Doctor's appointment on Friday - what should I ask

[sizeofalentil]

I have a doctor's appointment this Friday to speak about infertility issues.

Have been TTC for over 15 months now (I am 34) and in that time have had 2 (possibly 3 or even 4) mcs but have not got pregnant in the last 6 months.

My previous doctor (who I visited after mc2 in June) was horrible - was more concerned about whether or not I was married than asking any medical questions. Told me she couldn't do any tests unless I had a placenta for her to examine. So I have switched doctors and have an appointment this Friday.

I'm terrified he is just going to fob me off or not take me seriously. Is there anything in particular I should be asking him when I go there? Or anything I should be asking for?

(Bit more background if anyone needs it: I have had period problems from the ages of 15 - mid 20s. Irregular periods and a period that lasted a year when I was 15. Once had to go to a&e in early 20s because I had a period that was so heavy I was bleeding through the heaviest flow tampons in minutes.

I was fobbed off continuously and never really had anything explained to me. Was told I was 'probably not' pcos - had tests for it - but had shadows on an ovary. My periods because ultra-regular when I got to my mid-20s and moved out of home. These problems were possibly caused by stress of living in an abusive household to be honest.

I now have an ultra-regular 30 day cycle which only ever changes if I change jobs - then I weirdly seem to synch up with all the other women in my office.)

Just tell them the facts
-You have been trying X amount of time
-Cycle lengths
-Unusual symptoms you may be experiencing (I had bad acne and unexplained weight gain)
-Obviously age is a factor so tell them you are concerned about that, as fertility does decline a little after 30 then speeds up towards 40.

Tell them you want to be referred for a fertility check up.

They should do blood tests on specific cycle days (3 and 21 if I remember correctly)

They should send you for an ultrasound to check out ovaries, cervix, uterus etc.

I have PCOS, and they described my cysts as 'shadowing' for some reason. My blood tests, interestingly, were all within normal range, though my cycles ranged between 40 and 90 days

It's definitely worth your DP doing the same, it could be either one of you, both of you or even neither! It may just be stress.

After 2 years of trying we conceived naturally and put of the blue, and I am pregnant again

Hi, just what purple said, tell them the amount of time you've been trying. GPs should be sending you for blood test and your partner for a semen sample after you have been trying for a year. Then once the results are back, they will refer you to the gynaecology department for more tests and then they'll decide the best course of action there. I apparently have polycystic ovaries but no syndrome so it's unexplained. Trying for 2 years now, it'll be ivf for us. Good luck

Definitely also give them your period history. They may want to rule out endometriosis. Best of luck, I hope you have a better experience this time around.

Hello all!

Thank you for your replies and sorry for my late response: sometimes I just find all this so depressing that I can't be bothered thinking about it any more :(

So, went to the doctor (asked for a male doctor this time as thought he would be more objective about the facts and less emotional). Again, felt fobbed off until he opened up my notes on the computer and did a big gasp - the only note the female GP had made on my last appointment, when I had gone in mid-miscarriage, was the date I got married. She hadn't recorded anything else I had told her. Also, my wedding date was 5 months before my MC, and I'd had a previous MC a month before my wedding - so nothing to do with anything at all.

He showed me the screen too, I think because he was a bit shocked that she hadn't recorded anything else.

I was sent for blood tests on Day 20 of my cycle. When I phoned up for my results they told me I need to come back on Day 20 of this month and have the test repeated. Not sure why - they wouldn't tell me or book me in for an appointment to discuss it.

So, feel like I am a bit closer to answers, but not by much. Hopefully the test this month will reveal something?

My husband also went for sperm tests, arranged by the nice GP. So I guess we have that too.