We have our appointment on March 20th 2023, and the results of the Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) are in. It clearly shows that my left fallopian tube is blocked and filled with fluid. This is called a hydrosalpinx. The right one is more difficult to see, presumably due to adhesions, but from what they could see, they had concluded that the right one is blocked and filled with fluid, too. When both tubes are blocked and filled with fluid, it’s called hydrosalpinges. This means neither fallopian tube is viable for a teeny tiny egg attempting to make its way to my uterus. Ordinarily, there may have been a further exploratory investigation/surgery option and the possibility of fixing the blockages. However, she said that wasn’t something she was willing to do, as she felt it was too risky given my surgical history. I think the cervical entrance being strictured had solidified her concerns. For the same reason, she didn’t want to try removing my fallopian tubes.

She said we had now reached the stage where she could refer us for IVF IF my blood results come back OK this time. During the previous call, she hadn’t seemed concerned about the results, she literally just said she wanted to re-run some because: “one of them is off”. The one that had been “off” was the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). It was higher than it should have been, which may indicate a lack of good-quality eggs. She said if the FSH remained high, we would not be eligible for NHS-funded IVF.

I explained that my GP was a phlebotomist down AND that my period kept starting on a Friday, which made it more difficult when I was calling them on a Monday because it was already day 4. She told me I could drop in at the hospital for them on a weekday, which I actually knew, it’s just that it’s 2 buses there, 2 buses back, and a 3-hour round trip! My partner works all week and the hospital closes for blood tests at 5 p.m. If I’d realised how much they mattered, I’d obviously have had no choice but to make the trip. She said I should ideally have them taken on day 3, and if that falls on a weekend, I should call her secretary who will make me an appointment at the Women’s Health Clinic. She said to call her secretary 3 days after the blood tests had been done and she would check for the results. She also said that if they came back high again, there was another more accurate blood test, it’s just not used routinely, so that would be what happens next if that was the case.

The consultant mentioned that she would advise me to have my tubes clipped like one normally would do to be sterilised, ahead of any IVF treatment, should we meet the requirements. This is because any fluid leaking back into the uterus can create an unhospitable environment, substantially decreasing the chances of conception. It seemed odd to me that she wasn’t willing to go near my fallopian tubes as she believed it was “too risky”, yet she would advise someone else to.

Struggling with mental health

At this point, the few people who knew anything about what had been happening had forgotten to ask and I didn’t tell them. They only knew by accident and because I’m a terrible liar anyway. I didn’t feel like talking about it. I just focused on trying to remain calm and not cry with the stress of it all. I expected that my fallopian tubes were blocked, but I had not expected to find out I had any hormonal issues. It caught me by surprise and really upset me. I was also feeling very aware of my age.