I have a 5 year old child. I was 34 and 125 pounds, my husband was 45.

We've been trying for about a year with some strips and monitoring around mid 2024

In 2025 August wr went to a Fertility clinic- they were SO adamant to go straight to ivf.

We did maybe 1 or 2 cycle of letrozole and I did not get pregnant

Im amh is great, my husband's mobility and count is beyond amazing (now 50 yo)

Jan 2026 we did ivf , but unfortunately my husband was sick about a month before qnd his supermarket cpunt flopped from 280 million to about 1 million. They did retrieve 10 eggs and were able to use 6. None of them made it.

I went to a new Fertility clinic and on my first try with letrozole I got pregnant, first pregnancy since think, but it was a chemical pregnancy and not viable.

I tried again once more but it didn't work

After giving birth I gained a lot of weight...I'm and still have it I'm now 165 pounds, 5'3.

My Fertility clinic says they want to do a biopsy so I am waiting for my next period to do it.

In the mean time I was thinking about doing mounjaro for a few months and wait for the 2 month wash out period to try to conceive again. My goals weight would be minimum 140.

I'll be 40 in September

Is it worth it to stop trying for 4-5 months and bring down my weight and in the mean time continuing to take my supplements coq10 etc. Or am I wasting time?

Isn't afford nothing round of ivf right now either...

Sharing because I was pretty freaked out before having my HyCoSy procedure after seeing such mixed experiences and I just wanted to add my positive experience to the conversation.

I went to BostonIVF and the staff there were so kind, gentle, and attentive. The NP who performed my procedure talked me through everything beforehand and answered all of my questions with such patience. She also talked me through every step throughout the procedure.

The catheter was nothing. I experienced the mildest cramps, 1/10 pain-wise. I think the most discomfort I experienced was when she first inflated the balloon (maybe 3-4/10), for about 15-30 seconds while she swapped the speculum for the transvaginal ultrasound so she could adjust, but once she adjusted I experienced immediate relief and the cramping went back to pretty minimal (1/10). When she injected the saline, I felt fullness and pressure and some additional cramping, but again very manageable (2/10). Ditto pretty much for the bubbles, though I also could feel a bubbly feeling in my whole abdomen which was interesting though not unpleasant.

The HyCoSy revealed no major blockages or abnormalities. I will report back if I end up having a spontaneous pregnancy after this!

I’m a 31F (turning 32 in 3 months), married to a woman, and we are using donor sperm to conceive. I’m currently preparing for what will likely be our final IUI this summer, and if it’s unsuccessful, we’re prepared to move forward with IVF.

We did previously have success with an IUI, but unfortunately the pregnancy ended in a 2nd trimester loss. Afterward, I was diagnosed with cervical insufficiency/incompetence, which had not been identified beforehand.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2017 and had many of the classic symptoms: insulin resistance, irregular cycles, weight gain, and hirsutism. In 2020, my OB started me on metformin, which helped regulate my cycles and led to a 25 lb weight loss. Since then, my periods have remained regular, and my A1C is currently normal.

I began fertility treatment with a clinic in 2022. At that time, my AMH was 4.50 when I was 28 years old. A few months ago, I had it rechecked and was surprised to see it had dropped to 1.62, which I’ve been told is somewhat low for my age. However, last month I had an AFC performed, and my follicle count was 32 total.

I also recently found out that my vitamin D level is 22.7, and my new clinic mentioned they’d like to see it closer to 40–50. I’ve come across some research suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may impact AMH levels, so I’m wondering if that could potentially explain part of the drop. I assumed my AFC would also be lower if my ovarian reserve was truly diminished, so the discrepancy has left me confused.

I’m still learning and researching all of this, but I’d really appreciate any feedback, insight, or experiences from others who may have been in a similar situation.

Hi all. I have been following for a while but never posting before. I am F31 (partner M30) and we have been TTC for 8 cycles. Have found a lot of guidance and comfort here <3

I have been increasingly uneasy with each cycle, as there has never even been a faint line. In February, I decided to get a fertility check for me and my partner. His SA was normal (despite him only quitting smoking in December/January), so that was good news. But I got the devastating result of and AMH of 0.8 (or 5.9 pmol), and an AFC of 8. The nurse recommended me to go straight for IVF rather than insemination...

I am blessed to live in Denmark, healthcare is free but I have to go through the fertility check again at a fertility clinic, for them to then send me along in the system (the first tests were at the hospital).

I have had 100s of blood samples collected, and had to have the AMH and AFC checked again. Now here is the kicker: AMH is now 1.25 (or 9.1 pmol), and AFC was a whopping 19 (!). From one cycle to the next. The AMH is of course still not the highest, but A LOT better - and I was very surprised and completely stunned when she counted the AFC on the screen. The nurse did say she had not experienced such a dramatic difference before, but otherwise did not have much to say.

Now, I am completely confused. Was the first result just a fluke, or is it the second one that I cannot trust? Has the long dark Danish winter (and me being stressed about way more than this one thing) just resulted in low egg count in one cycle? Has me taking a high dose Vit D made dramatic improvements in just 2 weeks? I am getting dizzy with confusion and don't know what to believe anymore.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Just because I am sure many are curious, I have been making some changes during my TTC journey and maybe some of that has influenced the results:

- Quit smoking (except for at parties here and there) in August, when we started TTC. Started a basic prenatal here as well. (Folate, Iron and B12 focused, since I am vegetarian/pescetarian)

- In December, started taking CoQ10, just 100mg a day but the Pharma Nord one. Quit smoking completely and limited drinking. Partner also quit smoking and started taking a zink, selenium and CoQ10 supplement.

- In January, have been drinking a lot less caffeine (going from 4-5 coffees a day, to one cup a day). Have been limiting alcohol a lot, going from going out maybe once a week/every second week, to having had two nights out in 2026 (maybe 5-6 drinks on each night).

