Start of fertility testing

[Peonies94]

Anyone else at the start of fertility testing? I’ve had my first bloods and had husband is waiting for his SA. My bloods weren’t done on any particular day of the cycle, and I have no idea what rhey were looking for. I phoned for results and have been told the gp hasn’t looked at them yet, but there’s no ‘red’. I’m assuming they won’t be looking at ovulation, which I am pretty certain I’m not ovulating, as I’m only having around 3 periods a month. Currently 3 months since last period. If anyone else is around the same place in the process or could help me with what they may be testing, that would be really helpful! Thank you

Hey, I've just been diagnosed with PCOS in November so not too far behind you. Waiting on my hubby's SA, it's next week. My bloods were taken near the end of my cycle but showed abnormal hormone levels. When will you get your results?

@xoJellyBean hello! Ah yes not too far behind! How long have you been trying to see? My husbands is next week too! I should get my blood results next week, they said nothing of concern though I had them on just a random day of cycle so no idea what they were testing for! I think I may have PCOS, but we’ll see! What tests did they do for you to give you diagnosis, and is anything being given to you to help, or what’s the next plan of action? Thanks

Ttc *

I'm also hoping to start fertility investigation soon, even though we've only been trying since July, that was when my period started acting up. I've never been very regular but at least I had a period roughly every month, now I'm technically on my 3rd cycle since July, each cycle being between 66 and 74 days long! Due to that I've had some appointments already and got diagnosed with PCOS, they also found that my uterine lining does not seem to thicken to more than 4 mm (currently waiting for a 3rd ultrasound to just confirm the same as the last two did) but still my GP doesn't seem to think there's any need to try and do anything, they said to come back if I still haven't conceived by march. Getting really frustrated with the English health care system as when I was visiting back home for 5 days I managed to get an US, Blood test (both of which took 2 months to get in england), diagnosis, and a recommendation for treatment to aid fertility.
Next step here will also be the SA for my partner as I was told to get that sorted before coming back to my GP in March. How long does it take to sort that out and can he just go to his GP or does he need to go to a specialist? Or GP first to then get referred to a specialist?

@Omgdnswv your cycles seem to be a simular length to mine! Your a lot further ahead than me, I’ve only had my first bloods for now! The SA took about 3 weeks from contacting GP to getting appointment! How long from your first appointment did it take for PCOS diagnosis? I wanted the year to seek advice, just because that’s all I’d read, but based on the fact I’ve only had a few periods, there’s definitely an issue somewhere!

@Peonies94 my bloods came back with high androgens and low SHBG which suggested PCOS, I was then referred on to the fertility clinic. I got soo impatient and went private, got an ultrasound which showed the polycystic ovaries 👀 I had a bit of a delay in getting treatment options because they discovered a fibroid along the way too. If my hubby's SA is all okay, I have been offered clomid 🤞🏻 what symptoms of PCOS do you have?

@Peonies94 sorry forgot to say, I came off my pill in October 2019 and started trying properly in early 2020

Let's see if I can get my timeliness together, last normal period end of June, then started trying. Contacted the GP sometime end of August when I hadn't only skipped one period but was reaching the time when I should have had the next one after and that too hadn't come. They organised an US for me around end of September.

US technician said it looks like possible PCO and that she'd recommend the GP to do a bloodtest. Wait for GP to "get my results" -> results are have a phone appointment only
(In the two weeks until that appointment I went back to Germany for a few days and went to my old gynecologist, told her about it and she did an US right there and based on that got a nurse to take some blood not 5 minutes after, the results of which were too high testosterone, confirmed PCOS, recommended checking partners sperm amd if alright using clomifem) got back to England, had the phone appointment, all the phone appointment said was I should do a bloodtest so wait again until I could get an appointment for that (that's where my hate for the British health care system started, so much time wasted). Luckily managed to get someone else's cancelled appointment slot sometime late Oktober or early November, results early or mid November.

The British bloodtest uses different guidelines, so my testosterone was within normal but right on top of the upper normal limit. So GP said nothing to do, I should come back in March, which would be after 9 months or trying instead of a year, because they already know about my existing PCOS diagnosis.

