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

Hi @Peonies94 - I have an AVA and love it. So much more straightforward and consistent than temping for me. I get really clear graphs with obvious FW. Highly recommend taking the plunge.

@Peonies94 thank you. Mine has just been taking the occasional generic vitamin mix, but now he's ordered something that's aimed at improving sperm count and motility (as those were below the threshold for his 1st SA).

@FlyOnTheWall89 thank you! I have really irregular periods so have heard Ava isn’t great for that, but ovusense is great for those with PCOS etc, I took the plunge anyways, I’ve just ordered! I’ve taken lots of your advice @FlyOnTheWall89 thank you again!

How is everyone getting g on with their testing?

We actually had our first consultation with the fertility department yesterday and it went really well (first doctors appointment in a long time that didn't leave me in tears of frustration).
She said my partners sperm is good, so his role is supporting me. Now I need to have

• a urine test for chlamydia (results will take a week, need results before booking hycosy)
• day 1 and 4 blood tests and rubella antibody test
• hycosy (the description does sound very painful)

Now I'm wondering, how did you deal with all these appointments and work? The Urine sample my partner could hypothetically drop off for me (if he hadn't currently had covid, so I think I'll have it any day now too) but two short notice blood tests and a hycosy at least 24hrs after my period is done are 3 days that I have to ask to take off or half off very close together and without much notice. And my bosses are definitely not someone I would want to tell what all this is about

@Omgdnswv ahh sounds like it was a really successful appointment and have a lot of things planned!

I can’t help with appointments as I literally had 2! Spoke to gp on the phone and I got sent for bloods one day (could go any day) and then I had one actual appointment for a scan, so it was only the one and about 3 months ago! I imagine if they become more frequent I’ll have to say something else!

I got sent to wait and see if periods become regular for another 6 months, but at that point I was 12 months in! Think I’ll phone again and ask to be referred again, as I’m still having cycles of 90, 48, 33, and currently 60 day cycles!

@Omgdnswv when the time comes I’ll probably say I’m having issues with my cycles, but won’t discuss fertility! I don’t want oriole to know we are ttc, have not discussed with anyone other than on here! It’s so hard when you have so many appointments then though isn’t it!

Also- how long have you been ttc did you say? I’ve only had gp appointment who sent me for scan, and then random day bloods. I had gynae call me for a virtual appointment? But I had just had a 30 day cycle so waw basically told to just keep trying and see how cycles go!

@Omgdnswv sorry another question.. how did you get on with the myo Inosito?

@Peonies94
We just reached a year, but the paperwork that the fertility clinic sent through with some generic leaflets said couples "usually get referred after a year of trying but it can be sooner if certain conditions are present".

I think my GP just wanted to get rid of me in the end, cause once we had my partners sperm results they said nothing they can do, his gp has to sort things, as if that magically made my irregular cycles disappear, so when I complained about that he started the referral process.

I was surprised how quickly that came through, cause my Sis in law said they had to wait 3 months and that was before the pandemic and our phone appointment was just about a month after the referral.
Sis in law also said in her experience GPs don't know much about fertility problems and you have to do your own research to suggest treatments to them so they can try them and pretend it was their idea all along.

@Peonies94
Sorry, didn't see the 2nd question until I've already posted. I've taken it for about a month and a half now I think, started about a week after my cycle started and that cycle was "only" 40 days long! I'm really hoping that that might have done the trick and the next one will be short enough to be considered normal. My app predicts my period in 8 days (bit it also says if it doesn't come in 8 days I should do a pregnancy test in 33 days, so I think it's gotten a bit confused with the drastic change in cycles )

@Omgdnswv how were the results for SA? 14 months for us, so hoping to be referred when I phone back soon! I had the phone appointment, but was then dismissed! Sounds like you’ve been lucky so far, I’m glad your getting somewhere?

Ahh these irregular periods are crazy aren’t they! I’m cycle day 60 now and no sign of ovulation, so think I’ll definitely get some. So you take the powder form?

@Peonies94 I had my AMH blood test yesterday, left a massive bruise, doesn’t usually happen. I rang the hospital to book my HSG, they can’t do it this month (person who does it is off) so I have to call back next cycle. A tad irritating but it does give me a bit of a break from the hospital for a few weeks!

Appointment with fertility clinic docs is middle of May, so as long as all the tests are done by then.

@Omgdnswv re appointments- I’ve told work I’ve had blood tests which have flagged hormonal issues which are being investigated at the hospital. Not entirely a lie, my blood tests have not been great with the thyroid/prolactin issue but I’ve not mentioned fertility. Blood tests I have to book online, but I’m lucky that I have been able to book them between 7-8:30 am so always before work. For my hospital appointments Ive just said I had an appointment with consultant at hospital. For my scan, another hospital appointment.

I am conscious of loads of appointments though, will try and get the HSG on holiday and next appointment with clinic as a holiday.

@Lauralozzle sounds like your getting somewhere too! That’s annoying, but so good that you can look at the positive of a little break! I definitely need to chase mine up!

It’s so hard with so many appointment isn’t it! I’d probs LJ say something simular, without mentioning fertility!

