Fertility clinic appointment tomorrow

[KristieP2018]

Well, tomorrow is the day. First fertility clinic appointment in Aberdeen. I’m trying to be positive. I did ovulate sooner than I thought so I secretly hope we got it right this cycle.

Will they do any bloods or ultrasounds tomorrow? Or is it just a chat session?

TIA

Hi Kristie! Good luck tomorrow.

Make sure your husband goes with you. They will likely want detailed medical histories of you both, review the tests you've already had and possibly order more tests. You will likely have an intravaginal scan (need an empty bladder), which may be a bit awkward or uncomfortable but should not be at all painful.

I would expect the next appointment to be about planning some sort of treatment plan. Obviously, it varies for everyone!! so your path through this will be really individualised.

Thanks Kate!

Husband has taken off work so we can both go. I’ve had a vaginal ultrasound before for cysts so unfortunately that joy has already been experienced lol. I just grin and bare it. Hoping they do order more bloods since nothing has been checked since October.

@KristieP2018 hope it goes well.

Can i ask how long it took to get your appointment from the date your doctor referred you?

@pambo81 I got the referral done by my GP on 31/10 and got the appointment letter around 21/12. My GP had listed the request as urgent based on previous labs and my age so I think that’s why it didn’t seem to take as long. Still felt like a lifetime though.

@KristieP2018
Did your partner have his sperm analysis before you were referred?
Im just worried as even though im 37 and have had problems with my periods my doctor has refused to refer me and told me to come back once 12 months were up. 12 months is now up and ill be visiting the doctor but posters on this site have advised sperm analysis appointments can take at least 5 months!
Keep us updated as to how it goes tomorrow

@pambo81 No he hasn’t had it checked. He’s a bit younger than me so I’m assuming that’s why they haven’t yet. Hoping to get it done tomorrow. I’m 42 and we’ve been married almost a year but didn’t try until June. Had a lot of issues regarding not having a cycle until November. I annoyed my gp every month until they took me seriously.

Keep at them! Hope the sperm appointment doesn’t take that long to get.

I’ll update tomorrow

Well, just got back from appointment and I’m confused lol. They said it was a POI appointment to see about putting me on hrt therapy but I told them I’m having regular periods and ovulating since November. The counselor was nice but not as nice as she could be if that makes sense. She did do a scan and showed I have 4 large follicles in the right ovary and 2 on the left. She said for my age I should have a total of 10 but there could be more smaller ones she couldn’t see. Largest one on the right was 13mm and she said that matched with where I am in my cycle. She essentially said they wouldn’t see me again and referred me back to my gp. Anyone want to digest this info for me? She said I needed the fsh retested between cd 1-5 and for me to contact gp and tell her to do it that range.

They are going to test husband’s sperm in a couple of weeks. So overall not a horrible appointment but she kept saying they weren’t a fertility clinic. Ok? It’s in the name so I don’t get that. So keep trying!

She did also say my lining looked excellent and the fundus (I think) looked good.

@physicskate Wouldn’t the follicle count be different since I already ovulated? I ovulated either late on the 31 Jan or the 1 feb. So I’m 4/5 dpo today.

It should be the case (as far as I am aware) that your follicle count is zero soon after ovulation?? Did she note a corpus luteum? That would confirm that you have already ovulated this cycle.

Ovulation normally happens when a follicle reaches above 18 mm (but can get as large as 30 mm). And any other follicles will shrink back/ disintegrate (it's normal to develop or grow multiple follicles in one cycle, but unusual for more than one to mature and ovulate).

Antral follicle count needs to be taken at the beginning of your cycle to give any idea of ovarian reserve (maybe).

A bit more info:
www.verywellfamily.com/follicle-female-reproductive-system-1960072

Seems a bit of a redundant appointment to me... but she's definitely correct about the cd 2-5 fsh and lh tests (they will indicate how you might respond to assisted conception drugs). And that's great that she said good lining!! you didn't catch how thick it was, did you? Above 8mm is considered good/ok in an IVF cycle, so assuming similar in a natural cycle. The fundus is where the egg normally implants.

Oh and it's not uncommon to need several referrals from gp for all this (unless you go private) as many gps are not very au fait with infertility and don't really know the steps (in my experience and having seen it lots on this forum).

@physicskate hmm the ones that were left in the right were small except the one that she said was 13mm. She didn’t mention corpus luteum that I remember but she was talking fast so not 100% sure.

She didn’t mention how thick just something about triple layer and that was very good. I’m going to see if there’s a way to get a report from them.

We definely don’t qualify for nhs ivf and I don’t see how we could afford it privately. I guess go back and see gp, get sperm analysis done and see?

I don’t feel bad about the appointment just seemed pointless other than the scan. It gives me hope.

If you can't consider this ivf, the sperm analysis would be useful as you'll know if there's a chance or not. Other than an hsg (or hycosy or lap and dye), I'm not sure what tests would be remotely helpful. You know you're not menopausal, and even if you don't have many eggs left, it only takes one...

An hsg/ hycosy etc... would tell you if you've got tube blockages (thus preventing conception) and these procedures occasionally 'clear out' the system, so to speak.

Other than that, you just keep trying...

Thanks @physicskate! I’m going to mention the hsg to my gp to see what she says. We’ll see what the new fsh is but it doesn’t matter to me too much. As long as I’m ovulating, like you said...it just takes one