First GP appointment

[BewilderedBee]

We've been TTC since October last year. I'm going to the GP on Monday, what can I expect? Is she likely to do any tests? My cycle is all over the place ranging from 26-38 days. My partner has already been and his GP recommended he takes A-Z vitamins and advised I wait on the outcome of my appointment. I'm worried my GP will just turn me away as it's not quite been 12 months. I am 31, partner will be turning 35 this month. What's everyone else's experience of seeing the GP?

I first went to my GP around the 8 month mark as cycles were all over the place and they referred me for blood test which came back clear, I went back the following month and was told to just kepp trying. I went again having reached 12 months and saw a different doctor and I have been super lucky that they were really helpful and they have referred me so have my first appointment at the fertility clinic in a couple of weeks. DH is booked in to request analysis so we can hopefully have the results of that when the appointment comes around.

@needsomebabydust thanks for your reply! Can we keep in touch? Nice to have someone in the same boat and on roughly the same part of the process.

I'm interested in this too. I haven't yet been to the GP, but planning to soon. I went to a private clinic the other week where they did a fertility scan and they diagnosed me with PCO. Need to go to my GP to get referred for other tests.

I've been trying around 11 months with no success so far, actually have similar cycles to you, between 29 and 39 days!

I went through fertility treatment and went to the docs after about 10 months but said we'd be TTC for a year as I knew there was something not right. I have very varied cycle lengths between 6 and 8 weeks. At the first appointment they sent me for blood tests at very specific times, I can't quite remember what they were but something like day 2 and day 14 of my cycle. I think they were trying to measure hormone levels and look for signs of ovulation. The tests didn't show I had ovulated but they weren't surprised due to the varying length of my cycle it would be impossible to know when I was going to ovulate. So as soon as those test results were back I was sent for an ultrasound and referred to a fertility specialist.

At the same time DP went to his GP for semen analysis.

How have you got on afterwards @WhyDoesItAlways ? I went to the GP in August last year and talked about coming off the pill. She advised me not to come off it until we were back from honeymoon (we went to Africa so risk of malaria amongst other things). Don't feel I can over exaggerate on dates cos they'll have it recorded. Hoping I can get away with start of sept although it was October really!

I wouldn't think they would tell you to go away and book another appointment in a month's time so think you'll be fine with the dates.

My bloods were inconclusive but was diagnosed with PCOS at the scan I was given after the bloods. The fertility specialist did ovarian drilling (not as scary as it sounds) to stimulate my ovaries and had a good look at the rest of my bits while she was there and found I also had endometriosis and "lazy tubes". So basically it's not impossible for me to get pregnant but no likely. So she gave me another appointment 3 months after the drilling to refer me for IVF if I didn't get pregnant in the meantime (which I didn't). So I went for IVF and got pregnant on the first cycle.

It was a bit of a journey but I just took it one step at a time. I think from my first GP appointment to IVF it was about 18 months.

I'm afraid I can't offer advice but I'm hoping you don't mind me following this. I just posted about my irregular cycle length (between 31-39 days normally!) and if it was something I needed to be concerned about/visit the doctor with so I'm interested to see how you get on. Hope that's okay and hope they take you seriously!

I went after 12 months. DH and I both went together. They did bloods on me to check ovulation and DH has to give a sperm sample. I have a chronic condition which meant we were referred to a fertility clinic sooner than average, I'm not 100% sure how long but we had been TTC 16 months when we were referred

Hi all, thought I'd give an update on how I got on. We're being referred to our local fertility clinic and I'm having blood tests done. The 'day 21' test (for 28 day cycle) will be first as I'm too late in my cycle for the 'day 8' test. GP said it will be hard to know when my 'cycle day 21' is as my cycles vary in length. Advised I do this on the basis of a 33 day cycle which is kind of average and have the ' cycle day 21' test on day 26. Which is a couple of weeks away! Hope that all make sense! My partner will need to have a semen analysis done at the fertility clinic. After my period, GP will work out of the timing of my bod test was correct, and il have the cycle day 8 test.

@BewilderedBee I'm glad that they are doing some tests for you and they didn't just fob you off!

Sounds exactly like my first appointment. I had no idea when my day 21 day was so the GP took a rough average and I went with that. It didn't show any sign of ovulation, either because it wasn't the right time or I didn't ovulate. I think I had the tests repeated by the fertility place too with a similar result.

Hope you don't have to wait too long for your next appointment.

Hello hope you don't me joining as DH and I going through this atm.

