FSH, LH and Progestrone - 21 days blood Tests

[chocci]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Honey08 and good luck with your pregnancy!!!

In all honesty i am getting totally confused by it all. Just seems i am being proded, poked, injected, etc and getting no answers. The explanations i get are so vague and make no sense to me.

After my first scan I am now worrying there is something really wrong with me. I have a cyst on one ovary for a start! But no further explanation was given. I had 21 day blood tests which apparently came back normal. The local GP messed up and did not get enough blood to do the progesterone test which ironically I find out is the most important one at day 21 (i have a 26-28 day cycle). They ended up taking blood for that on day 25 which was the day i got my period so surely my progesterone would definitely be low????. FSH and LH were apparently normal for 21 day at 2.1 and 1.6 respectively but i wasn't told my reading for day 25 progesterone other than the fact the doctor told me there were signs i had not ovulated tho as i said surely progesterone would have been low on the day i got my period???? can anyone answer that?

I have now had more blood taken at day 3 of this cycle as it was ordered along with scans and HSG by the specialist. I am just worrying about whether my FSH and LH levels were actually OK? Are there any people in the know how who can reassure me that they are normal at day 21? I don't think i can wait until at least a week to find out what the day 3 results come back as

What i don't understand also is that the nurse doing the internal scan said "it looks like you ovulated on last month from the right ovary" how can she tell this? Whats more confusing is that apparently i am being referred cos i am not ovulating?

The clinic i am going to is supposed to be one of the best in the UK but so far i fell a bit bewildered

Sorry I am moaning on but i feel really fed up about it all. My husband and i really want a child and the in-laws keep hinting at me which is getting right on my nerves, feel like they will never forgive me if i dont give there precious son a child (tho i am sure thats all in my imagination but cant help feeling it ) I dont want anyone knowing what I am having to go through at the moment so they do not know we are refered for fertility issues in all fairness.

Sigh.....why cant things just be easy, seems if you are 16, with no job, no future, no money, and dont really want a baby it comes easily but if you have everything to give it just doesnt work out

Got anoterh scan on Thursday and am hoping by then the cyst will miraculously have gone and i will show lots of maturing follicles

 

[ktsl123]

Hi I am sorry that you are going through this. The worst part is you seem so lost in all of the information that you are given. Next time you go to the Dr. make sure to let the Dr know that you are in the dark and you need to be much more informed. Bring a notebook with every question on it you have and make sure all of those questions are answered. That is what I do when I go to the Dr. that way I do not leave feeling lost.

 

[TigerLady]

I am not as familiar with LH and FSH numbers as I am progesterone numbers. You may want to ask about LH and FSH in the Long Term TTC section, as I know some of those ladies have had those tests done.

As for progesterone, it will be lower than it's peak on the day you get your AF. It is the drop in progesterone that lowers your body temp and starts AF. So I am not sure how they can say it is "normal." The only thing I can imagine is the following:

If you get your progesterone tested after suspected o, but you did NOT o, it will be very very low, like 0-1, maybe 0-2. Some ladies have seen 0.2, 0.4, etc. Maybe your proesterone was higher than that.... like 4-8. It takes a few days for the progesterone to clear out completely, so some will be left during AF. They like to see a peak progesterone level of 10 or more, but even that is not necessary. For example, I had cd25 progesterone done when I was 12dpo and mine was 8.6. I turned out to be pg that cycle. My OB said over 8 is fine. So if you got a 4-8 or something similar, maybe they are inferring that you DID o, and the levels were probably good at peak, but had come down quite a bit since AF had started.

I hope that made sense. I also hope you get answers soon!! Good luck!

 

[chocci]

Thank you all who replied.

I am feeling a bit better today, am just a little fed up i don't really understand all that is going on. Like a couple of you have said i will make sure that the nurse / doc explains things in full to me. I have so many questions and am a little bit scared to hear the answers too but rather than drive my self potty wondering i think i had better make sure they explain properly. Will let you know what i find out on Thursday

Thanks once again all and for those of you who are pregnant all the best for your pregnancies, for those of you who aren't, my fingers are crossed for all of us

 

[cooch]

Hi, I had my FSH and LH done day 3. Everything I have read states they are best to be done at this point of the cycle. Not all hormone test have to be done day 21. Plus the 'day 21' test are best done peak+7 days. and this will differ from woman to woman. Its day 21 as it expects a woman to ovulate on day 14. If you know your ovulation date then add on 7 and that's the day you should be having the test.

Also FSH and LH should be similar levels. If they are far out it can indicate PCOS. SO this is one to watch out for.

 

[cooch]

I have just read a few post, sorry if I have repeated some info. Chocci, I really don't know what your tests should show at day 21. I think you should try and forget about FSH and LH until you have the results of day 3. Best of luck

 

[TigerLady]

Hi! :wave:

Just a heads up, this thread is nearly three years old! I was looking at my post in it and I was only in first tri with my DS when I wrote it. Wow. Flashback! Look at him in my siggie now!

The member you are making suggestions to hasn't been on this site for over a year and a half is unlikely to read your responses.

 

[madkitty]

Im a bit confused as I have just had my CD21 bloods done and they were for FSH, LH, progesterone and thyroid - why would they be looking at the first two at this time of the month?

 

[PaulaRose]

I hope you dont mind me jumping in here, but can anyone help,I have to get bloods done and Im a little confused,do you count day 21 from the day you get your period.

 

[Mitchi]

Hi PaulaRose
Its called day 21 progesterone because the "average" cycle length is 28 days, and progesterone levels peak 7 days after ovulation (with ovulation occuring on day 14). However, if you have, for example a 32 day cycle, you are most likely to ovulate on day 18, and therefore your so called day 21 progesterone should actually be taken on day 25. The luteal phase of the cycle is fairly constant in woman, and its the follicular phase that tends to vary in length giving everyone diffrerent cycle lengths. So.... in summary your day 21 progesterone should always be taken 7 days before your next period is due, regardless of whether or not it really is day 21!!
Hope that helps
xx

 

[Mitchi]

Amd yes day 1 is the day your period starts!

 

[lch28]

My LH level on CD8 was 4. Is this low? My doctor isn't in till next monday and the nurses say they don't know..