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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Not Ovulating : Advice on NHS/Private Care

15 replies

sportybird · 11/05/2006 18:16

Dear All,

I am new to all this and need some help please.

I am 30, been off the pill for 7 months and been ttc for 6 months. We have just found out I am not ovulating ( been temping and OPK and got confirmation from NHS Doc).

The doc said that now I need to wait another 6 months before the NHS would intervene.

I have an added stress in that I am diabetic and am controlling my bloods really tightly so that I am prepared for pregnancy - hard work!

We have booked an appointment for a BUPA clinic and really want some esarly intervention like Clomid to get me started rather than waiting.

Anyone know what my chances of the private clinic being more aggressive?

Any other advice?

Thanks guys
xxx

OP posts:

AttilaTheMeerkat · 11/05/2006 18:33

sportybird,

The non ovulation may well be due to a hormonal problem called polycystic ovaries or its related syndrome PCOS.

You need a diagnosis first and foremost and hopefully the BUPA clinic can assist. Although clomid is often used for cases of non ovulation it is not always suitable for all women with PCO or PCOS.

I would ask lots of questions of these people (also ask the cons if he does NHS work too; this can be an indicator of competance) and whatever happens insist that you are monitored throughout. It should be clearly explained to you both exactly what the purpose of each test is and what each result of same means.

Good luck!

Write down everything you want to ask well ahead of time no matter how trivial the question may seem. You do not want to leave there thinking, "oh I should have asked this". Initial appointments can be daunting; take your man along with you if at all possible.

Both of you should be tested as well.

Original poster

sportybird · 11/05/2006 21:18

Thanks for the advice, My GP says that from the blood tests she took last week she can tell if I have PCOS and I haven't - does this sound right or would it require further testing?

OP posts:

Littlefish · 11/05/2006 21:29

Sportybird. After ttc for a year, I had blood tests which said I was ovulating. I started having accupuncture and three months later when the tests were repeated, I was ovulating normally.

Do a bit of research through google - there is quite a lot of documentation about the effect of acupuncture on hormone levels. You may be able to get BUPA to pay as well!

Oh, forgot to say - I now have an 18 month old dd.

I don't know much about Clomid, but if you are not ovulating at all, I don't think it will make you ovulate. (I might be completely wrong - I'm sure there are others around who can give you better information).

Littlefish · 11/05/2006 21:30

Sorry - just read Attila's post about Clomid and non-ovulation. I stand corrected.

Natty1806 · 12/05/2006 11:53

Hi Sportybird

I am in the same situation as you been trying for a while, doc says not ovualting but has referred me to the local nhs hospital and they have sent me some forms to fill in so i am now on there waiting list and should get an appoinment in the next few weeks. My doctors has suggested to them that i am put on clomid as it will make you ovulate (well more than likely).

I was going to go private and did a bit of research into it in my area and the waiting lists to see a consultant are the same as NHS.

Good Luck.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 12/05/2006 13:26

Sportybird

Re your comment:-
"My GP says that from the blood tests she took last week she can tell if I have PCOS and I haven't - does this sound right or would it require further testing?"

Did the GP compare your LH level against that of your FSH level, assuming of course that both of these were tested?. If the GP only looked at these results separately then that is not ideal - both levels need to be compared. PCOS patients often have a LH/FSH imbalance (the level of LH being higher than FSH).

Ideally as well you should have an internal ultrasound to see what your ovaries look like. Polycystic ovaries have a "ring of pearls" appearance associated with them and can be larger than normal. A notmal sized ovary is about the size of a walnut.

Would stress you need a diagnosis first and foremost.

HTH

Original poster

sportybird · 12/05/2006 14:48

Hi Natti, Glad to hear I'm not the only one! NHS waiting list for us was about 4 months so I realLy felt like I couldn't wait so got a private one in 2 weeks.

How long have you been trying?