Went to the gp on my 6th cycle as I've previously had an ovarian cyst removed and then there was some sort of growth in my womb but they didn't know if it was fibroids or old blood or what so luckily just had my day 21 and 2-4 bloods. They have come back normal but I'm not convinced all is ok as I'm also so irregular at 28-35 days. So got another appointment in two weeks to push for something else and further tests maybe to check if I have PCOS

DH has had semen analysis and we are waiting for his results

I'm 31 and he is 33 and we are ttc #1. I'm already feeling so sad that I'm "behind" where I wanted to be at this point in my life :(

Would be deffo nice to meet people on this thread xx

Hello
I am so glad I found this thread. We are into month 9 of ttc. I'm trying really hard to wait to the year mark before going to GP but feel so disheartened every month. My partner is 38 and I am 34.
I found out a few weeks ago my little sis is expecting and as much as I'm delighted for her, I feel sad for myself. Don't feel there's anyone to talk to about this apart from my partner. x

@sausageface @Sazzy2018 perhaps we can keep in touch on this. It's reassuring to have people in similar situations. In terms of my cycle length my GP wasn't overly concerned, she questioned whether my cycle had always been like this, such as when I've had a break from the pill, and if my cycle was ever a 28 day cycle. It's always been irregular though and she wasn't overly concerned. Just seemed to be following the process of the local fertility clinic. She said 86% of couples conceive in their first year and said usually when she refers people on they end up conceiving naturally anyway. She said the criteria for referral is 30+ after ttc for 1 year, so not convinced I'd get a referral straight away if I was younger! Perhaps just be waiting on blood tests. Glad I've gone a bit sooner than 12 months now just to be a bit ahead if we do end up down the route of infertility!

Hello,
Can I join you ladies? We have been trying since July 2018 & had our first GP appointment yesterday.
I have been referred for day 21 bloods next week, referred for a scan & hubby has been referred for sperm analysis.
I was feeling nervous before I went but the Dr was lovely. She also said the majority of couples will achieve spontaneous pregnancy within 2 years so to stay optimistic, keep healthy & keep trying naturally!
I felt a lot better afterwards!
Nice to have some others at the same stage!

@MrsF88 ours said the same.. 19/20 couples will fall pregnant within two years. So don't lose hope 🤞🏼

@Sazzy2018 well we are here together to chat 😊 and get each other through it

X

@Coastaldreamer thanks for the reply. Good luck for your next appointment. I think sometimes my frustrations are from the not knowing so hopefully some more tests will help!

A friend of mine is giving me her Ava bracelet today too...she tried for over a year before falling pregnant so is my one real life friend who I feel comfortable confiding in & hopefully the bracelet will have the same luck for me as did for her! I’ve friend using OPK’s before & just can’t seem to get on with them so hopefully the Ava will help me track more easily & reliably!

@Coastaldreamer sorry, when I come to writing replies i forget who I need to mention! So sorry I forgot you on my last reply! We can keep each other up to date and support each other! Same for you @MrsF88 ! I feel a weight off my shoulders since going to the GP, even though nothing has changed and we'll keep trying! Will be at least another cycle before we get to know anything, but just nice to know things are being looked at! Xx

@BewilderedBee no worries! I know what you mean, it just feels like you're being proactive about things which mentally helps you feel better

I've started my opking today, first time I'll be doing it properly. CD10 and I'm doing SMEP this month so we will dtd every other day till I see the surge

Keep me updated on where you're at with the appointments. I'm going with DH next thurs to get the results for his SA

X

Good to have a group on here all going through the same thing.

@Sazzy2018 having someone close to your announce their pregnancy is such a mess on you emotions, so happy for them but it is just so upsetting at the same time!

@MrsF88 I'm tempted by an Ava bracelet so let me know how you find it

DH has his sperm analysis Friday so should have the results back before my appointment on 3rd. AF due next week so will get hopefully get day 2-4 blood taken before fertility clinic appointment so hopefully they can do some other tests rather than just suggesting Bloods.

So glad I found this thread, nice that we all seems at similar stages with regards to blood tests & sperm analysis.

@needsomebabydust I am looking forward to seeing the data from the Ava. My friend tried for over a year & got pregnant month 3 using the Ava, & then lent it to her sister too! So fingers crossed for 3 babies out of 3 people who have used it!

@BewilderedBee it’s good to know there are people we can chat to!

@Coastaldreamer have you tried OPK’s before? I could never get my surge? Good luck with the SMEP, we have followed that loosely this month in terms of frequency just without the OPK’s!

@BewilderedBee yes would be great to keep in touch here and see how everyone is getting on. So pleased they've listened to you straight away. It's reassuring to hear they weren't worried about your cycle length. That's been a big worry for me (probably not helping there is it!) I'm going to try again this cycle with ovulation sticks etc as I've not used these yet and see the length of my cycle and go from there before I decide when to visit the gp

Ha that's ok @sausageface, I was really worried about mine too! When I previously posted on glow lots were replying to me that my cycle was regular and I notice it's not as irregular as many other people's. Shut have read @SummerSun10 'a post on here and she got diagnosed with PCOS with similar cycles to me so I guess it's still a possibility! My advice would be to go to GP and try and say you started trying slightly sooner. I said mid September, when really it was mid October I came off my pill.

Can I just check with everyone what days they've been told to have blood tests? I'm sure my GP said day 8, (and 21), but worried as I don't see any mention of day 8 with other people?!