How to proceed?

[Siria]

Hello everybody.

I've been TTC for a couple of month, I know that's not long at all but I have some concerns and don't know how to proceed since I'm 42 and don't have a lot of time to waste.

I have a very regular cycle of 28-30 days and I always ovulate on day 11 or 12, never had any problems or symptoms when I wasn't TCC.

In March I tried the first time and I started having cramps in my uterus 3 days after ovulation, during the next week I got lots of gas, sore breasts, nausea, fatigue and heighten smell.

I thought this is a good sign but I started bleeding on CD 21, first brown, the next day red and then brown again and then it stopped. It was nothing like a normal period. A few days later I took a HPT test and it was negative. The symptoms continued and on CD 42 I had a bloodtest done, also negative. I wasn't pregnant and there was not even conception according my GP since my lh levels were to low for this. I don't understand this.

Two weeks later and continues cramps in my uterus I started bleeding, big black cloths and some liver colored also. I bled for 3 days and then it stopped. In a normal period I bleed for 5-6 days.
I considered it as CD1 anyway and I ovulated again on time on CD 11, but nothing happened this time, no cramps, gas, sore boobs, nausea and I had my period on day 29, Very heavy and painful.

So I tried again last month and again I started having all the symptoms again 3 days after my ovulation and again I started bleeding early, on CD 24.

Although I never had a positive HPT and my doctor said that there wasn't conception due to my low Lh level on CD 42!?, I do think that there was conception twice and it went wrong during implantation.

My doctor gave me a referral for a OB/Gyn but I wonder if that wouldn't be a waste of money for me. Wouldn't it be better to go to a fertility specialist and do some testing, since there might be a problem with an overactive immune system. My white bloodcell count is quite high for a couple of years now, I never have colds or flue and my body always reacts extremely when I get bitten by and insect.

I don't know to much about it except that those tests are expensive as well and maybe I just don't have enough patience. It's just that the continues cramping of my uterus makes me wonder if my body isn't trying to expel the fertilized egg.

Some advice please on what to do to save time and money.

 

[ClandestineTX]

I'd start with the OB/GYN first. You don't want to pay a lot of money to a fertility specialist for something that may be a basic GYN issue. By getting the basics checked out first, you'd save money in the long run and you wouldn't be paying for a fertility specialist if it wasn't needed.

I would definitely pursue medical testing, no matter which route you choose.

 

[Siria]

Thanks, but although I didn't mention it I had a laparoscopy last August and everything looked beautiful then according the gyn.
A gyn will cost me a lot of money as well if I go privately so I don't have to be on the waiting list for nine month

 

[ClandestineTX]

If you think you are better off seeing the fertility specialist straight away, then that's what you should do. No one on here can tell you what is the right choice for you and your circumstances.

 

[Siria]

You're right, it's up to me. I'm just a bit overwhelmed and scared of loosing valuable time.

 

[mummytoangels]

Given ur age ( Not that I think it really matters ) But in the eyes of docs sometimes it does. So therefore I wouldn't b wasting time nd def would b seeing someone asap, whether tht b a gyno or FS it's totally up to u. Going by wot u have said, I would say u have had a chemical pregnancy.
Good luck nd I hope u find out answers sweetie Xxx

 

[mangotango]

I would see the ob/gyn, it is their specialty! Although a "fertility" specialist is more of a specialist, the ob/gyn has a lot of knowledge also and if he/she is like mine- they will be very proactive and you won't feel like you need the specialist. The ob/gyn can also do tests the specialist can do too. For instance, if my husband and I aren't preggo by August (only 3 cycles trying) my doc wants us back in so he can check us out and make sure neither of us has issues, low sperm, slow sperm, no tails on sperm, my eggs, ovulation, hormones, etc. Personally, I would most likely opt for the fertility specialist if I was trying for a long long time and wanted to move on to in vitro or something like that??? Compared to your regular doctor, the ob/gyn will have tons more knowledge than a family practice MD.

Have you been charting your temps and such?? I think that is the first step that most docs want to see when they see you. Our fertility clinic wont even take new patients until you've been charting for a few months so they can analyze the cycles.
Best of luck!!

 

[Siria]

No, I haven't been charting my temp but I kept track of my ovulation and bleeding's for the last 6 months.
I do think that if there indeed was conception twice that I should see a fertility specialist. There could be a hormone imbalance or I could have a problem with my immune system since my white blood cell count has been pretty high for the last couple of years. There is only one clinic here who does those tests.

It's really annoying and stressful that as long as you don't have elevated HCG levels your not being considered as pregnant so you also can't have had a early miscarriage. Which means it's hard to find adequate medical help to find out why the implantation fails. I wish I could have done the EPF test so there would be no doubt that there was conception.

 

[ClandestineTX]

Some absurd percent of fertilized embryos don't implant (I think it's in the 70's) for everyone. Human beings don't reproduce nearly as easily as other mammals, which is why the hCG is the standard for testing. There's also what defines pregnancy in the medical world and that includes implantation. I've never heard of anyone having trouble only with initial implantation, generally if there's an issue there - embryos will implant but fail to stay put (leading to a string of CP - positive HPT and then a new cycle starts as normal) - those are usually low progesterone caused. Sorry not more help - you could ask for the EPF test, but remember that it doesn't mean there's a problem if implantation fails.

 

[Siria]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply's.
I went to see another GP for a second opinion since I couldn't trust the opinion of my own GP anymore since she told me that there couldn't have been conception since the bloodtest taken 3 weeks after my bleeding showed that my LH level was to low. Apparently she thinks a raised level for LH 4 weeks after conception is an indication for conception.
Anyway the other GP said strait away that I probably did conceive twice but failed to implant and recommend me to go and see a fertility specialist asap instead of a Gyn.
That only shows again that doctors can be dead wrong and you always have to trust yourself.

Good luck to you all.

 

[Siria]

Hi,

Most unexpectedly after 9 days of pretty heavy bleeding but I am officially pregnant for now.
Yesterday I did started testing again for my ovulation with an OPK and I immediately got a positive, which would be a bit early and I didn't have the normal mucus for it. So I thought it was a bit strange. This morning I decided to do a pregnancytest just to make sure and I got a big fat positive. I went to the doctor and it got confirmed with an early scan. I'm very happy for the moment. I have to go to the hospital though to get another scan because of the bleeding.
I keep my fingers crossed.

 

[3chords]

Hope you get some answers soon!

Why did you have a laparoscopy? What were they checking for?

 

[mangotango]

Siria! Congratulations, what a surprise!! I hope all is well and the bleeding is nothing to worry about.

 

[Siria]

I had some unexplained pains in my right side on and off for months. My ovaries couldn't be seen on the ultrasound and the gyn said that it could be a cyst. So I had the laparoscopy to see if there was something going on. But everything was fine.