how many of you have had initial tests?

[wannaBe1974]

This is more a curiosity thing really. Tomorrow I have to go for a day 21 blood test to check if I'm ovulating. Have been TTC since May of last year, also it took me 13 months to conceive my DS, so I'm fairly sure that there is a reason I'm not conceiving. That aside though, I was wondering how many on here have got to the stage where they have felt it necessary to go to a GP to see why they're not conceiving, and of those, how many got pregnant after being told everything was normal?

I went to the GP after ttc for six months. I had had no periods at all in that timeframe and before actively ttc my periods were both irregular and when AF did decide to arrive extremely painful in nature to the point of almost passing out.

On telling him my menstrual history he referred me to the local subfertility unit and six months later I had my initial appointment there.

I was subsequently given two diagnoses - PCOS and endometriosis.

I went after ttc for a year. Turned out I wasn't ovulating every month, and my dp had a low sperm count! Double whammy! (after 2.5 years ttc and all medical opinion to the contrary, I found out I was pregnant and now have a gorgeous 16 month old dd .

Went to GP after eighteen months. Put on waiting list then laparoscopy and hysterio-thing (can never remember the right name). DH had sperm test and there was a compatibility test as well (ie was I killing his sperm!). All came out fine, diagnosis was unexplained infertility. I was gutted. I really wanted to have a reason why it wasn't happening.

Five years later we have ds and dd. DS took three years to conceive and dd took three minutes. I can't work that one out for the life of me. The only things I think might have helped us first time was the hystero-thing (where they flush your tubes) which supposedly increases the chances of pregnancy plus hypnotherapy that I had (initially to stop smoking which I'd started again cause I was demented, but turned out the therapist also specialised in infertility). I was dubious about both but got pg the next month.

I'm not going to say 'relax' cause that's so unhelpful, but ask every question you can think of and stay positive. It will happen. (using a hyprnotherapy technique on you there!)

I was referred for testing when TTc for #2, at 12 months of trying. It had taken us well over 2.5 years with DD, so I knew there was an issue. I was never referred the first time as I never sought advice. In the end I never had the tests as decided to stop TTC after 18 months.

Had them last year - but it was a major struggle to get to that stage:
Tried for 18 months (GP - "it's not unusual, no reason for concern") then m/c @ 6 weeks
Tried again for over 2 and a half years (GP - "you've conceived once so obviously no problem")
Eventually had ds, started trying for #2 when he was about 9 months. Took nearly 3 years, during which cycles were getting progressively shorter - more often than not less than 3 weeks, (GP - "you've already got one child so obviously no problem"), then m/c @ 11 weeks. (GP - "You've had 3 conceptions in 8 and a half years - that's a really high fertility rate").

We eventually ended up paying to see a consultant privately as it was obvious we were never going to get a referal, and had various tests, followed by trying clomid. Unfortunately it seems that although I can grow follicles they don't pop - not one even in 5 months of Clomid. Just wating to see consultant again now, to see where we can go from here.

I first went to see my GP after 3 months of TTC - I'd been taking my temperature each morning, and it looked like I had a luteal phase defect. I was pleased and surprised that the GP took me seriously right away, and sent me for my initial day 21 blood test. Result came back low, so we got referred to the local hospital fertility unit. Further tests were undertaken there, and I have just started my first cycle on clomid.

Hugs,
Artoo.

DD arrived after only 2 months of trying and before conceiving her I had always had a very regular 28 day cycle. Post dd my cycle always seemed to be a bit hit and miss - anything between 26 to 37 days and I experienced quite a bit of breakthrough bleeding - so spotting sometime up to 5 days before my period actually started. We'd been trying for no. 2 for about 6 months when I went to see the GP who reckoned that I probably wasn't ovulating every month but couldn;t see any particular reason why. Given that I'd already conceived once before, I was amazed at how understanding they were and how quickly they were prepared to get tests sorted. I had all the blood tests and then decided to pay £185 to have an internal scan privately (NHS referal would have taken ages). Fortunately, everything showed up to be completely clear and then guess what happened?? We conceived no 2 the very next month and it's due on May 28th!

Hope everything works out for you.