# Advice....next steps before IVF



## Malibu1 (Dec 27, 2013)

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, so excuse me if this has been posted elsewhere. I am wondering if any of you have some advice for me - we have been trying for 19 months now and no success yet. We have been through the doctor/hospital process so have had all the tests done including blood tests, ultrasounds and most recently in October I had an HSG. They found a hydrosalphinx (blocked right tube) on the ultrasound and when they did the HSG the dye flowed through so they said it wasn't fully blocked. Also the ultrasound confirmed polycystic ovaries but I don't have the syndrome. No further tests were done re the polycystic ovaries. Now all these tests have been done, they have referred us directly for IVF?? I asked if there was anything else they could do and they said no, we need to put you on the list for IVF.

Has anyone else been in this situation where you don't feel all the possibilities have been explored?


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## skybluesarah (Nov 15, 2006)

That does seem odd, I'd expect them to offer you Clomid and potentially a laparoscopy to look for endometriosis - unless there's some sperm issues?  I have polycystic ovaries too but not the syndrome, it would have shown up in your routine blood tests if you had it I think.


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## Malibu1 (Dec 27, 2013)

Sperm tests are all fine. My blood test did show polycystic ovaries but they don't seem worried by that? I feel like they are going straight for IVF without looking at every possibility


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## tinkerbell24 (Apr 18, 2013)

Hi it does seem odd. The thing I'd ask for you to maybe ask them if they'd be prepared to do a lap and dye the reason I ask and I don't want to scare you at all but I had the hsg that said I had a partially blocked tube but at the time no hydro was seen I demanded a lap and dye which they were refusing but I carried on bugging and so glad I did as I had hydro which caused my tube to completely block within the space if having the hsg to the lap and dye and they removed my tube because the hydro could spill when having ivf causing problems. The good thing is I'm guessing you have your other tube and that's in good health is that right? So even if they decided to clip or remove you would still have your other tube. I never thought of asking for the lap straight away as they said it was partially blocked and I left it at that but after researching I decided to have the lap. I wish you all the luck but find bugging your gyno is the best way to get seen


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## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

malibu my only regret about IVF was that i didn't do it sooner. It's not a magic fix and some people need several cycles before hitting the jackpot. If you feel you can spare the time to investigate other options, that's great, but i reckon in your shoes i would get IVF soon as - sooner you get there more time to spend with baby! It could be a long time waiting to start IVF and/or several cycles required, most people would only manage 2 fresh cycles a year so if it took you three goes and it was a 6 month wait to start, that's 2 years and more by the time you carried the baby. Spending time trying other options is great if you feel young enough but it could just mean more problems develop in the meantime.

good luck whatever happens


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## danceintherain (Apr 16, 2013)

Hi Malibu, hydrosalpinx can affect the success rate of ivf so it would be worth checking with your consultant to see if this needs treating first. Other than that, I agree with goldbunny that going for ivf at this stage would be a positive move. I was offered clomid before ivf and refused it as I didn't want to waste time (I ovulate normally anyway so have no idea why they wanted to put me on it to waste another 6 months!) 

Polycystic ovaries (without the syndrome) are pretty common and are not thought to affect fertility so I wouldn't worry too much about that. My scans have always showed PCO but I ovulate normally and have normal hormone levels.


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## Malibu1 (Dec 27, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies and advice....I guess going for IVF without finding if there is definitely nothing else wrong, worries me. I'm convinced there is something else going on which is why I want to get a lap done. I'm going to go back to the doctor and see if I can push to get a lap referral, so at least while I wait for IVF I can put my mind at rest?


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## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

having been labelled 'unexplained' I completely get that you want to know the cause of your problems but the reality is, many people never find out. I still have no idea why I wasn't getting pregnant all that time. You might never know. Something must have been 'wrong' for me not to fall pregnant, but finding out what that is/was isn't always simple or even possible. Don't get hung up on finding out... IVF can bypass many of the causes and skip straight to a solution, especially when combined with other things eg using ICSI, PGD, immunes testing etc...


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