First visit to gyny - what should i expect?

[pussycatmomma]

Thats ist really, short and to the point.
Have been ttc for a while, gp has done bloods on day "21" and all i can glean from the officious receptionist is that they are "normal" , no further details unless i wanted a gp appt on 22june!! I already have this gyny appt booked for tomorrow, any ideas what this will entail on first visit? Am not sure if they will have the blood test results from gp for me to discuss further or will they do more do you think? Not sure what the procedure is from now, can anyone enlighten me with their own experiences of time frames etc? Also (sorry tmi) am on day 6, so although not really bleeding anymore am a bit worried if they do internal and is a bit bloody up there? Are you still supposed to go if you have just finished your period? or rearrange? am new to this and hate it all. Only thing keeping me going is trying to think to myself "it will all be fine" and that i am only going to RULE OUT anything being wrong not to FIND OUT what is wrong. If that makes sense. Sorry i am probably just worrying about the whole thing but being unsure about what will actually happen is just makeing me a bit more anxious on top of everything.
Any ideas gratefully recieved.
Thanks x x x

anyone???

I'm having a quick lurk pussycat but I'm sorry I can't really help you. I would imagine they would take a pretty detailed history and ask you lots of questions possibly take bloods and also possibly want to have a look. Don't think about rearranging the doc will have seen it all and if they are not wanting to do it due to 'the time of the month' it is up to them to rearrange the time not you, sorry I can't be more helpful

ahhh thanks peachy, i just wondered if anyone had an experience they could share to calm the ol' nerves a little thats all. So, no need to rearrange then, im just worried i think. im also worried that despite my wealth of knowledge gleaned from mumsnet/books/friends, that i wont be able to give them detailed enough answers or that i wont understand things.

....... well?? surely someone out there been in same situ?

hi pussycat, they will ask lots of questions, do diffrent blood tests thyroid and so, they make a app for a scan, and other tests. is dh going with you? they will also ask dh to have a sperm test.

Hi pcm

I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but we were referred to a consultant at the assisted conception unit by our gp. I think that they just took a history from dh and I, and then booked me in for an HSG (dye in my tubes and then x-ray to see if there were any blockages). They also did blood tests on my dh for cystic fibrosis and various other things (sorry, can't remember what).

Is there any chance you could phone your GP and ask to take a photocopy of your blood test results with you, just to be sure?

Has your dp/dh had a sperm sample tested?

Don't know if this is of any help, but at least it will bump it up a bit!

thanx littlefish, hiya trace. Dh not going with me , but a friend is coming along for moral support and to help calm the nerves. He has not been to his gp for his sperm analysis yet and im worried that as he is reluctant to go, that any treatment or investigation will be delayed for me. His theory is "get you checked out first, if you're all ok, then i'll get checked". Somewhat selfishly imo. if not selfish, at least a bit "im alright, im not the prob" approach iyswim. Good idea about the photocopy blood results, but i am certain the receptionists will refuse me any help in that department, and speaking to the dr is like finding gold dust . Do you think its natural to be a bit nervous or am i just a silly baffoon?! Also do they do an internal on first visit or what?

my gp sent results ,so dont worry about that! but they would rather check dh sperm very early on because they want to know if any of you have problems

i know, but its the convincing of the dh thats the prob. You know the problems they cause us ttc girls!! (me, peachy, im sure others have had reluctant dps too.....)

It is absolutely normal to be nervous!!! I was terrified. I agree with trace2 that your dp should be checked as soon a possible. In our case, initially there were problems on both sides! So if we had followed your dh's plan - ie. "you get checked first" etc. then we would have waited a very long time before dh finally got tested. There can be a long wait between appointments on the NHS, so it's really important to get his tests done as soon as possible so that you can have a clear picture.

Good luck tomorrow.

yes i know, if i wasnt 40 i think dh woundnt go either

I saw a gyny for the first time 2 weeks ago not knowing what to expect.
He was lovely, just asked lots of questions, explained different possibilities, did an internal. I now have to wait for a scan, 8th June. seeing gyny again on 29th June to discuss results of scan with a view to having a laparoscopy.

