Intro and advice? (sort-of)

[belovedbride07]

DH and I have only been trying since last July, but I went to my GP (who I usually see for my annual) after six well-timed cycles to ask about my short LPs and frequent spotting. She ordered some tests (to placate me, I'm sure; her other advice was to "relax" and stop charting ^o)).  My ovarian reserves were good, but DH's SA was bad (low count, low motility).  I asked about checking my post-O progesterone, but she doesn't think that short LPs inhibit conception.

DH is seeing a urologist now. Meanwhile, my cycles are short (around 25 days), my LPs have been 8 days for the last few months (and then last cycle was the shortest ever at 6), my period is between 7-10 days, and I spot a lot throughout my cycle.  Getting pregnant aside, it is annoying to bleed/spot half the time, and I'm a little worried that there's a bigger issue.  I'm not due for my annual until June.  Would it be nuts to see an OB/Gyn now?  Or should I just be patient and wait a few more months?

I'll confess that aside from being frustrated with all of the bleeding, I can't help thinking that there is still a small chance of a swimmer getting to the right place, but as long as my body's all out of whack it won't do any good.

[lola]

I would think that seeing a GYN for an opinion on your cycle issues can't hurt anything. Generally I think doctors do really know best (being doctors and all) but I think that given that you're concerned about your cycles/spotting (which I would be too) and you know you have a challenge w/ your H's sperm it doesn't hurt anything to get an opinion from a doctor whose specialty is the female body/reproductive system.

Good luck - and welcome!

[pamela]

I would look for a new Ob. That long of a period and frequent mid cycle spotting should be looked into for your quality of life, not just TTC.

[G22]

Welcome! My H has issues with his SA count/motility. He saw urology who said it was related to a varicocele and he had surgery to repair that last July. We tried for several more months with well timed sex so I went to an OB and started my basic workup.

I've never had outward symptoms of anything wrong. My blood work /labs showed I probably wasn't ovulating every month, I had a cyst on one of my ovaries, and my prolactin level was elevated. Since you are concerned with there being an issue, I'd say get in with an OB now rather than wait til June. With both H and I having fertility issues, it makes things a little more complicated.

[KaraOrNot]

I would go to the OB/GYN now.

[belovedbride07]

Thanks for the reassurance, everyone. I had decided to make an appointment Friday, but the office was already closed when I called and I started second-guessing whether this is something really worth getting checked out for, or if I was just making excuses for over-anxious TTC behavior.

lola I'm glad to see the swing to "trust your doctor" around here (GBCN in general, not this board in particular).  When you shared your plan I was surprised to not see a bunch of "Clomid without monitoring = quack!" bandwagon-ing.  I'm glad to see less of a one-size-fits-all approach.

G22 Thanks for sharing; next step for my DH is checking for varicoceles.  We're just waiting for insurance approval for the ultrasound.

[azurely]

I would also see a new dr. 8 days is a short LP and spotting can indicate low progesterone. In the meantime, taking B6 can lengthen your LP.

[changedname]

Mar 24, 2013 1:51:17 GMT -5 azurely said:

I would also see a new dr. 8 days is a short LP and spotting can indicate low progesterone. In the meantime, taking B6 can lengthen your LP.

  This. I'm sure your doctor is right that a short lp doesn't stop conception but low progesterone might stop you staying pg. No harm in getting it checked out.

[mae141]

I would definitely check with an ob/gyn at this point. My GP wouldn't answer a single question about not being able to get pregnant- she said that being a GP, she was not an authority on the topic and I really needed to go to an ob/gyn with my concerns. My ob/gyn ended up sending me straight to the RE.

[degal99]

Welcome! And I agree with everyone else. Make an appt w/ an ob/gyn. And I agree with pamela. It's not just TTC but quality of life, too!

[lola]

Mar 23, 2013 22:46:29 GMT -5 belovedbride07 said:

Thanks for the reassurance, everyone. I had decided to make an appointment Friday, but the office was already closed when I called and I started second-guessing whether this is something really worth getting checked out for, or if I was just making excuses for over-anxious TTC behavior.

lola I'm glad to see the swing to "trust your doctor" around here (GBCN in general, not this board in particular).  When you shared your plan I was surprised to not see a bunch of "Clomid without monitoring = quack!" bandwagon-ing.  I'm glad to see less of a one-size-fits-all approach.

G22 Thanks for sharing; next step for my DH is checking for varicoceles.  We're just waiting for insurance approval for the ultrasound.

Oh, god, me too which is why I thought pretty hard before posting it. I think that we learn so much on these boards and it's really easy to just believe what we read here because we like and trust each other. Ultimately, I think you should be an informed patient and question your doctor and be comfortable with the treatment plan that s/he proposes but ALSO be with a doctor whose advice you trust above anything you've read on a dang message board! lol. I don't think the shift is global (on these boards), but it seems to be the case here on TTTC which is nice, IMO.

[speyedr]

Welcome! DH and I were diagnosed with MFI in December, DH also has low count and motility. Urologist couldn't give us a reason, all of his hormone levels are normal and no vericocele. I had all of my bloodwork done and looks normal but have the opposite problem as you, really long cycles. My ob/gyn so far doesn't see an issue with my cycles but I am beginning to think that something else is going on. I had a pregnancy in december that I ended up miscarrying the end of January at 6w3d. I just scheduled an HSG for next week and hopefully will start IUI's this summer if I can get DH's boss to keep him in town. DH works out of town a lot and is gone for two weeks at a time so timing for treatments is going to be difficult.