Was told to have a 2nd US just to double check though, that happened the 1st of December, got the results on the 23rd of December, 4mm lining again despite cycle day 26 while scanned and was told to have yet another US to double check again, which will happen early February, so by the time I get those results they'll be willing to actually look into treating me anyway so it feels like they're just trying to keep me distracted or occupied

@xoJellyBean were they specific day bloods? I’ve had just general bloods at a random cycle day but I know they usually want day 3ish and day 21! So are you having treatment privately or just the diagnosis? I couldn’t afford to do the full thing privately but may consider a diagnosis if that could help!😬 I haven’t been trying for as long as you, been ttc since February last year, so in a few weeks it’ll be a month!
PCOS- just the oily acne skin and my cycles very from 70 days to about 135 day cycle! I’ve had like 3 periods since ttc a year ago and this is what has pushed me to quickly go to the gp, rather than it having been over a year!

@Omgdnswv- sounds like you’ve had a difficult time! Hopefully you’ll get help soon! Yes I haven’t quite hit the year mark, A few weeks until I do, but figured I have had 3 periods in a year, so something must be up!

Goodluck to you both! It’s so nice to be able to talk to people in simular positions! I’m hoping I’ll get my bloods back this week so that I can ask for further tests! I’m assuming the next thing would be an US? Thank you

Hello, I have had a similar experience. I also have super long cycles (40-58 days). GP did blood tests on random day and a US scan. Found nothing abnormal but no answers about what has happening.. so I went private because I couldn’t handle the delay. The Consultant said I need bloods on day 2-4 and then 21/28/35 (ovulation). Unfortunately got covid half way through the ovulation tests last cycle, so starting again.

It felt like the GPs approach of some blood tests at a random time in cycle was a bit half hearted and wasn’t enough to get to an answer… maybe if you stick with it and get referred to a consultant it is better.

@Peonies94 not specific day bloods no, they did call them 'day 21 bloods' but it wasn't on day 21 lol I'm still under the care of the private consultant but will get my meds on prescription from my GP so will just have to pay for any appts or scans they do. The lengthy cycles def does sound like PCOS! I'm lucky to have one every month but I just don't ovulate very regularly as my hormones are alllll wrong. Good luck for your bloods results, hopefully you don't have to wait too long

@Whysitsohard91 that’s exactly how I felt about the random cycle day! Do you feel it was worth going private? I am thinking of doing the same, you’ll have to keep me posted on how you get on! I’m just concerned at the fact that if I don’t have periods for 100 days, it could be a long wait for bloods, but no idea when 🤷‍♀️!

@xoJellyBean thank you! Good luck to you too! I am considering going privately but I’ll see what happens with my bloods and if I hear anything! I have been told I should hear by Friday!

@Peonies94 yes the fact that everything takes so much longer given my cycle length is what pushed me to go private. It has definitely given me more peace of mind knowing that I am getting closer to an answer and potentially ovulation meds. My husband has had SA and we are waiting for those results. Then once I have had all my bloods, I will go for a scan and hopefully then a diagnosis. Unfortunately even with going private the mega long cycles cause some delay!

It’s a very personal issue but I felt I would rather spend some money up front than delay getting answers and be closer to ivf. I am 30 by the way, turning 31 soon and hoping to have 2x children.

@Peonies94 I'm based in Northern Ireland but I'll give you an idea of prices for private - consultation was £150, scan was £120. Any review appts are £120 and I've only one of them scheduled so far. I'm due to start treatment in the next few weeks

@Whysitsohard91 it’s so hard isn’t it! You have no idea when next period will come and whether I’m ovulating or not. But even if I am, it only means I’m getting 3x chances a year! How do you know which day for bloods when cycles are so irregular? I’d have no idea when to get bloods! I can be anything from 45 days to 100odd! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Also I have no tell tale symptoms! I am around the same age, 30 this year! I got married not too long ago but after postponing the wedding for a year we started trying before the wedding anyways. I also want two children, so in a very similar position!

@xoJellyBean thank you very much for that, that seems really reasonable I think! I’ll definitely consider that if things take a long time! I’ll see what happens with my bloods first and results and referral times!

Thank you though both

@Peonies94 the main bloods I had were on day 2-4 so booked as soon as af arrived and then the consultant suggested further bloods on days 21/28/35 to see whether I’m ovulating. You would need to have the bloods ordered by a go/consultant so I guess they would advise on timing.

