2ry infertility - hydrosalpinx

[rainbowgrimm]

Hello all,
Just a warning in case it's upsetting to anyone to read, I'm going to talk about not having IVF.

I have a 5year old already who was conceived 4th month of trying. We've been trying for number 2 for quite a while but have had big gaps in trying due to caring for ill parents so wasnt massively concerned it hadnt happened yet. In that time I've had 2early miscarriages & an ectopic/PUL.
I saw my GP about something unrelated recently and was told a recent scan had shown a hydrosalpinx, likely from the ectopic last year. I've had previous surgery on both ovaries & her suspicion is that one ovary works & one tube works but on opposite sides. I'm waiting for all the blood tests etc & she's done a ref to the fertility clinic.
At the moment we're thinking hard about what we want to do & I think we're agreed that it's a no to IVF. Does that leave us with any other options or are we effectively finished?
I need to learn more about the IVF process to be sure its not for us, due to my age 37 I don't feel I have time to revisit this decision in the future so need to be sure. Up until this diagnosis I thought I'd do anything so the feeling of not wanting treatment is very new to me & I'm not certain it's a temporary form of self preservation or if it's the right thing to do. Does anyone have any advice on where to look/what to read particularly with regards to success rates in our circumstances.
Thank you in advance.

[cherryontopp]

Hi OP.
Im no expert, but im guessing have one ovary working means less chance of conceving, also one tube is less chance od conceiving so having both, will reduce your chances quite a bit.

Is there any reason you dont want IVF?

They are other options but they will have a less success rate than IVF. Then its going thro other treatments which may or may not work and by the time u want IVF you could be over 40 which affects your egg quality.

What has your gynae suggested?

[CatsForgotPassword]

IVF is the main treatment for hydrosalpinx. I have a suspected one. Don’t TTC with it in. I did and I had four miscarriages, which I now think are connected. IVF is really the best option after tube removal.

[rainbowgrimm]

I wrote a long reply but it seems to of disappeared. Firstly I'm so sorry for your losses Cat's.
I haven't seen gynae yet, it was my GP who told me the scan results. We're having all the standard bloods & waiting for the clinic referral to go through.
Everything I've read (& it's been a steep learning curve) is surgery to remove the affected tube, & possibly the other one to? Is that the case if the hydrosalpinx is thought to be 'mild', but its not the tube that's the ultimate problem is it, its the toxic crap that goes with it?
Re IVF We've just seen friends go through 6years of Ivf & how soul destroyingly awful its been for them. I don't think I can face that. We've had an awful couple of years, basically everything that could go wrong has. I just don't think I've got any resilience left for treatment. I've surprised myself with that, I thought I'd be desperate to get started & my thoughts may well change once the initial shock wears off.
If anyone has any good books/websites/blogs to recommend I'd be very grateful, as I've said this has been a steep learning curve over the last few days & I want to make sure I make a properly informed decision whatever that may be.

[CatsForgotPassword]

Sorry for yours also. It’s shit.

Yeah, it’s the crap in the tube that’s the issue. Usually it stops you getting pregnant but if you are able to, the stuff in the tube can disrupt pregnancies. Two of my babies had heartbeats and appeared perfectly fine, and without warning just died. I wouldn’t have even known. Given that I had a perfectly healthy dc before I had this tube problem, I highly suspect the fluid is the cause. My last baby they sent for karyotype but I don’t have the results yet. If as I think, the baby had no chromosomal issues, then it points to the tube issue.

IVF is a very personal choice. We are considering it in case I have to have mine removed and have said we will go for it, but I understand. At the moment, the thought of being pregnant again terrifies me. I feel like a time bomb each time.

However, statistically, if you’ve carried before and the only issue is tubal, and those tubes are removed, IVF is very successful. Not everyone is having it for the same reasons, and so it’s highly personal as to what your experience will be.

Have they mentioned endo to you? Worth asking about as that’s what they think has caused mine.

[rainbowgrimm]

Yep, shit is the best way to describe it. We're not entitled to any miscarriage investigations as the ectopic could possibly of been viable if it had been in the right place. I hope you get some answers from the testing, the waiting is horrid.
The thought of being pregnant terrified me for a long time. I don't do pregnancy well & am normally admitted to hospital by 5weeks then on & off through out. We've been living with that happening at any moment for the last 2 years, we've turned down all sorts of events just in case & both stayed in jobs we wouldn't of done otherwise so I'd be entitled to sick pay & DH would have flexibility to look after me. I don't think I'm considering making the choice not to have IVF through fear, I've faced it down every month as you have.
I hadnt considered your point about people having IVF for different reasons, that's a really good point & I need to look at that more, I hadnt consider different success rates for different problems but it's so obvious now you've said it.
I'm pretty sure no endo but I will ask at my appointment, I don't have any symptoms that would point towards it. I had medical management for the ectopic & GP thinks it's from that.

[CatsForgotPassword]

That’s really shit they won’t investigate too. I was told if you’re over 35, two miscarriages can be investigated. Seems quite cruel given no matter what type of miscarriage, it’s a miscarriage - losses from ectopics aren’t less upsetting.

It’s horrible, the “am I pregnant? Can I go out? Can I drink this beer? Better turn down that just in case” and then to miscarry is just awful. I understand that feeling. I’m at the point where I live my life as normal, because I miscarried when I didn’t know I was pregnant and had a few drinks and miscarried when I dye everything right, took the vitamins, baby aspirin and hardly left my bed. So the way I see it, what I do makes no difference and until medically advised otherwise I’ll continue with my job, doing things with dc, and my normal life. Took me ages to get to this point though.

Yeah, it’s not something everyone thinks about. There are loads of reasons for IVF, and they don’t gave equal success rates. You can also screen them, to ensure non viable pregnancies aren’t put back. This means that the normal chromosomal miscarriage is vastly reduced (I don’t think the risk is eliminated but it’s very much lowered).

I have lots of issues with pain and periods, so if you don’t then endo might not be so likely. Do you get pain where the tube is? I get horrible left sided pain with mine.

If it’s the ectopic that caused it, your chances of it being both tubes are so much lower. The main cause is usually infection, so in both of our cases, we have a much higher chance of it being just the one tube. Especially as you can conceive naturally, which is hard to do with two damaged tubes.

Hope this is helpful OP. I really sympathise. Look after yourself