(Just a reminder, I know this is in a little more personal area than usual. Obviously you don’t have to read this if it’s not something you want to talk about. Tomorrow we’ll be moving on to a Stevie Wonder concert!)
Picking up from yesterday –
So, after 3 months, you need to go have a hysterosalpingogram. That’s an x-ray that looks inside your uterus and fallopian tubes. Basically during the test, a thin tube is threaded up in you (you can imagine how). It goes up to your uterus. And some dye goes all up around so the x-ray can see what’s going on.
The reason you have this test is to be wildly, absolutely sure that your scar tissue grew the way it was supposed to and your fallopian tubes are blocked, baby!
My gynecologist recommended that I not go right on the 3-month deadline, but rather give it a nice, big window to give my body oh so much time.
I had the procedure back in April, and now that it’s December, I felt it was time.
So, I saw my gyno. She gave me the paperwork to go to a radiologist. There are actually certain radiologists who are trained specifically to do a hysterosalpingogram for Essure patients. Usually, when a woman gets that test, it’s because she’s trying to have kids. She wants to see why she can’t. So, there have been cases of women who go in to make sure Essure worked, but their blocked scare tissue gets blown out by the dye.
So, Dr. Adberg (my amazing gynecologist) sent me to an Essure trained radiologist. She told me to remind every person I saw from the moment I checked in that I was there for the Essure test. I did not want my fallopian tubes blown out, I wanted them blocked.
I did exactly as she asked, and the radiologist was well aware.
The person who works with the radiologist was very nice. She showed me the whole tray of instruments before they started. She explained how the test was going to go.
They start with iodine to clean the area, then insert the tube. They prep you at the edge of a table, and then you lift your legs up, so the table can move you back to the center and the x-ray machine can do its thing. (That was actually sort of fun ’cause I felt like a sort of mini-acrobat, lifting my legs up in such an interesting precarious situation. *Bows to applause*)
The radiologist looked at me and said, “They’re blocked.” I was ecstatic. I wanted to hug him. (But I had a lot going on that made it so I couldn’t really move…)
We were all happy and pleased. He asked if I had any questions. I said no. No questions, just thank you.
And that was that. (Not to get crass or anything, but I was leaking iodine and whatever else for the rest of the day. That sentence is only in there to remind all you ladies, go grab some granny panties and dark pants you don’t care about. In fact, do that for your initial procedure too.)
I got a disk of my images. While I was in the lobby waiting for the disk, I called Dr. Adberg’s nurse to give her the good news. She actually squealed with delight because she was so happy for me.
The next day, I got a voicemail from Dr. Adberg letting me know she’d heard the wonderful results. She was beaming with that same happiness.
When I looked at the disk images (even though I don’t really know what I’m looking at), I was so overcome with joy that I hilariously imagined it must be what future parents are like when they look at ultrasounds.
Why am I this happy? What has really changed?
I don’t know… Nothing’s really changed. I’m certainly not going to run around Los Angeles (or anywhere else) having unsafe sex. I’m a smart, responsible woman. So, nothing’s changed.
But, there’s something about just knowing that now I can’t have kids… That even if someday a condom breaks or something… or even if one doesn’t break, you know they’re not 100% effective (even if they are very close)… Just knowing that I’ve done my part on my end and I can’t have kids. Even though nothing is actually changing in my day-to-day… I just feel freer and happier.
Just so you’re aware, Essure can migrate allowing pregnancy to occur sometimes years later. Unfortunately, there were no long term studies done for Essure and now thousands of women are experiencing severe complications and migration is only one of them. I hope it continues to work well for you with no complications down the road but please do some research so you’ll know what to look for. It’s been all over the news these last few months. Good luck and take care.
Thanks for commenting. I’ve been hearing this from a few different people now that I’ve written this post… I looked into it a bit more, and it seems like it’s a very small percentage of people who have complications. I know it doesn’t mean I won’t be one of them. But I have absolute faith in my gynecologist and so far things are working out wonderfully. Plus, I know I’m not a medical professional and can’t really say I know what I’m talking about. However, since my own body’s scar tissue is what’s caused a barrier in my fallopian tubes, I’d be very surprised to hear if that just kind of undid itself, allowing pregnancy… But I won’t be so foolish/conceited as to think no complications from this could ever happen to me… I guess only time will actually tell, but of course I’m hoping for the best! Thanks again for adding your voice to the conversation.
I’m glad u are so happy that the Essure went so well for you. Please be aware there are a lot of women having serious problems from this. My coils migrated one to my uterus and one to my appendix I had 2 surgeries to remove it stil have fragments and had to get my tubes tied as well. Some symptoms are bloating pelvic pain pelvic pressure inflammation painful intercourse chronic fatigue chromic back pain joint pain heavy periods The symptoms don’t always start right away. Sometimes they don’t start until months or 1 year later. There is a group on fb called Essure Problems. If you ever need to talk to other women about it, read info or read some of our stories. I wish u luck.
Thanks for commenting, Maria. I’m very sorry that happened to you. After reading your comment, I checked out that Facebook group and did more reading online. It seems to be a very small percentage of women who ever have any problems with it. That doesn’t make it any less serious for you, and it doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen to me. But just statistically, I’m not too worried (especially since I am about 9 months out from my procedure and feel amazing). As of now, I am a woman who represents how great Essure can be and I still have confidence in it. I appreciate you adding your voice to the conversation.