I have tried testing with clearblue opks but getting really quite random seeming results so have no faith that it’s working and found it quite stressful. In my first appointment the consultant advised we dtd every other day from day 10-40 of my cycle, which is a lot!

We hadn’t really thought about trying yet until the penny suddenly dropped with me that it might take quite a while given my mad irregular cycle. Glad I didn’t leave it longer given what a palaver it is. I know how you feel about having limited chances and having no idea what’s going on with your body. From my patchy research, there seems to be a few fairly straightforward treatments for non-existent / irregular ovulation, so fingers crossed for us.

We also postponed our wedding in 2020 - v stressful and probably not conducive to babymaking!

@Whysitsohard91 its so hard! We’ve been trying to do SMEP but also having OPKs all over the place, which also makes me think potentially PCOS! So we’ve been trying every other day, but with cycles hitting 90 days there’s been two weeks in this cycle where we’ve skipped a week! Yes, all I seem to do is Google it, but your right! I’m hoping it’s something straight forward like that! 🙏

@Peonies94 keep us posted with your bloods, I'll keep you updated with what they recommend for me. Next appt is 25th Jan 🤞🏻 I was referred to NHS clinic in March 2021 and I'm still waiting on my initial appt 👀 nightmare

@xoJellyBean that’s crazy! Where are you based? Takes so long doesn’t it! Definitely worth paying privately to speed that part of the process along! So with going privately can you then just take diagnoses back to nhs for treatment, such as clomid? Thanks! Yes all the best keep me posted, and I’ll do the same!

So nice to have people to talk to! We haven’t told anyone we are ttc, so obviously haven’t told people about the fertility side, so it’s so nice to have mumsnet to speak to people in simular situations!

Hi OP :) I've just been referred to fertility clinic and diagnosed with PCOS. One thing I would say with your bloods if the GP has requested and is reviewing them is to ask them to double check your FSH/LH ratio! I say this because my GP missed it as neither were "in the red" but my gynaecologist spotted the ratio between the two was way off and indicative of PCOS, so more bloods done which confirmed PCOS and this explains why I haven't been ovulating! I'm assuming if its a fertility clinic that have ordered the bloods they'll know to look for it of course but it wasn't by my GP and that's delayed things for me massively!

@Endogal thank you for that! I’ll get my results this week so I’ll definitely ask for a breakdown of what’s been tested and results etc! Thank you though! When did you start with the process? Have you gone nhs for testing or privately? Thank you!

These are just my first set of bloods, so hopefully I’ll get results this week and further tests will be done!

We seem to be in similar situations with our periods, I used ovulation testers too, until one said I was ovulating on like cycle day 5 amd I had another look at the leaflet and it said it doesn't work with PCOS. But on the other hand that means dtd every 2-3 days for around two months straight until we have a few days off for my period.

I think I had unrealistic expectations going into this, was aware of all the statistic of how long it can take, but my mum got pregnant on the first attempt with me, 2nd attempt with my brother (although she insists she got pregnant 1st cycle and then lost it before tests would be able to confirm) and my grandma got my mum without even trying while she was on the pill, so genetically I should have been fine.

Guess I just need to learn a bit more patience

You're welcome @Peonies94! So they've been investigating lack of periods since about April! I've had 3 cycles since I had my mirena out last December, as part of those investigations I was referred for a hysteroscopy and it was the gynae who did that that flagged my bloods were off, he seemed quite annoyed it wasn't spotted! I'm being prescribed metformin and we've been referred through the NHS and will probably stick to that unless it's so completely ridiculous a wait! As much as I'm a bit fuming about the delay in it being spotted I also feel quite relieved and vindicated! I have soo many of the other PCOS indicators, oily skin, hirsutism, weight difficulties etc so it makes total sense and it's a relief to not be told yet again I'm "adjusting to coming off the coil" and "late 20s so it will happen"!

@Peonies94 Northern Ireland 😴 everything is so slow here at the moment! When they prescribe me clomid I just take the letter to my GP and get it through them 🤞🏻 although if I'm going to be monitored then I'll have to pay for the scans privately.

I agree, it's so nice to vent on here. I've got a TTC Instagram too. Such a supportive community!