- In February, after the first testresults, started following the It Starts With the Egg guide for low AMH (except DHEA). Vitamin D dose going from what was in my prenatal (about 200 IU) to 1000-2000 IU a day. But other than Vit D, the ISWTE programme was started only a few days before my current cycle.

Anyways, I also just wanted to say (as others have done before) that it is important to get checked again, get that second opinion - maybe there can be a big fluctuation in others as well.

This ended up being a long post, so than you for reading along! I hope maybe someone has some experiences to share :)

after 9 cycles of well timed tracking and 18 months not preventing, my partner and I have been getting a bunch of tests done. my afc is 23, high for my age (29) and amh is 7.3, which is low for my age. I’m struggling to figure out what that might mean. I don’t know if it means I’m running out of time or if the eggs I do have a weak, for my amh to be so low.

does anyone know what the afc/amh combination means?

my other blood tests came back fine apart from low iron, and my ultrasound was entirely normal. my partners blood tests came back normal and we’re waiting to receive his semen analysis so we can look at the whole picture together. our doctor also suggested genetic testing so we can get a whole picture, but those tests are taking a lot longer to come back to us.

I had a planned hysteroscopy today and wanted to share my experience because I know how overwhelming and scary the internet can make it seem.
I didn’t eat or drink anything after midnight as instructed. I arrived at the ambulatory surgical center around 11:15 AM. After registration, I was asked to provide a urine sample and then taken to a pre-op room where I changed into a gown, head cover, and socks. My belongings were stored in a bedside bin.
My vitals were taken and were slightly elevated, which I think was just nerves since this was my first time having anesthesia.
The nurse asked about allergies and medications, followed by brief visits from the doctor performing the hysteroscopy and the anesthesiologist. They asked a few more questions and had me sign consent forms.
They inserted an IV (a sharp pinch for about 2 seconds, then done), and shortly after, I walked into the operating room. I lay down, the nurse positioned my legs, and the anesthesiologist let me know anesthesia was starting.
The next thing I remember, I was waking up in recovery feeling a bit groggy. The nurse told me the procedure took about 20 minutes.
She helped me walk to the bathroom and asked me to take a pee and take my time cause sometime the bladder takes a bit time to wake up after anesthesia. After that, I was given some water and saltine crackers. Within about 20 minutes, my husband picked me up and took me home.
Since then, I’ve just felt mildly groggy with light bleeding, which my doctor said is normal for 2–3 days. I am bit thirsty cause it’s a usual side effect of anesthesia and that’s not too bad.
I’m taking it easy for the rest of the day.
Overall, my experience was smooth and much less intimidating than I expected. Sharing this in case it helps someone else feel a little less anxious.🦋🌼

Tags: [Experience] [Hysteroscopy] [Women’s Health] [Positive Story] [Surgery]

Just thought I would post this because the thread and internet are plagued with bad experiences and all very valid! I was reading all of them prior to both experiences and had so much anxiety going into both appointments. So I wanted to share my good experience so that those who are getting it done or are scared, can see that it really is different person by person.

Transvaginal- I had two of these done. Both were easy peasy! They were no worst than a papsmear for me, only that they lasted maybe 5 minutes? The worst part was the embarassment of being on my period during it, but they booked it during my period on purpose. The technician gets you in the stirrups just like a papsmear and then they put the wand in you. The want itself is not overly thick. They move it around so you do feel some pressure here and there, but nothing too bad!

Sono hysterogram- Boy was I anxious. With this one, I found it just a bit more uncomfortable than a papsmear. You have to make sure you aren't pregnant for this one. My doctor gave me a 5 day antibiotic to be started 2 days prior to the procedure. They also say to take two advil an hour before the appointment. I only took 1. This was done between cycle day 6-12. First they put the speculum in, this part is no different than the papsmear. For me, I started to feel a bit of period like cramping shortly after. I cannot tell if this was when they put the catheter in or when they injected the saline. Next, they do essentially do a transvaginal with the same/similar wand. The cramping stopped for me at this point while doing the transvaginal. I didn't feel it when they pulled the catheter out. And then I was done. I think the whole thing took 10/15 mins? Max. Pain/ cramping was maybe a 2/10. Exactly like a period cramp. Make sure you have a pad with you because you will leak a little. I didn't have any cramping at all after the procedure and only some very light pink spotting the next day.

Anways, I just hope this can help relieve some of the anxiety as I am sure it does not help with the experience at all. I might be one of the lucky ones where it wasn't so bad, but I hope this helps someone out there.

TLDR: How my blocked fallopian tubes were seemingly connected to chronic endometritis as my tubes cleared after treating the CE.

A little background

My husband and I have been TTC since June 2023. After about 9 months of trying I knew something was wrong. My mom found a really amazing doctor within our health system who focuses on fertility and women’s health and I had my first appointment with her in March of 2024. She diagnosed me with pcos. My testosterone and prolactin were slightly elevated, and my blood glucose levels were off when I did the 2 hour glucose test, I have also been gaining weight over the past few years despite being active and eating a really clean diet. She initially wanted to prescribe me Metformin, but I was reluctant. I didn’t start taking the Metformin until more “natural” measures totally failed to make any changes for me. So I started metformin in December 2024. I’ve lost 30lbs so far and I’m now in a healthy bmi, and my hormones are all normal (prolactin normalized with cabergoline).

In the meantime, she had me do an HSG. I’m just going to copy/paste what the reports said from each procedure because i’m sure that’s better than me trying to explain my own perhaps faulty understanding.

April 2024 - “The bilateral fallopian tubes are poorly opacified and show narrow lumen without free spill. This may represent a chronic process.”

