Initial doctors apointment.

[Sunnydays]

Hi all. Myself and my husband have not used any contraction for the last 6 years (although not actively trying every single one of those months) we have had regular sex for those 6 years and recently we have tried everything, every date, using opks, not using opks, pre seed & no preseed, sex everyday, sex every other day, sex on only key dates and still no luck so we have finally admitted defeat and booked our first doctors appointment for a week today. What do they normally do at the very first appointment? At 37 & 42 I fear we may have left this decision a bit too late x

 

[snowbee]

Is this with your GP or your first appointment at a fertility clinic?

If the fertility clinic there is a post just a few down about first visits.

If it is your GP they will most likely send you for blood tests (usually CD3 and 8 days after ovulation) and they may also send you for an ultrasound and ask your OH to do a sperm analysis, although sometimes these are done by the fertility clinic after referral. Usually they will then refer you straight away to the fertility clinic, especially as you have been trying for so long already.

The cut off for treatment to commence at my clinic is 40 for the female, no limit for the male. They will run tests for you however old you are though, they just won't offer NHS treatment if you are outside the criteria.

 

[Sunnydays]

Thanks snow bee. It's actually only the first docs app. A friend of mine who works at the fertility clinic in our local hospital has said to be firm with the doctor and insist that I just be referred straight away because of the length of time that we've been trying. Not sure if I can do that or not though of if the doc will insist on certain tests first. Guess I'll find out next week. I'm 37 now so don't really have the time to waste.

 

[snowbee]

It will be down to your fertility clinics requirements as to whether they insist the GP sends you for basic tests first. My clinic you had to have both blood tests and an ultrasound before referral but they did then discuss the results at the first fertility appointment, so although there was a wait to have the tests done at least by the appointment they had something to tell us already. I found the actual referral stage quite fast, it was the subsequent tests at the fertility clinic and our other problems which took the longest, so I wouldn't be too concerned about time just yet.

 

[MoominGirl]

When I went to see the GP she was keen to have as many boxes ticked before referring. I got the impression that the clinic required these things first. I've had basic blood tests and pelvic ultrasound. OH has had sperm analysis. We had to see the GP individually for these but he was told that the actual fertility referral was usually done through he female so I got them to do it when I got my results after we had his. We have only just been referred so (im)patiently waiting for an appointment to drop through the letterbox!! Good luck with your appointment!!

 

[Branwen]

Have my first apointment with GP as well tomorrow moring. Anxious and really not want to, but want kids more, so have to do this.
Just hope I'm not to tired, due to late evenings work the only appointment they had available in 2 weeks was at 8.50am! Going to be a short night and long day.

Wonder what will happen as well. We conceived before but I miscarried and now been a year and a half since, so really wondering what could possibly prevent us from getting pregnant again. Really need some answers.


Hope all goes wel for you as well!

 

[Sunnydays]

Have my first apointment with GP as well tomorrow moring. Anxious and really not want to, but want kids more, so have to do this.
Just hope I'm not to tired, due to late evenings work the only appointment they had available in 2 weeks was at 8.50am! Going to be a short night and long day.

Wonder what will happen as well. We conceived before but I miscarried and now been a year and a half since, so really wondering what could possibly prevent us from getting pregnant again. Really need some answers.


Hope all goes wel for you as well!

Good luck. Hope everything goes well. Let me know how you get on x

 

[Sunnydays]

Have my first apointment with GP as well tomorrow moring. Anxious and really not want to, but want kids more, so have to do this.
Just hope I'm not to tired, due to late evenings work the only appointment they had available in 2 weeks was at 8.50am! Going to be a short night and long day.

Wonder what will happen as well. We conceived before but I miscarried and now been a year and a half since, so really wondering what could possibly prevent us from getting pregnant again. Really need some answers.


Hope all goes wel for you as well!

Good luck. Hope everything goes well. Let me know how you get on x

 

[Branwen]

I hate doctors so much, really can not go there without getting upset, but it was ok and we are getting tests done and after that a referal to fertility clinic. They just need to do the tests first.

Hubby will get refered to get his sperm checked and they will do some blood tests for me.
Apperently if bloods are done 2 days before period they do only need one test? So got them booked for monday 3rd Arpil. Hope hubby will have test before then as well and after that it is waiting for results.


Hope your appointment goes well too! let me know x

 

[snowbee]

I don't know what they are testing for 2 days before period as that won't tell them if you ovulated (as that needs to be 8 days after ovulation) and FSH needs to be done on days 1-3 of your cycle. Did they say what they were testing for? There are lots of other things they can test for too but the two I mentioned seem to be the first call for most clinics.

