Infertility
Testing for if tubes are blocked?
Stacey2007 · 31/10/2018 12:31
Hi everyone, I’ve been for my referred appointment today as we’ve been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. She’s told me I’ve got to go have my tubes checked see if they are blocked, just wondered if anyone has been? And what happens next? Did anyone get pregnant after having this done ?
Alfie190 · 31/10/2018 12:47
I was checked whilst living overseas, don't know how they do it here, but there it was done under general and they inserted a dye and then x-rayed, they dye should run all the way through the tube and be visible. I had one blocked tube and no I did not ever get pregnant, although I did not pursue any other treatments.
Letsdothis43 · 31/10/2018 17:05
Hi Stacey,
Yes if this is the HSG test then its dye inserted into your tubes (just like when you go for a smear but in a more controlled environment) and shows up on X ray to show if your fallopian tubes are clear and no blockages. I had to move about on the x-ray table a bit as my left hand side was slower to show up than my right, uncomfortable but can see results straight away. And no never became pregnant afterwards.
Cherries101 · 31/10/2018 17:16
Before you go take two ibuprofin and two paracetamol as it will help with the pain (it really hurts if your tubes are blocked). The HSG apparently makes you super fertile for the following month, if your issue is tube related, so you may want to have lots of sex.
Stacey2007 · 31/10/2018 20:14
Thanoyou for your reply everyone. I’m a little scared for the results because I’m not sure what’s next if they are blocked ? 🤷🏼♀️☹️... but thankyou for filling me in on everything 😁
WhatelsecouldIbecalled · 31/10/2018 22:15
Yep I’ve had this done. It’s uncomfortable. Bit worse than a smear in my opinion. Painkillers before are a good idea and hot water bottle after. You have to take a large amount of antibiotics in one go after too and these made me feel like absolute rubbish for the day. Nice food in the house is a good idea. Results can been seen on the day. If they are blocked you can have treatment for it. Good luck
Saltisford · 31/10/2018 22:17
I had the hycosy test in the summer on the nhs - it seems to be a standard investigative procedure at my fertility clinic after your initial consultation. It wasn’t under general - you just took paracetamol before hand and they checked like a smear test as let’sdothis suggests. You are awake the whole time - they pass a tube in with the dye and then observe to see if it passes through your tubes. They give you feedback that day too. Unfortunately one of my tubes did not allow the dye through so then I was referred for a laparoscopy to look even closer and investigate the issue x
2fingers22018 · 01/11/2018 08:30
@stacy2007 im waiting on my appt coming through for it aswell. They told me to take painkillers before i come in fx its not too painful..keep us updated on how u get hun its stressful waiting isnt it? X
BadHatHarry · 06/11/2018 20:11
I had an HSG in 2015 after 3 years of ttc. It wasn't painful but the antibiotics did make me feel rough. I conceived DS 3 months after the test. The radiographer said it was so effective that they have 'repeat customers'. 
2fingers22018 · 06/11/2018 20:25
@BadHatHarry i hope it works for me at this poing itd feel like a miracle
BertramKibbler · 06/11/2018 20:27
I had it done, I was awake and I found it hideously painful. My tubes weren’t blocked though and I became pregnant with my twins 2 months later.
Thelonggrass · 06/11/2018 20:45
I had it done on my remaining tube. Was like very intense period pain for about a minute, maybe even less. For me this showed a proximal blockage, I think it was called. Couldn’t unblock it, and so had ivf (eventually successful, after three rounds ). This was several years ago. However I subsequently got pregnant naturally despite this diagnosis, and have had another baby. My advice is take ivf as soon as offered- don’t delay whatever your age. But also in my experience a blocked tube diagnosis did not prevent a natural pregnancy. X
Goandplay · 06/11/2018 21:04
Blocked tubes here. Had my test under general anaesthetic so was fine.
Round 1 of ivf resulted in a baby.
Tubes removed to aid successful ivf as advised by consultant.
Round 2 of ivf unsuccessful. Round 3 of ivf successful.
The clinic said if your issue is just tubes then it’s one of the easier fertility issues to deal with.
Good luck. I hope it’s good news.
Thelonggrass · 06/11/2018 21:42
Yes my doctor said same- if tubes are the issue, then “that’s what Ivf ideal for”
pzgirl · 07/11/2018 12:03
So nice reading successful stories with tubes being blocked, is there any reason of why your tubes get blocked?
I've got suspected endometriosis, laparoscopy in the next few months.
Has anybody had blocked tubes due to endo here?
Thankyou all xx
2fingers22018 · 07/11/2018 12:10
@pzgirl i know its givin me hope! Im tryin to just accept that i ll need ivf tho that way anything less is a bonus
pzgirl · 07/11/2018 12:14
@2fingers22018 I've only been TTC for 2 months and I've already convinced myself it isn't going to happen! This has given me so much hope for it all.
Thankyou 
Maximoo06 · 07/11/2018 19:47
@pzgirl I've got a blocked tube from endo which was confirmed by laparoscopy will have another operation soon to treat the tube then be referred for ivf
Saltisford · 07/11/2018 19:58
They can’t tell me what mine is blocked with - they said in the laparoscopy it looked normal from the outside and they couldn’t see inside it to say what was causing it. I suppose it could be endometriosis, scar tissue from infection, was I born that way?
I agree that when they passed the tube through my cervix, there was a sharp pain like period pain but that subsided quite quickly. It hurt more when they passed the dye in and the pressure built up as it wouldn’t pass through my tubes! I was heavy breathing at that point! It eventually passed through one tube but not the other.
It was July when I had the Hycosy and the laparoscopy was October. I still haven’t conceived and am waiting to begin IVF soon.
2fingers22018 · 07/11/2018 20:31
@Saltisford oh no dnt say that lol thats what im dreading if the dye doesnt pass through and it hurts
Maximoo06 · 07/11/2018 20:42
My hycosy showed both tubes open it was only when they did laparoscopy they saw one was blocked with fluid
queenrollo · 07/11/2018 20:47
I had this done in 2012, and it was uncomfortable but not unbearable.
Mine showed I had a hydrosalpinx on the left tube. I subsequently had surgery to deal with that. My left tube had fused to the ovary, but they were able to detach it and clear the hydrosalpinx.
I got pregnant the cycle after that. That was 3 years after we initially started TTC.
monkerina · 07/11/2018 20:50
I've had an HSG twice as part of standard fertility investigations under NHS, no issues found either time and I fell pregnant the cycle after each time (the theory goes if there's no other issues the dye swishing around cleans up the cilia in your tubes to move the egg along more efficiently so it's more likely to implant promptly). It wasn't painful either time, mildly uncomfortable but no worse than a smear. Good luck!
Saltisford · 07/11/2018 21:42
2fingers22018 - it wasn’t that bad! I’d do it again easily enough. I was just surprised to feel the pressure and wasn’t expecting to hear that news afterwards as all blood tests etc had been fine up until that point x
Mummyshark2018 · 07/11/2018 22:00
I had it done and it was awful. I think I was totally unprepared though and went on my own. No painkillers before and no anaesthetic. Two blocked tubes and it took longer than normal apparently and they had to keep me in that position until they got a consultant. Worse than childbirth IME, but everyone's different. As others have said take some painkillers and have someone with you. Good luck!
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