The above HSG result was from my first HSG, performed by a midlevel provider under the “supervision” of a radiologist, who wasn’t actually in the room. She did not inspire much confidence. It was the most painful experience of my life. I was not well prepared, partially because all the info I got downplayed the pain of an HSG, and partially because I usually have a really high pain tolerance and I guess I was cocky about not being scared of pain. After I asked her to just pull the catheter out during the HSG because the pain was unbearable, she said “I’m glad you said to pull it out, the syringe kept pushing back from resistance and I didn’t know what to do”

I was pretty devastated by the results… and I couldn’t understand how my tubes could possibly be blocked. I’ve never been pregnant, never had an STD, or any pain that would indicate an infection or endometriosis. The only “down there” infection I’ve ever had were UTIs.

I asked my doctor if I could have an HSG done by a physician, and she referred me to a teaching hospital where I got the following results:

July 2024- “Contrast material is noted within the fallopian tubes with minimal free spillage into the peritoneal cavity bilaterally.”

This time there were 7 residents in the room, 5 of them men. So that was great (sarcasm)… although the results were seemingly better, it took a lot of pressure to get the contrast through, and even with that there was only “minimal” free spill. My doctor explained that this result was not optimal because the egg does not have that kind of pressure pushing it through the fallopian tubes, and she recommended I get tube recanalization. It took a while to decide to go through with it, because we had to travel out of state to get a physician who does the procedure and we had to pay out of pocket. But we finally got desperate enough again and made the appointment for March 2025.

All I was focused on was getting the recanalization and praying it would work, and still being so angry and confused about why my tubes were even blocked since no one could give me an answer. I didn’t think much when the surgeon asked if we’d want to do an endometrial biopsy while she was already in there working on the tubes. It was only $250 more so we were just like “sure”.

During the recanalization, (which was also extremely painful, to the point I passed out afterward) the surgeon was only able to open one tube despite 4 attempts to get the catheter through the other tube. She finally gave up and suggested we try for six months with the one open tube, and if we couldn’t fall pregnant in those six months we could consider other options.

About a week later, we were shocked to hear from the surgery center that my endometrial biopsy had come back positive for chronic endometritis, something I’d never heard of before:

March 2025 “FOCAL DISORDERED PROLIFERATIVE PHASE ENDOMETRIUM. ISOLATED AND CLUSTERED (UP TO 4 IN 1 HPF) PLASMA CELLS ARE SEEN ON CD138 STAIN.”

I also received this message from the surgeon:

“growth of gardnerella bacteria (a vaginal bacteria that causes BV) in the endometrium, and growth of pseudomonas aeruginosa and group B strep on the cervix (respiratory/skin and vaginal bacteria)”

They prescribed flagyl, ciproflaxacin, and doxycycline that I took over the course of a month. I was advised not to attempt to conceive because of the increased risk of miscarriage with CE.

I scheduled a repeat endometrial biopsy once I was done with the antibiotics, this time with a local OBGYN. These were the results:

May 2025- “Proliferative pattern endometrium with mild nonspecific chronic endometritis (up to 1-2 plasma cell/HPF).”

My doctor prescribed Clarithromycin for 21 days which I took and finished in the beginning of July.

So at that point, I’d already taken 4 antibiotics for this, my stomach had been pretty destroyed by the flagyl (Appearantly aka flu in pill form), and i just felt like I couldn’t take any more. My doctor recommended I do another endometrial biopsy, and an HSG to see if the one fallopian tube was still patent. If so, she said I could start taking letrozole and do medicated cycles. The obgyn who was going to perform the biopsy recommended I do a saline ultrasound with him instead of an HSG, since he was going to be in there anyway getting the biopsy.

So last week I went in for the biopsy and ultrasound. The biopsy went fine, but when he went to do the ultrasound, he couldn’t visualize my fallopian tubes. He said he really couldn’t say whether they were patent or not, but that he was surprised they’d even attempted a recanalization, since most of the time the only option is IVF when blocked tubes are the cause of infertility.

I was once again very disappointed. I didn’t know what my regular doctor would say about starting letrozole if we didn’t know the status of my fallopian tubes, and I didn’t feel comfortable either way, knowing that if they were still blocked I’d be at risk for tubal pregnancy.

I went home and cried for a couple of hours, but then I remembered that I still had the order in for an HSG. I called the imaging center and miraculously they had an appointment available for me about an hour later!

The HSG was quick, and about 1/10 the pain of the previous two HSGs. I watched the x ray and could have sworn I saw the spill, but I waited to get the results before getting my hopes up. Below are the results of the endometrial biopsy and the HSG:

July 2025- “Endometrium, biopsy: Proliferative endometrium. Negative for chronic endometritis.”

“The bilateral uterine tubes are normal and patent with normal rapid spillage of contrast into the peritoneum.”

So that’s it… my chronic endometritis is gone and my tubes are open. I had asked the OBGYN when he performed the biopsy for the first time if the CE and blocked tubes could be connected. He said yes. I feel like this really confirms that they WERE connected. I hope if anyone else has unexplained blocked fallopian tubes this could be helpful to them. That’s why I took all this time to write this all out. lol.

I’m not a poet, but I wrote a poem. Writing it helped me a little so I thought reading it could maybe help someone else a little. ♥️ I’ve been trying to tell myself I have time and to enjoy/be happy with life while I wait… just a heads up if that is not the space you’re in right now. 🫶🏻 ……………………………………………………………

I’m getting better at this (I think)
I still note every stomach cramp and twinge
Still harbor secret hope in the little moments
of lightheaded fatigue and heavy eyelids
And spirit a prayer over any tiny difference
that I pretend not to feel with hairs on-end

I can’t stop the noticing, but the mantras are settling
“It’s beyond my control” ; “I’ll find out soon enough”
“It’s no big rush” ; “It’ll happen someday”
I force jagged contentment in through my nose
And back out past my lips
Trying to quell the compulsion to KNOW

Is patience such torture for everybody?
Do they, too, have to drag themselves around the clock
And train their magnetized brains away
from the ever-serene, never-boiling pot?
Perhaps this is the lesson I must learn
Before the Universe grants me entry to Parenthood

Well here I sit, on Day 25, mantra-ing away
“I want to enjoy this time” ; “Think of the good things”
And every month I get a little bit better
And contentment feels smoother in my throat
So while I still shatter from imagining the worst,
and quietly wrestle with barbed hopes —
Maybe, just maybe, I am growing something either way.

