Hysteroscopy

I mentioned in my last post that I had some homework to do before our IVF cycle begins. One of those items was a hysteroscopy to get a visual on the lining and structure of uterus. I had my hysteroscopy yesterday and it went seamless.

The cliffs notes version: They fill your baby bag with water and then insert a camera up there to make sure you don't have any barnacles growing in your baby bag. Barnacles are bad and can negatively impact an embryo's ability to implant to achieve pregnancy.

In reality it's kind of like a pap smear. They insert the speculum, find your cervix, clean it off with an iodine soaked giant q-tip and then insert a catheter attached to a small IV bag full of saline. When they start emptying the fluid into the uterus it feels slightly cold- it's just a weird sensation. Then they insert the scope with the camera attached to it (like a colonoscopy). They let me watch on the monitor as the probed around the areas of the uterus looking for anything out of the ordinary. When they conclude the test, they drain out the water and leave you supplies and a pantyliner so you can clean up. This hysteroscopy was a lot more tolerable than the one I had in 2009. I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. I had arranged the rest of the afternoon off work because I wasn't sure what type of pain/discomfort I might have had. I went home to rest for the remainder of the day.

I had a hysterscopy back in 2009 at a different RE's office and that was a fucking disaster. They made me wait in the procedure room clothed only from the waist up for 40 minutes. I was very new on my infertility journey and the new doctor had ordered this test to see why I was having such heavy, irregular periods. I had what I assume was a panic attack during my 40 minute wait. I was shaking and crying with my heart racing a mile a minute. I felt very agitated and like I needed to get the hell out of there. I was getting up to get dressed walk out of that office for good just as the Nurse Practitioner walked in. She was concerned as to why I was crying and I explained that they basically just left me alone in the room with no pants on for 40 minutes. She apologized for being late and explained that a former patient had just brought her baby by to show off to the staff and thank them for everything they had done for her. Excuse me? I almost went through the fucking roof. That was possible the WORST thing they could've said to me as to why they kept me waiting.

The procedure itself took like 30 minutes and the NP wasn't quite sure what she was seeing, they were using a black and white monitor and it looked more like an ultrasound.They called the doctor in and he was all disheveled from finishing up on another case, they said I had a small polyp but no treatment should be needed. I just remember leaking water for hours afterward.

Looking back now after being at this newer, better practice, I realize what a shit show the old place was. I ended up leaving them because they continually brushed off my concerns, were never running on time and the staff was awful. I'd never encountered a more rude, inconsiderate office staff which is absolutely unacceptable in this speciality.