# Just starting out



## trix (Sep 27, 2004)

Hi i have been trying for a year now and have been to the doctor who keeps putting me off saying to try for a few more months and then come back she did say i could get blood tests but the last few times i saw her she told me to leave it a while longer as these things take time, how long should i wait i am starting to get impatient as i am 31 on my next birthday i dont want to leave things to late. Also what it the next step i have heard of charts etc but really dont have a clue about tempetures etc can anyone give some advice?


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## EmmaK (Aug 6, 2004)

Hi trix!

I've just turned 31,
i went to doctor after trying for 8 months, luckily she was great and said she'll start tests straight away. I had to go for two blood tests, one in between day 2 to 5 of period, the other on day 21.

These came back that i had pcos, so she booked me in for an ultrasound scan, that came through in 4 weeks. This showed i was pcos.

She then referred me to an infertility consultant at hospital which was a 6 month waiting list, we enquired how much a private appointment was. £120.00 so we went the next week.

I know how you feel with the age thing but at 30 age is still on your side, but like me your prob. really impatient!!! I want a baby and i want one now!!!

Can you change doctors? The doctor i saw wasn't the one i'm registered with.

During my first 8 months of trying i carefully wrote down all of periods so i knew how long each cycle was and i bought a temperature chart from boots and started taking my temperature. When i went to see both doctor and consultant i had all this info wrote down which really helped!

Good luck!

Email me if you need any more questions answering.

Lots of love

Emmak


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## clairelh1 (Sep 8, 2004)

Hi Trix and Emmak

It's the early 30's club!!  I'm just like you two, am 31 and am just embarking on the whole tests stuff.  I fully understand how you feel about the age thing.  I know we're only 'young' but I always imagined having more than one child, but knowing now how long these things could take, I'm now beginning to think differently.  

I do think sometimes, the hardest part of all of this is the waiting.  Trix, do keep going back to your GP or even, if you can, try another.  The HFEA guidance does state that after a year of ttc, your GP should offer you tests (can't do links, but if you look up HFEA on the net, you'll get to read a really simple, but informative guide).  I've heard of some people taking this to their GP to get things moving, but I guess that depends on how brave you are..;-)  My GP was good and referred us to the fertility clinic as soon as we went to see him.  We waited a year and that it was hard enough waiting that long before we went to see him.  It was another 3.5 mths until our first appt at the hospital.  We're now about to embark on more tests.  I think it can help to start taking notice of your body over your cycles such as taking your temperature, how you feel eg sore boobs, pain etc.  Not only will it provide more information for your GP and consultant, but also may make you feel like you're doing something constructive.  I really hope you have some success with getting things started soon. 

Emmak good luck with you IVF, hope all goes well for you.

Love and dust to you both.

Claire


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## trix (Sep 27, 2004)

Hi Emmak and Claire

It was great to log on tonight and have some replys - this is beginning to seem like a very daunting process !!

Its good to get advice from people who are futher along this process than myself, i think i can chill out about the whole thing a bit as i thought i was the only one it was taking a while after reading this website i now realise it can take years!! everyone i know has got pregnant within months!!

I will go back to my gp and request that i start blood tests because i dont think i can wait any longer.

Do i take my tempature daily? when i get up or at certain times of the day? is there a special kit you buy for pregnancy that you can buy and chart? will my tempetature change much during my cycle? Forgive me for being so naive but im afraid to stand in boots reading all the pregnancy kits incase someone i know sees me i would be really embarrassed as most of my friends dont know we are trying i think it would only add to the pressure each month.

What stage should my husband go in and get checked out? 

Thanks

Trix


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## clairelh1 (Sep 8, 2004)

Hi Trix

Glad you're feeling a bit more positive.   It is daunting and I don't think I realised how daunting it was until I found sites like this.  I naively thought it'd be a really simple process.  It got me down at first to think that I'd been so wrong and that it could be a long road ahead, but I now feel far more prepared for whatever lies ahead, and far more informed about what may happen.

