Hello all,

I was just pondering today about the opinion of Fertility Specialists about charting, OPKs and things like supplements (EPO, soy, etc, etc, etc).

For the ladies who have seen a FS, did they expect you to be charting, did they ask you to start, or stop, or change anything? Did they expect you to be doing OPKs or take into account your OPK results?

Did they say anything about the over the counter supplements you were taking?

I never really charted my temperature until Dec 2011 as I have irregular sleeping patterns and wake up with quite a jolt most days, which causes my temp to jump anyway, but Dec & Jan's charts actually showed a clear biphasic pattern, which I wasn't expecting. I also use OPKs most months, and did a few months of EPO.

I took a break from charting, OPKs & EPO in Feb as we'd just started off the whole referral process so I just wanted a break from everything & we just DTD when we felt like it rather than to schedule (obviously didn't work!).

However, we've now had our appointment date: March 12th, so I'm temping again and will be using OPKs (appointment's on CD14 and I usually O between CD13-16 so excellent timing), although I'm not back on the EPO.

I'm just wondering if the FS will actually care about any of this? Did they ask to look at your charts? Am I going to be told off for not charting more? Do they poo-poo OPKs and shun the supplements? I only take EPO (and folic acid, of course) but to be on the safe side haven't started it again this month.

Any advice & experiences would be highly appreciated - thanks in advance!

Hey,

when I had my first appointment I was armed and ready with everything loaded on my phone... cycle lengths, dates of Ovulation, and any changes I had each month. I expected him to ask me if I was picking up my LH surge and thought he would ask me about all of it but I wasn't asked any questions apart from how long I had been ttc. I was sent of an internal ultrasound and HSG but after my bloods came back ok one months and not ovulating another...

I'm not sure if they just like to get all the tests sorted before they look into the other areas or if it was just that I went by myslef and my mind just went blank lol the only thing he checked was if I was taking was the folic acid....

My next appointment is not until may but this time I'm writtng everything down so I don't forget and making sure my other half is there with me so I don't walk out thinking ... what just happened lol

Best of luck x

During my first appointment I had to fill out a questionnaire. One of the questions asked me what I did to track ovulation. I wrote that I charted, used OPK's and used a CBFM. The doctor asked me if I had my chart with me so he could see it, but I did not. At my clinic I am monitored by ultrasounds every cycle. When I had an ultrasound that confirmed ovulation my chart was saying that I did not ovulate, and that's when my doctor didn't care to see my charts anymore. He said that sometimes it can take your progesterone a while to rise causing charts to be inaccurate. He didn't say anything about using OPK's or my monitor, but I don't really need to since I get blood work and ultrasounds that monitor ovulation. I like peeing on sticks though, so I still do. When I asked him about vitamins he said it was okay if I took them, but I shouldn't expect them to do anything except for a prenatal which he gave me a prescription for.

I was also asked to fill out a questionnaire where I said that we BD 2-3 times a week but no one asked about charts etc moreover when my FS mentioned IVF i said we wanted to do it naturally and asked what I could do to increase my chances. I did not know about charting etc back then but she said there was absolutely nothing I could do. she did not mention charting, supplements, timing intercourse, etc nothing at all. That's NHS for you. they do not seem to believe that any of these help. but i do

hi
i saw a fs for the first time in december, she is very experienced and a bloody good fs in my oppinion, she asked how long i had been ttc asked if i had charted my ov, i had the last 6 months and it was a great help as she could see how irregular my af's are if i hadnt had the info i would have been asked to go away and chart a few months befor going back,
i would say temp charting iv heard is pointless unless u have periids at the sametime evry months, ur temp rises on the day of ov so it only leaves a short time to concieve where opk's tell u at the start of the lh surge a couple of days befor and as sperm can live over 70 hours inside u it gives loads more time
dont buy cheap tests either, i bought a pack of 10 for about 3 quid and didnt get any positive results then found out they dont always work so it is worth buying the more expensive ones
hope this helps hun and good luck!!

Thanks so much everyone for the advice. Sounds like it's very different at all the different FS clinics. *harumph*

I'll print out my charts just in case this clinic is one which cares about it!