Normal Procedure?

odelay770

Hello!

I have been TTC for 8 months or so, saw a RE in NJ in October.  I got me some issues:

I have a hydrosalpinx- right blocked fallopian tube, and fibroids.  My RE has recommended tubal ligation before starting IVF.  The thing is, I did not want to start IVF- I wanted to go as far as I could naturally.  If it could be corrected, I'd prefer that, but that wasn't presented as an option.  I scheduled the surgery but something didn't sit right with me and I cancelled.

Does anyone think I am overthinking this? I want to have a baby madly, but I also want to be healthy.  I don't know what is causing the hydrosalpinx (I had an appendectomy a few years back so I think scar tissue may be the culprit, but I don't know for sure) and my instinct is to find out, but I feel like they might not be interested in finding out because I would have to have the IVF no matter what.  I almost feel like it is being pushed on me, instead of it being more of a last option. 

I hope I am making sense; I've been an emotional mess (I'm in grad school and that isn't helping).

Thanks for any help anyone can give,

-C

O2girl

If I felt like something was being pushed on me, I would get a second opinion especially if the thing being pushed on me was a surgical procedure of any sort. In my opinion I would suggest getting your records and taking them to another RE. If your RE is any good they will understand and appreciate your desire to hear all the options.

hmz819

It is a common procedure in the IF world. If your tube is hydro it could be releasing "toxins" in your womb stopping any chance of having a baby even through ivf. Do some googling learn what you can from the internet and if you still have questions get a second opinion. I know sometimes they can "save" the tube but it all depends.

Also, just because they remove one tube doesn't mean you have to do ivf. You'd still have the other side. It could take longer but theoretically you could still get pregnant with one tube.

healz413

I had a hydro with my left tube and schedule a laparoscopic surgery to correct or remove the tube. When they did the surgery, they found that both tubes were seriously compromised by stage four endometriosis and both tubes had to be removed. Apparently this is not particularly uncommon. Unfortunately with both tubes removed, IVF is the only remaining choice.

I hope that you don't have problems with both tubes and that you do have other options for getting pregnant, but if they hadn't gone in to deal with the first tube for me, they never would have known the second one was a problem, because it hadn't shown up on ultrasounds or the HSG.

Good luck!

badrianne

You can choose either doctor. Don't worry about etiquette, it's your body. If you do have the lap, you can specify what you want. What I mean is if you just want them to look around and not remove your tube or if you only want them to remove what you agreed to before sedation then you can request that. Everything they do they have to have your permission for. Of course it may mean having to have another procedure in the future. Obviously, I'd defer to the doctors recommendation if it was life or death, but to me this seems like you have time to have some control of the situation. 

odelay770

Thanks!  I did ask for the records (it's a big reproductive multi-office place, so asking for the records was no problem) but now it's a matter of finding a good place for a second opinion.  I had the records sent to my ob/gyn with the intention of getting a second opinion, and when I called them to talk about the surgery the office assistant asked me "Are you having IVF?"  I said maybe down the road, but not now.  She told me "Well the doctor says that's a perfectly normal procedure if you are having IVF." 

It's my own fault for not speaking up more; my H said I should have demanded an appointment.  But at the time I felt so defeated and, well, pushed into something.

Thank you for your advice; I'll look for someone else to give me a second opinion.  I just thought that maybe this procedure was common in the world of IF.  It just seems so final to me.

O2girl

odelay770 said:

Thanks!  I did ask for the records (it's a big reproductive multi-office place, so asking for the records was no problem) but now it's a matter of finding a good place for a second opinion.  I had the records sent to my ob/gyn with the intention of getting a second opinion, and when I called them to talk about the surgery the office assistant asked me "Are you having IVF?"  I said maybe down the road, but not now.  She told me "Well the doctor says that's a perfectly normal procedure if you are having IVF." 

It's my own fault for not speaking up more; my H said I should have demanded an appointment.  But at the time I felt so defeated and, well, pushed into something.

Thank you for your advice; I'll look for someone else to give me a second opinion.  I just thought that maybe this procedure was common in the world of IF.  It just seems so final to me.

It does seem final! Especially when you haven't commited to ivf. GL with everything

odelay770

Thank you all for your good luck wishes!

I probably will commit to IVF, but I just want to be absolutely sure that the natural way is out of reach.  Last night I researched a number of alternative therapies to surgery (mostly herbs, and H is an acupuncturist so that is mandatory ) and I've got the RE's office calling me to reschedule.  And Healz raised an excellent point; the surgery may be helpful in diagnosing other problems (they suspect a fibroid is also causing problems, so I was told that while I was under for the ligation they would do some exploration for troublesome fibroids and possible endometriosis).

I think I will seek the second opinion, if for no other reason than for my own sanity.  But I will prepared for the doctor to give me the same diagnosis and the same recommendation for surgery.

Does anyone know if it's customary to have the second opinion doctor handle things from then on? Or can you go for a second opinion but go back to the first doctor?  What is the etiquette there?

Thanks again for all of the advice!