HSG is done. My tubes are clear. Everything looks excellent. The procedure itself was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced. They found that I had cervical stenosis and my gyn had to force dialate me. This, in addition to the pressure from the contrast dye, well, I lost my breath, and fought back tears the whole time.
Once they let Joe back into the room I lost it. The radiology tech was awesome. She just rubbed my arm the whole time and tried her hardest to talk me through it. I plan on getting a thank you card and sending it to her this weekend. Having her there, even as a stranger, made the procedure so much easier, even though it was the furthest thing from easy.
I’m about an hour post procedure now, and I’m still really sore and crampy but am already feeling better. My follow up appointment is Monday. My doctor said that the HSG forced her to break through the stenosis and that may help really open things up this cycle.
After googling I found the following: “Cervical stenosis: The passageway through the cervix (cervical canal) may be narrow at birth or may become narrow when polyps are removed or a precancerous condition (dysplasia) or cancer of the cervix is treated. In a few women, cervical stenosis causes pain during menstrual periods, as menstrual blood attempts to pass through the cervix but is partly blocked.” Source
“Cervical stenosis can happen with any surgery performed on the cervix and is caused by improper healing of the tissues after a procedure. A risk associated with surgeries done on the cervix is narrowing or total closing of the canal of the cervix. Stenosis refers to a “stiffening” of muscles; therefore, in cases of cervical stenosis, the already very constricted muscles that hold a woman’s cervix closed (very important, obviously, during pregnancy) may not dilate (open) in a normal fashion.
Cervical stenosis is more common after a LEEP procedure than after cryotherapy. This problem occurs more often in women over the age of 40, but can still take place in younger women. It results in infertility and if it blocks menstrual flow there is increased cramping during menstruation. Though a serious problem, it is not a common risk.” Source
In 1999 I went to the gyn for the first time so that I could go on birth control. After my annual, I recieved a phone call saying I’d had an abnormal pap and I needed to come back in for a follow up. After another pap I was diagnosed as having cervical dysplasia, a precancerous cellular condition. I had a cone biopsy followed by a LEEP to remove the abnormal tissue.
I was 19 when all of this happened, my mom was unemployed and we had no health insurance so everything was done through the University. After my surgery I experienced heavy bleeding (especially after sex) and severe cramping. I went back to the University gyn and they found that the surgery site did not heal/was not healing correctly. They performed another procedure to close the surgery site.
I had paps done every 6 months for the next 5 years and all was well in the land of my vag. Now 10 years later, I find out the my cervix was literally scarred shut. It’s pretty intense to think that 10 years later, this might be the reason that we haven’t been able to have children.
I’m interested to talk with my doctor more about this on Monday and find out if her forced dialation will be permanent or if the scar tissue which was holding my cervix closed will reform. I’ll know more about what’s happened and what’s next on Monday. Right now I’m going to curl up with Eclipse and try to relax. Every part of me from the belly button down is throbbing right now.
