Back to Square One

Well, it finally happened.  We officially became a member of the elite group of couples with what I feel is the most frustrating of all infertility diagnoses "UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY".  I guess that it is just my personal opinion that if you know what the problem is, it is easier to fix.  I'm not sure if there is anything more frustrating than sitting in the doctors office as he throws his hands up and says that he has no idea what the problem is...  Well, I guess I should explain how this conclusion was reached...

So I went to get the dreaded HSG on Thursday to check to see if my tubes are open, and I must say that I have not been that nervous in a very long time!  First of all, I had to get more blood drawn the day before to make sure I was not pregnant before the procedure, then I had to get antibiotics to take the day before, the morning of, and the night after, then they tell me to take 800mg of Iboprofin an hour before. Lastly they tell me that I might want to get someone to drive me home afterward because I might be in pain!! What? So much pain that I can't drive?  Of course, I get on the internet, and put in a search for people's experience with HSG's. Lo and behold, my worst fears are confirmed! About 80-90% of the people said that it was one of the most horrific and painful experiences of their lives, one even went so far as to say that it was worse than childbirth!!!!

Needless to say, I was about to have a nervous breakdown.  I recruited my friend to drive me there and back, took my antibiotics and pain meds, and attempted to put on a brave face as I marched into the hospital. I went down to radiology, signed in, and even got a hospital bracelet- Yikes!  In just a couple of minutes, my name was called, I was given hospital gowns to change into, and then the nurse took me into an enormous room, with a big table in the middle and a huge x-ray machine looming over it- reminded me of an operating room in shows like Grey's Anatomy!  I climbed on the table which was pretty high up, lay down, and tried my hardest to relax!  The OB inserted the speculum, cranked it open (sorry for being graphic), did some cervical prodding and poking, then sprayed my cervix with numbing stuff. The poor nurse was standing next to me trying to engage and distract me, without much success! She then inserted the catheter through my cervix- which was pretty unpleasant, although not nearly as bad as I had feared. Once it was in, she took out the speculum, and told me I could put my legs flat and relax-  MUCH better!

Then the moment of truth! The doctor came in, told me that he was going to do the x-rays, he positioned a big monitor so that I could watch, which was pretty cool actually! The OB then injected the iodine, I actually didn't feel a thing! I was expecting excruciating pain! I watched the iodine fill up my uterus, and go into my fallopian tubes and ovaries. I would have to stop breathing every time he snapped the film, and he had me roll left and right several times while he took pictures. I ended up quite light headed, because I would forget to start breathing before he would tell me to stop again!  Anyway, it was pretty cool to watch all of my bones moving around and see my insides in motion!  When it was all done, he came out and told me that everything looks good, and I don't have any blockages.  Sadly enough I was almost hoping that they were blocked, just so that we had an answer!  Anyway, she told me that people often get pregnant after the procedure! Fingers crossed!

I was back changing into my clothes in about 20 minutes, and felt rather like a squid for the next 2 days as the iodine made it's way out of my system!  I called the doctor, and told him that we would try Clomid. The fact that we may be doing months of Clomid, injectibles etc. before trying IVF finally sunk in.  I NEVER thought that this would be our story- I always figured that since the sperm was the problem, and I was fine, we would go straight to ICSI, it would work the first time, and that would be it!  Now it's a whole new ball game. He told me to call on the fist day of my next period, come in for a baseline ultrasound, and then I could start taking the pills! It is actually pretty crazy to think that in a couple weeks I could be on fertility drugs! But hey, maybe I'll be in that lucky statistic of people who get pregnant after doing the HSG!  I'll keep you updated!