Doctor Appointments

[SWLondonMum]

Hi all, I haven't been on BnB much as I've been a bit down since seeing the specialist a few weeks ago (long story but found out my results from 4yrs ago were low fertility - never got followed up as I got pregnant with DS1) and within about 5 mins he was telling me that because of my age IVF was probably my best bet.... My GP was a bit more pragmatic and agreed with me that there are other options such as Clomid (but only if the specialist puts it in his letter) and IUI ...he did say both could work but was a bit vague and seemed very sure that IVF was the best option. He then mentioned the private clinic that he and the head of the fertility dept work in but he's been so awful I would never pay to see him
Anyway I've had my blood tests - Day 21 Monday and Day 2 today.... was a really short cycle for me...just 24 days (they've ranged from 26-29 days since I've been TTC)...is a Day 21 test still valid if your cycle is only 24 days...but they didn't ask about my cycle length anyway - has anyone else been asked about cycle length before doing day 21 tests? The specialist actually wrote Day 23 on mine but my cycles are short-ish anyway and I've often seen it referred to as Day 21 so I thought it was better to go that day...day 23 would have been the day before my period!!
DH and I have had a bit of a chat and I think we're going keep TTC naturally and not make any major decisions before Xmas (we've got a lot going on as we are selling a business and thinking of moving abroad to SE Asia) and we'll get as much testing and info while we are still here. I don't think IVF is an option for us here (though haven't discussed with family, who may want to lend us the money) not even 100% if we want to go through IVF emotionally especially as we don't yet know how much worse my fertility has got in 4 years. We may consider IVF if we move abroad as there are good quality hospitals and it is cheaper but obviously we'll need to wait until we move and are settled in.
I have to say that this is a lovely forum and a lovely thread - it's comforting to read that others are going through similar things and it's good to share information and find out more about the whole process - just speaking to a friend (who is in the same borough/NHS trust) it's amazing how different the process can be! And sorry for the long post - I'm unable to write short posts

 

[dachsundmom]

SW...was your CD21 test done on CD21 or 7DPO? They call it CD21, thinking most women OV on the standard CD14...it should be done 7DPO.

What were the results? Had you ovulated?

 

[Sus09]

Hi SWLondonmum. I was wondering where you went, Welcome back

I have sort of irregular cycles so my doctor instead of telling me to go CD21, sat with me and tried to guess what was the best day to do the test, as I chart I went for 7dpo (hat to be 8 dpo as my boss would not let me take the time off at 7 dop )

I am so sorry to hear about the results
It seems to me that the doctor wanted to sell you is private clinic? I tell you wht NHS seems to be getting worse every minute.

As Dmom says, did the tests show that you ovulated?

 

[Natsby]

Nats be nice to yourself, have a glass of red

The doctor hasn't said it can't happen, just recommended IUI, right?

How did OH react, was he willing to go down the IUI path, or was he still too much in shock?

He is willing to try IUI but he hasn´t got much work right now so it will be tough to fund. But I really think we should give it a go, trying to improve the quality will take months and still might not work. I want to try straight away because at Christmas I get ten days off so I could put my feet up, and that isn´t possible normally. But if not we might have a break for a month and see where we are in Jan.
SWmum

 

[SWLondonMum]

Well not great. OH has a only 5% fast swimmers in his advanced SA. The doctor wasn´t hopeful of us getting a good result with that. She is concerned that at my age I don´t have time to keep trying naturally and wants us to have IUI or IVF. I said IVF was out of the question due to the cost so she gave us the price for IUI. I also had an internal check up which showed i already Ov this month and that the lining looks good. My stupid Doctor at home didn´t ask for all the tests she needed so I didc´t have the results of my FSH, one of the most important and I´m missing it. SO we have to have those tests again!
I left and burst into tears which was a shock for OH as he hadn´t understood the conversation and didn´t fully get what the problem was. I had always believed deep down that we would get our bean naturally and this has been a shock.
What do you think ladies, is she just trying to sell me the IUI because it is their business? or is 5% fast swimmers really rule us out from a natural BFP?
Feeling down and OH is talking about giving it another 6 months but I don´t know if I can.

Hi Natsby - sorry I haven't read all your post history yet but just saw the bit where you'd been told you should try IUI/IVF because of your age and just wanted to say and I was just told the same thing a few weeks ago (in fact he said just IVF and not even IUI!). I also burst into tears when I came out - I really wasn't expecting to get that within about 5 mins! It's so hard to know what to do isn't it when you have to decide between continuing to TTC naturally and possibly never happening or paying for IVF....major play on the emotions. I'm 39 so can't get IVF on the NHS in the UK.
I guess we will know more when we get all our results - the specialist was looking at my results from 4yrs ago, we're just getting tests done now so don;t know how much worse my fertility has got! Unfortunately my scan isn't till end Jan and my next appointment with FS until end Feb and to be honest if we are going to pay for any treatment we will do it before then! But hopefully my GP can get the blood and SA results and the details of my tests 4yrs ago and can advise us then - she's really helpful and sympathetic.
Re your question about the doctor trying to sell treatments, I really think that most of them think that from a mediical point of view an older woman who wants a baby should get pregnant asap because of the higher medical risks of pregnancy with age...fair enough as they see the reality and the consequences...though that's not to say there aren't people who profit from this as well....I guess you have just have to find what all your options are and their chances of success, and match this with what you and OH want...but it's not easy (and sorry probably not very helpful!)

 

[SWLondonMum]

Hi SWLondonmum. I was wondering where you went, Welcome back

I have sort of irregular cycles so my doctor instead of telling me to go CD21, sat with me and tried to guess what was the best day to do the test, as I chart I went for 7dpo (hat to be 8 dpo as my boss would not let me take the time off at 7 dop )

I am so sorry to hear about the results
It seems to me that the doctor wanted to sell you is private clinic? I tell you wht NHS seems to be getting worse every minute.

As Dmom says, did the tests show that you ovulated?

Thanks...it's so supportive on here it's the best place to be in this situation!

Neither my GP or FS mentioned cycles at all which really surprised me - so many ladies on here are so clued up about their cycles that it seems crazy not to use that info! I use OPKs and they show a surge around day 12 which would tie in with a 26-28 day cycle (for BD purposes we try to do plenty before and after that anyway to be sure!). He seemed very sure that whether or not I ovulate is not the issue (as I have had DS1 and also a m/c a year ago) but because of my previous results and age that egg quality is the issue which makes sense.
I haven't got the blood test results yet - just had them this week. They were requested by the fertility specialist at the hospital not my GP and the woman who did the Day 21 just said to call the hospital so I'll call early next week. If for some reason I can't get them, I presume my GP can request them if they don;t get sent to her - I'm not waiting for my next appt with the FS at the end of Feb!!!!
I felt a bit like he was trying to sell me the private clinic - I don;t have a problem with not getting IVF on the NHS but he didn;t mention Clomid or IUI and when I asked about them he said they could work but would be slower so again he didn;t recommend it at my age. I dont know if there are restrictions on either of these due to age. Though I do understand his point that at my age it is medically better to get pregnant asap. He made so many mistakes I would NEVER pay to see him ( I nearly didn't get my blood test today as he forgot to put my name on the form - I would have had to wait another month!).
I'm sure your test will be fine at 8DPO as I guess a lot of people are a day out either side from not knowing exactly when they ovulated.
Thanks again for the support from you and everyone!!

 

[Sus09]

I have not heard any issues about not being able to take Clomid or IUI at certaing age... again I don´t know much about that myself

So he is rubbish and tries to sell you his fertility clinic, he is not very good at sales isn´t he?

Thanks to you for sharing the information, it is very informative for all of us who are going though appointments as well

 

[SWLondonMum]

SW...was your CD21 test done on CD21 or 7DPO? They call it CD21, thinking most women OV on the standard CD14...it should be done 7DPO.

What were the results? Had you ovulated?

The FS actually put CD23 which for someone with a short cycle (26-28 days) like me seems crazy - even if he'd asked my rough cycle length he could have worked that out!. It was done on CD21, I thought that was about right as I got a positive OPK about 10 days earlier so would have ovulated about 7-9 days before the blood test (and I did it on Monday - wouldn't have been able to do Sat or Sun even if 7DPO had been one of those days). What do you do if the day is at the weekend - does it just make it less accurate if you're a day out?

I've mentioned this in another post but he seemed pretty sure given my past results (4yrs ago) and age that egg quality was my issue and that there's no reason to think I'm not ovulating because of previous pregnancy and m/c. I know that this is not a guarantee but I can see his point. Not got results yet (had my Day 1-3 tests today CD2) so will call early next week.