Hi AttilaTheMeerkat,

I don't think she did do any comparisons but I'm hoping the private clinic will be more thorough.

xxx
xxx

OP posts:

Natty1806 · 13/05/2006 09:28

Hi Sportybird

Been trying since July 2005, periords are between 7 and 10 weeks so in Feb i went to Docs for some help and kinda got the shock of my life when he has any cycle generally that is over 42 days does not ovulate. It then took another month or so to time tests just right and then my other half had his tests and we had to wait for the results from his Gp to be sent over to my Gp before we could get the referral letter.

Am ringing the hospital middle of next week to see if they have got the forms i sent back this mon and roughly when an appointment will be sent through.

Keep me posted on how it goes with you as i would like to compare nhs to private.

thanks

expatinscotland · 13/05/2006 09:35

it took me months to ovulate again after coming off the Pill.

i was 28.

it can take up to a year to two years to conceive naturally.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 13/05/2006 14:07

Sportybird

If the GP did not do any comparison of the hormone levels then the test is meaningless. Homrone levels like these can look okay when viewed individually; its only when they are compared that any subtle problems are seen.

The pill leaves your system very quickly after stopping it. If periods become irregular after that time the problem is often hormonal in origin and has nothing to do with the pill. If anything, the pill masks the symptoms of any underlying homronal imbalance. A common cause of absent, irregular and non ovulatory periods is polycystic ovaries or its related syndrome.

persian01 · 08/06/2006 16:00

Hi Sporty Bird
I have had same tests at docs and I am not ovulating although I have AF sort of turned up this morning (first one since DEPO ran out in Nov 2005) But have appt next week at private clinic for clomid so was wondering how you got on with your appointment. Let me know as i have to pay 150 quid for initial appt so need to get my moneys worth ! We have only been ttc since November and DH has had tests so ...here we go lol
Thanks

Natty1806 · 27/06/2006 19:19

Hi Persian

How did you get on?

Still waiting for my appointment with NHS (6 weeks this Friday) am very tempted to make a private appoinment but don't want to waste my money if a nhs one comes through soon.

mummamoo · 27/06/2006 20:33

I had been trying to conceive for about 6 months and had very irregular periods (one or two a year) so my GP referred me to a private consultant who did an internal untrasound and found one of my ovaries to be double the size it should be as it was covered in cysts. My other ovary was also covered in cysts. I had many blood tests done and was told that I wasn't ovulating. I was advised to have an operation called 'ovarian drilling'. This is basically where you are an out-patient and you have your cysts popped by the consultant reaching your ovaries via a laparascopy. In my case (not sure all are the same) he went through my belly button and I had two small incisions - I think one was for the camera and two for the prongs to pop the cysts. The operation wasn't too bad. I was a little sore where they pumped me full of air so they could see what they were doing and I had a couple of days off work to recover but I felt fine. I was told that after the operation I would be very very fertile. I was told not to have sex for two weeks after the operation and the doctor told me when the best times were to have sex and hey presto.... I'm lucky to say... I fell pregnant the next month with my DS (now 3 yrs old). After having my DS my periods were heavier and more painful at first but they were much more regular than previously. I was then lucky enough to fall pregnant naturally with my DD (now 15 weeks).
I do have a friend who had this operation after being told she had a minor case of PCOS but the operation didn't work for her. She did take a course of Chlomid though and on her last go (think she had 4 months worth), she fell pregnant with her DS.
Try to keep positive and try not to get too anxious. Easier said than done I know but your body will react to how you're feeling inside.
I went to see a nutritionist too, which I found helpful.
Do some homework about PCOS and Chlomid etc on the internet and go prepared when you see the consultant, with lots of questions.

aaronsmummy · 27/06/2006 20:40

I got pregnant twice on Clomid, both times I miscarried. I also got ovarian cysts, I think during the treatment. It cost me a fortune going private. I have 3 lovely children now - after going down the alternative therapy route - acupuncture and homeopathy. hth.

Natty1806 · 28/06/2006 08:07

Thanks, i am currently having acupunture, fourth session tonight.

Will wait and see what the letter says when it arrives, if the appointment is fairly soon then i shall stay with the nhs but if it is months away then i am going to go private.

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