Blood tests for ovulation

[ckc]

I have just come back from the doctors for day 1 to 5 of my cycle blood test and the nurse said my levels from my day 21 blood test was low, what does this mean? and what happens next? The nurse made me an appointment to go back to see the doctor next friday... thanks.

Hi, can't really help you but I am having these blood tests too ! do you know why you're not ovulating ? I was on depo so think it's down to that, been ttc since feb how bout you ? why don't you give the nurse a call and say you're a little concerned and not sure what she meant could she explain it to you as you're to anxious to wait until next Friday ? my nurse is lovely sure they wouldn't mind the phone call.
Good luck x

ckc - I'm not medically qualified but this is what I have learned from nearly a year of ttc through donor insemination.

Your day 21 progesterone could be low because you did it at the wrong time - should be half way between ovulation and period so usually 7 days before period, but there is some guess work around if don't have 14 day luteal phase.

A value of around 30 is what they look for to see if ovulating but can ovulate even if only around 20.

If you're not ovulating they can give you drugs either to help release the eggs (hcg injection) or to help the eggs develop (one is clomid) and then the hcg to release.

The up side is that if you do get the drugs you will need to be scanned to check they are working properly and that gives you a really accurate idea of when you are ovulating.

Good luck (and to you too happyfaces)!

PS: you can also ov some months and not others. I had a particularly stressful month a couple of cycles ago so no sign of ov on scans and day-21 only 22, but following month with help from clomid day-21 was 76.

Hello. This is my first time using this so not sure if I have got the right 'thread' - so apologies if not. I went to the doctors as I was having really irregular periods, between 28 and 45 day cycles and really bad period pains for most of the time. He did some blood test, a day 5 test and a day 21 test. He said the day 5 tests were fine but the day 21 test was 'low' and this meant I wasn't ovulating. I called and asked the receptionist what the number of 'low' was, after reading some of these threads and she said it was 3 (am not convinced she knew what she was doing)!! Some of the threads on here say that it needs to be 30nmol/L to concieve / ovulate. I am really confused as I am now 41 days since my last period and still haven't come on, so does this mean that the day 21 blood test could have then not been the right time to do the test as chances are that might not have been when I was actually ovulating, and if so, what is the 'normal' progestorone level that you should have outside ovulation? I have asked for the d21 test to be repeated but is there any point if chances are, because of my irregular cycle, this is not the right time for ovulation anyway?? Also, I don't know what LH of FSH is? But if this is what they tested for on the d5 tests and they said it was ok, what does this mean??? Any help or advice would be so welcome...thanks

You should be referred to a gynae for further evaluation and diagnosis.

Irregular periods are often caused by hormonal imbalances. If issues with the thyroid are ruled out (and this can be determined through blood tests) then another common culprit is a condition called polycystic ovaries. This can and does affect ovulation and can cause irregular periods.

The day 5 test you had done should have been done two or three days earlier; the standard test in that regard is called a Day 3 test. This measures LH (luteinising hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulation hormone). LH and FSH are important hormones as they kickstart ovulation; if these are out of sync then ovualtion won;t happen. Both levels need to be COMPARED against one another; if this was not done the test result is meaningless. My guess for what it is worth is that the levels were okay primarily because the LH and FSH levels were not compared.

Do you remember offhand what your LH and FSH levels were?. They should ideally be the same; a level of LH which is higher than FSH is one possible indicator of PCO.

The day 21 test measures progesterone and here they like to see a result of 30 or more.

As your cycles are so irregular the blood test can be done according to calender days i.e the 3rd and 21st of each month. It is hihgly likely that you are not ovulating regularly if at all.

You should in any event be referred to a gynae at a hospital's subfertility unit. The GP should refer you asap and do not take no for an answer. These are not problems that should be messed around with by GPs.

Your bad period pains as well are worthy also of the attention of the gynae - endometriosis can cause severe period pains. However this won't be picked up on a blood test, a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy is how it is detected.

You need a gynae referral and a diagnosis.

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

Attila

Hi there
I am also having fertility testing
so far my results were from my blood tests at doctors.
Did not ovulate- progestorone level were only 11.6
very low, ive now learnt
Testosterone level- 2.3, far too high
I was then sent to hospital for a trans vaginal scan to check my ovaries (pcos ect)
Nothing unusual, and ovaries normal size, and she reported they were not polycistic
I have now booked up to have repeat bloods at doctors for 21day cycle bloods (well 20 days as my body has now told me!) to see if the levels have changed and whether or not I ovulated this month.
After that I am not sure what the stage 2 of the investigation is?
Jules:)