Is there another way to check blocked tubes other than HSG?

[LaurenN23]

Hi everyone,

I have my very first appt at the hospital after referral from my GP on 4th September. I have PCOS, very irregular periods with no ovulation. DH sperm is fine. TTC #1 after over 1 year of no success.

It is likely that Clomid will be my first treatment. I know that they have to check if your tubes are blocked first, but I am dreading the long wait for a HSG. Can they check your tubes for blockages any other way that may be quicker?

Feel so lonely at the moment, it seems everyone around me is getting pregnant, the wait seems to last forever.

xx

I didn't have an hsg ever. I had 6 cycles of clomid (though they were pointless as my cycles were only a little irregular and I already ovulated).

A hycosy can also be done to check tubes, but probably a similar wait. Or a lap and dye (probably a much longer wait).

I had a HyCoSy that did find a blocked tube. The wait was ridiculous for that that I ended up paying to have it done privately (£500!). I don't think you have to have your tubes checked to have clomid though.

@physicskate this is so so helpful thank you!!

I know it's best to have my tubes checked but I kind of hope they don't push for it, I'm just desperate to start!!

@seven201 everything private is so expensive isn't it 😞 I think regardless of the wait, if they really want me to have it done I will, as we are saving for IVF just incase that's the route we need to go down and don't want to dip into that money pot!!

Thanks for responding xx

Hi OP! I could have wrote your post this time last year - albeit with TTC longer.
I didn’t have to wait too long for mine, about 4 or 5 weeks I think. Mine tied in quiet well with all the blood testing I was having done, so didn’t seem like much of a wait for me.
We Also viewed it as a progression- as much as we were desperate to get started with whatever treatment we KNEW we were moving in the right direction.
We started clomid in the October and conceived on our second cycle - I’m now 37 weeks.
Good luck on your journey!

@ChrisPrattsFace that's reassuring to hear! We've had all of our tests done now. We've been back and forward to the drs/hospitals since April and I just feel like we never really get anywhere.

It's so frustrating knowing that all I'm waiting for is those clomid tablets but I can't help feeling negative about the whole thing, like it's never going to happen.

Amazing that you conceived on your second cycle, congratulations. One day I hope that's me! Xx

I remember googling/searching constantly for similar stories, my only advice to you is remember you are moving forward and it is coming soon - what’s another month or so in the scheme of it all!?
We also found out they couldn’t prescribe the clomid untill we had been under their care for a certain amount of time - in the October when we started the Dr actually said that all the bloods etc didn’t change any plan - so we could have started the clomid in the June, but protocol and box ticks meant we couldn’t get it till the October! (May just be our trust/or that we were seen by three different trusts)
We didn’t mind, we’re seriously positive people about it all (no idea why!) so we just seen the end goal getting closer... slowly, but surely!

I think it varies so much depending on where you live. It (HyCoSy) was at least a few months wait where I was (and even then if it had clashed with an unexpected long cycle then would have been cancelled due to risk of pregnancy) so for me paying took the stress away. But other trusts are able to offer appointment the next week! I would try and find out how long you have to wait.

I needed a laparoscopy to unblock my tube and the wait for the surgery was much less. Although I'd changed hospital by then.

When you're actually prescribed clomid the monitoring differs from absolutely zero through to tracking blood tests and monitoring scans every month! It's mad how different the care is.

See @seven201 that’s opposite for us. I was having bloods Atleast monthly, usually more untill we started the clomid! Once we started we were told to go back in 3-4 months if we weren’t pregnant and only required one blood test in the first month.
It went from lots of support to pretty much nothing for us. Normal for my trust apparently!

I think most do very minimal or no tracking now, but some go all out! I went private in the end and was offered any tracking. Long story short after convincing the gp to do a 21 day test I now know I can't take clomid as it thins my womb lining so an egg can't implant. I'd still be on clomid now, completely oblivious.

HSGs generally don’t have long waits. It’s a very specific test that checks for womb and tube abornomalities. However it is expensive and so you may be offered other tests first. For example a swab of the vagina to check for STIs etc.

@Teddybear45 fingers crossed it's not a long wait then! :). Thank you. I've already had all my other tests done so I'm guessing this is the next step, unless for some miracle they offer me clomid without checking my tubes first!

@seven201 that's so crazy that they don't monitor, good job you found out sooner rather than later!

@ChrisPrattsFace it's so weird to hear all of the differences!! I've only had a couple of blood tests up until now and since waiting for my first appt (2months) I've had nothing!

It’s worth the wait for a HSG - I know waiting is frustrating, but should you turn out to have blocked Fallopian tubes also, your 6 cycles of clomid (which, with PCOS May take much longer than 6 months, of cycles are long) will be pointless and you could be referred earlier for IVF.

You may find out the wait isn’t that long - I hardly waited for anything (except for the right time in my cycle). In the world of fertility, lucky people are getting pregnant naturally all the time, leading to regular cancellation. You need to be proactive and ring up and ask for cancellations etc good luck!

@Anaesthetist83 I think you're right hope I have it checked and know in the long run it will be worth it.

Also think you've got a good point calling up for cancellations!! X