I'm sure you will be fine. I was nervous but needn't have been. I went on my own whilst DH had the children. I think I felt better without DH there. Different if it involves talking to him too.

All the best.
xxx

thankyou for all your lovely messages.....
I will let you all know how I get on tomorrow.
Keep your fingers crossed for me. One last thing though, i know this is an underlying silly worry, but i am apprehensive about the dr being a man. There, i have said it, i do feel silly and childish, but there it is all the same. I know it is childish and silly but am worried about this aspect all the same. I dont want to appear awkward or cause a fuss, but it is worrying me.

good luck for tomorrow,i to was worried about it being a man

I was worried about that too, but the dr who did my HSG (dye & x-ray) was male, and did everything he could to put me at ease.

Even if it is a male doctor, there will be a female nurse there too and she will try and make sure you retain as much dignity as possible!

hiya pussycat, can't add anything to what has already been said here but just wanted to wish you luck. I would avoid having sex tonight in case you have an internal tomorrow, and agree totally with what others have said re your dh, if there are problems on both sides, then he can be treated as well. imo he's a man and is in denial and refuses to believe there could possibly be anything wrong with him! good luck xxx

Pussycatmomma,

Have been where you are and first appointments can be nerve wracking.

On the first visit (and btw your DH should attend if at all possible because they need to speak with him also) lots of questions are asked of your general health and menstrual history. Would not think they will do anything else on that day so don't rearrange this appointment.

If the GPs on the ball they should have your results already. They will doubtless arrange for you to have more blood tests done along with internal ultrasounds also and for your DH to have a semen analysis. Your DH's comment that, "get you checked out first, if you're all ok, then i'll get checked" is flawed frankly. It is little point in you being thoroughly checked out beforehand if it turns out several months down the line that there is a male factor problem preventing conception. Both of you should be investigated in tandem, i.e both of you have tests at the same time.

Ask lots of questions of these people (write them down) and do not leave there thinking, "oh I should have asked this". Taking someone along with you for moral support is a good idea.

Good communication is vital, you both need to be able to talk freely with these people.

Good luck for tomorrow. let us know how you get on.

Also, it's cheaper to investigate the man, anyhow.

How did it go pussycat? What did they do and say?

I've also got an appt in July and am interested in what they will do
Sperm tests, can you get them done thru GP or through bupa pretty easily?
Seems like we might as well head that one off at the pass?
I had some gynae surgeries in the last couple of yrs and the doc declared me in fine working order, even though I only have one tube so not sure of what will happen...

pussycat, what happened?

hello all, thought i would report back. Thankyou to everyone who has left messages, i find this communication reassuring, even though i dont know any of you, support comes in lots of different guises i guess.
I was a nervous wreck but did have a good friend along with me for moral support. The Dr (dont know if this is right term, think he said he was a registrar?) was v. nice. Didnt really ask me as much as i thought he would. Asked me if periods were regular, i explained that i had some incredibly long cycles and then times when af itself was v. long, he said these were blips in an otherwise regular cycle which could be caused by stress or any number of other factors. But he didnt elaborate. Wrote down that my cycles were regular. Asked if i smoked (no) drank alcohol (couple of glasses wine once a week max), said my bmi was fine , asked about dh smoking/drinking/weight. I was suprised at how little info they needed really. I had a quick internal which he said seemed ok. They did have the blood results from the gp, but he said from the results it looked like i didnt ovulate on the cycle the results were taken. I could have cried, I know it sounds silly but i was really expecting them to be fine (dont know why). He then went on to explain about 2 procedures (dye in tubes and x-ray, and laparoscopy) He said i had a choice about which i should do, and after his explanation that the lap is more thorough and can detect other stuff like endometriosis i said that one. Have been asked to go for more bloods at my gp, between day 2 - 5 for first lot, and day 21 for 2nd. Can anyone enlighten me as to what they are checking, also if i didnt ov last time, do i ov at all???? So all in all, good news i guess, i am getting checked, but i feel a bit dazed and shocked i think. For the first time it is becoming a reality that this really isnt as straightforward as deciding to have a baby and getting pregnant. I think i have been telling myself it is all fine, and "these things take time" etc but now this may not exactly be the case. Feel quite about that.
As for dh and sperm test, dr again re-iterated the need for it as early as poss , gave me pot and instructions where to take etc. Dh not in the right frame of mind to discuss, tried when i got in,but he shocked same as me i think, keeps saying there is no need. But dont worry i am going to work on him on another day - he will need to come up with a pretty good reason not to. He is a good man, dont get me wrong, and we have an honest, loving relationship, but i think there is just something about a man and his sperm, when it comes to testing for any discrepancies as it were they just do not want to know! or at least take a lot of talking round. I will keep you all posted.
Very sorry for going on, but it is all going round in my head still and im trying to be as relaxed as poss about it but really feeling as if reality is hitting home.
((((((((((hugs to all )))))))Thanks for listening.

OMG, SORRY DIDNT REALISE JUST HOW LONG LAST POST WAS.

Hi pcm - it's good that you've got the first appointment over and done. I know it feels very overwhelming at the moment.

To try and answer some of your questions - You can have an occasional cycle when you don't ovulate (I think it's called an annovulatory cycle, or something like that). This was exactly what was happening to me. The cycle when they took my first blood test showed that I wasn't ovulating. I started having acupuncture and three months later when my levels were re-tested, I was ovulating normally.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to confim this, but I always know roughly when I'm ovulating because of the change in my cervical mucus. Don't read on if you're squeamish!!!! Around the time of ovulation, your cervical mucus changes from creamy, to stringy, like egg white. You should be able to stretch it several inches between your finger and thumb (if you really want to! ). Once it stops being stringy and becomes thicker, you have probably missed ovulation.

The egg white cervical mucus (sometimes referred to as ewcm) is thinner, and helps the sperm to reach their target! After ovulation, it becomes thicker and more acidic which stops the sperm.

I know I had the same blood tests taken as you, but I can't remember what they were for. I'm sure someone will be along later.

Feeling sad about this process is completely normal. We always assume we will get pregnant easily (and spend years trying not to get pregnant!). It's very hard when you're faced with the possiblity that things may not be so easy after all.

Just to give you some hope - things looked very bad for my dh and I. After ttc for 2.5 years
we were told that IVF was our only hope of having children. The month before we were due to start IVF I found out I was pregnant naturally and we now have an 18 month old dd.

Never give up hope!!!

Littlefish, thanks for that! You write really beautifully about your story and I am so happy that you now have your wonderful DD.

How are you feeling Pussycatmomma? I think men in general are very squeamish about health things. Took me 3 weeks to get DH to Dr's with pneumonia!! Hope you feel a bit reassured by the appointment and better now that you have a plan in action. Now need to have the chat with your DH - easier said than done I know. Wishing you all the best and let us know how it goes. Am thinking of you and sending hugs and best wishes

XXXX

Take care XXX

Hey PCM

With regards to the blood tests they will compare the level of LH (luteinising hormone) against that of FSH (follicle stimulation hormone) for the test between day 2 and 5. In this regard day 3 is a standard test. You must ensure that these levels are compared. If this is not done then the test could give an inaccurate result. Usually LH and FSH are the same; if there is a discrepancy this may be indicative of hormonal problems.

LH and FSH are very important hormones and play a huge part in the initial ovulation process. If these two are awry then chances are ovulation will not happen that particular cycle.

The day 21 is to measure your progesterone level.

Usually a level of 30 or above is indicative of ovulation occuring.

The tubal x-ray test (its called HSG) that was explained to you is a useful test to have done. Deformities INSIDE the tube can only be seen by such a method.

All tests and their purpose should be explained to you properly as a matter of course. It is imperative that you three are able to work as a team.

When do you next see them?. You should have been given a follow up date at this appointment.

No mention of internal ultrasounds?. They need to check to see if there are signs of polycystic ovaries. Would have thought also they would do this. Again ask.

First and foremost now you need a diagnosis.

It goes without saying your DH needs testing as well. It is honestly no reflection on his virility or potency of a man. He may think this and that may be why he is so reluctant.

You will need to be persistant in order to get answers.