[lindsey2000k]

Dr office suggested I have a HSG... nothing more about it not saying when or anything.
What if I did not get it done? Would that put me at a higher risk for another ectopic?
My insurance company can not tell me how it will be billed until after its done. They might view it as fertility treatment and I will have to pay 100% of the bill. I have also heard this is pretty painful and really dont want to do it unless its really something I should do.

Another thing the nurse told me I need to wait to TTC for 2 cycles.
Does that mean I can not TTC until cycle number 3? Or can I start in cycle 2?
I was thinking I would probably get A/F in June sometime and then cycle number 2 in July. I would really want to try for July because I think I have to skip August because the month I would be due I am pretty booked solid with work already.
When you O does it swap sides every month or is it random? I was also thinking I should probably skip the side I had the ectopic on but how will I know when I O from that side?

[missy123]

I did not get the HSG done but did do the sonohis which is the saline version (and was painless for the most part). I have heard the pain level is different for each woman and I thought the whole procedure was totally worth it for me as I learned that my inside girl parts were in pretty good shape for my age. I think the whole procedure cost me $250.00 and that included anti-biotics I took beforehand as well as some bloodwork and office visit. Weather you get it done or not will not increase or decrease your chances for another ectopic but I have heard of quite a few girls getting pregnant right after as it flushes out your insides as well.

They say you switch sides with ovulation each month but I found some months I o'ed from the same side. And unless your tube is blocked (which the hsg will tell you) you will not know your fertility with that side. and the best way to know what side you ovulated from is via ultrasound.

I hope this helps sweetie. ((hugs))

[lindsey2000k]

The HSG will be done in the hospital and I called they said its a $1500.00 or more procedure. Then I called insurance and they can not tell me if its covered or not. They said for my situatiuon it should be but it all depends on how its coded.

[.:Shortcake:.]

What if I did not get it done? Would that put me at a higher risk for another ectopic?

What if I did not get it done? Would that put me at a higher risk for another ectopic?

I can't see where having an HSG would help prevent or cause you to have another ectopic.

My insurance company can not tell me how it will be billed until after its done. They might view it as fertility treatment and I will have to pay 100% of the bill. I have also heard this is pretty painful and really dont want to do it unless its really something I should do.

Your doctors office should be able to code it so that it's not considered fertility related (My doctors office did so that it was covered). I had mine done when I also had a LAP and endo removal done so I was knocked out. I did have some intense cramping when I woke up but for the most part I was okay.

Does that mean I can not TTC until cycle number 3? Or can I start in cycle 2?

I don't see where starting after one full cycle would hurt you. But check with them to see if they have a certain reason they want you to wait.

When you O does it swap sides every month or is it random? I was also thinking I should probably skip the side I had the ectopic on but how will I know when I O from that side?

It really depends on your body and your cycle. Sometime I O from both sides at once. So it's hard to say unless you are having an ultrasound.

When I had the HSG she found partial blockage in my one tube and she was able to "fix" that as well as make sure the pressure was good in both of them I highly suggest having it done if at anyway possible.

[kaylakay]

They honesty probably want you to wait till August because Menthotrax takes a LONG time to fully get out of your system... You dont wanna start trying and still have a little left over and the baby doesn't form because of that... My doctor stricty told me at least 2 cycles but would prefer 3. I personally didn't want to take the risk. But it's totally up to you.

[owensmom]

I have no experience with the test you are thinking about getting done, but I do know that clinics/dr offices can submit a quote-type bill to the insurance and then the insurance can look at it and tell you what they will cover. mine took about a month - so i'm not sure if you want to wait that much longer, but maybe if you got the quote from the dr you can call the insurance company with the info and they can give you a better idea if they will cover it.
I hate that insurance companies don't cover more for infertility/pregnancy/TTC - it's rediculous considering what some people pay for their insurance!

[Jen71]

I had an hsg after my first loss and it was not totally uncomfortable. I took ibuprofen before and I think that maybe helped. I have heard that if there is a blockage, particularly in both tubes, then it can be painful. It can help "flush the pipes" which they say can help with fertility.

As far as insurance goes, being the circumstances of your recent loss, then I think you have a good case that it is medical and not fertility based. Talk to the doctor to see if they can word the billing correctly so it's not seen as a fertility treatment.

Best wishes to you

[Toots216]

I just had an HSG done about 3 weeks ago - it sucked, I won't lie, but my results were normal. I don't have coverage for IF either, but it was covered because it is considered "diagnostic".

I had a huge fear of getting it done, but I figured it was just one more hoop to jump through to try to get some answers. Good luck!

[luvmykids623]

I haven't had an HSG, I had the same test as Missy and it wasn't bad. I would hope that with your recent loss they could code it in a way to show they're just following up from that and not doing it for fertility purposes. I hope you're able to get some answers from them soon!