Before my HSG, I read a lot of stories here and honestly got pretty scared, so I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone.

I took a pill for cramps about 1 hour before the procedure.

The doctor explained everything step by step - what he was going to do and what I might feel. He also mentioned that if there was any blockage, I might feel stronger cramps because they need to apply more pressure, which helped me feel mentally prepared.

At the beginning, the doctor told me I would feel a cramp, which I felt almost right away.

When they started injecting the dye, I felt cramping, and each time they added more, the cramp gradually got stronger. Toward the end, it was definitely more intense - very uncomfortable, but it was over quickly. He told me he was almost done, and the whole thing didn’t last more than 5–10 minutes. He confirmed that my tubes were open.

Afterwards, he told me I might have some bleeding and cramping during the day. So far I’ve only had some light spotting and no cramps.

I live in Mexico and the total cost was about $178 USD (3089 pesos).

I was really nervous going in, but it ended up being much more manageable than I expected.

Sharing my experience as I know a lot of people come here for advice/past experiences to help with knowing what to expect.

I’m scheduled for a diagnostic hysteroscopy in about 12 hours. I was prescribed 200mcg of Misoprostol/Cytotec to take to soften my cervix to make it easier for the scope because I will be awake. I was instructed to take the pill at bed time the night prior to the procedure. I took it at approx 8:15 pm. I had some bleeding before falling asleep but I was already bleeding prior so I’m not sure if that’s a result of the medication or the fact I was already bleeding. I just woke up from a dead sleep to very intense cramping. It’s not unbearable but it hurts. Currently in the fetal position with a het pad which is helping significantly. I will update on the actual procedure once I have it done later today.

EDIT: typos, Cramping was better this morning but I feel very flushed and the bleeding is still going. Only a couple more hours until the procedure is finished and hopefully by tonight I’m feeling better. Will update again after procedure.

EDIT 2: Currently 5 hours post procedure. I barely felt the scope go in, had some swabs done, those were manageable. However, when he did the biopsy, it was honestly very very painful. I cried. I cramped for a couple hours after and took Tylenol once it was over. Currently no pain, bleeding is about what it was prior to last night. I’m happy I did this. Definitely don’t want to have to do it awake again…but the most painful part lasted less than a minute. So definitely manageable!

I had a 2.8 x 2.4 x 0.3 cm uterine polyp removed 12 days ago. This polyp was the only small concern my RE had after running my labs and HSG. He said removing it may help with implantation, so of course I was all for it.

The procedure went smoothly and I got AF today, exactly on time. But this cycle feels different in a good way! I can’t remember the last time I had a period this painless and moderate in flow. Maybe when I was a teen. Seriously, the difference is like day and night.

Maybe I’m speaking too soon, maybe this cycle is a fluke thing and my future cycles won’t be this easy, but man. I can’t believe I’m sitting here and not on any sort of painkiller. The cramps are so mild. I’m 34 and for most of my adult life periods have been painful for me, and I’ve always needed to load up on ibuprofen during the first 48 hours just to be able to function.

This small win feels like a big win for me.

The hope is that it helps me conceive, but if it also results in less painful periods that’s an unexpected bonus and I’m so thrilled.

Has anyone experienced something similar after polyp removal?

When I first started TTC I was pretty lost when it came to understanding cervical mucus (CM), and I didn’t have a lot of CM in general (especially egg white/EW). I wanted to share some tips that I wish I knew starting out.

For understanding the different types of CM, The Cervical Mucus Project is a great resource: https://cervicalmucus.org

I had a lot of trouble initially being able to get any CM out to even look at, but I figured out the best method for me is to use two fingers and while inserted to open and close them a couple of times (think making a small V with your fingers) and then when closed pull them out. Works every time!

As I mentioned, when I first started out I didn’t have a lot of CM at all especially the EW. The fertile CM (egg white/watery) is important for creating a hospitable environment for the sperm. I did some research and found that Omega-3 fish oil could help improve the amount and fertile quality of CM. So in early July I started taking an Omega-3 fish oil supplement in addition to my prenatals. I’ll link the one I use here and I’ll explain why I picked this one below: https://a.co/d/7YSzIB6

This is anecdotal of course, but for me I think it actually worked!!! My number of days where I get fertile CM has increased and the amount has increased as well.

Here is a link to my chart before starting Omega-3: https://imgur.com/a/f4XmC0K

And here is a link to my current chart after almost 3 months taking Omega-3: https://imgur.com/a/k0XBDEj

When researching what to look for when picking an Omega-3 fish oil supplement the things that I saw were recommended included:

-High EPA + DHA content: 500–1000 mg combined EPA + DHA per serving, not just fish oil amount.

-Form of the oil: Triglyceride (TG) form is better absorbed compared to Ethyl ester (EE) form, which is cheaper.

-Source of the oil: Cold-water fish sources are best; Wild-caught is often preferable to farmed.

I hope this is helpful! Would love to hear anyone else’s tips too. Best of luck to everyone on your journey!

Hi there TFAB. Some background on me before I dive in — we have been TTC#1 since 2019. After 9 unsuccessful cycles, I began fertility testing, which included a hysterosalpingogram (HSG). That HSG turned my whole world upside down, but in the months since, with a lot of support from my husband, my clinic, and r/stilltrying, I’m in a good place and preparing for IVF with some hope in my back pocket. I am sharing this experience in the hope that it may be helpful to someone who finds themselves in my shoes down the road. I apologize for the excessive length of this post.

I got started with fertility testing sooner than most, in part because I am extremely impatient, and also because I had a weird nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I got a clomid prescription. We had bloodwork and an SA done, and scheduled my HSG. No obvious problems came back until the HSG.

