An Ounce of Prevention: HSG, Health Insurance, and a Break

My HSG (hysterosalpingogram) was yesterday and I had a bit of anxiety before the test, but it was completely unwarranted. If you’ve never had one before, try not to stress about it. I changed into a gown, slipped on fuzzy socks, and hopped up onto an exam table under a C- Arm (moveable X-ray.) No stirrups!

The flexible tube used to pass the dye is like a spaghetti noodle so it took a few minutes to get it through my cervix. They used a little guide tool to help and that was the most uncomfortable part. The discomfort was comparable to a mild UTI burn and lasted only a minute. I was able to watch the dye as it filled my uterus and my tubes. I laughed because it looked like a mustache forming on the screen as the dye moved. And voila! It was done and everything appears to be normal 🙂 I felt no discomfort as they pulled the tube out. They injected about 4-5cc of dye and for the next few hours it felt as though much more was draining out of me. A pad is a good idea 😉 I had no cramping or pain afterward, and actually left the office very relaxed. Next, we will set up an appointment with Dr. F and review my  blood work and test results.

I mentioned briefly earlier this week that things have been kinda…crappy lately. DH and I are switching to a private insurance policy that has phenomenal maternity coverage, but there’s a catch. I cannot conceive within 30 days of the policy effective date. WTF?! The agent said it could take anywhere from an hour to several weeks to receive application approval from underwriting. If it became effective TODAY, we would be dangerously close to the 30 day mark with IUI next month. I have not yet sent the application in because…because I don’t want to put everything on hold right when it starts to become somewhat promising. I’m really bummed.

I should be ovulating early next week and we are going to have to AVOID pregnancy. I can’t really wrap my head around this yet. Protected sex?! Depending on when our new policy becomes effective, there’s a very good chance we’ll have to postpone IUI until January. We will be across the country for ten days during Christmas, while I’m ovulating, so fertility treatments are out for December, too. I guess I can still get on clomid and try “naturally” in December, but I think we’ll have to prevent the next two cycles. Uggghhhh!

I can look at all the positives:
Time for DH to regenerate new sperm
No crazy cycle tracking and POAS all the time
I can live somewhat normally for a few months
I can drink over the holidays 🙂

BUT, I’m impatient and not wanting to deal with these stupid delays. So I’m going to pout about it for a day or two. Then, I’ll find a dozen Pinterest crafts to keep my mind off of this momentary retreat. Or maybe buy a turtle. And name him Harry. We’ll see.

Stepping It Up: IUI

It’s sad when fertility treatments become a highlight of your life, as opposed to a stressful endeavor. Things seem to be falling apart all around me and the one thing that is keeping me going is the hope my husband and I have for a baby. I’m excited to have my HSG Test later this week and (hopefully) start our first round of IUI next month. These things are keeping my head above water at the moment.

Our appointment with the RE went very well on Monday. Despite our initial concern that the SA results were dooming, the doctor reassured us that we are still in decent fertile standing, but we’d need a lot of patience to continue naturally. I think we are going to give IUI a shot in November (assuming I don’t jump off a bridge before then) and see how that goes. Our doc said 75% of couples achieve pregnancy by the third IUI cycle, and 95% by the fifth.  I was concerned with using clomid to produce more eggs (since I ovulate normally) but the doctor said it greatly improves our chances and the risk of multiples is only 7-8%. My blood work should be back any day now, so we will know by the end of the week if there is anything funky going on with my labs or lady bits.

Last Thursday we drove a few hours south to attend a speaking engagement hosted by the fertility clinic we are using. It was jam-packed with great information and statistics, and put our minds at ease. Essentially, it was a free “consult” considering most of our burning questions were answered on the spot. We didn’t win the free cycle of IVF, but we did get a $500 gift certificate toward treatment. Not too shabby 🙂 Every little bit helps.

Thank you all for your support. I’d love to hear about your experiences with IUI.