[lindsey2000k]

Well i need to find out if I do or dont do it if its going to make my ectopic rate go up.
Because thats all I care about. Getting pregnant is not my problem the longest its ever taken is 3 cycles.
So if the only reason to do it is to increase your odds of getting pregnant then I don't think I need to do it.

[luvmykids623]

My guess would be that the reason they want to do the test is to make sure that your tubes aren't blocked with scar tissue or anything like that from the ectopic. I don't think that it would cause you to be at increased risk for another ectopic, but I'm definitely not a doctor, so I could be wrong. I completely understand your worry on that front. What you went through and are going through had to be so scary, and you don't want to chance anything that could increase your chances of happening again. I wish life would cut you a break!

[lindsey2000k]

Yes the ectopic was and is the worst thing I have ever delt with so far.... and I am still bleeding like a medium period from it UGH. My bleeding was done or almost done at this point with all my miscarriages.
Another reason I dont want to do this HSG is the more $ we spend and more procedures I do DH starts to shy away from wanting to TTC again. I get the "is this really worth it" speach. So If at all possible if I can avoid this HSG and just resume TTC asap that would be best before he calls it quits for good.
Part of my is always questioning DRs because I know a lot of them have the motive of how much money they can squeeze out of you. So by saying he recomneds this then he makes more $$$$ when really I may not have needed it.

[luvmykids623]

I did wonder if it's a routine test after an ectopic, or if he was trying to squeeze some money out of you with a test that "looks" like it's in your best interest. Even the best doctors know which side their bread is buttered on when it comes to the money game. I hope he would be sympathetic to your sympathetic enough to your situation to not go there.

[Servilia]

Well if you have a blockage that was preventing your egg from making its way down and that's how it got caught, then I can see how an HSG might help if it clears out the tube. But I'm no expert.
About ovulating from one side or the other - I've had cycle monitoring for 5 cycles now so we know which side I'm ovulating from and 4 out of 5 times it's been the left side.
December, January and Feb were left side back to back. I skipped March so don't know. In April it was the right side and this month it's the left again. So it's either random (and I ended up with that pattern randomly) or it's possible our bodies have a preference and O from one side more than the other. But as you can see it's not left one month, then right the next all the time.
Good luck.

[Jen71]

I don't see any way that it would cause an ectopic in the future, I'm no doctor either, but I haven't ever heard of it causing ectopics. I imagine that it may actually clear things out for the future. Not saying it would prevent it from happening, but it may help "smooth out" or flush out the lining of the tubes.

[lindsey2000k]

Originally Posted by Jen71

I don't see any way that it would cause an ectopic in the future, I'm no doctor either, but I haven't ever heard of it causing ectopics. I imagine that it may actually clear things out for the future. Not saying it would prevent it from happening, but it may help "smooth out" or flush out the lining of the tubes.

I dont think an HSG will cause an ectopic. I was wondering if it will keep it from happening again. Because if all its going to do is check my tubes for blockage but my risk of another ectopic will still be the same then I do not want to do it.
I have heard in some rare case the die can mess up things and cause fertility problems. I am just trying to find out the pro's vs con's of getting it done.

[ashj_1218]

Sounds like you are in a tough spot overall. With lots of factors pressing up against you! So sorry you are in this place Here is my two cents, coming from my RE, if it helps at all.

I have not had an ectopic. I had the HSG done in December, when I was going through all the tests to see why we kept losing babies. Since the last three losses I had were not visualized through sonogram (happened before my first appt), they had no way of knowing whether they were actually in the uterus when they miscarried or in the tube. The way my doctor explained it to me was that IF my tube was blocked and I regularly was concieving on that side (because MOST women do not ovulate back and forth between ovaries...it is all about development, not "taking turns"), then my chances for an ectopic were higher. Sometimes the tube is partially blocked and eggs can still get through, but with some difficulty. If the tube is mostly or completely blocked, it could explain repeated early losses and/or previous ectopics. We also do not have fertility coverage...but paid less than $500 for ALL of the procedures we had done (mock embryo transfer, HSG, blood work, antibiotics, and appts). They did a good job coding mine and should be able to do the same for you. It is actually medical...since having a blocked tube CAN cause medical issues. I am not sure why they have you going to the hospital...since it can be performed at any imaging center.

My results turned up that I did have a partially blocked tube on the left. They are not sure what part if played in the miscarriages (if any). It was entirely painless, even when they could not get a good picture of the left side and had me rolling around with "equipment" up there. I did not feel discomfort at all, but I know they say it varies from woman to woman. I got pregnant with my rainbow the month following the procedure. I can't say whether it had to do with the procedure, but I hear it did "flush" things out and could be helpful to getting pregnant. They will also be able to tell you for sure if there is anything left from the previous ectopic and could ease your mind about TTC earlier (if you talk to your doc about it).

I hope you can figure out what you want to and be at peace with it. It is so hard to make such decisions, especially if your husband is getting frustrated with all the money and time it is taking. I hope you get some answers soon!!