Another Round of Tests..

After going through the whole fiasco of my HSG scan at Tawakal Hospital my dear husband took me to LPPKN to get my second blood test taken. This time around it was only me needed for the test since my husband's test ended at the first session on the first day of our appointment. Lucky him! 

The hard cold fact for couples undergoing any type of fertility treatment, is that it is going to be very trying emotionally and physically draining especially on the wife. This is because the wife is the one who is going to be facing 99% of the needles, the poking, the exposing and all the pain. So far, the nurses explained that most of the painful part would have to be endured by the wife and the husband would and should be there for emotional support. The husband's test ended on the first day and will play his role in producing his swimmers when it's time for IUI or IVF procedures. In other words, the wife is sacrificing herself in order to get the husband an offspring, so you husbands out there should treat her VERY VERY WELL! 

The second blood test ended fairly quickly. Like the first time we were there, we had to wait till my name was called. The blood test was taken by a different nurse than the first time it was done. She took a syringe-full of blood just like the first time. After that was done, it was time for us to go home. The nurse reminded me to call the clinic on the first day of my next monthly flow after 2.30 pm to get an appointment with assigned doctor (I get to see a doctor finally!). She also reminded me to bring along my husband (as if I will go for an appointment without him!) and my HSG scan result and film.

We went home straight after that with high hopes that this is going to be a brief journey without any complications and would not take too long for us to finally have a healthy bouncing baby. Baby dust to all! ( ^_^ )

HSG Scan.. Does It Hurt?

After the first LPPKN appointment, my dear husband and I were given the mission to complete a HSG scan. Before I ramble on about my experience with the procedure, let me supply you some information on what a HSG scan is all about.

[This information was referred from WebMD]

A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is an X-ray test that looks at the inside of the uterus and fallopian tubes and the area around them. It often is done for women who are having a hard time becoming pregnant (infertile). During a hysterosalpingogram, a dye (contrast material) is put through a thin tube that is put through the vagina and into the uterus. Because the uterus and the fallopian tubes are hooked together, the dye will flow into the fallopian tubes. Pictures are taken using a steady beam of X-ray (fluoroscopy) as the dye passes through the uterus and fallopian tubes. The pictures can show problems such as an injury or abnormal structure of the uterus or fallopian tubes, or a blockage that would prevent an egg moving through a fallopian tube to the uterus. A blockage also could prevent sperm from moving into a fallopian tube and joining (fertilizing) an egg. A hysterosalpingogram also may find problems on the inside of the uterus that prevent a fertilized egg from attaching (implanting) to the uterine wall.

My sister had gone through a HSG scan before and told me that it won't hurt. The whole procedure is sort of like a pap smear but instead of swabbing, a catheter in inserted to inject the dye. She said I would only feel a little bit of a discomfort when the doctor uses the speculum on me. A speculum is basically a tool used to open up the vagina so that the catheter can be inserted to do the dye injection. Knowing what a wuss I am about pain, I read up on HSG scan quite a lot on the internet and end up with mixed comments from people all over the world. Some are saying it doesn't hurt, and some are saying it hurts a lot! In the end I felt a lot worried about the whole thing but whatever happens I still have to go through with it.

On the day of the scan, my dear husband accompanied me to the hospital. I was trying to get my nerves to calm down unsuccessfully. I gave my X-ray form to the radiologist attendant and waited for my name to be called out. They called me in after some time later and I was ushered into a changing room and told to put on a hospital gown and remove all jewelry. I was then told to empty my bladder as well. Then a few minutes later, I was called in to the X-ray room to lie down on a big flat surface attached to a huge X-ray machine. The nurse there then positions my legs and asked me some routine questions. Then a doctor came in. She then asked me a few questions and explained the procedure to me, told me to relax and not panic.

As soon as she inserted the speculum, all hell breaks loose. It hurts like nobody's business! I was not able to relax and my muscle clenched uncontrollably. The doctor kept telling me to unclench my muscles but I have no control whatsoever and was in pain. It felt like somebody's ripping out my insides. Boy the pain felt like fire to me. The doctor kept trying to calm me down up until she warned me that I might have to abort this session and try again another time. I think that registered into my brain and I tried my hardest to gain control over my muscles. I think it worked a little bit because the doctor then proceeded to use the catheter to inject the die. Once she started to inject the dye and loosened up the speculum I felt a little bit relieved of the ripping pain.

