Advice please for first appointment

[MrsR32]

Our GP has just referred us for our first appointment at the fertility clinic but has warned me that they will be reluctant to do anything for us as we've "only" been trying for a year, I'm "only" 33 and DH's sperm count is "only" slightly low. He thinks they will tell us to continue trying for another 6 months before considering assisted conception.

Has anyone been confronted with this and does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them to do something for us? I don't want to get fobbed off!

 

[rachelle1975]

Hey hun

Firstly i'm sorry that you need to go to the FS.

Have you had your blood work done as well as your DH's SA?

We were referred when we had been trying for just under a year - my results were OK and DH's results were very low. What was your DH's results?

Our referral took up to a month then we got a new appt which was 3 months later. At our first appt they took our details and then booked another appt 3 months down the line saying that during that time i would have a scan and HSG and DH would do another SA - our appt after that was with the consultant.

I don't think you'll be fobbed off hun, purely because it takes so long for appts to come through and further tests to be done. It's been 9 months now and we are on a 12 month wait for IVF so plenty of time for the 'keep trying' bit chick

 

[Bexy]

Hey Mrs R!

Not a very helpful comment from your GP but from my experience those guys aren't particularly up on current fertility issues (my GP seems to Google stuff anyway! wtf??!)

Anyway once I was referred for further tests (we went semi-private due to DH's work) the consultant impressed on us the urgency (like you I am 33 at the mo) as he said we have a 2 year window before feritility for ladies "drops off" at 35 (please don't panic on this age thing though as there seem to be plenty of people who get BFP regardless of their age)

Hopefully your referral will be taken up by a good consultant and you can start the endless stream of tests (mine showed mild PCOS which I have zero symptoms of!). I would go into it with all the facts and what tests you will be expecting!!

Take care and hope all goes well on your next steps! xx

 

[MrsR32]

Thanks girls, it's great to hear you're both so positive about things!

I've had the two initial blood tests which both came back normal and I've been temping and using OPKs which both show I'm ovulating and my cycles are regular (27 days). We believe the only issue is DH's count which the GP said is only slightly low (he didn't give numbers so I'm not sure exactly how low - that's something we'll ask at the clinic).

Fingers crossed we get a good consultant, at least we've only got a few weeks to wait (I asked to be referred to the hospital with the shortest waiting list!).

 

[cazhd]

Hi MrsR although my first fertility appointment was brief i found the consultant helpful. I had blood tests and dh had 2 SA pre appointment and showed slightly below normal results for all things (morphology, motility and count). He was interested in checking for any other cause of not conceiving so arranged a laparoscopy which i'm getting next week. I know quite a lot of people tend to have a HSG but he felt laparoscopy more successful, i'm not sure!! He said our next step after this will be to look at joining the waiting list for icsi. We have been ttc for 23/24 months now x

 

[rachelle1975]

Hey Mrs R

Excellent news that you are A OK - we got told by her FS that since us girlies need to do all the hard work, that is most of the battle one!

Re the low count - good to get figures from the GP if you can. 'Normal' is classed between 20-99 million with 50% motility and 25% morphology. To help your DH's count in the meantime, i can't recommend vits enough - Maca, 1000mg of vit C and Wellman - avoid hot baths TOTALLY, have showers and obviously the usual (weightloss, exercise, less beer!). We had a very low count - only 1 million but 3 months of pills and potions and it went up to 8 million - we are just waiting on another test next month and i'm kinda hoping it jumped even higher! So the vits can definitely help and if it's only slightly on the lower side you could turn it around before your appt - i have faith for you!!

To give you some idea of how crap baths are - DH's motility was only 25% with the hot baths and his morphology went to 15% - before that both were at 50% so it massively affected it.

Good luck!

 

[MrsR32]

Thanks girls

cazhd - good luck for you laproscopy next week, let us know how you get on. After this long, you must be due your BFP very very soon!

rachelle1975 - thanks for the tips, DH has been taking maca for a few weeks but I'm going to get him the VitC and Wellman too - good to hear it's working for you.

Lots of baby dust to you both

xx

 

[NickyT75]

I just got my referral today and it sounds like my GP was thinking along the same lines as yours

she didnt wanna refer me at all as we've 'only' been trying 13 months

Im 34 at the end of this month so luckily I must've just scraped through the criteria to get my referral

Good luck to everyone xx