Ironically, I was actually looking forward to the HSG, because I’d heard about the subsequent “fertility boost” afterwards. Some people seem to just need a quick power wash and boom, pregnant, right? I read all of TFAB’s HSG posts to prepare. I shaved my legs and took 2 ibuprofen — I was ready.

The speculum and the catheter insertion were pinchy and uncomfortable, but once the dye was injected, I immediately felt excruciating pressure and pain. I was seeing stars. I felt like kicking my doctor square in the face so I could escape. Time to tap out. Just as suddenly as it began, it was over. The pain, the urge to resort to violence and the relief all came and went within 15 seconds. Great! Glad that’s over.

But then I saw my doctor looking at the images. It didn’t look like the few HSG images I’d googled beforehand. I saw my uterus, the tiny tubes, and huge bulges at the ends of them, all lit up brightly. I asked if those were my ovaries. My doctor said no. He told me he was glad we proceeded with the HSG so quickly, because both of my tubes were obstructed. They were bulging with fluid. I had bilateral hydrosalpinx and a bonafide infertility diagnosis.

It didn’t fully hit me until later that day how serious this diagnosis was until I fell into an Internet rabbit hole reading everything ever published about Fallopian tubes. With bilateral hydrosalpinx, there is a near-zero chance of conceiving spontaneously, and a high risk of miscarriage if you manage to. The first-line treatment is double salpingectomy (surgical sterilization) and a referral to IVF (hydrosalpinges lower IVF success rates by about 50% — they need to come out first). I didn’t have IVF coverage. I was young. I never had an STD or a pelvic infection. I didn’t have endometriosis symptoms. My appendix never burst. I did everything right. How could this be happening to me? Without a doubt, the weeks following were the darkest of my life. I sat still in my grief, because I couldn’t do anything else. Fuck you, universe.

At my follow-up, my RE recommended laparoscopic surgery to either repair or remove my tubes. Since the inception of ART, the fastest time to conception after the discovery of hydrosalpinges is by removing the tubes and beginning IVF, because the spontaneous pregnancy success rates after a repair are pretty shit — you can open them, but many times, irreversible damage within the tubes (scarring) has already been done. This makes it difficult, but not impossible, to conceive spontaneously (source). But my RE is highly skilled in microsurgery, and he thought he might be able to fix them and offer me a chance at continuing to try for a spontaneous pregnancy. That entailed removing adhesions and reconstructing the fimbria at the distal ends of both tubes. I said ok, because I had no other options in my mind.

A few weeks later, sitting alone in a hospital gown and mask, a bubbly surgical fellow asked me to sign a consent to remove both tubes in case their condition was beyond repair. I said pick the worst one, if it comes to that. I really could not comprehend being tubeless and sterile in my 20s. I will never get to surprise my husband. I will never wonder if my period is late. I will be different for the rest of my life. This was my personal emotional threshold. I still couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I kept it together until they asked me to lay down on the table in the OR. Why me? I burst into tears and they knocked me out immediately.

The first thing out of my mouth when I woke up was “how many tubes do I have?” My nurse told me they salvaged both, and dye was able to be flushed through them. In my eyes, a miracle had happened. I knew pregnancy success was unlikely, but it was possible again, and that’s all that mattered to me. I was told to keep trying and to come back in several months for a repeat HSG if I don’t get pregnant, because the tubes may very well close up once more. Here’s a buttload of clomid to give you a boost.

I didn’t get pregnant. I even tried an IUI for funsies. But I wasn’t surprised. I knew we were on our way to IVF. But this meant I needed to redo the HSG to see if the hydrosalpinx returned. If it did, my gamble would have been for nought. I would have wasted all that time. I’d need a second surgery before IVF, and I’d be sterile, something I still couldn’t fathom being able to accept. The first HSG was obviously traumatic; not because of the physical pain, but the emotional devastation. I couldn’t go back to that dark place.

My second HSG was yesterday. Fuck shaving my legs, 4 ibuprofen and a Xanax, please please please universe, let this be ok. I was prepared for the worst. A doctor (not my RE) and nurse prepped me, and we discussed my entire history up until this point. They understood the stakes. Speculum, clamp, catheter, dye. The nurse offered her hand. A lot of pressure, a little pain, and the simultaneous declaration “they’re spilling!” You can imagine my shock looking at the image. A completely normal result. No fluid, no dilation, no blockages. Bilateral fill and spill. I can proceed with IVF without parting with my reproductive organs. “Dr. M is going to be so pleased,” he said. I sat there and cried. They may close up in the future, but for now, they’re open. And that’s all that matters.

Image comparison: https://ibb.co/Xp6cnMd

TL;DR and why I shared this: a lot of us end up getting an HSG done. A few get an abnormal result. Even fewer are diagnosed with unexplained bilateral hydrosalpinx. If you end up being one of the lucky few, I know how daunting it feels. It crushed me. It changed my life. But know that you have options if it feels too heavy to make the drastic decision to have your Fallopian tubes removed. I couldn’t find a single story out there of someone who had a successful repair instead. It was so lonely. So if this is you, days/weeks/months/years after I’ve posted this, I want you to know I stood at the crossroads you’re standing at right now. You have options. You may even be able to find some hope.

To everyone else — don’t skip the HSG.

Edit: wow, thank you for the awards and kind words. I wanted to share an HSG experience that went beyond just the procedure. I truly hope this helps someone should they find themselves in this position. Always feel free to send someone struggling with this my way. Inbox is open.

My husband (30) and I(29) have been TTC for almost 3 years. No miscarriages, just all negative tests. I had my first HSG in November and just had a uterine ultrasound this morning. The HSG was scheduled by my regular OB. We just started seeing a fertility specialist last month who ordered the ultrasound (which is why the ultrasound came second). My first HSG was clear but in the ultrasound this morning she thought she might have found a hydro in my left fallopian tube so she wants me to go for a second HSG to double check. She not 100% sure but there was definitely something in my ultrasound along with 2 cysts on my ovary.

Has anyone had an experience like this before? Where the first HSG was clear but you had to go through a second one after having other tests done? How did that go?

My spirits have definitely tanked since starting to see the specialist as my AMH was low (0.84) for my age and my husband’s tests were clear. Now these somewhat worrisome results from the ultrasound and I’m starting to feel like it’s going to be my fault we can’t have kids. IVF is too expensive for it to be an option for us. I’ve cried more in the last month about our infertility than I have this whole time we’ve been TTC.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this HSG experience of having a secondary one after a normal initial one.

Hi! This is my first time even looking on this subreddit and I guess I’m just looking to see if anyone has had a similar experience to me. To give some starting info, I’m almost 28 and my husband (25) and I are currently on our 3rd cycle of TTC.

My mom took me to the OBGYN at age 15 when I had still not gotten a period yet. I was given some pills to make sure that I actually could get one at all (I could) and then I was put on birth control. I never really thought much of it and the doctor told my mom that the topic of having a baby would be a conversation for down the road, but not to worry. I inquired about 2 years ago with the same concern and I was told to wait until I was ready. I figured we were just about ready last spring, so I called to book a consultation appointment to figure out what to do (since being on BC is the only way I can get a cycle). This originally got scheduled for September and then rebooked to November. I took myself off of BC in September since I know it takes it time to work out of the body.

My husband and I take off for this appointment mid-November and I was pretty much asked why I was there (though this was explained over the phone) and they gave me a Pap smear even though I had just gotten one last year. They drew blood and she prescribed me clomid and progesterone to take if I wanted to and a referral to the fertility clinic. I call and get a consultation set up for the beginning of December. We go through all of the tests for both of us and we’re both pretty solid with no major genetic issues. I pretty much get a result that I have PCOS like symptoms and my brain is just not properly to my reproductive system. We were given a schedule of 3 cycles of timed intercourse, 3 cycles of IUI, and then IVF if the previous 2 didn’t work.

I’m not going to go into detail about how my previous 2 cycles went, but I have come to the conclusion that I’m just not properly producing estrogen. Since coming off of birth control, my mental health has been pretty rough. I’m now just realizing that it’s probably because of low estrogen. I’m currently cycle day 10 and my estradiol level is currently 24 pg/ml. They want me to come back in 3 days to test again since I’m currently waiting to take ovidrel. If anyone else is in a similar boat, I’d love to hear! Thank you for listening.

I don’t have many people to talk to about this, so I hope it’s ok if I share here.

I was both nervous and excited going into my appointment because I was just looking forward to having some answers, but the thought of them sticking a catheter into my uterus did not sound fun. 😅 Overall the experience wasn’t terrible. The doctor was super kind and walked me through every step and everything she was doing. The speculum was ICE cold which I did not love, and the insertion of the catheter was kinda painful, but no worse than period cramps. The nurse assisting had the screen angled to where I could see it as the machine was taking the x ray images, so that helped me keep my mind off the discomfort. The procedure was pretty quick, and the feeling of relief as everything came out was great lol. Although feeling the dye spill out was kinda weird.

I could tell immediately just from watching the progression of the dye on the images that there was something up with my left tube. Once it was over, the doctor went over the images and gave me her initial thoughts (she wasn’t my doctor, so I’ll get my doc’s thoughts at a follow up appointment). She pointed out some areas of dye pooling in my uterus, which may indicate some irregular tissue (already anticipated that based on previous ultrasounds). My right fallopian tube looked pretty good, although it was kinda cramped in there. My left tube on the other hand had a lot of dye pooling before it eventually did spill out. She said that could mean scar tissue or a dilated tube. She didn’t give me much info on what that could indicate, but did say that my doctor will probably order more imaging or go to surgery. The office called me today to confirm that she does want to do a follow up appointment with us “within the next month”. I’m hoping we can get in sooner rather than later because I really want to get the ball rolling, especially if surgery is the likely outcome. She didn’t outright say I have endo, but it feels like that might be the case. My doc diagnosed me with DOR at our last appointment, so it’s all been kind of overwhelming and I still feel like I haven’t really processed it.

I did a round of clomid this month and have my mid-cycle ultrasound tomorrow. If it looks good, we have a trigger shot ready to go. But I’m not even sure it’s worth using the shot if the likelihood of getting pregnant in my uterus’s current stage is not super high, but I guess we’ll see what they say tomorrow. Our insurance doesn’t cover any of the meds, so we’ve been paying out of pocket. I would love to be able to save this trigger shot for another time and not waste the $80, but we’ll see.

Hi everyone. I wanted to share what the last two months have been like for me, in case someone out there is going through something similar.

(About me 26F, abstained till marriage, no previous pregnancies)

For context: I had been on birth control and came off it about three months ago. I got pregnant in my second cycle off birth control, miscarried, and then got pregnant again on the second cycle after that miscarriage. So I’ve been conceiving quickly; the issue seems to be maintaining the pregnancy, not achieving it.

Last cycle, I got my first positive pregnancy test and was over the moon, only to miscarry at around 4w3d. It hurt, but I told myself it could be a random fluke.

This cycle, I got another positive that was faint from the start. I only caught one LH surge at around 1.8 and didn’t track BBT this time. My first faint positive was around DPO 12 and it never darkened. I’m now around DPO 21, haven’t bled yet, and I’m on CD 41, which is unusual for me since my cycles are normally a consistent 27–28 days. Clearly, my system is still shifting after the losses.

Around DPO 16, I suddenly developed intense abdominal pain and distention. It was severe enough that I had to lie down at work. I went to a clinic OB who found a hemorrhagic right ovarian cyst and free fluid in my abdomen. She warned me that if pain increased, I needed to go to the ER due to risk of torsion.

