Pushing for a referral?

[Happilymarried155]

We have been ttc for 16 months now, visited the doctor after a year, after much persuasion she did my day 21 blood tests, these came back fine. She then said because we were under 35 she would not do any other tests for another year, so to come back at the two year mark :( I have also spoken to another doctor at the surgery and they said the same thing, so it must be surgery policy.

I don't know what to do, everywhere I look it says go for tests after a year, shall I go in again n push abit harder? Dh is registered at a different surgery shall we go in there. Two years seems like such a long time and I don't want to waste the next eight months trying if there is something wrong!

What would you do?

Definitely push or as you say try DH's surgery. Or register somewhere new. You really ought to be referred after 12 months. I'm not sure if you can self-refer to your local sub-fertility unit but that might be worth exploring. I was lucky to get a quick referral and on the whole have had a positive experience but even so there have been times I've really had to push. I don't find it easy but I think with this you just have to.

Best of luck.

You can find the NICE guidelines online. Last time I looked, they said you should be referred after a year if under 35. Print them off and stick them under your GP's nose and ask them why they are going against guidelines, surely they represent best practice, etc.

Thank you for your replies, I was hoping you would say that, didn't know whether I was just being crazy. She looked at me like I was being so unreasonable last time, like I was wasting her time! Am going to talk to dh and go back with nice guidelines. Thank you :)

Usually gynaes like to see couples after a year of ttc without success.

I think your GP surgery is actually mucking you about. Would seek out another practice if these people continue to be unhelpful.

Also to my mind the surgery have not done enough initial tests; a day 21 test alone is not sufficient (there seems to be no day 2 test) and importantly they did not test your H at all because he is registered at a different practice.

Eurochick mentions the NICE guidelines; these are certainly worth reading.

Hiya, just to echo you need day 3 tests, Lh and fsh, your dh needs a sperm analysis, and even if all these are fine you should be referred. I agree with euro, take the guidelines and if no luck go elsewhere. Good luck!

You need to push for a referral. Gps are trying to reduce costs atm. Wave the nice guidelines at them and be demanding.
Good luck with ttc in the meantime