 

[Branwen]

They basically said going to test for a lot of things. A lot of general health things and thyroid etc. He said hormones as well, so am indeed a bit confused with the just one test as I had read that as well, but well, we will see what happens. At least the whole process finding out what is wrong has now been started. Hopefully not long untill we can start our family. and still continuing to try as well, sho knows aht might happen. Guess a baby on my birthday would be kinda fun... 3 generations, 2 birthday, why not?

 

[MoominGirl]

Branwen - like snowbee says I had 2 sets of bloods done. I'd been tracking my cycles so day 21 was fine for the progesterone test for me. Glad you feel like you're getting somewhere now. I was also dreading going to the GP as I'm so stubborn and really didn't want to ask for help but now I've done it I'm so glad I have. Although we will keep trying, it just helps to know there are other options if we need it. Repeat ultrasound appointment has come through. Really wanted it to be the fertility clinic!!

 

[Sunnydays]

We've had our initial appointment, the doctor was lovely. He has booked me in for day 21 bloods and booked my husband in for his side of the testing (if you know what I mean) then when the results of both are back (in about 2 weeks) we have to go back to see the doctor to discuss the results of both tests and see what our next options are depending on those results. I feel much happier knowing that we are now in the system x

 

[snowbee]

It feels like something is actually going to happen doesn't it, like giving a bit of hope after all the negatives. Hope all your test results are good, I couldn't decide if I wanted them to find a problem or not!

 

[Sunnydays]

It feels like something is actually going to happen doesn't it, like giving a bit of hope after all the negatives. Hope all your test results are good, I couldn't decide if I wanted them to find a problem or not!

I know what you mean snowbee. TBH I actually hope that they do find a problem because after over 6 years, i highly doubt it will happen naturally now so at least if they find a fault with one of us we have options to maybe at least solve it and there is al least a reason that it hasn't happened so far x

 

[MoominGirl]

I know what you mean Sunnydays. It feels like a problem existing means there's something to fix and that will make it OK. Annoyingly for us now OH's motility seems to be improving with the vitamins, I get the feeling we're going to end up in the unexplained pile. Had to chase GP today as have heard nothing about referral in over 2 weeks

 

[Branwen]

Know how you feel as well Sunnydays, although we already have 2 minor reasons that are not helping.
I have endometriosis and hubby only has 1 testi (lost one in a skating accident when he was a teenager)...
neither should prevent us getting pregnant and after getting pregnant and loosing it the long time now just feels wrong...

I am afraid they are going to just throw it on my wieght. I have always been big and even when I was in best health ever and super active etc never had optimal bmi's, but gained a lot of weight after mc working on loosing it now, but slow progress. It can't be the only reason though, so hopefully they will find somthing else and then we can work with it and hopefully start creating our litter


Hope you get your referal soon MoominGirl! Hate it when you have to chace things up, makes me feel they are not taking things seriousely.

How long hould it take before my DH gets letter for his appointment? I know appointment was only on monday, but I'm of the impatient kind.

 

[MoominGirl]

In my case OH had it easy. He literally had a phone appointment then picked up a form and a pot from the reception desk. Did his sample at home then dropped it off at the clinic on his way to work. I got him to make an appointment separately from me so that all the tests were done at the same time as I'm also the impatient sort!! I had to chase my initial ultrasound. After 3 weeks hadn't heard anything. Turned out there was no referral on the system. Got sorted after several phone calls. Getting the blood tests done was fine. Then GP agreed to refer us - I had OH's sperm results with me, think she thought I was a bit mental but I don't care haha!! Also said she wanted a repeat scan due to the possible polyp but that it wouldn't stop her doing a referral. Ultrasound appointment came through last week but still no fertility referral. Might contact the clinic direct if I don't hear anything by the end of the week. I just want to know it's actually in the system!! I'm just glad I'm more than happy to make a nuisance of myself if they're not sticking to their end of the deal!!

 

[Branwen]

pff, you are not making a nuisance of yourself, they just should do their job properly!
I'm so bad for things like that... to much of a perfectionist and remember eveything, so have had sooo many 'çonversations' with managers that have promised things and never delivered. Do what you say you are going to do, is that too much to ask?

Really hope you all get answers soon, and even more then that, get that bfp even faster! fX

 

[MoominGirl]

I really hope so Branwen. Hope you get your BFP too. GP surgery called me back and now they're saying that they do want the result of the repeat ultrasound

I'm annoyed as I pushed my initial appointment back 2 weeks as they told me when I went for the first one that they should do the repeat at the start of my cycle. Of course my initial appointment was tomorrow which just happened to fall in the middle of my cycle like it did last time!!!

I have now resigned myself to the fact that it will probably be at least another month before I even have an appointment at the fertility clinic