I fully understand about not wanting to be seen, I'm the same.  I'm sure I look like some shifty shoplifter when I go into Boots, and look at the family planning section, when all I'm doing is checking there is noone I know about.  I think there may be more info on this site about taking your temperature (or BBT as it's referred to), but the basics of it are the you are meant to take your temperature at the same time every day.  The recommended time is as soon as you wake up as then your temperature should not be affected by anything such as moving about, eating etc at this time.  You can buy kits from Boots which are specifically sold for this purpose, but I spent £40 on a fancy thermometer and it broke within a couple of months.  If I'm honest, I would read up about it on the net and then just go into any chemist and get a digital (not the normal type) thermometer - you can get them quite cheap too - less than £5.  These record your temperature to 1 or 2 decimal places, and make recording your temperature more accurate.  There is a site www.fertilityfriend.co.uk or try www.FertileDays.com which gives you lots of info and enables you to log your temperature and make a note of anything which may affect it such as drinking the night before or sleeplessness.  I know a lot of girls here use this site to track their temperature.  Your temperature should rise after you've ovulated, so if your periods are regular, after a few months you'll be able to work out what days you are most likely to be ovulating.  It's also meant to be a good indiction that you are actually ovulating.  I tried charting my BBT for a few months, but I wasn't very good at remembering to take it and my temperature was all over the place.  

I'd ask about your husband giving a sample when you next go to the Drs.  There shouldn't be any reason why he doesn't get the same attention from the GP as you get at this early stage.  

Hope this helps a bit.  Keep us informed on how it goes with your GP.

Love 

Claire


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## trix (Sep 27, 2004)

Hi Claire

Cheers for all the advice!!

I will go and get myself a therometer (cant spell) tomorrow and start recording to see if i can spot changes.

I am going to try the sites you mentioned now and get myself more familiar with all this!!

Im really glad i found this site as its starting to be more helpful than my GP!! 

At lease when i go back i will have a record to show her!!

Thanks again talk soon

Trix


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## catnap111 (Sep 19, 2004)

Hi Trix

I am 31 also but I have been having tests for well over a year now.  I never expected to be in this situation (thought it was all so easy) so I was like you to begin with, it all seemed so new.

I basically did research on the internet and tried to find out as much info. as possible. Also bought a couple of books on pregnancy so I was clear about ovulation and my cycle.  I bought a thermometer but gave up with it pretty soon - far too much hassle.  I would say no to that but I couldn't blame you for giving it a go.  Have you tried ovulation kits?

Also, it was a bit cheeky but I went to my doctor after trying for 9mths but told her I had been trying for 18mths!!  How would they know??  No way was I going to be fobbed off!  Get your husband checked out too. The tests take months to complete so the sooner you start the better - and who knows what might happen in the meantime.

Good luck with it all.

Catnap


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## natalie34 (Jun 7, 2004)

Hi Trix,

In addition to what everyone else has said, I bought a fertility kit on the Internet for me and DH, as we had been ttc for 8 months and I was 34 and he was 43 and guessed our DR would say wait for the magic 12 mths.

I am so glad I bought the home fertility test. It indicated that DH had a problem. We saw our DR and he immediately sent him for a sperm test at the hospital which confirmed yes we did have a problem and its taken us since June to get where we are today.

I don't want to be all doom and gloom but I was so glad I did this test, as we wouldn't be where we are now. 

I would push your GP as much as you can and get as many tests done at the surgery as you can. It may be that there is nothing worng, but if there is, at least you can get things moving. I have to say once our GP knwe there was a problem he has been fantastic. Its just getting past that stage where you want things checked out and not to be fobbed off all teh time.

Best of luck,

Natalie xx


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## Scarlett03 (Oct 4, 2004)

Hi, I'm a newbie around here also. 

I have been TTCing and off the pill since Dec.2002.  I started investigations at the begining of this year and got sent for blood tests.  I'm 33 and feel as I need to do something.  

I had to wait 18 weeks for an appointment with the Fertility Clinic and are going back this week for further further results. 

If you have been trying for more than a year then go back to your GP and ask for a referral or at least some blood tests.


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