Update Part 1: HSG Results

The last time I posted an entry, I was getting ready to take the HSG dye test.

That was over 4 months ago, and the test did in fact shed a little insight.

The day of the test, Vance and I sat nervously in the radiology waiting room while Despicable Me 2 played in the background. Once they called my name, we went to the procedure room and the nurses went over the process, and what to expect.

Just like all doctor visits related to anything that has to do with going up and inside my private area, I freak myself out. From the moment the nurses tell me to undress from the waist down, to the moment the doctor comes in and tells me to lay down on my back, put my feet in the stirrups, and scooch my bum down to the bottom of the table so my legs will spread, I get anxious.

On my list of things I hate to do, this is definitely one of them. But I do it for future baby. And to be honest, when the HSG test was over, I breathed a sigh of relief because it really wasn't TOO bad. It went relatively quick, and while it was slightly uncomfortable, Vance was at my side.

During the procedure, the radiologist was able to determine from the digital x-ray that was displayed on the television monitor, that my fallopian tubes were wide open; no blockage. He said that everything looked good. Which is good news, right? But it made our hearts sink, because it meant there were still NO immediate answers, and we just spent a lot of money on the test. He said he would send the x-ray results to my OBGYN.

Although disappointed, I was relieved we had done the test, and that it was over. I even felt comfort, as opposed to the anxiety and depression I so often feel. I thought that I would for sure experience anger and depression if I heard one more time that nothing was wrong with my body, but instead I was at peace. Vance and I both remained positive by saying that we were grateful we took the test because at least now we knew that my tubes weren't blocked, and we could continue our journey to becoming pregnant.

Just over a month after taking this test, I got a call from my OB's nurse saying that he looked over my test results, and wanted to go over them with me in person. We knew immediately after taking the test that my tubes weren't blocked. But upon examination of my x rays, my doctor noticed that my uterus is abnormally shaped. He did a little drawing for me. While most women's uterus's are shaped more like a light bulb or a pear, mine in shaped like a heart. They call them uterine horns or something like that.

Normal looking uterus

My uterus

He says women still get pregnant with a bicornate or "heart-shaped" uterus, but the abnormal shape CAN make it more tricky. Especially if I only ovulate in one "horn", but perhaps the sperm is traveling to the other horn. It can also cause some trickiness when a baby does grow because it can make it harder for the baby to rotate to a head first position.

So, it's not much news, but considering this is the ONLY lead on anything we have found since we started getting tested for infertility 2 years ago, it's the only thing we can go off of that might be causing me to have a hard time getting pregnant. And I'm kind of excited to know a little bit more about what's going on inside of my body! Any news is progress.

Oh, and according to my family doctor, my thyroid doesn't work nearly as well as it should. I've have my thyroid tested several times before in the past 3 years, and no one has ever told me this before, so it's a little bit frustrating that one doctor (my OB) says it looks good, and another (Family Dr.) says it doesn't. So I am currently on thyroid medication to help regulate that aspect of my body. Praying it makes a change. For all we know, regulating my thyroid, as well as understanding the shape of my uterus, could be the missing links to my getting pregnant.

Also, one last thing I have failed to mention: Vance is currently taking part in a 6 month fertility study with the University of Utah. Vance is to take a daily folic acid pill, record his events throughout the day, and every couple of months they test his sperm for count, mobility, etc. We are almost certain this study is not the answer to our questions. We know that there is not a problem with Vance, but are hopeful that this study can help the University discover some answers they need that could be used to help other struggling couples.