Here is a copy of an interview that I just did with a local interviewer:
Debbie: Stacey, What can you tell us about women with blocked tubes? Can
you help them?
Stacey : I do receive many questions about blocked tubes. I know this can be a
very disheartening diagnosis. Because if this diagnosis is true then
there is only one way you can become pregnant and that is thru IVF
invitrofertilisation.
However we find that many times when there has been a diagnosis of
blocked tubes, pregnancies still occur naturally while the women are on
our herbs.
Debbie How in the world does that happen?
Stacey : Well, if the test is actually giving an inaccurate diagnosis, or a false
positive, the tubes can actually be absolutely fine.
You see, there is one test to check the tubes by putting dye thru them
and seeing if the dye comes out the other end of the tube.
This can be done in two ways.
1) a laparoscopy where you are put under general anesthesia and they
check the tubes while you are under.
2) a hysterosalpingogram alone. This is essentially the same test
but they do it while you are awake and you avoid a surgery. It is
done in a radiology department where you would have an
ultrasound done.
In this test, as I said dye is put thru the tubes to see if they are
clear or patent. If they are, the physician or radiographer will see a
“spill” into the peritoneal cavity. This means they can see the dye
exiting the tube.
If they don’t see this spill, the diagnosis can be a blocked tube.
Debbie: So how can this end up being a “false positive” i.e. a diagnosis of
blocked but they are really not blocked?
Stacey: Sometimes when the dye goes thru the tube the tube can actually
spasm and make it very difficult or impossible to get the dye through
the tube. This can happen in both the laparoscopy while you are
under anesthetic or in the HSG while you are awake.
Some people will tell you that the tubes are less likely to spasm with
a Laparoscopy because you are under general anesthetic. But this
simply isn’t true. The movement of the egg through the tubes is
done by cilia which are are created through smooth muscle
contractions. This means its not voluntary, it happens
automatically. So whether you are awake or asleep shouldn’t impact
smooth muscle contraction, unless a person is extremely stressed or
trained by biofeedback to effect this type of muscular contraction.
Debbie: So sometimes due to either procedure the tubes can spasm and
then they might think the tubes are blocked but they really aren’t.
Stacey That’s right. And a good thing that can happen with either of
these procedures is, if the tubes are blocked the procedure may
actually unblock the tubes due to the pressure exerted on the
blockage while the dye is injected. This appears to be less likely to
occur if there is a history scarring or damage to the tubes by
Chlamydia infection Or even damage from a previous surgery. If
there is just a mucous plug for example, in the tubes then the dye
may help to unplug the tube so to speak.
Debbie: So scarring in the tubes be a problem. What is this caused from?
Stacey : Scarring can be caused by an infection in or around the uterus.
The sexually transmitted disease known as Chlamydia, if left
untreated could damage the tubes or endometriosis can also
cause damage to the tubes as well. It doesn’t mean though if you
have had an infection or endometriosis that your tubes will
definitely be blocked. As a matter of fact I know of women who
have had Chlamydia or endometriosis and they didn’t have
blocked tubes and had children naturally so it really depends
on the individuals case.
Debbie: What else could cause blocked tubes if they are truly blocked?
Stacey: Well, I have seen an increased incidence in some smokers. The tar
from the nicotine decreases the cilia’s ability (in the nose) to keep
the toxins out of the body. Since there is cilia in the fallopian
tubes that help move the egg and fluid thru the tubes, it is
possible that the toxins from cigarettes could impact this cilia as
well and keep them from functioning properly which in turn could
make the fluid more gluggly and mucous like in the tubes.
Debbie: Okay, got it. So if the tubes are blocked can herbs clear them?
Stacey: I am a herbalist and I know of no known herbs that can unblock
tubes. Ignore the marketing ploys out there to get you to buy
their herbs to unblock tubes. There are a few companies out
there claiming that their herbs can unblock tubes but when I have
contacted them for proof and told them I am a herbalist they
never got back to me. Hmmm. Makes me suspicious that they are
just preying on people who are in a desperate situation.
However there are a few ways that natural therapies
may be able to help.
1) If there was a false positive, or simply if you were diagnosed
with blocked tubes, before rushing in to a procedure, take some
time to prepare your body and mind. If the body is a bit out of
balance, the nformation that you receive from our program and
the herbs to help optimize hormone balance could help to
improve your situation and help the body create healthier eggs
and endometrial lining which is likely a good step toward
conceiving.
2) If the tubes are blocked and IVF is the only option then herbs
and supplements have been used to help couples prepare for IVF
to hopefully optimize their chances of conceiving. Best to give it
atleast 3-6 months before the procedure for it to work best.
3) There are some programs such as www.clearpassage.com that
Claim they may be able to unblock tubes with certain deep
tissue techniques, but there again is no way to know if they
treatment caused this or if the tubes weren’t blocked in the
first place.
4) Get yourself as health and fit as you can to become pregnant
which in turn can improve your cellular health. Your eggs,
ovaries, fallopian tubes, follicles and the semen and sperm
are all made up of cells so improving over all cellular health
and optimizing hormone balance is your best way forward to
becoming pregnant.
Debbie: So can you ever know for sure if the tubes are blocked?
Stacey : Well, you can’t know for sure, but if you have the procedure
done a second time, a few months apart (preferably not under
anesthesia again) and it is still comes up that your tubes
are blocked then you have to wonder. The body changes so
much though. Don’t give up hope, just do the best you can to
prepare to become pregnant either naturally or with IVF.
