Unexplained and Lipodial Flush

[Steph]

Hi everyone. Great idea for a site thanks Sarah. Goodluck with everything you are going through. I really take my hat off to you. I attend a clinic in WA where blood tests are taken at a set time in the AM so the waiting room is full of women all going through the similar experience of trying (and trying) to get pregnant. But no one really talks and I am desperate to start a big waiting room coversation oneday about what everyone is there for and how long they have been trying. So this site is an excellent way for me to talk fertility with people who understand.

My husband and I have been trying for around 4 years and have 'unexplained infertility' which is extremely frustrating - sometimes I wonder if having a label on it would be better as you know what you are dealing with. We have had 2 failed attempts using IUI and I have just been in for a lipodial flush which I hear has some good stats around it for increasing pregnancy chances for women with unexplained infertility. When I read other people's experience, and how many procedures and disappointments they have been through, I really realise that our experience is just the tip of the iceberg of what others go through - and may even be the tip of the iceberg for what we may have to go through.

Getting use to injecting myself with Pregnyl and the trigger injection was quite hard but now I feel fine with it! I found the tighter I held onto the fat flab on my stomach, the easier it was to poke the needle in! I panicked the first time I did it and cut my finger on the glass tube containing the powder - so had to deal with bleeding thumb while trying to work out what to do with the needle! I can laugh about it now, but boy was I wound up!

So anyway, good to be online and hear what others are going through. I wish everyone all the best, and will add updates as we travel along this journey.

[Sarah_84 Admin]

Hi Steph!

Welcome!

I know how you feel about the waiting room conversation, I say go for it. I made a good friend from meeting someone in my Ob's waiting room. It turned out that we both had the same condition and were both on the same meds, our cycles were pretty much at the same stage and we had done the same amounts of IUI's. We really helped each other out with understanding everything. We fell pregnant within a month of each other as well. She's due soon.

I'm so sorry you've been diagnosed with unexplained fertility, I agree that it would be frustrating. I just hope that you overcome IF soon.

I've never heard of a lipodial flush, what does that do?

I think you're so brave for using pregnyl! I used that for my first IUI and it hurt so bad that my husband had to jab me twice before even injecting the stuff, I freaked big time and ended up crying through the whole thing, (I'm a big wimp! lol!). I spoke to the Fert. clinic about it and the nurse said that Ovidrel does the same thing and hardly hurts at all. I said 'why didn't you give me that one then?' She said cause it's more expensive. I told her that I'd pay extra, I didn't mind. I used it for the next IUI and didn't look back, you can hardly feel it and it doesn't even feel sore afterwards. The only good thing about the pregnyl was that I was able to freak my husband out big time because I had him believing that the mixing needle was the one that he had to inject me with. I told him that I'll put a dot on my tummy and he has to push it all the way in until it hit my ovaries, it was so funny! He used to tease me because I was scared of the needles but that fixed him cause he was terrified! lol! He hasn't teased me since!

I still haven't found the courage to inject myself, I'm happy letting Glen do it for the moment. I just close my eyes and hold my breath!

Take care and I can't wait to hear from you again!
xoxoxo
Sarah

[Steph]

Ha ha! Yeah, it's good to keep a sense of humour about all the stuff you have to go through but is hard sometimes.

The lipiodol flush (I had the spelling wrong before) is (according to my understanding - so don't take it as totally correct) an oil-based iodine solution which is flushed into your...uterus or cervix...I know they went for one of these then chose the other during the procedure(!)...I should really know however I was a little stressed out at the time...this is meant to flush out any blockages in your tubes that may not have been seen, or aid in preparing the environment of the uterus for pregnancy i.e. Ph levels. Some research I read said it may increase the chances of the egg embedding in the uterus as the oil solution helps it to stick.

From the internet research I have done the reason behind it increasing fertility chances for some women is not really known. In cases of endo and adenomyosis it can have a 'mopping up' effect - as in it gets in there and cleans you up.

The clinic I go to has been doing the procedures for the last 7 years or so, and their data and data from other places that do it show improved fertility rates for certain problems.

They have now identified that I have diffuse adenomyosis which may be causing my problem. So basically endo within the muscles of the uterus which can't be zapped out like endo. I think there are varying levels of 'ando' and I'm not sure what I have I guess I will be briefed in time - the more serious make it really had for conceiving and holding a baby according to the internet - although other sites say it's not a big prob!

So now I'm sitting out two months before heading into IVF. The two months also gives us a chance to try naturally following the lipiodol flush as they think the chances of natural conception are better after lipiodol.

The procedure wasn't bad at all and was similar to a smear but about 20-30 mins - no anaesthetic. I was nervous of the fear of unexpected pain - you know someone tells you 'this won't hurt' but you are not quite sure you believe them! So I tensed up which of course does you no favours as you can imagine - so had to be told to relax, relax, relax - yeah right mate - do you want to swop places?! You then have to lie there for 30 mins following the procedure as you do with IUI. It's no different to IUI actually.

I was then able to drive 2 hours home. They said on the phone my husband didn't need to come, so we decided he should stay and work (to help fund this whole ordeal!) - but when I got there, another nurse said it would have been better as they don't know what side effects each patient will suffer. I just had similar feelings to period cramp - your uterus is expanded by the solution similar to when you get your period (so it must have been my uterus they got the solution into).

They think it is effective for around 6 months.

[Sarah_84 Admin]

Hi!

Wow, I'm glad that I didn't have to go through that, I feel for you. I had a hsg and it was horrible enough! I didn't even know about adenomyosis, I'm so sorry that you have it. I hope that the flush will work and you fall pregnant naturally.

You're right about keeping a sense of humor! I'd never cope if I couldn't make fun of at least some of it. I remember one time after my DH (dear husband) finished giving me a needle, we both moved in different directions and he accidently ended up stabbing me in the arm. It didn't seem funny at the time (he thought it was hilarious until I threatned to do it to him to see how he liked it! lol) but when I look back, I can't help but laugh.

Which IVF clinic are you going through? I'm going through monash. They're really good there and all the staff are really nice. I can't wait to get started with IVF, I'm just praying that it works first go (fingers crossed).

Take care!
xoxoxoxo