@Peonies94 the first SA wasn't too good, things like count, forwards progression, and morphology all a bit under the minimum, but she said that for the first one that happens sometimes because it stresses the guy and might lead to comfort foods or sweets or other affecting factors.
The second one everything was within the normal range, especially forward progression jumped up by about 20 percent.

I take inositol pills, ordered online (1st bottle from amazon, 2nd one my partner ordered somewhere because the one I bought wasn't available anymore). I just made sure it's at a 40:1 ratio as that seems to be quite important.

@Lauralozzle I guess I'll probably end up saying something similar if they ask for an explanation. Just wasn't sure if mentioning anything to do with hormones might get them immediately thinking "pregnant", especially since quite a few people here have gotten babies in the last 2-3 years (including my supervisor and his mate, both of whom seemed to have a bit of difficulty to get to parenthood, so might know a bit about checkups and things)

I just did day 3 bloods, and today got a message to repeat day 21. Anyone know how specific day 21 is? I'm out of town, so will be able to do day 20 or day 24 at a push, or have to wait until next month.

I'm also waiting for an ultrasound appointment and have been given some home swabs with absolutely no instruction! Thank heaven for Google - there are instructions with the York training hospital website.

Hubby has got his SA referral, but has to book a slot still. We had a giggle over the fact that sample has to be returned within an hour of collection, but we're an hour and a half drive from the hospital! No idea how we'll manage that one! But good to find something to smile about in all this!

Hope everyone else is ok x

@Aqualou basically day 21 need to be done roughly a week before period, a week after ovulation. It’ll depend what day you ovulate on!

As for SA he may be able to use one of the rooms. My Husband had a choice of using a room or delivering it over!

@Aqualou day 21 bloods needs to be 7 days before your period.

I have nothing to report. I’m just waiting for this cycle to be over so I can book in the HSG.

After over two months of metformin and inositol I seem to have finally ovulated!! I detected my first ever LH surge a few days ago I could have actually cried I was so relieved! I also had forgotten how painful my endometriosis makes ovulation (was on GNRH analogue then PCOS kicked in) but the gynae consultant was fairly clear that I had to make a decision about caring more about pain or having a baby 😂 seem to be having loads of ovulation bleeding though, I'm not convinced I'll be able to conceive with it but it still feels good to know I may have had a shot for once! Still not heard anything from fertility clinic... Not sure if this will change things now I'd imagine they'll want to see how I get on for a few months? Hopefully they won't just discharge me I'm so worried this is just a fluke!

Hi all. Thought I would pop on as I am in a similar boat to a lot of you! Came off the pill in January 2021 and periods didn’t really return - had one in July 2021. I was then told I had PCO after blood test and scan. GP referred me in January and I had first appointment in March. I’ve got my HSG booked in for this Thursday and then consultant appointment mid May. SA showed a few low numbers here and there. Feels like a long journey sometimes!!

Hi all,How’s everyone getting on? Xx

@Endogal that's great news about the ovulation (not quite so great about the pain, but you might be able to see it as practice for the pain of childbirth)
I was worried the fertility clinic would make me wait longer because the inositol has reduced my cycle length, but she said the doctor might prescribe me letrozol(?) To try and get the cycles down a bit closer to normal, but first I need to do the initial tests.
I managed to drop of my urine sample but after that I had covid so when I got my period (on cycle day 26!!!!) I couldn't do the blood tests or hycosy. I will probably give them a ring on my day off next week Friday and ask how much notice they need to be able to book me in, weather I actually can call them on the 1st day of my period or if they want to make an appointment ahead of time guessing when my next period is.

@Saraht1991 welcome to the chat, sounds like you're pretty much at the same stage as most of us. Let me know how the HSG (that's the hycosy, isn't it?) Goes, I'm quite scared of that one and will need to do it soon too

How is everyone? Does anyone temp? My first month using the ovusense this month, as I’m trying to find out if I ovulate! Not sure what’s going on, but it’s looking like I have ovulated.

@Peonies94 I’m good. Nothing to report, waiting for my period to start so I can book the HSG. It’s the last test left! Due-ish today/tomorrow. I tried to forget about everything, no Ava this month, no LH pee-sticks - no idea when I ovulated and I’m majorly regretting it now!

If I ovulated normal time, I had bad cramps 5dpo and then a tiny bit of spotting the next day but… could have been very late ovulation with random ovulation spotting.

I am not in a million years fooling myself thinking it’s something else! 😂

Hi ladies,

Has anyone here used a Care fertility clinic and can feedback on what they were like?

We've had some initial tests done recently on the nhs but the Care clinic near us has told DH that we would need these doing again to get started with them and it would be +£700 just to get the same stuff done 🤷‍♀️

@Lauralozzle ahh good look for your HSG! Ahh that’s good, I think it’s good to do that from time to time! I have no willpower though, I say it each time and then soon as af is due to stop, I decide to get the sticks and everything back out!
Ahh it’s so hard isn’t it, our body doesn’t half test us! I temped and it’s confirmed ovulation, but I’m not sure if I agree! It’s super early and I didn’t really feel like I did. I did however have some sort of pains, but I have those random times throughout the cycle and I convince myself they’re all sorts of things!!