FSH Test

[Kirstin]

What is this test for? And why does it have to be done on day 2?

My IVF is going to have to be put back a month because my stupid period is going to start over easter

 

[Millnsy]

Are you sure you can't get someone to take the blood? I had to have a blood test over a weekend once because I was working away and they arranged for me to go to the gynae ward in the same hospital to get the bloods taken. It might be possible to go to your local NHS direct as well if it comes under the same trust (and of course if you are in the UK that is!) Worth asking any way...

 

[CurlySue]

CD2 tests for the presence of FSH which in turn can indicate quality/quantity of eggs. The higher the FSH level at its resting period (i.e. at the start of your cycle) the harder your body has to work in order to mature eggs. In other words, the lower the FSH the better. It means your body is not having to work as hard with the eggs it has.

 

[Kirstin]

OK, well I thought thats what the AMH was for.

I doubt they will go to the trouble of sending me to the hospital as I am doing IVF privately so they could easily tell me to just go and pay for the tests.

 

[CurlySue]

FSH, i.e. follicular stimulating hormone, is what tells your ovaries to mature eggs and therefore ovulate. If your body has a low level of FSH it means it is not needing to 'spur on' your ovaries too much.

My IVF specialist likened it to cars at the traffic lights. A ferrari does not need to make much of an effort. It does not take much gas to go from 0 - 60. A crappy old banger, on the other hand, would need substantial gas and effort to go from 0 - 60.

If your body is using little gas in order to ovulate, so to speak, then that is good. Means that it has good things to work with.

 

[Kirstin]

I'll be having it this month but will be paying for it

 

[Lol78]

I think I am also having this test next cycle but my GP told me it had to be CD5. I'm having it alongside CD21 test.

Do you think it matters what day it's done on? I'm getting concerned now because I read elsewhere it should be CD2-3.

If it is OK, perhaps you could have it done later and not pay?

 

[Kirstin]

It's still going to probably happen on a weekend so I might as well just do it this month.

We were told by the fertility clinic anytime between days 2-4, any later and your body is using the hormone or something. I know of someone who done it later in the month and ended up having to get it redone. I would personally take a specialists word over a GPs. Especially as our GP told us something completely different about OHs SA.

 

[Lol78]

Hmm, that's a tough one because how do you tell a GP you want to overule them? I do trust her, she is very good and seems to take us seriously. I may just book it for the day before and tell them I couldn't make it the next day so they know it's CD4 and not 5 as requested but so I feel at least that it may be on the right day. I'm sure they know what they are doing better than me but everything I have read is CD2-3, so where CD5 comes from I don't know. Anyway, it's looking like CD5 may be a Sunday, so I have a good excuse to go Friday instead.

Good luck with your test Kirstin, are you having any others? I just got my CD21 test back. It was 40, so I think that means I am ovulating at least.

 

[Kirstin]

I had a scan mid cycle which found a follicle and the womb lining being the right size for the day etc. and a test for AMH. The others I need to do are just general non fertility ones like HIV.