[alleykag]

It has been a long time since I have posted but I feel the need to share some information about this with ya'll. I have been through 3 failed ivf's and 7 failed iui's. I had my last ivf last dec. Since then I have been considering options and getting second opinions. Long story short, I have now been diagnosed with asherman's syndrome. I always knew I had lining issues with some of my last iui's and all of my ivf's but was told not to worry that the lining I had was sufficient. After me pressing the issue and seeing two top specialists, I finally had an HSG done which showed my uterus was filled with scar tissue. The scar tissue was a result of a d/c I had to remove polyps after my first 2 iui's. I told my ob/gyn after the d/c that my period was different in character and amount and was blown off. My RE at the time blew me off as well although he did notate the smaller lining and added estrace to my protocol. No one bothered to repeat an HSG. If they had done so or even a hysterscope they would have been able to detect what was going on and save me the heartache of subsequent infertility txs, time and money.
I recently had surgery in California with a top specialist and am waiting to see if the surgery was a success in restoring my uterus back to "normal."
I share this story because anyone that has had a d/c, prior pregnancy with delivery that had retained placenta parts or who has had an infection after delivery or procedure is at risk for scar development. It's rare but under diagnosed. If someone had taken the time to do one of the two tests for it I could have saved myself from all that I have been through. My uterus was so scarred that there truly was no place for an embryo to implant.
I hope in sharing my story that I can help at least one person. There is hope.
Sorry for the long thread but I couldn't figure out a way to shorten it.
Good Luck to everyone!!
Kim

[jencat215]

Kim- I am sorry for all you had been through. I am glad that you got rid of your old RE and found a new one. At least now you have a diagnosis and a new point to start from. I so hope your surgery was successful.

And don't apologize for the length of your post! It was well written and informative. I think it is important for all of us to share our experiences so that others can learn from them and hopefully not have to go through something that we already did.

Good luck to you and keep us updated!

[wbntrn]

Kim,
I am so sorry you had to go through so much. Its so frustrating when you try to tell doctors something about your body and they don't listen to you. I know another girl who had the same thing happen as you except it was related to delivery of her first child. It took them a long time to figure out what had happened too. It just shows you have to be proactive if you think something is going on. I really hope your procedure worked for you.

[alleykag]

Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it. I have had to deal with a lot of anger issues with this. I am mad at these professionals and for not pushing the issue more because I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG!!! It's been so frustrating. I made a vow to spread the word in hopes it would help someone else. Your friend is an example of how asherman's can be caused after a delivery due to complications which would explain some cases of secondary infertility. I beg everyone who reads this and has lining issues or implantation issues to read about asherman's and see if you find yourself in the stories. I am a labor/del. nurse and had it not been for an anesthesiologist i work with telling me about his sister that has this, I would have never known to even start asking a doctor, "hey, do you think this could be asherman's?"

So many girls on this website have had d/c for various reasons and hsg's and prior preg. and now can't get pg. I felt it was important to spread the word. I am a nut now about listening to your body. Who cares what they may tell you, you may be right and have a successs story!

Thanks,
Kim

[nursectu]

Kim thank you for all the information; it was very imformative. I'm so sorry that you have had to endure all of this. I am a firm believer in trusting you own body and feelings. I glad that you were able to have the surgery to hopefully correct things. Let us know how your HSG goes.
Would they definately see this on a hsg if they were only looking for open tubes or do they normally assess the uterine lining? I was just wondering.

[jenedens6102]

Kim, thank you for sharing your story. It is something that needs to be addressed. Too often we find ourselves taking charge of our care and working for the answers that the doctors don't seem to care to find. I'm so sorry to hear of the condition and that it could have been dealt with sooner but so happier that finally you have answers. Let us know how things go with your recovery and if the surgery was a success.

[sunny72]

Thank you for the information. Sometimes we need to just listen to our bodies and follow our gut feelings. It's easy to ignore those signs when we are putting our trust in the hands of experts. They try their best I guess, but they can't feel what we are feeling.

[prayinfor#2]

Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story.

[mrsrodgers]

Thank you so much for the information....isn't it amazing how many things you need to be proactive with asking your RE about??? Thanks for sharing!

[alleykag]

I'm glad to see my story getting out there. I just feel it's so important to share it for many reasons. Maybe it will help someone in their process of having a baby.
I did have my HSG done and my doctor in California called monday to say the uterine cavity looked a lot better. He said there looked like there may be one area of scarring left but that he wasn't that concerned and that I was good to go. My tubes are both open and flushed easily this time. I go for a midcycle U/S next week to measure my lining and see how it's doing on its own without meds and after surgery. We'll see what that looks like and if it's good, well, I'm on my way to trying this all over again.
(just to answer the question, an HSG looks at the tubes and uterine cavity. The lining can be seen but I don't think it was measured. The u/s should show the lining but would not pick up if there was any scarring)
Thanks for the notes. It means a lot! I haven't been on the boards in almost a year. It's been so hard trying to find the answers to what was wrong. It's nice to be back and amongst people who understand.
Kim

[wbntrn]

Hi kim,
I am so glad things went so well and that you are close to starting again! That must be exciting. I hope things go really smoothly this time and it happens quickly for you!

[foxracergirl97]

I know that there hasn't been anyone on this thread for awhile but I was just diagnosed with Asherman's and scheduled for surgery next Friday.
I had a D&C done 2 years ago for very heavy periods. I had not had a period since. They say that my uterus is 70% scarred shut and my cervix is scarred shut....I am devestated.

[Junebug]

I may be wrong- but, I'm pretty sure that Monica (CreoleinDC) posted a while back that she has Asherman's syndrome. You should check out her blog if you never have- always lots of good info on there- I think the link is on her signature.

Good luck!

[shasie]

Dear Alleykag,
I'm sorry to read about the difficulties, but I appreciate you sharing. I have been also having uterine issues. For 2 years I kept complaining to doctors about gut-wrenching cramps and heavy bleeding. Every doctor I saw during that time didn't think there was anything alarming going on with my uterus. I, too, felt blown off. I even took myself to hospital hoping someone would tell me something.

To make a long story short, I went through a surgery that revealed I had a leiomyoma the size of a grapefruit (behind my uterus), 6 small fibroids and 2 small adenomyomas. After surgery, a biopsy found my uterine lining to be normal, but doctor warned me that my uterus will never be normal.

I had another surgery to remove scar tissue in Jan 08 after my first IVF cycle. After the 2nd IVF cycle, the doctor described my uterine cavity as severly distorted and that I should consider a gestational carrier. Surrogacy is beyond my resources.

The first IVF cycle, my uterine lining only went to 6mm. With the 2nd IVF cycle, my uterine lining went to 7mm. I understand that is still not enough. Each time the pattern was only 2 layers on the ultrasound.

I cry...cry...cry.

Could you please tell me about the specialists you have found in your research? I am currently interviewing doctors around the country.

Thank you for the attention.
shasie

Has anyone ever been able to get pregnant even after being told that they should consider a gestational carrier?

My marriage counselor tells me she has known people with all kinds of shaped uteruses to get pregnant.

[foxracergirl97]

I am looking for anyone who has had Asherman's and now pregnant or sucessful surgery stories....I really need the support