After eight months without luck on the TTC front, my OH and I are off to see our GP on Wednesday. We are 34 and 36 - hence not wanting to wait the recommended 12 months before seeking help.

Other than a record of my cycle, is there any other useful information I might need?

Thanks in advance ladies.

(ps secretly terrified they won't take us seriously, and just roll their eyes and tell us to "go away and relax... it will happen" - has this happened to anyone??)

Well, when we went to see our doctor she didn't ask about my cycles or anything.

I just told her that we've been trying for just over a year with no luck. She asked us our ages (me 30, hubby 37), if I had ever been pregnant or OH had any children (no and no) and enquired about our general health (I have had scans and stuff for odd period problems this year which she already knew about)

She referred me for 21 day bloods and we now have our first appointment at the infertility clinic in 2 weeks.

Hope that your GP doesn't fob you off and gets the ball rolling with some tests. Although it's not a year, 8 months is a long time and they do take age into account (our GP told us that if we were younger then she would have just told us to keep on trying and come back in say, 6 months if still no luck)

Good luck with it all.

I just went armed with charts and a list of arguments why I thought we needed help (i hadn't ov'd for months, short LP, miscarriages etc). Even if they just start on the blood tests at least it gets the ball rolling. I'm sure they won't send you away cos everytime I went to the docs they said if I was under 35 it would be different but as I'm 28 we had to be patient.

Good Luck xx

Mrs D - not sure whether it is you or your Mr D who is 36? NICE guidelines state that if the female is over 35 and couple have been trying for 6 months then investigations should be started. Your doctor should do something for you in terms of test and possibly referral.

Good luck
X

Good luck,

It really varies from GP to GP so hopefully yours is nice! they will probably order day 5 and 21 bloods and a sperm analysis and order you back for the results a week later. If the results are fine they may tell you to try for a little longer - but they can pick up all sorts of problems from the tests.

They asked me about cycle length, whether I passed clots?!, pain during periods etc etc. Although saying that the month after we went we concieved - which apparently happens a lot!

Good luck and don't let them fob you off.

Rach x

Same as Rach46 - bloods and SA were decided as first course of action. Our GP asked our ages - wasn't bothered as hubby is only 27, but when I said i was nearly 31 he said he would send us for the tests if we wanted - which we did. It means it's one thing to tick off our list.

I think a lot of people then go on to conceive naturally as a lot of the stress has been taken away from them. Hope I'm one of them!!

Good luck :-)

Thanks everyone.

J-Jenko - I'm 34, and OH is 36. If I wait for 12 months then I will be 35!! Hopefully the GP won't follow the rules to the letter and will refer us for some tests straight away.

I'd dearly love it if this took all the pressue off and we got our BFP next month (well, here's hoping...).

Fingers crossed and I'll let you know how we get on tomorrow.

xx

Update - glad to say the GP took us seriously - we have been referred for the usual barrage of tests (21 day bloods, ultrasound, SAs, and STI swabs).

She advised us in the meantime to keep on trying (no danger there!).

Thanks for the help and advice ladies.