Going to GP for tests?

[katiegd]

Hi all, hoping for a bit of your expertise.

I'm nearly 33. We've been TTC#1 for about 18 months, but due to OH health issues and then operation last year (all now fine) the number of cycles we've been trying is probably about 10, maybe a few more.

We'd talked about going to GP in Sept if nothing before then but am now thinking perhaps we should go sooner. I've convinced myself that our issues are due to OH sperm quality as he drinks and smokes a lot. I think that if it is low quality, having confirmation of this would encourage him to start planning behaviour change (so much easier said than done!).

Of course, it might be nothing to do with that and might be related to me, or unexplained, but I suppose I'd rather just know.

So my question is, how do you go about getting tests through your GP? Do you book an appointment together to talk about it? Or do you go separately? What do you ask for?

[florafoxtrot]

Hi Katie,
We went about 6 weeks ago which was around 10 months of actively trying (so same as you)
We went together to discuss that we had been trying and hadn't had any luck so far and she offered to do 21 day progesterone tests for me and a sperm analysis for my husband.
I would definitely recommend going together as sometimes if you see different GPs then referrals can be more complicated or confusion is caused etc.
I had my blood tests at my GP surgery and hubby had an appointment at our local fertility clinic to drop off his sample.
They will ask about smoking and drinking and your hubby might want to be prepared for a bit of a lecture but on the other hand - it might be a non-issue and its good just to get into the system and have things moving.
It's not been a very quick process for us thus far.
Hope that answers some of your questions.

[Heratnumber7]

Guidelines may have changed, but 20 years ago we were told not to worry until we'd been trying for 2 years without success.

Although youngsters seem to get inappropriately pregnant at the drop of a hat, your fertility window is incredibly small. Just about 48 hours each month.

GP might give you some leaflets etc about getting your timings right, but I'd doubt they'd refer you for tests yet.

[sunshineandsea]

We went to the GP after 10 months too. We went together and she referred us for blood tests and scan for me and sperm analysis for DP. I'd suggest booking a double appointment if you can as there were lots of questions she had to ask each of us so it took longer than 10 mins.

I'd agree it's not a very quick process, it's taken about 5 months to do all those tests and only now have we been referred to the fertility unit for the next steps, which will be another wait. I'm glad we went when we did as we're now 15 months in and still no hint of a bfp!

Best of luck op x

[katiegd]

Thanks all.

Flora and Sunshine - sounds like you are both in very similar positions to me. Thanks for advice re going together and booking double appointment. It's so helpful knowing other people's experiences and what to expect. Big FX to both of you on your journeys.

Herat - I'm already tracking ovulation and think I'm now pretty clued up on my cycle. I had no idea about all of this a couple of years ago and now feel I have more knowledge of female fertility than I do about most things! 10 cycles is the number where I'm pretty certain we've HS at the right time.

I'm in my fw now and it's looking like we should be able to give it a good go! So if no BFP this cycle then I think I will suggest to OH that we take the plunge and book a joint appointment with GP.

X

[JoJoSM2]

And beware of utterly shitty GPs. Ours refused to refer repeatedly so needed to change GPs to achieve anything on the NHS.

[BabyMoonPie]

I went to the GP on my own and explained that we were struggling to conceive and the NHS website said I should see my GP. The GP said they test separately in our area and it's the woman first. I had a swab and blood taken on day 21 of my next cycle and an abdominal scan. Nothing showed up so DH then had to provide a sperm sample. Good luck to you

[katiegd]

Ah yes, good point re shitty GPs. Is it worth asking reception if there are any with special interest in fertility issues?

[JoJoSM2]

You could do. Hopefully, the prize idiot of a GP I saw initially is a bit of a rarity. The other one has been knowledgeable and supportive. You could also make sure you get copies of tests and see what you got tested for and cross check the results. E.g. with the muppet GP, it turned out that tested my liver, kidneys, tested for anaemia etc but I only found out that he had never done any relevant tests when I got a copy of results to go private...

[florafoxtrot]

Our GP practice has a website so I went on there, checked what they specialized in and then targeted the GP we saw....

.... yeah I'm getting pretty desperate with it all

[physicskate]

My gp wouldn't look me in the eye and told me to have another miscarriage so I could get tests.

I hope he sleeps well at night.

[katiegd]

Thanks all!

@physicskate wtf?!! That's awful. He should not be allowed near women struggling with fertility.

