Did you have a laparoscopy? Is it worth doing it?

[FrancyItaly]

The hospital offered me hysteroscopy and since I will be under general anesthesia they said it’s worth doing a laparoscopy. What is it and it is worth doing it? What is your experience?

[Hidden]

Hi lovely, as I understand it its keyhole surgery where they go into your womb via a few small holes. Have you been diagnosed with endo or polyps? I thought they would only do it if they were going to strip something back or remove something, rather than as an investigative thing.. but I could be wrong x

[FrancyItaly in reply to Hidden]

Hi! No I have to do a hysteroscopy, I have not been diagnosed with anything, I had 3 miscarriages. I don’t have any pain ever, not even when i’m on my period. I’m confused! Thank you xx

[Roobs33]

Heya, have they suggested that you might have Endometriosis or Fibroids? I have severe endo and the only way to properly diagnose and see the extent of it is through a diagnostic laparoscopy. I would definitely find out if they would be planning to remove things if they find them or if they are just having a look. Depending on what they do it can take a couple of weeks to recover. I have had two laparoscopies over the past couple of years and it is a pretty straight forward procedure. One was to remove endo and the other was to clip and inflamed tube. It’s keyhole surgery and they make two to three incisions and inflate the abdomen. It’s quite uncomfortable after due to gas pains rising out the shoulders. But overall not too bad. Wishing you loads of luck and let me know if you have any other questions. And definitely ask for more info from them. All the best xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Roobs33]

Hi! I wonder why they offered it to me. It feels like they want to do it just because I will be under anestesia and it makes sense to do both. But I don’t have any pains, never have period pains, so I don’t see a valid reason at this stage. Thank you! Xx

[Roobs33 in reply to FrancyItaly]

I’ve just looked it up in more detail and it says with a hysteroscopy they will be looking at the inside of the uterus and with a laparoscopy they look at the outside structure plus ovaries, tubes etc. It says if you are having a laparoscopy then they can perform the hysteroscopy at the same time. Perhaps they are doing both to save you having to perhaps have a laparoscopy further down the line and sort everything at once. Sometimes Endometriosis can be asymptotic but heavy periods are usually a sign. I guess they want to cover all bases so they can give you the best possible advice and care going forward. I hope you don’t have to wait to long for the procedure and wish you the very best of luck xxxxx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Roobs33]

I don’t have heavy periods either 🤷🏻‍♀️ They said around 6 weeks and I hope so as I have to do a transfer in June! Thank you for your help! xxx

[Roobs33 in reply to FrancyItaly]

Good luck with everything and hope you’re able to have your transfer in June. I’m starting my second cycle in June following a missed miscarriage last month. Feeling terrified! It’s all so much to go through. Also peppermint tea after a laparoscopy is meant to be good to help with gas pains xxxx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Roobs33]

I also have a miscarriage last month. Hopefully we will do the transfer together. What are you transferring? Good luck!!! x

[Roobs33 in reply to FrancyItaly]

So sorry for your loss. I’ve got no embryos left so starting from scratch again. Fingers crossed I’ll get a few good ones. I got two last time. The fresh didn’t work and the frozen ended in miscarriage. My body/endo hated the stimulation meds and I was in a lot of pain, so absolutely dreading it! Will be making no plans to do anything in June and just try and focus on this! So much luck to you ❤️ Xxx

[Fruitandflowers]

I've had two and they were for diagnostic reasons from gynae issues, not fertility. First time they found endometriosis and evidence I'd had it more extensively, but they said it had been recedingthrough treatment so they didn't do anything about it. I had a hysteroscopy, D&C and cauterisation of the cervix at the same time - they seemed to think that was most efficient! Second time they didn't find anything but they also tested for 'micro' or invisible endometriosis by doing a biopsy. That time they did some excisions on my womb ligaments which showed some scarring or tightness. For me, they used them to check a lot of different things like scarring, inflammation, fibroids, evidence of blockage, structural abnormalities etc. It's keyhole surgery usually by two or three tiny incisions (one via or just below your belly button) - they left the tiniest cross shaped scars and a reshaped belly button in my case, but barely noticeable. I found recovery pretty tough even though it was keyhole, as you have been full to bursting with gas to inflate your abdomen (can also cause pain in your shoulder tips for a while after), general bruising from all the poking around, and then soreness around the incisions. Probably only a couple of weeks recovery though, even with my wimpish response, and I think most women are much quicker. Not sure it's necessary if you don't have symptoms but I guess if your under GA anyway it makes sense for them to do the additional checks - the GA also seems to be the biggest cost of it all - plus it was useful to be able to rule out a lot of things.

[FrancyItaly in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Hi! Thank you for taking the time to explain everything. I feel I don’t need to do it at this stage and i’m not ready at all for something like that. I have 0 symptoms. Thank you for your help xx

[Jess1981]

Yes I have had 3! 5 years ago I was offered the choice of the following- carrying on trying naturally ( yeah right when we hadn’t conceived in 5 years 8 months!) a lap & dye or private IVF ( couldn’t access NHS funding) We chose the lap & dye & it was without a doubt the best decision we made & turning point in our long journey. I had lots of various symptoms with my cycles and loads of pain no medication can explain. It turned out that I have endometriosis which can only be diagnosed with a laparoscopic surgery. Anyhow I conceived naturally first time with hubby but had a chemical pregnancy, unfortunately my endometriosis re grew ( fertility specialist said I had a particularly aggressive form of endometriosis) I was referred to an endometriosis specialist who I had my third & final lap with . 2 months after my final lap I conceived my daughter Francesca who is 3 in June! After having her we decided to try for a sibling unsure if we would be successful. We did conceive straightaway amazingly but lost our daughter Amelia at 20 weeks pregnant in November 2020, then had a chemical pregnancy in January 2021, another loss at 7 weeks in March 2021 and conceived in June 2021 and had our daughter Eliza in February! Without the surgery we wouldn’t have Francesca let alone another one. If you do have a lap make sure they will do treatment if they find anything so you don’t have to have another one. Good luck with whatever you decide to do Xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Jess1981]

But can they find out with a hysteroscopy? I don’t believe I had endometriosis as I have no pain, no even on my period? I also feel that is not the reason for me not conceiving naturally (i don’t ovulate) and also not the reason for my miscarriages. How could it be if I don’t even have any pain or anything? Thank you hun x

[Jess1981 in reply to FrancyItaly]

You cannot diagnosis endometriosis with hysteroscopy or ultrasound only laparoscopic surgery can confirm endometriosis. It is possible to have endometriosis without symptoms , it is also linked with PCOS the 2 can go together. You can have hysteroscopy & laparoscopy together to have a good look into uterus and outside , sometimes they recommend this after recurring pregnancy losses. You have to do what feels for you. Your circumstances are different to mine. I just speak from my own experience. Wishing you the best with whatever you decide to do Xx

[Solly-44]

Hi love, I’ve had 2 - one was for a HSG after my previous tubes checks were inconclusive, and the other to check for endometriosis because of pain. I’m not really sure why yours has been suggested as it’s a type of keyhole surgery rather than a procedure in itself so might be worth clarifying with your clinic. If you decide to go for it the recovery for mine wasn’t bad and as you’re already having the hysteroscopy I doubt it will ‘add’ anything but it definitely depends on how much digging around they do xx

[FrancyItaly in reply to Solly-44]

I think because with the HyCosy one of the tubes was not open (was either having spasm or was blocked). I don’t have period pain or heavy period ever. I don’t feel like the procedure is going to give me answers for my miscarriages! It feels convenient as I will be sedated for hysteroscopy. Might be wrong but I don’t think it’s something I want to do now. Thank you! Xx

[Solly-44 in reply to FrancyItaly]

Ah ok. Yeah that’s why I had one of mine. I was about to start clomid cycles though so they needed to know my tubes weren’t blocked, I can’t see how it would matter for IVF. I’d probably agree that I wouldn’t particularly want it if I were you xx

[B4mb1]

I was in a similar position to you a while ago. No real reason for the lap but they needed to do hysteroscopy and HSG and then if anything was found or blocked tubes a lap. My consultant suggested doing everything at once to save time and as lap is gold standard we would then be sure of results. No uncertainty. It also seemed like an NHS check box situation and at first I was not for it. Surgery keyhole or otherwise imo is not a small decision and because it was purely investigative (they would treat if they found anything) but the reasons for the surgery were let’s just take a look and see. I wasn’t convinced. Two failed transfer later and I wanted some answers and certainty. Still not happy about it.

Recovery was ok not terrible but not great either and honeslty only in late jan did I feel I had fully recovered no twinges at the wound sites etc. but I was up and walking as long as I took it easy within a week after the op.

