Hello there,
First of all, I have to send my thanks to so many of you brave people who have posted details of their situations on here. It's been very helpful over the past 18 months or so.
I have my first appointment with a fertility specialist on Tuesday and I'm hoping you can all suggest some questions I bring up, or things to bring or prepare myself for. I'm a very strange (and awkward) combination of nervous and excited.
Here is a brief break-down of my situation:
I stopped taking birth control and started TTC almost two years ago.
I didn't get a period at all for over 4 months, and then it was VERY long cycles.
When I finally started getting it every month I started using OPKs and found that I had a very short LP (about 8 days, with about 3-4 days of spotting before getting my period).
I tried vitamin B and other over the counter things... also thinking that I know it takes many women a while to get back to their new "normal" after coming off the pill. So I tried to be patient.
When it had been about 18 months total, I decided to take the Progesterone blood test at 7 DPO. Came back 5.8.
Starting supplementing with Prometrium (starting at 4DPO) 100 mg once a day (oral). I still started spotting by about 5 DPO and it didn't increase my LP much, so I went to 200 mg 2x a day (oral). First month it didn't do much more,but the second month on it I didn't spot until 8 DPO and had a 12-13 day LP.
I managed to do all this through my regular GYN. But when I expressed concern with my LP still, because it seems like with Prometrium I shouldn't be spotting or getting my AF that early. I said I wanted to get another progesterone test at 7 DPO, see what the results were now. She shrugged me off.
It's not that I don't think she could be right. But I didn't like the way she handled it. (Plus, I don't see the harm in a simple blood test.) And I decided after almost 2 years now, it's time to see a specialist.
I'm wondering if any of you wonderful people have any insight that could help prepare me for this appointment. I am bringing my past progesterone test results, as well as my marked calendar with my notes on when I spotted, when I got AF, when OPKs were positive, etc... (and of course pencil and paper)
The office sent me a letter that said first time appointments are often as long as 2 - 2 and 1/2 hours, so that made me feel good, like they won't rush me. And they also said to be prepare to take some tests right there at their facility if applicable.
Is there anything you guys think I should prepare for? Any questions you think are important to ask? Things I should know going in?
Thank you all so much. It's been an interesting journey and even though I don't post here often (I think I'm just not as brave as most of you!) know that SO many of you have helped me over the past year.
First of all, I have to send my thanks to so many of you brave people who have posted details of their situations on here. It's been very helpful over the past 18 months or so.
I have my first appointment with a fertility specialist on Tuesday and I'm hoping you can all suggest some questions I bring up, or things to bring or prepare myself for. I'm a very strange (and awkward) combination of nervous and excited.
Here is a brief break-down of my situation:
I stopped taking birth control and started TTC almost two years ago.
I didn't get a period at all for over 4 months, and then it was VERY long cycles.
When I finally started getting it every month I started using OPKs and found that I had a very short LP (about 8 days, with about 3-4 days of spotting before getting my period).
I tried vitamin B and other over the counter things... also thinking that I know it takes many women a while to get back to their new "normal" after coming off the pill. So I tried to be patient.
When it had been about 18 months total, I decided to take the Progesterone blood test at 7 DPO. Came back 5.8.
Starting supplementing with Prometrium (starting at 4DPO) 100 mg once a day (oral). I still started spotting by about 5 DPO and it didn't increase my LP much, so I went to 200 mg 2x a day (oral). First month it didn't do much more,but the second month on it I didn't spot until 8 DPO and had a 12-13 day LP.
I managed to do all this through my regular GYN. But when I expressed concern with my LP still, because it seems like with Prometrium I shouldn't be spotting or getting my AF that early. I said I wanted to get another progesterone test at 7 DPO, see what the results were now. She shrugged me off.
It's not that I don't think she could be right. But I didn't like the way she handled it. (Plus, I don't see the harm in a simple blood test.) And I decided after almost 2 years now, it's time to see a specialist.
I'm wondering if any of you wonderful people have any insight that could help prepare me for this appointment. I am bringing my past progesterone test results, as well as my marked calendar with my notes on when I spotted, when I got AF, when OPKs were positive, etc... (and of course pencil and paper)
The office sent me a letter that said first time appointments are often as long as 2 - 2 and 1/2 hours, so that made me feel good, like they won't rush me. And they also said to be prepare to take some tests right there at their facility if applicable.
Is there anything you guys think I should prepare for? Any questions you think are important to ask? Things I should know going in?
Thank you all so much. It's been an interesting journey and even though I don't post here often (I think I'm just not as brave as most of you!) know that SO many of you have helped me over the past year.
I have the "Plan to Get Pregnant" book by Zita West (that I haven't been able to find in months and first found after my 1st meeting with our RE) and she suggests these questions:
