I'm 35 - how soon should I go to GP for fertility discussion

[tester]

I have only been ttc since February but despite knowing exactly what my cycle is doing and loads of BDing at the right times we haven't managed. My cycle is always around 26/27 days and my luteal phase is always 11/12 days so there are no obvious issues. I know it is early days really, but I am 35 and conceived my previous 2 pregnancies really easily the first month (one ended in m/c). Since the m/c I just don't think things are the same...I don't understand why it hasn't happened.

If I haven't had success at 6 months is that too soon to go to the doctor for initial blood tests or will they want me to go along after a full year of trying?

I don't want to leave it too long before starting in case they do discover something wrong and then I have to wait further for specialist's appointments etc... but then on the other hand I don't want to seem hysterical.

I would try not to panic, even know i can understand why you are its anatural thing when you so badly want a family.

I think you should leave it at least another 6 months, sometimes these tings do take time. Were you on a contraception before you started TTC? If so how long have you been off it?

When my ds it toke us 3 months to concieve & that was with constant every day trying, then 2nd time round it toke us about 5mths but unfortunatly we had a miscarriage, then 3rd time round it toke us 7 months with our dd. Each time i was on the contraceptive pill & the doctor did say it takes time for it to come out of your system.

Keep at & goodluck, be positive its still early days

tester - I am in the same situation (although a little older than you which makes it a bit more urgent). I had a miscarriage last April and have been ttc since June last year. My previous pregnancies all happened a bit more quickly so I too am wondering whether/when I should go to the GP.
If it's any help, I have a leaflet I picked up in Boots the other day and it says that if you are under 35 and have been trying for over 12 months you should go to GP or if you're over 35 and been trying for 6 months.
Good luck

Thanks, I think I'll see where I am after 6 months of trying in August time.

I had come off the pill 3 months before the successful ttc attempts, it is only after the m/c that things have gone awry.

Tester, I am exactly in the same position and booked my appointment for a chat at the beginning of june today ... I have been ttc since Jan and no luck. I had DD in April last year and af returned in Jan but it isn't the same really. I am 36 and decided there was no harm in putting hte marker down sooner rather than later for tests etc. With any luch I won't need them but I don't think it hurts to be prepared.

HTH.

Tester - it can't hurt to go along to your gp. It'll put your mind at rest and let him/her know what the situation is. Even if it's just to reassure you that it often does take longer than most people think!!

I would wait 6 months and then make that appointment. The worst that can happen is that your gp will say come back again in another few months..but hey...you haven't lost out on anything and you might just get sorted out a little quicker.
HTH :)

Tester, I'm the same age as you, and I was in your position, starting to get worried, but in the end it took us four cycles (only the last two really "going for it"!) I'm due our second baby in January!
I was all set to ask for help if it was taking more than six months, which is the general advice anyway.

you could also say you have been trying for longer than you have just to get things moving

I'm 35 have 2 kids and have bene ttc no 3 for 3 yrs. Finally got referred in March appt in July.
Guidelines are At 35 I think 6 mths and you should go see your gp.
12 mths of ttc if under 35

I did what LucyJones suggests. We went after 6 months ttc, but said that we had been trying for a year. To be honest, I think they take notice if you've been trying for 6 months (once you are over 35), but I just had a nagging feeling that something was wrong, so I wanted to make sure the GP took me seriously.

Littlefish, was anything wrong? was your suspicion correct or were you over-worrying?

I can't lie about the ttc because they have it on their records about I had m/c in January so they'd know - the end of July is the earliest i can go really.

thank you all so much for your replies.

Hi tester - unfortunately there was lots wrong, with both of us (but particularly my dh) . We were told we were highly unlikely ever to conceive naturally and that IVF was our only way forward. However, after 2.5 years of ttc and 1 month before we were due to start IVF, I found out I was pregnant naturally. We now have an amazing dd who is 18 months old. Our miracle baby.

Do you know when you ovulate? Do you know what signs to look for?

I was 36 when I had dd by the way (now 38), and we're now trying to work out what the chances are of another miracle happening for us

I was trying for 8 months when I went to the doctors. I thought she wouldnt do anything until I had been trying for 12 months but she booked me into the hospital to have a check and low and behold I was pregnant a month later. Needless to say she cancelled the appointment for me and said that she has many women who find they become pregnant before the date of their appointment. I think once you have done something about it it puts your mind at rest and you become more relaxed and bingo!!

Must admit I lied when I went to see Doc. I said we'd been trying for over a year, but it had been around 6 months.

I felt if there was something wrong I wanted to know sooner rather than later especially as I was already 38 at that point.

We had all the tests and we're both fine - which was a relief. I became pg after 18mths of ttc, naturally, but unfortunately had a missed m/c earlier this month . But as they say at least I know I can concieve - must take the positive out of it.

I would say as you've had an m/c you can go back after 3 months to get it checked out. I think they expect you to have 2 AF's before you're back to normal, so if you go back after 3 they may be willing to get it checked out.