Going to the doctors today...

[Karbea]

What will i need to take?
What will he ask me?

[kat2504]

Are you pregnant or are you ttc?
If you are pregnant you will need to provide a urine sample and tell them the date your last period began. They will ask you a range of questions about your health and tell you the common sense stuff that you know you shouldn't do/eat/drink. They will then tell you to make an appointment with the midwife at 8 weeks or so.

If you are ttc they may ask for a pee sample, they may not. They'll ask you how long you've been trying, any previous pregnancies or miscarriages, questions about your menstrual cycle, any gynaecological history, your sex "routine". That's all I know about that. I have a consultant appointment next month at the hospital, they also want me to bring a sample.
Seems to be an obsession with urine going on in the NHS!

[Karbea]

Im TTC, have been for 8 Cycles...
Did you take details of your cycles? or do they just want to know your average cycle length? mine can range from 23-28 - but normally 24.

[kat2504]

I keep a record of mine, I have a mobile phone app that does it for me. They probably want to know anything you can tell them. yours sound a bit shortish but still well within the normal range. I'm afraid they may not do much after 8 months, they usually say 12 months and thats what I was told. But it is good to get in the system in any case.

[Karbea]

I think they might as i'm very old (37). Thanks x

[Teds77]

Karbea the Hfea guidelines say go to your GP and ask for investigations after six months of trying if you are over 35. So it's reasonable to expect them to carry out some investigations follow your initial appointment.

I didn't take anything with me and nothing was 'done' at the first appointment but you do get quizzed about your medical history and also you'll get quizzed about your cycles.

For us it was all a bit clearer as there were some strong medical reasons why DH might have a low sperm count. However, the appointment ended with the GP sending me away for day 3 blood tests and DH sent away for a sperm analysis. We got given paperwork for these which detailed where we needed to go and when. The GP was fairly confident that I was ovulating fine so didn't send me for a 'day 21' test. Some people do get referred for this test near the start but for others this can come later or not at all - I've never had one.

We were told that once we got the results we should fix up another appointment to discuss the results and decide whether we wanted to be referred to an assisted conception unit for further investigations. As you are over 35, even if your tests all come back okay, some GPs may be prepared to refer you to an ACU at this point if that's what you want.

Hope that helps. I know lots of people have some poor experiences with their GPs but mine was fabulous.

[NinjaChipmunk]

Hi karbea I would be asking for a sperm test for dp, day 3 and day 21 blood tests for you (day 21 is checking you ovulated, day 3 they tested for LH, FSH, TCH, prolactin and something else I can't quite emember).
What day of your cycle are you on? I was fortunate enough to go on day 3 by fluke and she sent me straight to my local hospital to get a blood test. Good luck, come back andlet us know how it went.

[eurochick]

My experience was a bit different. I wasn't asked anything about medical history or my cycles at my first appointment. I was however referred for Day 3 and 21 blood tests and hubby was asked to pop in to get a referral for a semen analysis.

My results came back as normal last week, but the GP has referred me to a gynae anyway (I have a history of PCOS although it is now well controlled through diet). I am happy with the service I have got so far. From reading various internet fora, I was expecting it to be a bit of a battle, but it has not been like that at all.

I am 35 and went to see the GP when we had been properly trying for 5 cycles (but we had abandoned contraception and taken a more casual approach for about 2 years before this).

[Karbea]

Does it matter that dh won't be coming with me and is registered at another gp? I'm on day 23, but my temps really dropped this am, so I'm waiting for af.

[eurochick]

I went alone and hubby wasn't even registered with a GP at the time. I was asked to get him to register and then they would sort out an SA.

[NinjaChipmunk]

I went on my own and the gp gave me a pot and a form to take to the hosp for dp. DP only came to the last appt we had as my gp won't refer to assisted fertility clinic without seeing both of you.

[Karbea]

The doctor did ask about my cycles, he looked up my smears he asked if I had abdominal pain and he took my blood pressure.

So I have to have two blood tests one on the 7th one on the 21st days.

The tests are progesterone, rubella immunity, fsh, lh.

Depending on those results I may have to have more.

He said dh should go to his gp and get his sperm tested.

[NinjaChipmunk]

Sounds like you got the ball rolling. And thank you - rubella immunity was the other thing I was tested for.

this site explains the results of all these tests, I found it quite useful.