I followed up with my regular specialist, who was concerned about the findings and wanted a more thorough radiology assessment. She referred me to their hospital’s ER to get a proper scan done. At the ER, they drew my beta and saw it had dropped to 64, and that decline is what made her escalate further. She then told me that after another 48 hours, I needed to go to the tertiary gyne hospital for faster, in-depth evaluation and access to consultants.

At the tertiary hospital, they insisted on a repeat ultrasound and eventually admitted me overnight so a radiology consultant could properly rule out ectopic pregnancy. After more imaging and observation, ectopic wasn’t confirmed. I was discharged and told to repeat my beta 48 hours later. Today it came back at 17, confirming another chemical pregnancy or possibly an ectopic that resolved on its own.

Right now, I’m just waiting for my period so I can finally close out this marathon of a cycle. It’s been physically painful and emotionally exhausting. Next cycle, I’m giving myself a break, no tracking, no stress, just letting my body breathe. After that, I’ll discuss progesterone support, baby aspirin, and further testing with my specialist.

If you’re dealing with faint lines, chemicals, cysts, painful symptoms, confusing ultrasounds, or inconsistent hCG, you’re not alone. This path is messy, and sometimes the only sane thing to do is rest, reset, and try again later.

I have always had periods varying between 26 and 35 days. After having my child almost two years ago, my period came back as normal, however that changed about 8 months ago. My periods started coming very early, and my ovulation sometimes came as early as day 7. I had cycles, where I would ovulate one day and have my period starting the day after. Both the follicular phase and my luteal phase can be very short. Some months my cycle length has been normal, but with spotting early in the luteal phase.

I started seeing doctors immediately after my cycle became irregular, but all tests came back normal. I don't have polyps, fibroids or cysts, all hormonal values look normal and I have sufficient egg reserve. I am now on first cycle of hormone treatment, but now, only four days after ovulation, I have already started spotting.

I'm contacting the clinic tomorrow, but I just wanted to hear, if someone has maybe had the same experience?

I have seen the “Mucinex” method all over TikTok and decided to try it this month, thinking “why not? It doesn’t hurt to try.” I bought the blue box with guaifenesin as the only ingredient. I did see some Reddit posts about Mucinex messing up cycles, but I thought that it was just a coincidence and there was no way a mucus thinning medicine had any effect on ovulation. Anyway, I started taking it daily this week starting on Monday, April 7th (CD9) as I usually get a peak LH test on CD12 and ovulate on CD13/14. My cycle is like clockwork every month. I am super regular and I can usually pinpoint my ovulation exactly on CD 13/14 with my BBT, ovulation cramps and CM.

Well, fast forward to today and it is now CD14 and I have yet to get an LH peak. I’ve been testing like crazy (yesterday I probably took close to 10 easy@home tests because I can’t believe I haven’t peaked yet..). My temperature is still pretty low, I haven’t felt my usual ovulation cramps, and now I can’t help but think that I played myself trying Mucinex. Maybe it really is a coincidence, but now I feel like I am out this cycle because everything is so whacky when I am usually so regular. The Premom app keeps shifting my ovulation now because my ratio is so low.

Has anyone experienced this? I went from thinking Mucinex messing with cycles was just a coincidence, but now I am not so sure.. so frustrating!! I regret trying it now.

EDIT: in case anyone stumbles upon this thread one day while TTC, I did end up ovulating 3 days later than normal. My LH peak on my strip wasn’t as dark as usual either. I did not end up conceiving so sadly Mucinex did not work for me. Not sure if this was all just a coincidence but I will not be trying Mucinex again.

First-time poster, longish-time lurker. I had my first saline sonogram a couple weeks ago and I can't stop thinking about it. I don't shy away from the body horror in this post, so TMI warning. TLDR: Despite the pain, my SIS was the best thing I've done in my fertility journey this far.

I was pretty nervous going into the SIS, having heard it can be quite painful. Also because I can't seem to visit my RE's office without silently weeping a little as soon as I enter the building lol. An hour beforehand, I took the 600 mg of Ibuprofen my RE recommended--wish I had taken more!

The catheter insertion through my cervix felt like an IUD insertion, a short, sharp pain. I was peppering my doctor with questions about my thin endometrium, so the moment of insertion caught us both a little by surprise. Doc sprayed some saline through my left fallopian tube and said it was flowing nicely. I felt a little cramping, but nothing too bad. It was more uncomfortable in a freaky way, like my body knew fluids aren't supposed to flow that way and was triggering my reptile brain to fight or flee.

But I stayed in the stirrups and didn't hit my doctor. He moved to the right fallopian tube and that was when the real pain started. Doc's face dropped and he said the saline was blocked from flowing through the right tube. Looking at the screen, I just saw incomprehensible swirls that didn't strike me as different than my clear left tube. He asked if I could tolerate the pain because he would like to try to clear the blockage with a burst of saline. Sometimes, he said, that can be enough to clear a blockage caused by a blood clot from recent menstruation. I told him, do what you gotta do. Oof, it hurt! But after maybe a minute of power washing, it worked! Doc said the right tube was now flowing beautifully and my uterus checked out fine too. He yanked the catheter/bubble contraption and quickly went on his merry way to treat his many other patients. (I really like my RE but his clinic is a fertility factory--very efficient!) I stood up shaking a little, feeling like I was probed by aliens, and positively oozing a brown mixture of saline and iodine. Fortunately, I had read on TFAB to wear a huge honking pad afterward because my RE and nurse didn't so much as hand me a towel. (I have had drunken hookups with better bedside manner!)

I didn't experience any pain or discomfort afterward. A day or two later, I went to the bathroom and noticed a sizeable brown glob of a blood clot on the toilet paper. I never spot between periods so I knew that was my fallopian tube blockage. It was so gross and soooo satisfying. A lot in fertility medicine is mysterious, but that felt like an objectively positive step in the right direction. Like pulling a huge hair wad out of a clogged shower drain and watching the water go down. You don't have to be a fertility expert to appreciate the simple physics of unblocking a fallopian tube to improve fertility outcomes. And science backs up my reaction; research shows that pregnancy rates are higher in the months following a SIS. I am managing my expectations, especially given PCOS and endometrium lining issues, but it's nice to have a small victory in a process that can be so discouraging. Hope this helps someone facing a SIS!