If you are at the point where you want to check things off a list and get some clear answers or at least direction then the lap will help with that. But I understand you hesitancy as I was the same, in the end after the failures I needed to do something. If you won’t ask what if should you not have the lap and more failures (and I sincerely hope that is not how things go for you) then you can skip it. I knew I’d beat myself up if I isn’t always wondering if they would have found something simple.

Best of luck with everything.

[FrancyItaly in reply to B4mb1]

Thank you for sharing. I have the feeling my miscarriages are caused by raised NK cells so I want to at least do one transfer with my private clinic which will put me on the right medication (not the case with NHS where I had the 2 previous transfers and no much support in terms of medication) Thank you! Xx

[B4mb1 in reply to FrancyItaly]

That makes sense. That is exactly what I’m struggling with in regards to NHS treatment. They don’t seem to be willing or able to test more thoroughly or take certain things on board in regards to meds and consider the extremely limited funding for my CCG I can help but think it will be a waste of time and added heartache because going into I don’t feel they are doing the best care for our case.

They wouldn’t test for blood clotting but I did it privately and turns out I do have that issue. If we didn’t do that we may have had more transfer fail and no answers.

[FrancyItaly in reply to B4mb1]

Oh really? They tested me for that on NHS but only after 2 miscarriages. It was just a simple blood test. Anyway I can’t complain, it seemed they offer all they could really, just not medications during my pregnancies which I think I need prior the transfer. We’ll see! I wish you all the very best xxx

[Positivechangeplease]

Similarly to everyone else I thought a laparoscopy would be done to see if you had endometriosis because they can’t detect it if it grows outside of the womb. But a hysteroscopy is basically taking a bit of the womb. I had one to remove polyps and they also took a biopsy at the same time. Are you sure they don’t mean a biopsy and not a laparoscopy (because also the laparoscopy is usually done from your belly button in (not from inside). And hysteroscopy and laparoscopy are two different separate procedures. A biopsy is often done to take a small part of the womb and test it to make sure it’s normal.

[FrancyItaly in reply to Positivechangeplease]

Yes they meant laparoscopy, not biopsy. I have decided to not do it at this stage. I might do it one day but I don’t feel it could detect the reason for my miscarriages. I might be wrong. Thank you xx

[Positivechangeplease in reply to FrancyItaly]

Tbh I’ve had very painful periods in the past and it was suggested that perhaps I could have endo (although it’s never been investigated). However my womb biopsy came back normal so I thought there was a chance it could be in my Fallopian tubes (making getting pregnant tricky) but ivf would be the solution for that anyway. And the womb was fine so I didn’t think about it further. Agree if you have no symptoms a laparoscopy is very invasive so I’d just stick with the hysteroscopy 👍🏻

[FrancyItaly in reply to Positivechangeplease]

They told me exactly the same things to me, they said the womb is fine and perhaps is a problem in my tube. But I don’t ovulate and couldn’t get pregnant naturally anyway, ivf is the route so what is the point? Maybe worth considering it for the future but i don’t feel like it’s the time now since i have no pain. Thank you for sharing! x

[Positivechangeplease in reply to FrancyItaly]

Since I see you’ve suffered multiple miscarriages (and I’m very sorry for you for that, I have suffered one myself but not multiple but it’s very hard) then I wonder if it’s worth trying to contact Tommy’s or getting referred to them. As I read that they specialise in multiple miscarriages and have helped women in the past who haven’t conceived to conceive x

[FrancyItaly in reply to Positivechangeplease]

What is it about? What do they offer? Sorry for your loss 💕

[Positivechangeplease in reply to FrancyItaly]

Tommys is a charity - I think you have to get referred to them and then they’ll look into it but they will after multiple miscarriages. I suggest checking their website

[Crie1983]

Hi, I’ve just had laparoscopy, hysteroscopy and biopsy. I went through multiple ivf rounds including failures and then a miscarriage. I then saw a gynaecologist who thought I might have blocked tubes, I had a ultrasound and MRI and then a laparoscopy was done to confirm this. I did have a damaged and a blocked tube and both were removed. If the tubes are blocked and overspill the embryo doesn’t really stand a chance and will be flushed away by the toxic fluid from the tubes.I had my surgery two weeks ago and am feeling mostly back to normal now.

Good luck with wherever you decide to do and wish you all the best.

[FrancyItaly in reply to Crie1983]

Thank you for sharing! I’ve decided I will not do it for now but thank you for sharing your experience! I hope you will fully recover soon and will have a successful round soon! xxx