The injection of the dye felt like thick fluid ballooning inside my uterus. It was very uncomfortable and a felt like heavy menstrual pain going in backwards. As the procedure went along, I was able to see the dye traveled through the fallopian tubes and spilled out at both ends. The doctor explained what I was looking at on the X-ray screen and told me that sometimes if there is a blockage, the dye could clear the blockage to enhance the chance of getting pregnant.

After all the procedure was done, the doctor then informed that usually after a HSG scan the dye will flow out of the body like period and sometimes there would be a little bit of blood as well. I was told to lie down for about 20-30 minutes to relax and gain my strength. This was the time when my the tears I was holding in during the painful catastrophe slowly trickled down the sides of my face. After time was up, I was given a hospital pad to wear and then told to get dressed and wait for my results. The waiting wasn't that long and as soon as I got the X-ray film and result, my husband and I dashed back home so I could rest.

The result that I received was:
[HYSTEROLPINGOGRAM
Normal plain film.
After contrast the uterine cavity appears normal in shape.
It lies to the right of the mid line.
Both tubes appear normal in caliber and peritoneal spill is noted from both sides.
The spill from the right tube appears loculated in the midline and the spill from the lefttube overlies the sacroiliac joint.
Appearances suggest the presence of pelvic adhesions.]

Well, that was what I experienced during my HSG scan. Not everyone will go through the same thing and end up feeling pain during the procedure. So to answer the question in the title, yes, a HSG scan does hurt, BAD! To me, that is. Please don't rely on my one experience because everybody's pain threshold is different and I have a really low level of pain tolerance. I do really hope that everything is well and the result is not something that we can be worried about. The next step is to visit the LPPKN clinic to get my blood withdrawn again for another round of hormone test.

Until the next post, see ya guys! Baby dust to every hoping mommy-to-be out there. ( ^_^ )

Our Journey Begins..

At the end of the year 2008, after my husband and I had talked it out, we decided to embark on our journey of infertility treatment. We were considering on whether to go via private or LPPKN. Going to a private doctor would be costly but the treatment may be a little bit faster when compared to LPPKN which is a government body. As we all know, the government medical service is always flocked with gazillion people making the service over-packed and slow. But the silver lining by going to LPPKN is that the cost of treatment is reimbursable (meaning I can claim back the cost I forked out for my treatment since I am a Government staff - but IVF is not covered since it is waaay much more expensive). After much discussion and weighing the cost factor, we decided to go with LPPKN since cost is a big factor in this treatment aside from the emotional roller coaster ride.

To start the ball rolling, I made a call to LPPKN and was transferred to the Fertility Clinic. I was asked by a nurse about how long I was married, have I ever been pregnant before, have I ever lost a pregnancy before, how was my period cycle (regular or irregular) and other questions I don't remember. Then she gave a me a date to come by the clinic to get some tests done.

On the day of the appointment, which was a Monday, in the month of November, our journey down the infertility treatment begins. We went to the clinic early morning and were told by the nurse at the counter to fill in some forms. Then as usual, the waiting to get our name called begins. After some time, my name was called. We went in the nurse room and were told to sit together to be interviewed. The nurse then proceeded to ask basic questions almost the same when I was interviewed on the phone but more thoroughly. 

Our blood samples were taken to determine hormone levels and my dear husband was told to go up another floor to get his semen sample taken for analysis. We didn't get to meet with any doctor during the first appointment since it was all about registering and sample taking. After all the initial procedure was done, I was given a form for HSG scan and was told to call Tawakal Hospital to set up an appointment for the scan. The nurse then told me to call the clinic again after I had my ovaries scanned to get an appointment with my doctor (which was not assigned yet at the time). We were also given a date to come in again in another two weeks' time for another round of blood test (for me only) because they need to check my hormone levels after my period has cleared up.

So, at the end of the first appointment, we were left with a mission of getting a HSG scan to advance to the next step. I'll tell you all about my experience in the next post. Till then, baby dust for every hoping mommy-to-be out there. ( ^_^ )