Wondering when to seek help?

Tkeys · #1 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 02:24 PM

Okay - I've been doing some research on success rates, trying to figure out my next move, and I keep stumbling across information about when to seek help from a specialist. So, I thought I'd share it here:

When to seek help:
"If the woman is under 35, the traditional wisdom is that you seek help after one year of not conceiving. If the woman is over 35, seek help after six months. However, if there are known issues such as endometriosis, irregular cycles, suspected annovulation, or low sperm count (or reason to suspect low sperm count), throw those numbers out the window and seek help sooner!"

It is not unreasonable to seek help after 3 months of irregular or long cycles, or immediately upon trying to conceive if you have a history of endometriosis or irregular cycles.

Here is one website I found with great information - my RE's office keeps a copy of their mailing in the waiting room (which is where I found the above information).

http://www.resolve.org/site/PageServ...e=lrn_wii_hdik

Most testing needs to be done by an RE, but using OPKs and temping can help determine if you are ovulating. Also, there are home semen analysis kits that can help you determine if there is reason to suspect low/insufficient sperm count.

AirForceWife2007 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:04 PM

When I mentioned how painful my menstruations were the Dr. just laughed and said getting pregnant would cure that. I was very unimpressed with that response.

I agree that if you have a history or someone in your family does, or if you've been charting and are doing all the right things that there is no need to wait a year before getting help.

Tkeys · #3 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:15 PM

Kerry - I'm so sorry your doctor gave you that response! Do you have the option of going to see another doctor? Painful menstruation can be nothing, but sometimes it can be a sign of endometriosis. I think so often, doctors really don't listen to us when we know something is off. My regular gyn "doesn't do babies." But, she said that when I was ready to try, she'd prescribe me Clomid if I didn't get pregnant in a few months, and if after 4 months of not getting pregnant on Clomid, she'd send me to an RE. I thought maybe I should start working with the doctor who would be my regular OB if I got pregnant, so I found an OB practice in the area (the doctor my mom uses) and I made an appointment. The doctor was very nice, but unconcerned. When I started having issues, I couldn't get her to call me back. Every time I had a question, I had to make an appointment. She kept ignoring what I was saying, and I really had to push to get her to check my progesterone. When I found out it was too low and I wasn't ovulating well, she never called me back with any input about next steps. So I called my regular gyn. I spoke to her on the phone, and she called in the Clomid, and told me if I wasn't pregnant in 2 months, she'd up me to 100 mg, and if I still wasn't pregnant after 2 months of that, go to the RE. I still felt that wasn't really right . . . I was worried about being unmonitored on Clomid, so I called up the RE and made an appointment. WHen I went in there, he said it was a good idea for me to come, and the things I was feeling were definitely a sign something was up. I felt SO RELIEVED that he listened to me and seem to reaffirm what I was feeling. He immediately had me get DH tested, and he started testing me. We learned quickly about DH's issue, and he found my fibroid (which apparently my gyn suspected from all of my bleeding issues but didn't think it was a big enough deal to check out). My OB doesn't seem to have noticed that I disappeared, and my gyn was really supportive when I told her I headed to the RE. I'm just glad I didn't sit and wait . . . . but then again, age isn't on my side!

AirForceWife2007 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:25 PM

I'm not sure. I think when I make the appointment I can request to go to the GYN clinic instead of my regular doctor. I'm not positive about that. The military can be so complicated LOL. I mean my periods are soo painful that I have been known to pass out from them. Plus there are some other things that go on right before my periods start that make me wonder. I normally hate Dr. because they don't listen.

AirForceWife2007 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:26 PM

Oops, make that I normally hate going to the Doctors because they normally don't listen.

girlie_mama · #6 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:34 PM

Kerry,

Ever since I was 14 years old I would have such painful cramping from AF I would be incapacitated for a week. The first day AF came, I would be almost inconsolable from the pain. My husband found me on the floor after we were married for a month because I just couldn't get up off the floor from the pain and scared him to death!

I always thought that was how your period was supposed to be for some women and come to find out due to an Endometrioma cyst that had to be surgically removed that I had stage II endometriosis and that so made sense! True, having babies does decrease the cramping. I don't suffer with cramping anymore but it is slowly coming back the more time in between children and I am scared that my endo is growing back but thought I would let you know that Endometriosis can be causing your painful periods. Of course you need a dr. that will listen to your concerns. Just saying "having a baby will cure that" is ludicrous! That is why you are there!!

I hope you find a dr. that will listen to you. I would think that a dr. would take you serious when you are passing out from menstrual cramps.

Tkeys · #7 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 03:55 PM

Kerry - Like Rebecca said, I also hope you can find a doctor who will listen to you - and you should fight to be heard! You are right - some doctors are just awful and really don't listen. Maybe an appointment on the gyn side would help . . . and if you find someone who listens, then I'd keep going back to that person. You shouldn't have to keep suffering.

mk9906 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 05:20 PM

Do the at home s/a kits really work?

I've seen them but I didn't know if they would be worth trying.