To all - slightly off my initial topic but is stress really a factor that affects fertility? Feel like it's bandied around a lot by medical professionals and non-medical professionals alike (e.g. The infuriating 'it won't happen if you're stressed', 'just relax and stop worrying', 'don't track ovulation as it'll make you stressed' etc etc), but is there evidence for that? Feel like it's possibly just another way to make women (and men, but mainly women) struggling with TTC feel responsible for it.

[JoJoSM2]

For the first year, I didn't track my ovulation and didn't even know what opks and tww were... Clearly didn't experience any stress whatsoever but clearly didn't get pregnant...

I do think there's some truth in it as stress does affect hormone levels and stressed out people are more likely to be less healthy or even get ill more often. But de-stressing isn't an infertility cure

[wickerlampshade]

I'm a GP and I would refer you - before referring I'd want to do a semen analysis for your husband and a load of blood tests/swabs/scan on you first. So easiest is if you book two consecutive appointments (one each) then we have plenty of time and can get it all sorted. I'm also happy to see you at separate times if that is easier with work etc. If he's registered at a different GP I'd ask him to sort out a semen analysis via his own GP and give me a copy of the result. Referral is usually in both names (but via the woman's GP if registered at different practices) unless any specific semen related problems in which case occasionally refer the man seperately to urology but that's uncommon.

[wickerlampshade]

My gp wouldn't look me in the eye and told me to have another miscarriage so I could get test

clearly he has the communication skills of a stuffed aubergine, but if you've had two miscarriages (for which ) he may have been trying to tell you that NHS recurrent miscarriages will only accept women who have had three.

[wickerlampshade]

if you google "NHS IVF criteria (your borough)" you can check if you meet the local criteria for referral. You will usually need to have a BMI of under 30, both be non-smokers, have no children together and have been trying for at least 1y, though there can be subtle differences between different areas.

[FallenSkies]

Will a gp still do fertility tests if you aren't eligible for ivf on the NHS? We have been trying for 10 months and we're thinking of going to the gp to ask for tests, but we have one child already

[wickerlampshade]

Generally not, I'd suggest that you seek a private referral. HFEA website is a good place to start researching clinics

[physicskate]

I'd been ttc for a year at that point and had had two chemical pregnancies, which clearly weren't viable conceptions...

He said he'd refer me after another 12 months in the breath after tell me to mc again.

[wickerlampshade]

To be fair physicskate a recurrent miscarriage clinic would have bounced that referral.

[katiegd]

Thanks wickerlampshade - very useful to get your expertise. I looked into IVF criteria in our area a while ago and it's pretty much that - no kids already, non smokers, BMI under a certain number.

Physicskate what a horrible experience. Regardless of having to explain criteria for accessing certain services, there are ways that care professionals should speak to people (especially those who've had a traumatic experience).

[physicskate]

Wicker - I was hoping for day 3 and 21 tests, as I suspect I have low progesterone after ov (I spot a lot)...

He said I could get blood tests, not rmu, after another 12 months. He suggested have a miscarriage to get tested for recurrent miscarriage, and looked as though that was the referral he would be more likely to refer me to - not simple tests and maybe a scan. This was all while I was so nauseous and dizzy during my chemical I couldn't walk in a straight line. I've since learned to temper my expectations.

The other GP tried to prescribe me anti-depresseants a month before, as I was worried that the stress of ttc was affecting my mental health.

Yeah, my surgery is full of winners.

[wickerlampshade]

It's tricky as technically speaking you are conceiving. But I'd probably, if you wanted me to, ignore the chemical pregnancies and get going.

fallenskies I'm not sure my reply before was right - I probably would do the initial tests for secondary subfertility and have done in the past. I was thinking more of things like HSG done at secondary care level, which I wouldn't be able to refer to. I'd probably offer lots of sympathy, do the bloods/scan/swab/semen, ask if you'd considered ovulation monitoring and anything more than that would be private.

[FallenSkies]

Thanks wickerlampshade, that's good to know. I'm so pleased you came on this thread , and thank you for starting it katiegd.

[florafoxtrot]

Sorry to hijack but since I know you are here @wickerlampshade

My DH had his SA test 3 weeks ago, he phoned the GP this morning and they confirmed that his results are in and that he needs to make an appointment - that's bad news isn't it?

[wickerlampshade]

florafoxtrot difficult to say. Yes, usually normal results would be discuss on the phone, but every practice does things differently. Plus there are shades of bad. Normal count with poor motility is very common and sometimes normalises on a repeat test. No sperm at all, or very few, is much rarer. Good luck