HSG vs. SIS - what is the difference? (m/c ment)

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone! I just wanted to say in advance how much I

appreciate this site. When I found out about that I had either a

bicornuate or septated uterus, I felt very confused and worried.

Finding all of you has helped me a lot. I saw my midwife today, and

she said that I would have the test done right after I have my first

period. My hcg 2 weeks ago was 167, she said my period will probably

start 3-4 weeks after my level is 10 or below. I will find out

tomorrow what my level is now, I'm hoping my period will start in

about 3 weeks. She said I will have a 'saline ultrasound'. I looked

that up online, and it said it was called a sonohysterography (or

SIS). SIS seems to be difference then HSG, which is what I see so

many other people have had.

Can anyone tell me, are they basically the same test? Is there an

advantage of one over the other?

My second questions (for those that have had a SIS or HSG), do I need

to get this pre-approved by my insurance (Cigna) or will I just have

to get the surgery approved (if that is a possibility)?

TIA!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm glad to see you're still around and getting as much out of the

site as I've been able to get.

>I will find out tomorrow what my level is now, I'm hoping my period

>will start in about 3 weeks. She said I will have a 'saline

>ultrasound'.

After my m/c I saw one doctor who recommended I have a saline U/S as

well. When I talked to my regular ob/gyn, she wouldn't okay the test

because the test is virtually useless in differentiating between BU

and SU. With the SIS or HSG you can't see the fundal contour of the

uterus so you can't tell if there is a dip at the fundus. I had an

MRI which gave us great visualization of the fundal contour, so when

I had my surgery my doctor went for just a hysteroscopy, not a

laporoscopy (I was nervous about this, but it turned out fine).

I really recommend you have either an MRI or a hyst/lap to determine

if you are BU or SU. I know the midwife is recommending the saline

u/s but many of the professionals in ob/gyn don't know much about

MA's and you will most likely end up having more tests than you

actually need, or, worst case, they may say the test proved you are

BU (almost impossible to truly do) and your insurance won't approve

any more testing once you have the definite diagnosis of BU. This

could prove a problem if it turns out you are really SU, which would

keep your risk of m/c very high.

Sorry to be so lengthy, but it helped me greatly to come on here when

I was trying to figure out which tests to push for and how to

approach my doctor. I find that if you go in with as much knowledge

as possible, with the appropriate terminology that you will pretty

much get whatever tests you want--the key is being your best advocate.

I hope you're doing well and just remember that those pregnancy

hormones are still in your blood so that also adds to the anxiousness

and compounds the sadness of your loss. I'm sending big hugs your

way.

Jasmine

SU resected 7/29/04

1 m/c @ 17 weeks, 2/12/04

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm glad to see you're still around and getting as much out of the

site as I've been able to get.

>I will find out tomorrow what my level is now, I'm hoping my period

>will start in about 3 weeks. She said I will have a 'saline

>ultrasound'.

After my m/c I saw one doctor who recommended I have a saline U/S as

well. When I talked to my regular ob/gyn, she wouldn't okay the test

because the test is virtually useless in differentiating between BU

and SU. With the SIS or HSG you can't see the fundal contour of the

uterus so you can't tell if there is a dip at the fundus. I had an

MRI which gave us great visualization of the fundal contour, so when

I had my surgery my doctor went for just a hysteroscopy, not a

laporoscopy (I was nervous about this, but it turned out fine).

I really recommend you have either an MRI or a hyst/lap to determine

if you are BU or SU. I know the midwife is recommending the saline

u/s but many of the professionals in ob/gyn don't know much about

MA's and you will most likely end up having more tests than you

actually need, or, worst case, they may say the test proved you are

BU (almost impossible to truly do) and your insurance won't approve

any more testing once you have the definite diagnosis of BU. This

could prove a problem if it turns out you are really SU, which would

keep your risk of m/c very high.

Sorry to be so lengthy, but it helped me greatly to come on here when

I was trying to figure out which tests to push for and how to

approach my doctor. I find that if you go in with as much knowledge

as possible, with the appropriate terminology that you will pretty

much get whatever tests you want--the key is being your best advocate.

I hope you're doing well and just remember that those pregnancy

hormones are still in your blood so that also adds to the anxiousness

and compounds the sadness of your loss. I'm sending big hugs your

way.

Jasmine

SU resected 7/29/04

1 m/c @ 17 weeks, 2/12/04

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response Jasmine. I know that the hospital system

probably knows some about MA, but I'm not confident that my midwife

does. But I know she has talked to some specialists. She said the

reason they want to do the SIS is b/c what the ultrasound person (I

don't know if they were a doctor or not, the person that reads the

ultrasound results) told the midwife on the phone conflicted with the

actual report. I guess when she talked to him on the phone, he said

he thought my uterus was basically split in 2. But the report made

it sound like bicornuate or septated. So they first want to

determine if it is actually completely split. But I hear you on the

bicornuate vs septated. I will not let them make a definite decision

about that based on the SIS.

I still don't know if I should call my insurance now for pre-approval

or not. I don't really want to tell my insurance about having a

birth defect if I don't need to. If it is found that I can't have

anything fixed surgically, then why let the insurance know.

I'm going to make sure myself and my husband do a lot of reading and

memorizing before the test. And if they think it is bicornuate, I

will make them put bicornuate or septated on the diagnosis

Thanks again so much!

p.s., I'm hoping you are recovering well from your resection.

[Guest guest]

Hi ...I had both done. I had an HSG done in Dec 2003, that ran

the dye through everything so they could try and guess what the

anomaly was. The SIS (saline one), I had in Jan 2004, my RE did it,

and he did that one to make sure there was no fibroids or any other

adhesions within my uterus before he did the resection surgery. The

saline one didn't hurt at all, all it does is basically blow up the

uterus....I'm not sure that that's any added info for you. But I

wish you the best of luck!!

carol