 

[SWLondonMum]

I have not heard any issues about not being able to take Clomid or IUI at certaing age... again I don´t know much about that myself

So he is rubbish and tries to sell you his fertility clinic, he is not very good at sales isn´t he?

Thanks to you for sharing the information, it is very informative for all of us who are going though appointments as well

I meant was there an issue with it being free on the NHS after a certain age due to decreasing success rates and therefore cost. Where I am the cut off for free IVF is 39 so I was wondering if there was a cut off for IUI as well. My follow up appointment isn;t until end Feb so maybe he;s trying to drag it out until I'm 40 (next Nov) so he can say 'sorry you can't have it on the NHS'

He TOTALLY put me off the private clinic - it is actually run by the head of fertility in the hospital who I saw last time and from what I remember she is much better but I won't be going anywhere near a clinic that employs him!

 

[dachsundmom]

Well, I really can't say much until we see the results; I do see the point about OV not being the issue, but things can change and I think your doc should cover all of the bases, just to be safe.

Has your OH had a semen analysis?

 

[keekeesaurus]

Keekee

I was thinking about you this week hun, how are you? where have you been? or is it me being dopey again that i have missed you this week?

Sus!
I have been MIA this week as it's been my first week back at work and all I want to do when I get home is . Have missed y'all! I've had my CD #21 bloods done and got forms for CD #3 bloods and am awaiting forms for OH's SA. Will be having a scan (that'll be weird being on the other side!) at some point and a HSG. FS wasn't in clinic but I saw his senior reg who was lovely.
When all the results are in I'll have an appointment with the FS...just feel glad something is being done and then we can start talking about options.
Will be great to be your test buddy!

SW . Is there any way you can see another FS? He sounds like a nightmare .

Nats . A break until new year might be good for you both. I'm not sure what'll happen if we're advised to have IUI or IVF . I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

[Sus09]

Test buddies

I am waiting for the scan as well, they have not given me the request for day 3 yet, I guess it will come next.

 

[dachsundmom]

What do you girls mean about "getting requests?" Once the orders are written, can't you schedule your own tests? Or is this another thing I don't understand about NHS? LOL

 

[Sus09]

Not at my docor, they started a process on the system but unless the doctor gives me a plastic envelope with the "request" to do certain tests I cannot schedulle them. So although on my file it says what they are planning to do, I have to wait for the doctor to actually give me the written envelope I can´t do them. THe nurse can´t issue the envelopes that take the tests to the lab... complicated, is far earsier in Spain.

 

[dachsundmom]

Oh good Lord, lol. I knew there were scheduling differences, but I thought once you girls got the ok, you could call and do whatever you wanted.

 

[Sus09]

That is what happened in Spain, I was very straight forward.

I don´t know in the other parts of the uk but here it works like that, it is so slow, I now have to book another appointment for the doctor to give me another envelope, with all the tests written on it, so that I can have an appointment with the nurse, who already has on the system what the doctor wants to check, and then take blood, put the samples in the envelope, send it to the lab, the lab sends the results to the hospital, the hospital to the GP and then I have to call and have another appt for the GP to discuss the results

Complicated?

 

[keekeesaurus]

Oh good Lord, lol. I knew there were scheduling differences, but I thought once you girls got the ok, you could call and do whatever you wanted.

That would be so much easier. I got to choose and book my appointment with the FS online, which was great. Got my blood work forms at the appointment and then had to make another appointment at my local GP surgery to have the bloods drawn. The scan and HSG requests are sent to the other hospital where they'll be done and they will contact me with an appointment once they've received them and have an appointment slot. The SA pot is here but the forms for that will come in the post. Along with the breast and onc appointments I don't know whether I'm coming or going....

 

[keekeesaurus]

Complicated?

My brain hurts.

 

[Sus09]

So it is not only complicated in Wales
Why don´t they make all this easier!

 

[dachsundmom]

Ok, here is my process and it is different for different docs....

Call my doc and make an appt; I can usually get in next day. Tell him why I am there, when I get there and discuss the plan. Leave with script or some sort of treatment plan.

Left with test kit for SA...drop it at the lab whenever we want...just show up.

Call on CD1 for another HSG.

Call back for results...no appt needed.