered to pick me up afterwards! Sounds like your husband is an angel x

[Millbanks]

I’ve had this done and it was the most painful thing I’ve experienced (yet) 😬

It does only last a few seconds but it’s like hot lava being squeezed through your tubes!! However I’ve heard people say it wasn’t that bad so maybe I’m a wimp 🤣

For me it was useful as it diagnosed double hydrosalpinx which I had clipped like Racula88 - they said it was likely leaking the toxic fluid from the tubes in to the uterus. So best to be clipped before going forward with any transfers.. xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you for your message. I bought some pain killers to take in advance, hopefully it will help a little! x

[Millbanks in reply to FrancyItaly]

It’s over very quickly! I’m being melodramatic anyway. You’ll be fine 😬💖

[Stato]

I also had a HyCoSy.

Have you been given the date yet? I had to wait and then Phone on day 1. They had rules around using contraception that cycle as they can’t do it if there’s a chance you’re pregnant.

They took four attempts with mine. It was more uncomfortable than painful, but I definitely took pain killers beforehand!

Good luck and definitely worth it x

[FrancyItaly in reply to Stato]

I’m on day 5 of my cycle now, I totally forgot to call them on day 1! Yes, they gave me an appointment for next week and I’ll be on day 12 then. They told me no sex, which we are very happy with Lol! Time for a break! x

[Shelleybean]

Just wanted to add that mine really wasn’t painful, just uncomfortable. I told the radiographer how nervous I was and she injected the dye quite slowly, to reduce the risk of spasm. No problems were found and the procedure was quite quick. Unfortunately I didn’t fall pregnant naturally afterwards, so we still needed IVF, but definitely worth a try I would say. Good luck! xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Shelleybean]

Thank you for your message. I really hope they will not finding any issues, I’m already nervous about the outcome, so it’s good I’m going to have it checked! Sorry to hear you didn’t get pregnant naturally, did you do IVF? x

[Shelleybean in reply to FrancyItaly]

Yes we did 4 cycles- sadly had a missed mc after the first one, but have an 11 week old baby boy from the 4th 💙 Still have to pinch myself! I think of everyone still on their own fertility journey every day. Wishing you lots of luck for the future xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Shelleybean]

That’s lovely! 💙 you must be very proud of him x

[Shelleybean in reply to FrancyItaly]

Thank you, we really are. He was a day 3 transfer following yet another round of “poor quality” embryos. They had advised donor eggs after the last unsuccessful round, but we decided to give it one last shot (excuse the pun!). Feel so lucky. Miracles really can happen 🥰💙🥰 xx