Referral to fertility specialist, what do I need to do to speed up the process?

[Calcifer1]

Hello.

I started TTC may last year. Since having my mirena coil removed, my cycles have ranged between 14 and 32 days, but mainly have been around 23/24 days. So even though I have been TTC for 11 months, I'm just starting cycle 15.

During this time, I have been keeping a loose eye on my ovulation using opks, and keeping track of my cm, and sometimes was accompanied with ovulation pain. However, I don't always get positive opks or physical signs of ovulation, especially on the shorter cycles.

I went to the doctors last month, and she did day 21 bloods (luckily the cycle happened to be long enough to reach day 21!). They came back showing ovulation had occurred, so she basically said that there was nothing wrong with me, I'm ovulating normally and to come back after I'd been trying for 18 months!

I was pretty annoyed, because that contradicts the NHS guidelines on fertility referrals that are published on their website. Especially as it says 6 months of TTC if there has been a previous positive diagnosis of sti/pelvic inflammatory disease (both of which I have suffered from, and suspect may be causing my issues). Anyway, I have just found out that the doctor I saw is pregnant and is going off on mat leave in July, so not sure if I should go back to her before she goes off, or go see someone else in the hope that they might follow the guidelines closer?!

Anyway, my main question is, do I need to officially chart my ovulation before seeing the specialist? Will it speed up the investigation and diagnosis process if I already have that information before I go? And if so, which method will they take most seriously? Opks/temping etc? I am hesitant to temp as I am trying to be relaxed about it all and I don't want to become obsessed about it all or for it to creep into day to day life, but I want to do what is best for speeding up the process!

Or will my previous opks results/diary of physical symptoms be enough?

Thanks for reading, if you have made it this far hopefully some one can advise? X

We have been trying since march 2015 and only just qualify for help but only investigations and not actual treatment as we are ttc number 8 right now and therefore don't qualify for anything on the NHS.

If you keep trying at your drs they will see you but it's a long process even when you get started. My obgyn said I'm looking at 18-24mths

Hi if anything they tell you not to use opk or temp as they say it puts added pressure on things. So I don't think having that kind of info would help. But after a year you should be referred for further investigations so maybe see a diff doctor to get a referral. Bare in mind a lot people could just lie about how long they've been ttc to get referred. So do make sure as someone who has been genuinely doing it that long (plus you mentioned it should be 6 months in you case) make sure u don't get fobbed off. Good luck

Thanks for replying folks. I guess I am just worried about how long the whole process is going to take, especially as I live on a rural island so it slows down the process alot as it is. I just wondered if it would have been beneficial to have an ovulation history to give to the specialist rather than waiting to see them and they send me away to track it anyway before they do anything else? But I really have no idea what to expect x