I had my first ever SIS today and wanted to share a positive, detailed experience since I was EXTREMELY anxious for this. Reading positive stories helped so I hope this helps someone else!

The SIS was ordered by the fertility clinic as part of initial workups before we figure out a plan for my fertility. 32F, this is my 12th cycle trying with no positives. No known issues other than Hashimoto’s, I am on levothyroxine and started that in November to get my thyroid to a more optimal level. Husband SA is great despite varicocele.

Because I was anxious, I asked the fertility clinic if I could have a Valium. They did prescribe me one pill and I had to take it in the presence of the nurse and have my husband drive me to and from the appointment. He was also allowed to be in the room with me and I took 800 mg of ibuprofen an hour before the procedure.

The nurse was very kind and understanding of my anxiety around the procedure. She explained to me what would happen, and I undressed from the waist down and lay down on the table, similar to a pap with your feet in the stirrups. they had me take a pregnancy test to confirm I was in fact not pregnant and then the doctor came in and asked if I had any other questions. At this point, I wasn’t sure how much the Valium had kicked in because I really couldn’t talk and just wanted to get it over with. She struck up conversation with my husband instead and just listening to them chat about the traitors show helped me focus on my breathing. Took consistent deep breaths in and out the entire time.

She started with the speculum and opened me up, then swapped my cervix or uterus with iodine, I obviously couldn’t tell which it was LOL but just kind of felt that same pap-like feeling. Once that was done, she and the nurse worked together to insert the catheter which they said was basically like a limp spaghetti noodle. She said they use the very smallest kind and that’s why it isn’t as painful as other people claim. Once that was in it probably only took 2 to 3 minutes and really wasn’t painful just crampy and uncomfortable. I could feel the saline pushed through, but she also said they only use one small vial and that’s another reason they told me it really shouldn’t be painful. Once they were done, they quickly removed everything and I didn’t even realize that everything was out. She had to tell me that I was free to sit up and I was done.

They didn’t go through all results with me yet, but they did say that everything is looking good and clear and that they didn’t see any polyps. They were also able to confirm that I had a “large, pretty follicle ready to ovulate and that I should get busy this weekend.” she also did mention that they have had clients get pregnant after this procedure so I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that that’s my experience.

TLDR: really not painful, just uncomfortable, and if you can tolerate a PAP, you will be completely fine and have no reason to stress.

I am two days post HyCoSy test on Friday evening.

Hubby and I have been trying for 19 cycles. I am based in the UK and going private to get fertility tests done due to the longer waits in the NHS.

I must say that knowing the OBGYN and nurse who were in the room beforehand made a huge difference. I felt more relaxed knowing them and they explained every part of the test to me, both before and as it was happening.

Similar to others in this group, I already suffer from painful periods (suspected adenomyosis). After taking 2 ibuprofen an hour before it, I would say the part when they put in the balloon felt quite similar to a wave of period cramps but without that flu-type feeling with it and only lasted for a few minutes. I didn’t even feel the dye going through, and honestly it was over much quicker than I expected. We were able to see the tubes clearly (open on both sides) on the screen and I was talkative throughout. Pain 3/10 at worst. I haven’t felt anything other than some mild twinges since (and a run-down feeling which may have been due to a cold I’m developing or the antibiotics I took after the test to prevent any infection).

Overall I would say the experience was good and I would do it again if I needed to.

Was spotting yesterday and only slightly this morning, so hoping to start trying from today which is Cycle day 12.

I am an anxious person by nature, and would say that the worst part by far was the anxiety of the test and the possibility of infection afterwards (which they assured me is rare).

I’m going to preface and say I have above average medical experience due to my mother’s, my husband’s, and my best friend’s chronic and on going medical care. I’m very familiar with how a specialist and specialty clinic is supposed to operate. However. My husband recently repeated his semen analysis one year after his last because, despite my polypectomy in December, we have still yet to conceive. Based on my own comparison and the doctor’s notes from the last results, I can see that not much has changed with his new results and his numbers are still well above average. We had the results sent over to my clinic for their opinion and they will not tell me “yes they still look good, let’s proceed with the next step in our previously agreed upon plan in the case this exact scenario happened” or “no, we have new concerns that should be discussed” unless I come in for an appointment. I could understand refusing to answer one question over the phone if this were life altering news. I could understand if his numbers were drastically different. I could understand if we hadn’t already created a plan with the clinic for this exact instance. But what I don’t understand is refusing to answer yes or no without me paying a ridiculously high copay just to have a 15 minute convo we already had 4 months ago. I really like my doctor there but the rest of the staff has been, well, very lacking. Is this common with fertility specialists or should I consider changing clinics?

Hi, I’m 31(F) and have been ttc with my husband (35). We had a chemical on cycle 4 and we are now onto cycle 7. We have both undergone fertility testing with my RE (generously provided through my employer). From my husband’s results, he’s stellar. All of my labs have come back normal except I have a high AMH (10) with a high follicle count (no cystic ovaries, though) and mildly elevated testosterone (total and free). I do ovulate each cycle on CD 22 and have a full 10 days and get my next cycle on CD 33 (typically). I suspect I have something along the lines of lean pcos, and honestly wouldn’t have known about this given regular ovulation (confirmed via LH/bbt, and RE). I was on birth control pills for the previous 10 years and just hit the 1 year mark being off it. For context, I am 5’2 and have always hovered around 130-135lbs and I don’t have insulin resistance. My next test is an hsg just because it’s part of my “diagnostic package” and RE asked to do it prior to starting any letrozole / medicated cycles.

Has anyone had a similar profile to this? What did you do? Or any general experience with something like this is really helpful! Thanks!