need help with 21 day progesterone results, dr is confusing me!

[alliecal]

I had my 21 day progesterone blood test after 50mg Clomid.

The result, i was told, was 'normal' with a note from Dr saying if I have a bleed it means i haven't ovulated...

Spoke to the same Dr on the phone yesterday and she said 'normal' didn't mean 'ovulation normal' and i didn't ovulate...

Now, I'm confused about whats going on.. i haven't had a bleed, and AF is now 4 days late...

I went to drs this morn unable to see a Dr, so i asked for a copy of my results wondering if anyone here can make sense of it for me as I'm not sure what my Dr is talking about ?

Serum progesterone. 30. Nmol/L
Luteal. 3-95. Nmol/L

I don't know which part i should be looking at? Whats important?
Any help would be really appreciated as im being pushed from pillar to post getting nowhere :( thanks x

Hey allie... Please don't worry I'll try and help

A day 21 progesterone shouldn't necessarily be done on day 21.... It should be done 7 days before your period. If this blood test was done 7 days before your period then progesterone would be over 30 if you had ovulated, so it looks like you didn't this month :(

Ttc confusing enough without useless doctors. How on earth can they say 'if you have a bleed, you haven't ovulated'???? Maybe you misheard? You can have periods and still not ovulate as I'm sure you know.

These blood result are only useful if you have a regular 28ish day cycle. did they take bloods on day 3 also?

If you are in a GP practise, when you make next appointment, I'd suggest having a new doc?

Good luck.

Thanks for replying ladies..

I was send for the progesterone 21 days after the 1st day of my last period to see if I had ovulated after taking Clomid on days 2-6 of my 'cycle'

I was given norethisterone to induce a bleed before taking the Clomid because my AF before then was over a year ago (history of irregular AF)

Apart from the day 21 I havent been given any other tests, at all.

I did find that very strange too allchat, but it has been repeated to me 3 times now and I am certain I haven't misheard..

As my monthlys are so irregular its very difficult to work out where I am in a cycle so I'm pretty baffled as to how this test works with me!

When they are looking at the levels, which bit do they look at? I heard above 30 means ovulation has happened... What's mine?

I have switched Drs now but can't be seen till next Friday! :(

This test cannot work if you don't even know where you are in your cycle.

I'm not sure how long you have been trying, but maybe push for a referral because you could spend months going round in circles with GPs who often don't have enough knowledge about fertility.

Maybe you can phone surgery everyday for a cancelled appointment. I know it's pain, but if you are desperate.

That's exactly why I'm confused.. I haven't a clue about my cycle, so how can they guess when I've ovulated!? It's ridiculous!

OH and I have been trying for a little over a year now, this has been my first try with 'help' (though I say that VERY lightly!)
I've been told to wait until my AF shows then start again on 100mg.. but... I have irregular AF... It's not going to happen! So I will need norethisterone again but I'm not being listened to.

I'm booked in for next Fri, but I have been calling every morning since tues to get and earlier appointment, to no avail!

Who prescribed the clomid?. It should really be ideally taken in conjunction with gynae supervision; this is actually quite powerful stuff and you should be monitored anyway whilst on it with blood tests and ultrasounds.

You need a diagnosis first and foremost.

Do not let these people further mess you around in ignorance. It sounds like you are being messed about. You should be referred to a gynae and do not take no for an answer. I would now seriously consider changing GP practice.

If periods are irregular in nature the blood test can be done according to calendar days but you should really have had a day 2 test done as well to check your LH level against that of FSH.

alliecal

Usually such problems re irregular periods are caused by hormonal imbalances; in this respect a condition called PCO (polycystic ovaries) or its related syndrome PCOS is to blame. Another possible cause is problems with the thyroid gland.

You should not have been prescribed clomid without an actual diagnosis beforehand.

It was prescribed by my gp.

As the phone convo was ending yesterday she asked me if I was under any hospital, I asked her what she meant and she said a gyno, I said no, she said ok and ended the call...

Before being put on Clomid, I've had bloods for thyroid which were normal, I had a scan which ruled out pcos... The only feedback I got was that estrogen levels low and lining was thin.. but she hardly touched up on that matter, it was just a passing comment as she was reading my results.. unless this is a reason for my lack of ovulation, I haven't been told WHY I don't ovulate..

I will be getting an appointment tomorrow to see a different Dr and I'm going to ask to be sent to a gyno.. there are 2 drs in my surgery that specialise in fertility, neither one is available for the next month! I think its disgusting!

It should really be prescribed ideally only by a consultant gynae under their supervision. GPs do not have the time to monitor properly.

Your doctor was correct by saying if you're bleeding you didn't ovulate if the blood test was taken 7 days before your period.... They only know it's taken at the right time once you've had your period, does that make sense?
Your progesterone lEvel was less than 1 Hun xxxx

GPs are allowed to prescribe clomid... A lot of fertility clinics in the uk don't actually monitor with ultrasound anyway.
It actually sounds like you've got a fairly decent gp who is trying to get things moving for you... I hear a lot of GP gripes on here but this one seems sensible! I wish they were my GP rather than the 4-6 month wait to see anyone!
Xxxx

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you on that one butterflycats, OH and I have been trying for over a year, I've been visiting the Dr for the past 4-5 months, I've only got somewhere because I ask to be... Oh had his sperm count, i had various bloods and scans and she sent me on my way. When she gave me the Clomid, she told me when to take it but not what to do on the next cycle.. when these results came through, she told me one thing then said another, so for 2 weeks I felt positive the 50mg had worked only to be told it didn't.

I'm still waiting for ny AF, I don't feel its going to happen by itself... Don't know what to do now

You must to speak to your GP again. You need a referral to a fertility clinic and someone who knows what they are talking about. You will also need to induce another bleed before they can do any further treatment.

Have you done an HPT? Because, from experience, they will ask you if you have done one as your AF hasn't arrived and before they do anything else.

Hi pikkewyn

I've requested to see a different gp, but cannot be seen till next Friday so I'm calling each morning for a cancellation before then. I will then be asking to be reffered as I'm being pushed from one place to another with no idea of what's happening.. I still don't know 100% why I don't ovulate by myself and what I should be doing/taking to help.

I did a hpt a few days before I was due on, again a day after my AF was due and will be doing another this weekend just to be certain, but I'm pretty sure I'm not pg, its just the fact I have irregular AF.

It seems likely you have pcos or thyroid issue.
Get a printout of your thyroid blood result. For ttc under 2.5 is best.
Same with day 3 results.
Lh and fsh values which should be similar. If lh is say double it points to pcos.
When in your cycle was the scan done?
Have they tested testosterone?
Do you have pcos symtops - excess hair, weight?
It sounds like if you didnt get period if you did ovulate it was after the 21 day test.