Afternoon ladies.
I wonder if anyone has any advice. After 18 months actively TTC, last month I suddenly had a bit of a meltdown when I realised I was 37 next birthday and still wasn't pregnant and that there was likely to be an Issue. So off I trotted down to the GP - who I haven't had a whole heap to do with before as I am luckly to be in robust good health, touch wood. She advised me to come in on day 16 of my cycle for a smear (which was due), and "you might as well have some blood taken then as well". I asked what it would be tested for and she said general stuff - liver and kidney function, thyroid, diabetes, rubella immunity and anaemia. I asked about hormones and she said they would also test for progesterone.
Now I'm not an enormous expert, but I ventured that testing me a mere 2 days after ovulation would produce a low result and she said they would test it anyway. So the results came back, including the smear, and they were all normal, apart from, the receptionist said, the progesterone which was "very low for a day 21 test" (it was 3.4). I told her it wasn't a day 21 test because it had been taken two days after ovulation, and I asked about day 3 FSH testing. She said I would have to come back to chat with the doc (sorry this is long), and that she had never heard of such a test. Fair enough - she's not a doctor.
So I've just been back and the first thing she said was "How long before your period was the blood test?" Clearly she concerned about the low reading so I said I wasn't worried because it was only 2 days after ovulation, when I knew it should be taken 7 days after. She was adamant that no, it should be taken 7 days before your period starts. She also gave me some results for FSH and LH, again both of which sound ok (49 and 7.6) except of course they were taken on day 17 as well (day 16 was a Sunday so I had them the next day). We talked ourselves round in circles with me asking how did she know if it was a good FSH result if it wasn't taken on day 3, or thereabouts?
The upshot is that she has ordered me back for another progesterone test "seven days before your period" (which of course will be a bit of guesswork) and she discounts the day 3 thing altogether. Nor has the word "ovulation" passed her lips. I'm confident I am ovulating, but I want to know if I have aged eggs!!!
And MrA is going for a jizz test soon, bless him. He has to drive 30 miles with a pot of spermz to hand in at the hospital.
That's by the by. Does this GP sound as clueless as I think she is, or is it me? I have asked to be referred anyway, which she's said she'll do as soon as this blood test is done and the SA result is in, because the fact remains I am still not bloody pregnant not matter how much blood is syringed out of my arm!
Apologies for the length. Any thoughts?