Baffled by blood tests and bbts... can anyone help pls?

[Elasticsong]

Hello... first post in this topic and would be really grateful if anyone could help me out.

Have been ttc DC2 for a year or so. I'm 37. My periods came back when my DD was 14 months old but have been all over the shop ever since (for the past 19 months). I've been charting for 3 cycles. According to my bbts, I didn't ovulate for the first two cycles but did bleed both times. Then, on the third cycle, I had a definite rise in temp which lasted 3 days. It then dropped again and remained low but my period didn't show up for another 13 days. Any ideas what this kind of irregularity could mean? I'm so confused.

Also, I went to the GP a couple of weeks ago and she suggested a whole heap of blood tests. She suggested a progesterone day 21 test and I had all the others on that same day. Here's the list as given to me by the nurse:

thyroid
LH/FSH
oestrogen
FAI
testosterone
SHBG
progesterone

When I called for my results today, the receptionist (grr) told me that all the results were normal. I wasn't happy with this and have made another appointment with the GP but I just wondered if there's anything I should query here.

I don't want to be written off as just too old when it appears to me there may be a problem.

Apologies for long post. Hope someone can perhaps help me out here.

Hello Elastic,

I am like you, undiagnosed but with lots of reason to suspect something's up. Frustrating isnt it?

You have just been given the all clear on some major topics though, egg reserves, under or over active thryroid, PCOS, so thats all good news.

There is lots of info about test results on this thread which might be of use

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/miscarriage/1018955-2-and-21-day-tests

Are you using ovulation predictor kits to see if you are ovulating?

Hi Elasticsong, it's good that your GP was prepared to do all of those tests - we have been trying for over a year for DC 2 and all I've had done (at the GP.. have had some other tests privately) has been day 21 progesterone.

I've no idea about the other tests, but I don't think that your LH/FSH should be checked on day 21 - isn't that the day 2 test? I also got these tests done (privately) on day 14 post miscarriage, which another poster then advised would be totally inaccurate, as at the wrong time.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along in a moment.

MummyAbroad, thanks for the link. Very useful. Very frustrating and confusing too. I like your positivity about the test results... I, being me, tended to think the receptionist couldn't be bothered to read through all the results. Good to have a different point of view! Haven't used OPKs because my periods vary in length so much and it would cost me a small fortune. Have a saliva ferning device though.

GrumpyFish - I was delighted when the GP suggested all these tests as I was expecting to have to fight to have any done at all. Having googled a little bit, I did wonder whether some of the tests might have been done at the wrong time... hmm. Also, with such irregular periods/bleeding, I wonder about the reliability of the day 21 thing. Hmm again.

Feel like I have a lot to learn.

Hi Elastic,

Does the saliva device really work? I read a lot of mixed reviews on Amazon and dont know what to make of that.

Hate to sound like a salesman but you can get a pack of 40 OPK's for £5.50 on Amazon. If you chart and check your cervical mucas as well you can narrow down the days so that you are not testing all the time.

I am waiting for the arrival of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and hoping that helps me on my learning curve. I have seen so many other women recommend it on this site, thought I would give it a go.

Aha - TCOYF is really great. Have a copy and refer to it often. Thanks for the Amazon hint. Hadn't realised you could bulk buy like that. I will buy some tonight!

The saliva device does appear to work for me - well, in the past, I have had ferning at around the right time and I had a distinct lack of big ferning when my temps said I hadn't ovulated. Still early days of using it though.

Are there any charters around who might have an idea about my odd 3 day high temps followed by 13 days of lows and then my period?

Can't seem to find any answers online or in books...

Hi Elasticsong,

You can have a temp rise in the second half of your cycle when an egg has not been shed.
It is also possible to have periods without actually ovulating. This may well be the case with you now.

Am not at all happy with the receptionist who gave you these results; this should be done by your GP in any case and gone through in front of you. This is poor practice on the part of the surgery; the person giving these results has no idea what they mean.

Am glad you have made another appt with the GP. Your GP should also now refer you to the hospital's subfertility unit. These results are also flawed as the LH/FSH should be done far earlier in the cycle around day 2. Same with the estrogen, testosterone, SHBG (they are looking for PCOS here I think) and thyroid; these should be measured far earlier. If the progesterone result was under 30 then it is likely that ovulation did not occur.

With your long standing irregular periods (I note it took over a year for your periods to return after the birth of your first child) it is likely that there are problems with ovulation and these are often due to hormonal imbalances. Polycystic ovaries is a common culprit, another possible one is problems with the thyroid gland.

Charting is often unhelpful as well in these circumstances as the results can be confusing. If irregular periods are a feature then charting is best avoided anyway. Same with the ferning - avoid as this can also be unhelpful. You are well beyond the stage now of using such measures anyway.

You will need to be persistant in order to get answers. DO not be fobbed off!!!. Insist on a referral to the gynae at the subfertility unit.

Hello Attila

Thanks so much for this info - you are obviously a well-informed woman!

I feared as much, I have to say. I get so bloody irritated when you have to fight for everything and to question the 'experts'. However, there were so many medical oversights/confusions/errors (I'm sure Sam Cameron is getting better treatment in Treliske than I did!) when I had my daughter that I vowed I would NOT be fobbed off again. I supposed I just hoped I wouldn't have to have a battle.

Charting has been both enlightening and confusing. I believe I'm not ovulating regularly, if at all. Have to wait a fortnight nearly for my GP's appt... At least now I'll attend the appt feeling slightly better informed.

Thanks for the help so far, people. Feel sure I shall be back for more at some point!