Can you have a HyCoSy/HSG under sedation?

[secondtimelucky87]

Hi, I'm TTC my second and have had no luck after 18mo. I've had hormones tested and a normal pelvic ultrasound. Husband's latest semen analysis was normal. I've been advised by a fertility clinic I should probably crack on with IVF due to my low AMH. But I haven't had my tubes checked for blockages and am aware there's a likelihood they're blocked after my c section. However I am extremely anxious about this procedure. Like: really, really anxious. I was wondering if anyone knows of anywhere (ideally in London) that offers a private tube patency test under some form of sedation? Please be kind. I know I probably sound silly. I know I really need to have this done so we have the option of other alternatives before IVF like medicated cycles/IUI and also the boost the chances of IVF working if we do go down that route. Or even to maybe help us conceive naturally again.

Any insight gratefully received. Thank you 😊

Hey @secondtimelucky87 I was absolutely terrified of having a hycosy without sedation, I really struggle with smears to the point that I need diazepam beforehand. I turned up for my nhs hycosy during all my fertility investigations a few years ago and asked to have it under sedation but they said it wasn't an option so I did it without and just had some diazepam and honestly it was less painful than a smear, there is a weird feeling of pressure as they run solution through the tubes but it was bearable and I am the worst patient when it comes to anything gynae related.

If you're doing it privately you might have the option of paying for sedation though I think it really bumps the price up as you have to pay for a day bed in the clinic/hospital. Otherwise I'd suggest speaking to your GP and getting them to prescribe you diazepam or similar as it really really takes the edge off the whole thing.

Good luck with it all ☘️

Hi, apparently you can have HyCoSy under sedation, but of course at an additional cost. I just googled HyCoSy under sedation and the following came up

https://www.fertilityplus.org.uk/services/fertility-assessment/hycosy/

Good luck 🍀

Thanks so much for this. Somehow missed it in my Googling. Yeah with the consultation it comes to £1500 so not a small amount of money but absolutely worth considering so I'm going to mull it over. I wish someone could just tell me what the right thing to do is. I think there's a strong likelihood I could just have blocked tubes after my c section and then I could go onto conceive naturally again given there's nothing else 'wrong' with us. The consultant did say we could skip the HyCoSy if we opted for IVF as it bypasses the fallopian tubes but research has told me that blocked tubes can reduce success rates. Honestly my brain is completely scrambled!

Thanks so much for sharing this. It's definitely encouraging. You sound a lot like me with the pain tolerance. I need to do some serious deep breathing for my smears (and take co-codamol) and internal ultrasounds. But the HyCoSy sounds so much worse. I don't think I've got it in me to wait for the NHS appointment as it took an absolute age to get my ultrasound appointment and time is very much ticking with my AMH. Do you think the diazepam helped with the pain as I well as anxiety? Did you get it prescribed by GP? I feel like I'd need a painkiller too!

@secondtimelucky87 Ime diazepam does help with the pain because when you're less anxious you can do deep breathing which helps with anything down there, also I notice that when I'm less anxious I don't feel as tight down there so it hurts less if that makes sense. You could probably take ibuprofen fast acting gel tablets along with diazepam and I reckon that would be good enough. The hycosy doesn't actually take that long so if you can bear it it's actually better than spending a whole day in hospital and going under with sedation. Mine was over in less than 15 mins and the nurses were so lovely, they were very gentle and did it all slowly so I had time to get used to everything

Yes you can, I did it.i didn’t need to pay for a day bed - just £400 extra for sedation. Money well spent in my opinion. I think hycosy can be very painful for some people and it’s hard to know how you’ll react to it. Also get them to do a smear for you at the same time - two birds.